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Sponsored by
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| The Judy-Oz Exchange |
Judy and Memorabilia and Auctions Oh My!
**ATTENTION OZ COLLECTORS, OZ CRAFTERS & ARTISTS**
We are offering you an opportunity
to sell your wares at the ever popular JUDY/OZ EXCHANGE held Saturday night, September 13th from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. in the
main hall of the Porter County Expo Center. The Judy/Oz Exchange is a collector’s haven of memorabilia from the 1939
Classic movie and Judy Garland items. Barry Patraw, OZ appraiser will be in attendance. This year’s Judy/OZ Exchange
will begin with The Hat Contest, back by popular demand. This is something to look forward to, as many festival attendees
have gotten in the habit of wearing increasingly creative, extravagant and fascinating OZ themed chapeaus during the years.
This will give them the opportunity to display their artistic talent.
Another popular portion of the
exchange is the auction. Past one of a kind items auctioned have been personal Munchkin items, such as clothing. A highlight
of the auction last year was the sale of some of Jean Nelson’s personal collection. Jean is the founder of the Wizard
of OZ Festival and has had contact with many celebrities during the past 27 years, some of which include the Munchkins, Margaret
Hamilton and Ray Bolger. The original Munchkins from the movie will be there again, this year, in person offering photos and
signing autographs. For the past several years, Michael Siewert, renowned “Garlandia” collector has displayed
pieces of Judy Garland’s wardrobe from his “Dressing of a Legend” collection.
Table rental space is $20.00 and we can
accept 50 vendors with table location assigned on a first come first served basis. Table assignments will be handed out at
registration at 5:30 p.m. You will be notified of acceptance at a later date and a map will be sent at that time. For an application,
go here.
Don’t miss this exciting
event!!!
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| Just a Few Contestants in the 2007 Hat Contest |
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| Diane and Sharon with their Prized OZ Sweeper |
They Must Have Everything Oz!
Stories and Photos by Dee Dunheim
The lovely mother-daughter-team of Diane Breitenstein
and Shannon Carlson are pictured here with their prized — and very rare — child-size Wizard of Oz carpet sweeper
at 2004's Judy/Oz Exchange at the Wizard of Oz Festival in Indiana. 'We looked for years and years until the sweeper finally
came up on E-Bay,' says Breitenstein. After an all-out bidding war, the carpet
sweeper, priced at $1,200 was theirs. Despite the 4,378 mile round trip from Tacoma, Washington, the two travel to Indiana
each September to attend the Wizard of Oz Festival. Carlson is now 32 years old. When she was only three, her mother, father
and grandmother began buying Oz stuff for her. And, as soon as she was old enough herself, she picked up — and ran with
— the family's I-Must-Have-All-Things-That-Are-Oz obsession. To date, Carlson's collection is 6,723 pieces strong and
growing . 'We have a dog-earred 254-page Wizard of Oz Collector's Treasury written by Jay Scarfone, William Stillman and Tim
McGowan,' says Breitenstein. ' It is our Bible when buying, trading and selling Oz memorabilia.'
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| Karen and Robyn with an Oz Children's Table |
Karen Owens (left) with friend Robyn Bodine at a Judy/Oz Exchange at the Wizard of Oz Festival in Indiana moments after
Owens helped Bodine find the Yellow Brick Road Table she's been searching for. 'I've been really wanting that table,' says
Robyn Bodine. So when the Oz memorabilia collector found it at 2004's Judy/Oz Exchange
of Indiana's Wizard of Oz Festival, she was able to buy it on the spot and take it home. 'The Oz theme is carried over to
every room in the house,' she admits. And, with more than 2,000 items in her collection, those not currently on display are
carefully stored in several dozen large plastic boxes. 'Crazy isn't it? I just can't help it. I love it!' she laughs. 'I began
collecting Oz when I was ten. Now I'm 45.' The resident of Decatur, Illinois travels to Indiana each September and doesn't
at all mind the seven-hour round trip for her Oz-vacation-and-shopping-spree.
Karen Owens, of Taylor, Michigan,
is Bodine's friend and fellow collector. She too owns thousands of Oz items. 'I collect it all,' she says. 'I'm what you might
call a full time Oz nut,' she explains. Owens owns a shop called Storyland Collectibles in Garden City, Michigan and sells
Oz stuff from her website. To find out what she has to offer, log onto www.hometown.aol.com/okstryland.
Owens and Bodine
met at a Wizard of Oz Festival several years ago and have enjoyed daily correspondence via e-mail and through the Everything
Oz Club. They — along with hundreds of other Oz fanatics — log onto this Yahoo! Group to find out what's happening
in their world. 'Join our Club. It's a free internet group,' says Bodine. 'Simply log onto www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/everythingoz. Sign in as a 'New Member' and share with us your obsession with all things Oz.'
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