Category: Upcoming event

Buildings, Events, Monuments, News, People, Upcoming event

SBCS Convention Dreaming: Los Angeles June 10-12, 2016

Bookend Collector

The annual SBCS convention gives everyone a chance to share some of their favorite Souvenir Buildings with others who collect. Here are some buildings and monuments you are likely to see at the 2016 Los Angeles gathering, June 10 -12.

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This year at the Friday “Meet and Greet” everyone is asked to wear a Hawaiian Shirt and a Hat, in honor of Bob Kneisel, who always appeared dressed and ready for a vacation in the 50th State. In 20 years, Bob never missed a Convention. We will miss him.

Relaxing at the SBCS "Meet and Greet"
Relaxing at the SBCS “Meet and Greet”

A reminder of the SBCS Convention Schedule:

June 10, Friday:
Hollyhock House Tour (afternoon)
Meet and Greet (evening)

June 11, Saturday:
Business Meeting and Swap Meet (morning)
Tour to L.A. Downtown Art Deco District (afternoon)
Dinner / Raffle / Auction (evening)

June 12, Sunday
Rose Bowl Flea Market followed by a visit to a local collector.

If you haven’t yet registered for the convention there is still time. Click here for the details.

Buildings, Events, Monuments, News, People, Upcoming event

ARE YOU READY? CAN YOU DIG IT? – SBCS Convention June 10 – 12

Bookend Collector

The 2016 SBCS Convention is almost here!

  • Locals are readying their collections for your inspection.
From the 2003 SBCS Convention
From the 2003 SBCS Convention
  • Swap Meet Masters are checking their inventories for those pieces they hope to make a deal with.

SBCS 2014 SWAP Meet

SBCS 2014 SWAP MEET

  • The FREE-4-ALL at the FREEBEES table where  a selection of buildings from upgrading (or downsizing) or just generally generous members are giving everyone else a chance at those duplicates, or triplicates, etc. etc. etc.
Buzzing about the FREEBEES Table

The original Freebees table started by Bob Kneisel at the SBCS 2009 convention

  • Clever Collectors are planning their assault on the “Paper Bag Raffle” – Strings of Raffle Tickets decorate the landscape at the Saturday Evening Festivities.
All those Choices!
All those Choices!
Want to Win one of those treasures!
Want to Win one of those treasures!
  • Who knows what will be up for Auction at the end of the evening? Some past goodies have included the Travelers Insurance Co. Hartford, CT; The Peoples United States Bank, St. Louis; and a Mike Merwine re-cast of The Gotham Bank Building.

What souvenir or monument find are you bringing to share with the group?

If you haven’t yet registered for the convention there is still time. Click here for the details.

Buildings, Events, Monuments, News, Upcoming event

Coveted Souvenir: The SBCS Convention Commemoratives

Bookend Collector
What will be the 2016 SBCS Convention Commemorative?
What will be the 2016 SBCS Convention Commemorative?

SBCS Convention Commemoratives are limited.  They are distributed at the annual convention and are a coveted addition to everyone’s collection.  There is still time to register for the 2016 Convention in Los Angeles, June 10-11-12.  Here are some photos of earlier commemoratives:

Photo of Orlando Commemorative
2015 – Orlando City Hall
2014 - Parthenon, Nashville, TN
2014 – Parthenon, Nashville, TN
Photo of 2005 SBCS Commemorative
2005 – Masonic Temple
Photo of 2009 SBCS Commemorative
2009 – Pasadena City Hall
Photo of SBCS 2010 Commemorative
2010 – Citibank
Photo of 1997 SBCS Commemorative
1997 – Octagon Building

Click here to view a larger list of commemoratives and the locales of past SBCS conventions.

Buildings, Events, Monuments, News, People, Upcoming event

Yes! Bette, There is a Downtown in Los Angeles!

Bookend Collector

Los Angeles Conservancy’s Art Deco Tour conducted by Souvenir Building Collectors Society’s own Chris Spry!  Saturday, June 11.  One of the many highlights of this year’s SBCS Convention.   

Conventional wisdom is that there is no “there” in Downtown Los Angeles. Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica have often eclipsed the original city core in imagery of Southern California. Downtown Los Angeles, now often referred to as DTLA, has always been an important center in Southern California and grew exponentially during certain periods. One era when DTLA experienced growth was post World War I through the 1920’s and into the 1930’s. Many examples of urban buildings during that era currently exist in DTLA, though many were threatened by commercial and governmental growth in the late Twentieth Century.

Downtown Los Angeles
Eastern Columbia Building

Join us for a walking tour of several of the prime examples of the Art Deco genre of commercial and government buildings that have endured, clustered around the Pershing Square hub in the downtown area. The Los Angeles Conservancy has arranged this two-hour tour and was directly involved in facilitating preservation of many of the buildings through innovative reuse and rehabilitation strategies.

Downtown Los Angeles
Title Guarantee Building

We will take a chartered coach from our Convention Hotel, the Embassy Suites LAX North to Pershing Square and return after the tour. The cost is $30 per person. Chris Spry will be leading the tour. He has recently become a certified Los Angeles Conservancy docent for this tour.
Extra! Extra!
As this post was being prepared, TIMEOUT Los Angeles posted an excellent capsule of influential buildings shaping the Los Angeles architectural landscape. The post includes references to buildings we will see on our two tours, the Eastern Columbia Building and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House. They also mention father and son architects, John and Robert Parkinson, who also have buildings represented on the Art Deco Tour! Take a look by clicking here: TIMEOUT Los Angeles

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE 2016 SBCS CONVENTION THIS  JUNE IN LOS ANGELES

Upcoming event

Closer, Closer, CLOSER : Deadline for SBCS Convention Savings

Bookend Collector
Love Los Angeles
Love Los Angeles

Where did the time go? It feels like we just got home from Orlando,
and now we’re seven weeks away from SBCS LOS ANGELES 2016.
Your convention team is excited, motivated, and starting to sweat, just a bit!

We’ve got a great program for you, an awesome hotel and fabulous tours.
I hope you’re as excited as we are!

Bring your quirkiest – newest – oldest, for the show-and-tell.
Bring a bunch of buildings for the raffle.
Bring your unwanted treasures for the freebie table.

Dates to remember…

MONDAY MAY 9 – Last day for early-bird registration. Save $20 ($155 instead of $175). Click here for Registration Form.  Follow this link for PayPal instructions: https://sbcsociety.com/sbcs-2016-convention-faqs/

WEDNESDAY MAY 18 – Last day to book hotel rooms at our negotiated rate. Remember that this convention rate is good for 2 days before and 2 days after the convention – BUT – you have to call the hotel directly at 310-337-6032 and speak with Solorio Irma for those rates on those dates. Otherwise, call 800-559-5179 or on-line at http://www.laxembassy.com and ask for Group Code “SBC”

TUESDAY JUNE 7 – California Primaries.
The Donald and Hilary (and Sanders, Cruz and Kasich, it they are still in the race) will leave town just in time for us to roll in.

FRIDAY JUNE 10 – Let the fun begin!

Registrations are starting to trickle in.
Let’s turn that trickle into a flood!!!!!

Buildings, Events, Monuments, News, People, Upcoming event

Check It Off Your Bucket List! The Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market

Bookend Collector

 

The 2016 Souvenir Building Collectors Society Convention weekend coincides with the monthly BIG-ONE, The Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market!  Join fellow Souvenir Building enthusiasts as they scour the stalls for the smallest, oldest, rarest, biggest, most interesting souvenir building, monument, statue, landmark.  Who knows, maybe you’ll find one of these replicas of the Rose Bowl.

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The 2016 SBCS Convention is June 10 to 12.  The Convention Hotel is the Embassy Suites LAX North, a convenient location next to the Airport.  Click here for a link to the 2016 Convention Page.

Buildings, Events, Monuments, News, Upcoming event

California, Here We Come! June 10 – 12, 2016

Bookend Collector

Logo for 2016 SBCS Convention in The City of Angels

Take advantage of Early Bird Registration for SBCS’ Annual Convention!  Register before May 10, 2016 and save.  Click here for the Registration Form and Instructions.

Special SBCS Convention Hotel Rates at the EMBASSY SUITES LAX North are available until May 19.  The special hotel rates are extendable for 2 nights before and after the Convention.  Such a deal!  Click here for the full information on the available rates.

CONVENTION SCHEDULE:

June 10, Friday:
Early Bird Optional: Hollyhock House Tour (afternoon)
Meet & Greet / Show & Tell (evening)

June 11, Saturday:
Business Meeting and Swap Meet (morning)
Optional Tour to L.A. Downtown Art Deco District (afternoon)
Dinner / Raffle / Auction (evening)

June 12, Sunday:
Rose Bowl Flea Market followed by a visit to a local collector.

Click here for the SBCS 2016 Convention Details.

Buildings, News, People, Upcoming event

VOLUME 1 to 22 of The Journal of the Souvenir Building Collectors Society now Available

Bookend Collector

All past issues of the Journal of the Souvenir Building Collectors Society are now available in the Members Only section of this website. All you need is a clicky finger and a password. Click here to reach the list of newsletters from Vol. 1, No 1 through Vol. 22, No. 3.   Future issues will be added as they are published.

Having the newletters available makes it easier to put up short, informational posts that remind us of and/or extend the stories encompassed within the newletters themselves.

Photo of Vincenzo Vizzari
Vincenzo Vizzari and his welcoming display of David Savanyu’s pre-ordered buildings.

For instance, in Vol. 22, No. 2, David Savanyu detailed his discovery of the shop and then the friendship with Italian architect and artisan, Vincenzo Vizzari, in Palermo. Now you can view David’s short videos  here and refresh your memory of the article without leaving the website. In this instance, the 3 videos of Vincenzo Vizzari’s City of Clay are available to whom-so-ever visits this website. In the future, other media like the newsletters may be only available to SBCS members.

Buildings, Events, Monuments, News, Upcoming event

CALLING ALL Southern California Souvenir Building Collectors !!!!!

Bookend Collector
Photo of Los Angeles Map
Southern California portion of Home Federal Savings and Loan Assoc. Map poster. Copyright 1973

The SBCS Convention 2016 will be held in Los Angeles. Here is your chance to share your passion for miniature buildings, monuments, statues and landmarks with others who are just as nutty as you are about these little gems. The event organizers are looking for local Southern California members, past members, or future members who are anxious to share their collections with Souvenir Building Collectors Society convention attendees.

As one convention organizer put it, “ Though I had been a member of SBCS for many years, I had never been involved until the last local Convention which was held in Pasadena in 2009. I was hooked, and have attended every annual Convention since.”

This year’s event will be held on June 9 -10 -11, 2016. Our base of operation will be the Embassy Suites hotel near LAX. One of the main draws for many attendees is the opportunity to see other SBCS Members’ collections. We are looking for Members who would be interested in showcasing their collection by being part of a Progressive Collection Tour around the Los Angeles area.

If you are not centrally located in the Los Angeles area, but would be interested in showcasing highlights from your collection, other arrangements such as displays at the Convention hotel or at other Members homes might be arranged. We have done this successfully in the past.

If you have interest in showcasing your collection please send the organizer an email letting us know of your interest. 

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Buildings, Monuments, News, People, Upcoming event

Russell V. Keune, FAIA 1938-2015

Bookend Collector
Russell and Ingrid Keune in
Russell and Ingrid Keune in 2011 at the SBCS Washington DC convention.

Russell V. Keune, F.A.I.A., of Arlington, Virginia died at home on December third at age 77. He is survived by Ingrid Christina Keune to whom he was married for 47 years, their son Eric who lives in Chicago, Illinois with wife Kubinne Kim and their son Alexander. A graduate of the University of Illinois with both Bachelor and Master’s Degrees in Architecture, he worked for the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the U.S. Committee on Monuments and Sites for the U.N., and the American Institute of Architects as the Director of International Affairs. His work led him to pursue a lifelong love of collecting miniature buildings, amassing a collection of more than 800; along with two antique Packard automobiles which were an ongoing source of engagement.

Family and Friends will gather to celebrate his life at a later date. In lieu of flowers contributions should be made to the National Building Museum in the name of Russell V. Keune memorial fund.

A treasured member of the Souvenir Building Collectors Society, Russell’s own recollection of his journey in life can be read at the following website:  http://www.adventfuneral.com/services/russell-v-keune.htm