Bullet and Shell Civil War Projectiles Forum

Relic Discussion => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: CarlS on November 25, 2013, 11:32:15 PM

Title: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: CarlS on November 25, 2013, 11:32:15 PM
Hello,

A little over a week ago was the Richmond Show and it was great.  Now the show season moves west to one of the two giant Civil War shows: Franklin, just south of Nashville, open for dealers and early pass buyers on Friday with the general public on Saturday and Sunday.   (The other big one is Mansfield.)  Pretty much every dealer and most collectors will be at this one with over 1000 tables including one with Mike, RelicRunner and myself.  A number of other forumites will have a table there and I'll let them announce their attendance. We'd all like to see everyone there.  Come by and visit and if we haven't met let us know who you are.
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: R. J. in LA on December 02, 2013, 12:37:59 PM
Carl,
I've decided to make the trip to the Franklin show coming up this weekend.  I haven't been in ages and the last time I went many years ago the show was still in Nashville. Looking forward to it and seeing fellow forum members. See y'all there.

R. J.
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: emike123 on December 02, 2013, 03:27:00 PM
That's great.  I have heard from a few other forum members who are shy about admitting they will also be going to Franklin.  Carl said something about hosting a big party Saturday night for you guys, but I will, as per SOP, have already cleaned out the show and left.

Looking forward to seeing everyone.
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: jonpatterson on December 02, 2013, 04:23:21 PM
Mike & Carl

Where will your table be located? My first time there so don't know the layout other than there are two levels.
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: CarlS on December 02, 2013, 05:01:40 PM
Yes, the show is two levels.  You enter from the parking lot onto the upper level which is a larger ring around the lower arena.  There are probably 300 or so tables up there.  At various points there are steps down to the lower level through the bleacher seats. In the past we have been on the upper level just inside the front door and to the left about 5 tables down.  You won't miss all the iron!  The weather is looking like a good day to be at a show!
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: Jim T on December 04, 2013, 08:17:11 AM
Don't let Mike run around and buy up all the goodies!  He needs to learn to share the wealth!
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: CarlS on December 04, 2013, 11:36:04 AM
We try but it's not easily done.  He is the king of pursuit!
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: Jim T on December 05, 2013, 08:45:03 AM
Make him sit and watch the table!
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: emike123 on December 05, 2013, 07:31:58 PM
Never!  Carl and RelicRunner love sitting behind the table for 2.5 days and hobnobbing with dudes in camos about all the shot 3 ringers they've found over the past 50 years.  I cannot take that pleasure from them.  Too bad you and Dean are not trekking down this year.  Sportsman's will miss the lost revenue and I will miss you guy's being there to keep me humble if nothing else.

Its worth noting to the forumites that it was at Sportsman's that most of life's great events happened.  The dozen cops hemming me in in the parking lot after Dean plied me with beer and grilled baloney sandwiches before sending me forth to a car full of artillery shells is a tale of narrow escape (fortunately they profiled another dude and let me slip away), but the greatest of all was when the Thomas Brothers put on their PA country hick charm ("What's a URL?") and combined with yet more beer, convinced Carl and me to run this website after the old one they had was hijacked by Chinese mafia extortionists.  I sobered up fast enough to offlay 99.9% of the work on Carl and his son Neal and so the result is what we have, but the scene of the crime is indisputable.  Some of us cannot help but return year after year....
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: CarlS on December 05, 2013, 09:11:13 PM
Keep you humble?  Ha!  Can't be done....

You're right.  I had forgotten that is where the seed was first planted.  Glad it happened.   Glad I had Neal to do the dirty work too!
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: CarlS on December 06, 2013, 11:02:22 PM
It looks like the weather is going to impact this show but otherwise it seems like it's gonig to be a good one.    Prices seem good.  I've heard of quite a few good deals.

JimT: Mike must have listened to you as he has spent a great deal of time helping others buy or sell.  It seems Jon had Mike lined up to do some sweeping for him.  He ended up with a couple of really good deals but I'll let him elaborate when convenient.

Here is hoping for dry weather and a good turnout tomorrow.
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: emike123 on December 08, 2013, 03:16:33 PM
I live to serve, as you know.  Even odder than my generosity (rare) or limited buying (exceptionally rare), was one occurrence for which I will never forget this show as long as I live.  Some people were expanding a Civil War museum and came to the show.  They came to our table and bought every projectile we had (about 35) and some other neat pieces RelicRunner had out too, then went to forumite Trader Sean's table next to ours and asked me about all his shells.  He was off grab assing with Howard or something, so I called him and said, "get here immediately," nothing else.  I think he thought one of us had had a clutcher as he came running, but it was good and he sold all but one of his shells too.

I like Nashville, but I have to say the locals there panic over the weather and the News was constantly telling us to head for the storm cellars because ice storms were going to make life miserable.  I did not see one bit of precipitation on my 7 hour drive home and my car was ice free Saturday am, but I got spooked and blew off a very nice dinner I had planned to go to downtown Friday night and instead ate in the hotel which was not so great.

I did get a nice original water bucket for my cannon, over 300 canister balls for projects, and picked up close to 20 shells that Carl had drilled or cleaned for me.  He did a fabulous job.

One forum member could not get there on account of ice storms in Texas, but from the forum we saw MBfromPB, RJ, Sean, RelicRunner, John Walsh, Ronnie, Jack Melton, KP, Carl, me, Jon Patterson, Dave the Plumber, Steve Sylvia, Dave Gotter, and Steve Phillips.  There may have been others as well that I can't recall from the whirlwind.  As usual the comraderie was nice and we always love the Franklin Show.
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: Steve Phillips on December 09, 2013, 08:14:30 AM
My son Spencer and I had a good time at the show. I saw many old friends and was able to show off my Coal Torpedo. This is the only show I try to go to. I didn't see much in the way of uncommon artillery projectiles and I am not very happy with some peoples skills in preserving iron. I did pick up a 2.6 flat base Hotchkiss bolt that was brought to me.  Much of the displayed iron at the show is preserved with just a coating of some sort of sealer or nothing. These items are not going to hold up for the next generations. I also wish that more of the forum posters would use their names when posting so I would know who I am talking to or reading from. When you are as old and senile as I am it is difficult to even remember real names.
Steve Phillips
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: jonpatterson on December 09, 2013, 12:43:50 PM
Carl,

You are right when you said I lined up Mike to Hoover some for poor old me. I just had to plead poverty and ignorance of what I am doing and he put on his Santa hat and set off to make my first visit to Franklin memorable.

First Santa Mike saw a Ketchum which I had told him I was looking for. I was elsewhere strolling around like a kid in a candy store when he called my phone for me to come on over. I passed on the Ketchum, but while rummaging through the dealer’s crate of shells not yet put on display, Santa Mike found a 3.8” James shell with sabot and partial burlap cover for me, so I bought it instead. 

Maybe, at most an hour later, Santa Mike called me again. This time he had found a 3.8” James Hot-Shot for me at an even better price, so I bought it too. (Sorry Carl, I know you wanted it too.)

Now I guess I should get Santa Mike something for Christmas, but I can’t decide between a tie or some socks.   :)

Thanks Santa Mike. Don’t worry what the others say about you (not that you do) you are just misunderstood. You made my weekend. (Something I don't usually say to guys!)

Jon
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: ETEX on December 09, 2013, 01:16:38 PM
Mike

Since you are being credited with being Santa Mike I will let you know I got ahold of Rafael and finished the transaction on the shell you found for me. Dang I don't even make it to the show and have already picked up some great Christmas presents for myself.

Jon, what Santa Mike is really wanting for Christmas this year is a Tony Romo shirt and an autographed football by Jason Garrett.
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: jonpatterson on December 09, 2013, 01:54:16 PM
ETEX

He is more likely to get the socks.   :)  However, the Cowboys are my team, which I probably shouldn't admit, since I live in the Chicago suburbs and hope Santa Mike helps me more in the future.

Jon
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: Selma Hunter on December 09, 2013, 03:53:58 PM
Gentlemen,

Santa Mike got his on Richmond-eve from Santa Selma!

LOLOL!
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: Daveslem on December 09, 2013, 07:20:08 PM
Jonpatterson,

I think you should buy Mike a Payless Shoes gift card so his kids don't go barefoot this winter.

ETEX,

After tonight Tony Romo may not have a shirt on his back.
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: CarlS on December 09, 2013, 10:28:58 PM
Hello,

Can't quite put into words the craziness of this show.  It is one of the few times I've ever seen Mike a bit out of sorts when the commercial vacuum came around to fill a museum.  I told the buyer he was doing what everyone at those 1000 tables dreams of doing: walking around and buying whole tables of stuff.  I probably had to answer "Did he really buy your whole table?" at least 25 times.

The 2nd most amazing thing at the show was seeing Steve's coal torpedo.  It's neat to see the pictures of it but for whatever reason holding it in your hand takes it to another level.  It was beyond cool.

Jon was on a roll.  The deals he got were amazing and were great items to boot.  I felt like I should follow him around and maybe pick up his crumbs. 

It was great to see everyone.  Lots of good conversations and relics.  Also had a good time down on music row Saturday night with Sean, Ed, Dave and Mark.  We heard one bad band and two very good ones.

Jon: An interesting coincidence was that I was filling up with gas in Dalton, Ga. and a fellow pulled his truck into the slot on the other side of the pump.  It turned out to be the guy with the grenade you passed on.

Per Steve's suggestion I've changed my forum name to CarlS.   I'll do my part to not negatively affect Steve's senility!   ;D

Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: jonpatterson on December 10, 2013, 09:36:36 AM
Carl,

That had to be strange running into the grenade buyer on your way home. What are the odds of that, that far away. At least it has a home now.

ETEX

I am thinking the Tony Romo shirt and an autographed football by Jason Garrett you mentioned earlier are selling at big discounts today. The Cowboys got spanked big time by the Bears. Guess I we need to lay off the Bear fans.

Jon
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: R. J. in LA on December 10, 2013, 02:16:32 PM
It was good to see some of y'all at the Franklin show. Unfortunately, I missed several of you and definitely missed seeing Steve Phillips amd his coal torpedo. As Mike, Carl and others mentioned, the talk of the show was the museum buyout bonanza realized by a few fortunate forum members, way to go!! I can see it now, for the next show Mike, Carl and others will have 18 wheelers loaded down with artillery artifacts to sell to the next private museum creator!  :)
Enjoyed myself thoroughly and am looking forward to another one in the future.
R. J.
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: emike123 on December 10, 2013, 04:01:20 PM
Sorry to be slow to acknowledge the kind words above.  I was at the Bears game last night -- brr.  See below and with a magnifying glass you can see Jerry Jones curled up in the fetal position sucking his thumb while Jason Garrett changes his nappy. 

The best Christmas present from Santa Mike was the gift of the Bears Defensive Coordinator from last year to the Allas (that's right, no D) Cowboys.  We had picked him up after leading Detroit to an NFL worst 0-16 record so it is only fair that our generosity was repaid by Dallas taking him off our hands.  Suckers!  Its been 40 years since the Bears have not had to punt once (last night the Bears scored on every possession except the last victory formation).  I had the pleasure of seeing Romo's Pick 4 game last year in Dallas (indoors), but despite the temperature differential, last night's game was an even better humiliation of the Rom & Jerry Show.  Only thing better than beating the Packers or Lions is beating the Cowboys.

Not to be left out -- Slemmer, Jim T, Dean and 6pdr (Iggles fans I believe) -- consider this beatdown of the 'boys your present.

ETEX (& the more rabid 'boys fan his wife Chrissy who has been very silent today), Jon and Bryan, the silver lining is a pretty definitive case was made for a new coaching regime so there is hope.

Ho, ho, ho....
Title: Re: Franklin Show - Dec 6th thru Dec 8th
Post by: ETEX on December 11, 2013, 01:19:06 PM
I will say one thing the Boys got a good old country whooping but things are looking up, we can probably get two shirts for the price of one so you will make out big time Mike.