TOY SHOW'S MAIN CAUSE IS TO BUY

The International Toy Collectors Association's Roadshows at Cape Girardeau and Paducah, Ky., are designed for association representatives to purchase toys for members.

"It can, however, be an informative and fun time for toy collectors," said Jeff Parson. "They have an opportunity to ask questions about antique and collector toys."

The roadshow isn't an exhibition of toys, said Parson, who buys for association members. "Only a few toys are on display, and we don't sell toys here," he said.

Although the majority of people who visited the show Tuesday brought toys to sell, a few people were disappointed that a lot of toys were not on display, said Parson.

"There was some misunderstanding about that," said Parson. "Our primary purpose here is to buy old toys."

Only a few toys were on display by the association, but one of those is a real prize: Jumbo Jr., The Walking Baby Elephant.

Jumbo is one of a kind. The iron windup toy with a skin-looking gray covering was a prototype of Henry O. Lund Co., a toymaker in the early 1880s. The prototype was given to P.T. Barnum.

"The toy was never made for sale," said Parson. "This is the only one of its kind."

The elephant is valued at between $40,000 and $60,000.

Also on display at the roadshow were a number of cowboy Hopalong Cassidy toys and two or three tables of toys that had been purchased during the day.

"We purchased as many as six to eight tables of toys the first day," said Parson.

"We looked at a lot of toys today," said Parson. "We bought some."

The association, headquartered at Springfield, Ill., has thousands of members throughout the world. It sponsors as many as 48 shows each year.

Two shows are being conducted this week -- at the Bavarian Halle at the intersection of Interstate 55 and Highway 61 at Fruitland -- and at the Executive Inn in downtown Paducah, Ky.

Parson, a collector of German windup toys, is coordinator of the Cape Girardeau show.

"We're looking for toys up to 1965, hopefully in good shape," he said. "Condition is everything in collecting. Our members are willing to pay good prices, but the toys have to be in good conditions."

The show continues at the Bavarian Halle today and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Among the most popular toys currently sought by collectors today are robots and space toys, said Parson. "People are looking for the l950s and 1960s items, along with many of the Marx Toy items from the U.S," he said.

Iron toys are also good, said Parson. "But the iron stuff has been reproduced so many times in recent years that prices have dropped some, even for the older stuff."