Welcome to the amazing collection and display techniques of Alex Teo Owner: Alex Teo, Singapore, E-mail: cowpehcowbu@gmail.com, Website: http://toyhaven.blogspot.com/ I'm an avid toy collector from Singapore and the proud father of two rascals, Jared and Javon. Man, do they grow up fast! Why do I collect toys? Every collector has his or her own reasons and mine is simply because toys are 3-D works of ART. I've always enjoyed the many visual arts and I grew up on comics rather than books or novels. So when a comic book hero becomes a 3-D rendition that you can actually hold in your hands and scrutinize from every angle, it's a must-have! What is even better is when the same comic heroes get made into movies and then movie merchandise and memorabilia. 1/6th scale versions (big enough to be appreciated and small enough to be displayed en masse) of characters dressed in their costumes and carrying their accessories are the best. One MUST appreciate the artistic talent that goes into making them. The other reason I collect military-themed figures is because of the history, uniforms, weapons and paraphernalia that come with them. Almost every boy growing up played "cops and robbers," or "soldiers" and the like because it's just so cool to play with guns, throw grenades and take cover! Collecting soldiers from different eras and different countries help me appreciate the discipline those soldiers had (and have) and the sacrifices they make to try and make the world a better place for all of us. Because in the end, thanks to them, good triumphs over evil. I hope you enjoy the pictures of my collection! ---Alex Teo WOW! Collectors take note...notice how Alex has created a "wall of heroes" using those fantastic IKEA cabinets. If you ever thought about getting some for your own collection, this ought to make your mind up for you. And it looks like he's also using aquariums as supplemental glass display boxes up there on top. Fantastic idea! Taking a closer look inside the IKEA cases reveals logical groupings of all types of action figures. Starting with the upper left, you'll notice pilots of many forces, then on the second row infantry, and so on. The glass walls allow maximum light penetration from all sides making the figures easier to see. WOW (again)! This is some serious attention to detail display-wise. Look at all of Alex's wall-mounted, glass-door display cabinets that snake throughout the rooms in his home. And notice that he's painted the outer edge trim of these cases to match the wall paint colors, tying it all together stylistically and making the cabinets appear to be all that more "built-in." That's REALLY nice work. Great job, Alex! It just goes on and on! Another shot of some more of Alex's beautiful wall-mounted / glass-doored / color-edged display cabinets in another room. Notice the careful attention to painting the trim pieces in green and blue. And check out the Gabriel Lone Ranger and Tonto in their own aquarium glass box. And all of those variations of the batmobile and batplane. Sooooo sweet! Alex isn't done yet. Here's more top-of-the-line glass-doored display cases, each carefully custom painted and loaded to the gills with even more GIjOEs and action figures of all types. What an amazing collection! Alex and his family have clearly made peace with his collecting obsession. Here's another room showing how he seamlessly manages to blend his gigantic collection into his daily life. See how by elevating the collection and mounting it up on the walls, Alex is able to preserve valuable floor space and "room real estate" for furniture and "normal" living purposes. PLUS...it puts most of his collection up at eye-level for better viewing. In this opposite view of his study, you can see how Alex continues to take advantage of every wall with even more wall-mounted display cases. And Alex clearly likes to use COLOR wherever possible. Notice how EVERY single surface seems to have been hit with some beautiful pastel color­ even down low. Every drawer, shelf, display case and wall appears to have some color on it. (Heaven forbid you should leave something unpainted, Alex. HA!) :-) Seriously though, this is an amazingly well thought out and organized collection. Congratulations, Alex! Let's start taking a closer look at Alex's collection. Here's a closeup of one cabinet revealing GIjOE astronauts, MPs and Cold Weather soldiers of all types. Notice the arctic paint scheme on that Troubleshooter ATV and the Action Man astronaut with a space jet pack. Sharp! A look in another display case reveals an impressive group of 12" Star Wars figures. Go Boba Fett! The Sith Lords are well represented as well. Boo! You're the bad guys! And of course, what's any Star Wars collection without a gaggle of stormtroopers and a couple of Darth Vaders? Alex's collection takes on a definite "Asian twist "with this amazing group of figures from Masked Riders and Ultraman. Ultraman collectors can officially start drooling now. WOW! Captain Action fans can rejoice that Alex hasn't neglected them. Check out the 8" Mego versions in the back row. I guess Action Boy doesn't feel so short anymore! (or KID Action, depending on the decal you have on his chest). Oh mama! Can you ever have enough vintage style GIjOE pilots? These are all modern repros, but boy are they cool! There's also row upon row of top-dollar movie and television figures from BBi, Sideshow, Dragon, Takara, etc. Alex has spared no expense gathering figures for his unique hall of heroes (and villains). This Rocketeer and Captain Jack look fantastic. And is that a Predator turning invisible in the back? Whoa. This lineup looks awesome, dude. GO VASQUEZ! It's time for another "bug hunt," Colonial Marines style! Beautiful closeups of one of Alex's modern paratroopers and a Korean War era Sabre pilot from Bbi. Batman never looked better in 1/6th scale. What a FANTASTIC figure from Hot Toys! These shots show the value of accurate and logical posing when displaying figures. Alex has clearly mastered this skill. The Apollo 11 astronaut figure by Dragon. Is this the best 1/6th astronaut figure ever made? (Yup.) What a stunner! Holy psychotics, Batman! Have you ever seen such a great Joker figure? Man oh man oh man. And again, check out Alex's great posing. Some more heroes and villains. Hellboy and Wolverine look amazing. Is that an Inspector Gadget in the back? Cool! Sharp lineup of G-Force figures. The girl is obviously the best one. Hamana, hamana, hamana... And some more of Alex's G-Force figures. Great lineup. The ninja guy looks fantastic. Not just 1, or 2, but THREE Batmans from Medicom, Takara and Hot Toys respectively. Which is YOUR favorite? Alex hasn't forgotten that superheroes were the inspiration for his collecting figures. Cap's shield is PERFECT. Some more great heroes and villains. Wolverine looks like he means business and the Green Goblin (or "Gobby") looks as nasty as ever. Finally, here's the vintage Action Man Alex's wife bought him long ago that helped start his amazing collection. What a great figure. And what a great collection. Thanks for sharing it all with the world, Alex. I'm sure other collectors also appreciate seeing all that you've accomplished. More 1:6 Collections And Don't Miss... Collections Indoor Dioramas Outdoor Photos Custom Figures Custom Vehicles Tips & Tricks Club Websites Feedback Submit Your Collection About GIjOE Collections Cool Links HOME Address any questions or comments to webmaster Mark Otnes, at 303 E. Sherwin Drive, Urbana, IL 61802, or Phone: 217-337-1706 or Email: sterling@shout.net