What is new about the forum ?

So the competition is closed and of course there is a winner.

And it is the Logo number 4 as Carola noticed

Nevertheless, every logo on this competition could be the STS logo...

SO, every logo will be the STS logo for one day and then joined the STS Logo museum

Here is the list of the brave competitors:

Logo1: MartinH
Logo2: A-J
Logo3: Schleich_Figures_4U
Logo4: kikimalou
Logo5: lucky luke
Logo6: Carola
Logo7: NandO
Logo8: Neven Florian
Logo9: Álvaro/schleich

BIG CONGRATULATION

The first new logo will take place the first day of 2014

WOW ! Imagine that we have SO many great artists here at the forum   

CONGRATULATINS for winning, Christophe ! Beautyful logo to enjoy for the comming year     

And congratulations to all the fantastic competants ! It was enormously difficult to chose, as they were all full of creativity, skill and artistic talent   

I like all the logo suggestions. And i am surprise with the most names, the only i was sure was Alvaro. Because he is the only with Bayalas        

Sorry, but i dont like all the new "non animal toy" sections in all the brand sections      I think subsections for the brands only in the section "non animal replicas" is enough.

We are here an animal toy replica forum but so i am sure in 3 years we are a toy forum. I also think we lost so our familiar character because in a few month we have not only members with the same hobby.

I really also like knight figurines and Bayalas and Disney figurines and i also dont want to critiszise here anything but i really really think we lost so the idea for this forum.
Because if you search on Google for forums of the different brands one of the first results is our forum. And i think we get so a lot of new members, but not longer more only with interests in animals replicas.

I know that are hard words but this is my opinion and my fear.

widukind wrote:

Sorry, but i dont like all the new "non animal toy" sections in all the brand sections      I think subsections for the brands only in the section "non animal replicas" is enough.

We are here an animal toy replica forum but so i am sure in 3 years we are a toy forum. I also think we lost so our familiar character because in a few month we have not only members with the same hobby.

I really also like knight figurines and Bayalas and Disney figurines and i also dont want to critiszise here anything but i really really think we lost so the idea for this forum.
Because if you search on Google for the forums of the different brands one of the first results is our forum. And think we get so a lot of new members, but not longer more only with interests in animals replicas.

I know that are hard words but this is my opinion and my fear.

I proposed this change, so obviously disagree. I don't think you have much to fear, as the core of the forum is still toy animals. There will probably be some posts asking for unknown items to be identified, and some about other series by the main brands. I don't know what other series are made by current brands, because I only collect vintage stuff, but in the world of collecting vintage figures there is a natural divide between 'military' and 'civilian', and vintage civilian figure collectors will have, in addition to their main farm & zoo ranges (animals!) cartoon figures, advertising and souvenir items and figures depicting normal life in past decades (such as the JoHillCo gas street lighter set & the Charbens coal merchants horse drawn wagon set). All charming additions to their collections and this forum. The people interested in displays of army parades or battles will continue to go elsewhere in the internet.

widukind wrote:

Sorry, but i dont like all the new "non animal toy" sections in all the brand sections      I think subsections for the brands only in the section "non animal replicas" is enough.

We are here an animal toy replica forum but so i am sure in 3 years we are a toy forum. I also think we lost so our familiar character because in a few month we have not only members with the same hobby.

I really also like knight figurines and Bayalas and Disney figurines and i also dont want to critiszise here anything but i really really think we lost so the idea for this forum.
Because if you search on Google for the forums of the different brands one of the first results is our forum. And think we get so a lot of new members, but not longer more only with interests in animals replicas.

I know that are hard words but this is my opinion and my fear.

I have to say I agree. We are, after all, an "international community of animal replica collectors." There is nothing wrong with having a collection unrelated to animals, but we should stay mainly animals.

DaveScriv wrote:

widukind wrote:

Sorry, but i dont like all the new "non animal toy" sections in all the brand sections      I think subsections for the brands only in the section "non animal replicas" is enough.

We are here an animal toy replica forum but so i am sure in 3 years we are a toy forum. I also think we lost so our familiar character because in a few month we have not only members with the same hobby.

I really also like knight figurines and Bayalas and Disney figurines and i also dont want to critiszise here anything but i really really think we lost so the idea for this forum.
Because if you search on Google for the forums of the different brands one of the first results is our forum. And think we get so a lot of new members, but not longer more only with interests in animals replicas.

I know that are hard words but this is my opinion and my fear.

I proposed this change, so obviously disagree. I don't think you have much to fear, as the core of the forum is still toy animals. There will probably be some posts asking for unknown items to be identified, and some about other series by the main brands. I don't know what other series are made by current brands, because I only collect vintage stuff, but in the world of collecting vintage figures there is a natural divide between 'military' and 'civilian', and vintage civilian figure collectors will have, in addition to their main farm  & zoo ranges (animals!) cartoon figures, advertising and souvenir items and figures depicting normal life in past decades (such as the JoHillCo gas street lighter set & the Charbens coal merchants horse drawn wagon set). All charming additions to their collections and this forum. The people interested in displays of army parades or battles will continue to go elsewhere in the internet.

I really understand you and i also like this idea, but smaller. We have a section for other collections and also non animal replicas. And if all  brand (or vintage, or...) non animal figurines are to find here as subsections merged in this section, i really would like them. But i fear it is too much in the brand sections. If you search on Google a forum for each of the current brands, you find ever this forum. And in this moment with the core as animal replica forum. But i think if the first post comes with knights or anything else, you find also this if you search on Google and than????? My fear is not so big for your vintage figurines, but really for the current brands and i also think later for japanese brands an so on. Because you have really a lot of other things, especially by Schleich.  
I also have a lot of knights figurines from my childhood (and my daughter have Bayalas) and so i really do not dont like your idea, but please only in the section non animals or other collections. 

As long as the non animal section remains as one sub section in the vintage section I'm happy, as I doubt I'll be posting anything in the current brands sections, unless I happen to acquire a knight or something in a job lot (I do have an Indian, erm, Native American, which I might need identifying.

Perhaps there should be just one non animal section in the current brands section, perhaps titled something like, 'Any of the above brands, non-animal series'

DaveScriv wrote:

As long as the non animal section remains as one sub section in the vintage section I'm happy, as I doubt I'll be posting anything in the current brands sections, unless I happen to acquire a knight or something in a job lot (I do have an Indian, erm, Native American, which I might need identifying.

Perhaps there should be just one non animal section in the current brands section, perhaps titled something like, 'Any of the above brands, non-animal series'

You mean like this?

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It could be a compromise because this could be works.   

Yes, like that.

DaveScriv wrote:

Yes, like that.

   

Please dont understand me wrong but i have fear that we lost our familiar charactar if we have more and more members but we lost the core of this forum.  
We are all collectors and i think most of us have also any other collections but we have one interest together, toy animal replicas  
That was my reason for my first discuss in this forum after 3 years.  

I can understand how it wouldn't be obvious to collectors of modern stuff, but it is well known among vintage collectors that there is some crossover, and useful interaction, between the usual categories of collecting.

Some people collect by theme (e.g. 'farm') and others by brand (e.g. 'Britains'). Either way it can overlap with other collecting communities, and I've had discussions with toy train people, dolls house people, toy car people, and others in the course of my research into who designed/made what, when and where, usually (it being 'vintage') many decades ago.

Andreas, I understand your fear. That's why we separated non animal series from the main stream in the past. Indeed it is still separated but not in the same way.

Nevertheless, I think now there is no reason to be afraid. Most of the "non animal" topics are made by Schleich collectors with a Bayala interest or "Schleich only" collectors. Those friends are of course animal toys collectors, it would be hard to be a Schleich collectors without collecting animals. For these members, having all the Schleich topics in a pocket is more comfortable so why not ?

It is the same for the "Vintage civilian toys" collectors.

About googling for a forum about a brand, it is the same if the topics are in separate section or not, you could find a "knight" topic in both case.

"Vintage toy soldiers" or "car models" collectors have already their forums and they don't need us. There is no reason to fear an invasion.

We are "only" 4 years old but we are not a young forum, we are a strong and well established community of Animal replica collectors.

In the past, old stuff collectors were rare here and it is agreat chance for us if collectors like Dave share their knowledge, their collections with us. It means STS "animal toys" range is growing and it is a good things for us. So, like every year in January, it's time to improve our forum. This year we are trying to make it more comfortable for some Vintage and Schleich collectors.

STS will stay a Forum dedicated to collectors of animal toy replicas without doubt. Because we all want it   

Kikimalou wrote:

...
In the past, old stuff collectors were rare here and it is agreat chance for us if collectors like Dave share their knowledge, their collections with us. It means STS "animal toys" range is growing and it is a good things for us. ......

Well spoken, dear macaque   

thank you Susanne   

Kikimalou wrote:

Andreas, I understand your fear. That's why we separated non animal series from the main stream in the past. Indeed it is still separated but not in the same way.

Nevertheless, I think now there is no reason to be afraid. Most of the "non animal" topics are made by Schleich collectors with a Bayala interest or "Schleich only" collectors. Those friends are of course animal toys collectors, it would be hard to be a Schleich collectors without collecting animals. For these members, having all the Schleich topics in a pocket is more comfortable so why not ?

It is the same for the "Vintage civilian toys" collectors.

About googling for a forum about a brand, it is the same if the topics are in separate section or not, you could find a "knight" topic in both case.

"Vintage toy soldiers" or "car models" collectors have already their forums and they don't need us. There is no reason to fear an invasion.

We are "only" 4 years old but we are not a young forum, we are a strong and well established community of Animal replica collectors.

In the past, old stuff collectors were rare here and it is agreat chance for us if collectors like Dave share their knowledge, their collections with us. It means STS "animal toys" range is growing and it is a good things for us. So, like every year in January, it's time to improve our forum. This year we are trying to make it more comfortable for some Vintage and Schleich collectors.

STS will stay a Forum dedicated to collectors of animal toy replicas without doubt. Because we all want it   

Many many thanks for your reply   

I really understand also what you mean. But we all here thinked before this forum we are alone with this kind of figurines- animals. Also in my childhood i knowed a lot of collectors, but more soldiers, american natives, cowboys and so on. And here in Germany is a covention in the former GDR, for old stuff. And my local friend, was often there and find a lot of figurines, but only a few animals. And i also knowed Schleich before this Forum more for smurfs, also a famous thing here in Germany and also the Comic figurines of Bullyland are very popular.

And what is with all the japanese brands? The animal figurines are not so popular like the other stuff. Can we tahn say no?

I think our same hobby have different ways how you can come, some over the animal figurine way, some over the brand way.

I really like the knowledge of the vintage stuff collectors (and know, it is very important, also for me) too and i think here isnt a big danger. Because most of the have only humans or animals in the collections, but nothing together.

But i see a danger- not more. Because it is not the same way of change if we had also brand sections for non toy animals? For porcelaine (you know Jean-Luc have really beautieful models), stone, wood, metall? In Germay we say "Das ist dasselbe in grün)- means it is the same in a other colour (better in green).

Please believe me i know this forum will be bigger and bigger and that is great and i also know how important are changes are and i also really will NOT ban this. But my fear is that will be too big for our animal forum. Not today, not next month but for the future. Because we open the door for more.

It is also possible that my fear is wrong and nothing will come of my mind, but what is if i am right.
Can we go back than?     

widukind wrote:

Sorry, but i dont like all the new "non animal toy" sections in all the brand sections      I think subsections for the brands only in the section "non animal replicas" is enough.

We are here an animal toy replica forum but so i am sure in 3 years we are a toy forum. I also think we lost so our familiar character because in a few month we have not only members with the same hobby.

I really also like knight figurines and Bayalas and Disney figurines and i also dont want to critiszise here anything but i really really think we lost so the idea for this forum.
Because if you search on Google for  forums of the different brands one of the first results is our forum. And i think we get so a lot of new members, but not longer more only with interests in animals replicas.

I know that are hard words but this is my opinion and my fear.

I'm Agree with you my friend    I collect also animal figures, bUt I collect most bayala, knights, disney..so I must put my figures in Not toy animal replica series, I'm not happy but I understand that so    I don't know  

widukind wrote:

Kikimalou wrote:

Andreas, I understand your fear. That's why we separated non animal series from the main stream in the past. Indeed it is still separated but not in the same way.

Nevertheless, I think now there is no reason to be afraid. Most of the "non animal" topics are made by Schleich collectors with a Bayala interest or "Schleich only" collectors. Those friends are of course animal toys collectors, it would be hard to be a Schleich collectors without collecting animals. For these members, having all the Schleich topics in a pocket is more comfortable so why not ?

It is the same for the "Vintage civilian toys" collectors.

About googling for a forum about a brand, it is the same if the topics are in separate section or not, you could find a "knight" topic in both case.

"Vintage toy soldiers" or "car models" collectors have already their forums and they don't need us. There is no reason to fear an invasion.

We are "only" 4 years old but we are not a young forum, we are a strong and well established community of Animal replica collectors.

In the past, old stuff collectors were rare here and it is agreat chance for us if collectors like Dave share their knowledge, their collections with us. It means STS "animal toys" range is growing and it is a good things for us. So, like every year in January, it's time to improve our forum. This year we are trying to make it more comfortable for some Vintage and Schleich collectors.

STS will stay a Forum dedicated to collectors of animal toy replicas without doubt. Because we all want it   

Many many thanks for your reply   

I really understand also what you mean. But we all here thinked before this forum we are alone with this kind of figurines- animals. Also in my childhood i knowed a lot of collectors, but more soldiers, american natives, cowboys and so on. And here in Germany  is a covention in the former GDR, for old stuff. And my local friend, was often there and  find  a lot of figurines, but only a few animals. And i also knowed Schleich before this Forum more for smurfs, also a famous thing here in Germany and also the Comic figurines of Bullyland are very popular.

And what is with all the japanese brands? The animal figurines are not so popular like the other stuff. Can we tahn say no?

I think our same hobby have different ways how you can come, some over the animal figurine way, some over the brand way.

I really like the knowledge of the vintage stuff collectors (and know, it is very important, also for me) too and i think here isnt a big danger. Because most of the have only humans or animals in the collections, but nothing together.

But i see a danger- not more.  Because it is not the same way of change if we had also brand sections for non toy animals? For porcelaine (you know Jean-Luc have really beautieful models), stone, wood, metall? In Germay we say "Das ist dasselbe in grün)- means it is the same in a other colour (better in green).

Please believe me i know this forum will be bigger and bigger and that is great and i also know how important are changes are and i also really will NOT ban this. But my fear is that will be too big for our animal forum. Not today, not next month but for the future. Because we open the door for more.

It is also possible that my fear is wrong and nothing will come of my mind, but what is if i am right.
Can we go back than?    

-------
Yes please.       Andreas is right,   I think that I will be best for all..we can have a section of bayala in schleich, or disney in bullyland..Beacuase all are animal,(fantasy animals, Cartoon animals) I don't know But It will be best  

Elros Alvar wrote:

widukind wrote:

Kikimalou wrote:

Andreas, I understand your fear. That's why we separated non animal series from the main stream in the past. Indeed it is still separated but not in the same way.

Nevertheless, I think now there is no reason to be afraid. Most of the "non animal" topics are made by Schleich collectors with a Bayala interest or "Schleich only" collectors. Those friends are of course animal toys collectors, it would be hard to be a Schleich collectors without collecting animals. For these members, having all the Schleich topics in a pocket is more comfortable so why not ?

It is the same for the "Vintage civilian toys" collectors.

About googling for a forum about a brand, it is the same if the topics are in separate section or not, you could find a "knight" topic in both case.

"Vintage toy soldiers" or "car models" collectors have already their forums and they don't need us. There is no reason to fear an invasion.

We are "only" 4 years old but we are not a young forum, we are a strong and well established community of Animal replica collectors.

In the past, old stuff collectors were rare here and it is agreat chance for us if collectors like Dave share their knowledge, their collections with us. It means STS "animal toys" range is growing and it is a good things for us. So, like every year in January, it's time to improve our forum. This year we are trying to make it more comfortable for some Vintage and Schleich collectors.

STS will stay a Forum dedicated to collectors of animal toy replicas without doubt. Because we all want it   

Many many thanks for your reply   

I really understand also what you mean. But we all here thinked before this forum we are alone with this kind of figurines- animals. Also in my childhood i knowed a lot of collectors, but more soldiers, american natives, cowboys and so on. And here in Germany  is a covention in the former GDR, for old stuff. And my local friend, was often there and  find  a lot of figurines, but only a few animals. And i also knowed Schleich before this Forum more for smurfs, also a famous thing here in Germany and also the Comic figurines of Bullyland are very popular.

And what is with all the japanese brands? The animal figurines are not so popular like the other stuff. Can we tahn say no?

I think our same hobby have different ways how you can come, some over the animal figurine way, some over the brand way.

I really like the knowledge of the vintage stuff collectors (and know, it is very important, also for me) too and i think here isnt a big danger. Because most of the have only humans or animals in the collections, but nothing together.

But i see a danger- not more.  Because it is not the same way of change if we had also brand sections for non toy animals? For porcelaine (you know Jean-Luc have really beautieful models), stone, wood, metall? In Germay we say "Das ist dasselbe in grün)- means it is the same in a other colour (better in green).

Please believe me i know this forum will be bigger and bigger and that is great and i also know how important are changes are and i also really will NOT ban this. But my fear is that will be too big for our animal forum. Not today, not next month but for the future. Because we open the door for more.

It is also possible that my fear is wrong and nothing will come of my mind, but what is if i am right.
Can we go back than?    
-------
Yes please.       Andreas is right,   I think that I will be best for all..we can have a section of bayala in schleich, or disney in bullyland..Beacuase all are animal,(fantasy animals, Cartoon animals) I don't know But It will be best   

Sorry my friend, but i dont mean this. I am angry that we will lost so our forum   

widukind wrote:

the only i was sure was Alvaro. Because he is the only with Bayalas        

lol yes, I put it in the last moment that wasn't my idea but I don't have time to put more animals and dinosaurs.  

widukind wrote:

Elros Alvar wrote:

widukind wrote:

Kikimalou wrote:

Andreas, I understand your fear. That's why we separated non animal series from the main stream in the past. Indeed it is still separated but not in the same way.

Nevertheless, I think now there is no reason to be afraid. Most of the "non animal" topics are made by Schleich collectors with a Bayala interest or "Schleich only" collectors. Those friends are of course animal toys collectors, it would be hard to be a Schleich collectors without collecting animals. For these members, having all the Schleich topics in a pocket is more comfortable so why not ?

It is the same for the "Vintage civilian toys" collectors.

About googling for a forum about a brand, it is the same if the topics are in separate section or not, you could find a "knight" topic in both case.

"Vintage toy soldiers" or "car models" collectors have already their forums and they don't need us. There is no reason to fear an invasion.

We are "only" 4 years old but we are not a young forum, we are a strong and well established community of Animal replica collectors.

In the past, old stuff collectors were rare here and it is agreat chance for us if collectors like Dave share their knowledge, their collections with us. It means STS "animal toys" range is growing and it is a good things for us. So, like every year in January, it's time to improve our forum. This year we are trying to make it more comfortable for some Vintage and Schleich collectors.

STS will stay a Forum dedicated to collectors of animal toy replicas without doubt. Because we all want it   

Many many thanks for your reply   

I really understand also what you mean. But we all here thinked before this forum we are alone with this kind of figurines- animals. Also in my childhood i knowed a lot of collectors, but more soldiers, american natives, cowboys and so on. And here in Germany  is a covention in the former GDR, for old stuff. And my local friend, was often there and  find  a lot of figurines, but only a few animals. And i also knowed Schleich before this Forum more for smurfs, also a famous thing here in Germany and also the Comic figurines of Bullyland are very popular.

And what is with all the japanese brands? The animal figurines are not so popular like the other stuff. Can we tahn say no?

I think our same hobby have different ways how you can come, some over the animal figurine way, some over the brand way.

I really like the knowledge of the vintage stuff collectors (and know, it is very important, also for me) too and i think here isnt a big danger. Because most of the have only humans or animals in the collections, but nothing together.

But i see a danger- not more.  Because it is not the same way of change if we had also brand sections for non toy animals? For porcelaine (you know Jean-Luc have really beautieful models), stone, wood, metall? In Germay we say "Das ist dasselbe in grün)- means it is the same in a other colour (better in green).

Please believe me i know this forum will be bigger and bigger and that is great and i also know how important are changes are and i also really will NOT ban this. But my fear is that will be too big for our animal forum. Not today, not next month but for the future. Because we open the door for more.

It is also possible that my fear is wrong and nothing will come of my mind, but what is if i am right.
Can we go back than?    
-------
Yes please.       Andreas is right,   I think that I will be best for all..we can have a section of bayala in schleich, or disney in bullyland..Beacuase all are animal,(fantasy animals, Cartoon animals) I don't know But It will be best   

Sorry my friend, but i dont mean this. I am angry that we will lost so our forum   

I understand you, sorry I was thinking that you like the other figures in this forum.
I am a person who also collect other type animal figures (mythology animals etc..
And I came here because I saw all the schleich figures 2012( also bayala I think )and I was happy but now I don't like the not animal replicas collection etc..they are aLso animals but another type of it..  

@Andreas: We didn't open anything more than the last years. The "non animal toy series" already existed and we know now it was not a danger. We only split this category to help brands collectors. There is no reason it is more dangerous in that way.

About Japanese stuff, you should noticed we didn't open a "non animal series" subcategory.   

Japanese stuff collectors have already their forums, toy soldiers collectors too. They don't need us. Even in the Animal toys world, dino collectors are mainly on DTF and not here. It is the same with "horses only" collectors, we have very good members who are collecting only horses stuff and two years we opened a Breyer category... Did we have a Breyer collectors invasion then? No! There is already enough "horses only" forum on the web.

We have more than 1700 members, active users are all "Animal toys" collectors and there is no reasons it will change because we splitted a category into subcategories.

So what if you are right? admins, mods, members are "Animal toys" collectors and we will do our job to help our Forum to stay dedicated to collectors of animal toy replicas  

Kikimalou wrote:

Andreas, we didn't open anything more than the last years. The "non animal toy series" already existed and we know now it was not a danger. We only split this category to help brands collectors. There is no reason it is more dangerous in that way.

About Japanese stuff, you should noticed we didn't open a "non animal series" subcategory.   

Japanese stuff collectors have already their forums, toy soldiers collectors too. They don't need us. Even in the Animal toys world, dino collectors are mainly on DTF and not here. It is the same with "horses only" collectors, we have very good members who are collecting only horses stuff and two years we opened a Breyer category... Did we have a Breyer collectors invasion then? No! There is already enough "horses only" forum on the web.

We have more than 1700 members, active users are all "Animal toys" collectors and there is no reasons it will change because we splitted a category into subcategories.

So what if you are right? admins, mods, members are "Animal toys" collectors and we will do our job to help our Forum to stay dedicated to collectors of animal toy replicas   

Thank you very much      Your answer helps me to slow down my fear   

Seriously... What I read here is what we call in France a "tempest in a glass of water".   

@Alvaro: Andreas is right IMHO for one thing, we have to avoid opening categories like soldiers, knights, western... It would be an error. it is the same for bayalas. I agree we can help Brands collectors and vintage collectors, I agree we can collect ALSO other stuff and I think we have the categories to do that. I don't agree to say a Dragon is an animal, it is a mythical or a Fantasy creature. If we open a bayala subcategory, why not a Manga figures or a Warhammer category? we can open "non animal toys" categories for our members but we want to stay a Forum dedicated to collectors of animal toy replicas and nothing else. We agree to see a difference between an animal, extinct or extant, and an elf. We don't want to make a difference here between Gandalf and Gargamel. I would not ask a Fantasy figures forum to open a zoo section and a farm section and a pets section  

@ Andreas: You absolutely don't need to be afraid          

Kikimalou wrote:

Seriously... What I read here is what we call in France a "tempest in a glass of water".   

@Alvaro: Andreas is right IMHO for one thing, we have to avoid opening categories like soldiers, knights, western... It would be an error. it is the same for bayalas. I agree we can help Brands collectors and vintage collectors, I agree we can collect ALSO other stuff and I think we have the categories to do that. I don't agree to say a Dragon is an animal, it is a mythical or a Fantasy creature. If we open a bayala subcategory, why not a Manga figures or a Warhammer category? we can open "non animal toys" categories for our members but we want to stay a Forum dedicated to collectors of animal toy replicas and nothing else. We agree to see a difference between an animal, extinct or extant, and an elf. We don't want to make a difference here between Gandalf and Gargamel. I would not ask a Fantasy figures forum to open a zoo section and a farm section and a pets section  

@ Andreas: You absolutely don't need to be afraid          

Ok I'm agree Is true