The 20<SUP>th</SUP> annual Militaria Antiques Xtravaganza (i.e., MAX) Show was held at Charlotte Merchandise Mart in Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday, October 1<SUP>st</SUP> through Sunday, October 3<SUP>rd</SUP>, 2004. Dealer setup was on Thursday, September 30<SUP>th</SUP>, 2004.
The show had roughly 300 dealers (310 dealers were listed in the MAX Show Program) and perhaps 1200 tables.
There were a number of Japanese militaria items available for sale and a private collector exhibited a portion of his extensive Japanese bayonet collection at the show.
There was a good selection of swords, headgear, field gear, badges, and medals at the show some of which were reasonably priced and some of which were overpriced. For example, a salty Army Model 90 helmet with salty second pattern helmet cover went for only $500 while two nice Army Model 90 helmets were each priced at $850 which is roughly $200 to $250 above what similar helmets would typically go for on the internet.
Unfortunately, there were also a number of reproductions and/or refurbished items at the show as well. For example, a reproduction third pattern Army Model 90 helmet cover; several reproduction helmet nets; and two repainted Army Model 90 helmets complete with reproduction nets and reproduction liners were observed at the show yet none of these items were marked as such.
The MAX Show typically brings out the best in militaria. However, that did not appear to be the case this year in my opinion and I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of high-end Japanese militare items at the show. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of nice stuff to buy at the show, but nothing that really caught my eye like some of those high-end items from past MAX shows.
Attendance was on par with previous MAX Shows with folks coming from all over the United States as well as from all over the world to attend the show. What was surprising was the number of first timers that I met at show. It was also nice meeting some of the folks in our hobby that I hadn't met before as well as getting together with the old friends that I typically see only once or twice a year. All in all, it was a still good show.
Although the 20<SUP>th</SUP> annual MAX Show is now history, I am already looking forward to next years show which will once again be held at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart in Charlotte, NC. For those of you that have not experienced the MAX Show before, I encourage attending the show as there is nothing quite like the MAX Show experience.
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