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The 2011 West Coast Collectors Meeting was held at the Portola Hotel and Spa in Monterey, CA, on October 8, 2011. This was the climax of several days of activities that made Columbus Day weekend a memorable one for all who attended.
Bob Wiringa, Peter Ewell and John Youngerman study Harald Scheel's Tsushima display and second-hand models.
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October 6
Collectors began gathering at Harald Scheel's home in Fremont for a peek at his top-notch Navy Room, complete with plans of the continuing battle his naval wargaming club is waging. All then headed over to view the naval dioramas and models of Fremont's other collector, Tom Vargas. The day ended with an Italian dinner at Fremont's Il Porcino Restaurant.
Harald's Navy Room Approaching Harald's Navy Room Part of Tom's collection
At Il Porcino (L-R): Peter van Staalduinen, Hjalmar Heinen, Harald & Johanna Scheel, Peter & Ulla Chuldziak, Teruo Higasaguchi, John Olsen, Judy & Tom Vargas, Rob Tas
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October 7
Setting up began at the Portola in the afternoon and the day concluded with the welcome dinner at Isabella's Restaurant on the Monterey waterfront.
The "Brain Trust": Harald and Paul MSM arrives! Tom Vargas arranging his dioramas
Cocktail hour before dinner The dinner crowd gathers . Waiting for the first course.
Dessert time! A few words from Paul The end.
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October 8
It's 10AM in the Cottonwood Room and the meeting is under way. Before we knew it, it was time to pack up and go, but not before the annual SMSC meeting. Later, a reunion dinner at Santa Lucia's for all who enjoyed Harald's Kassel Meeting tour of Germany and the Netherlands earlier in the year.
Pat Hathaway's popular naval photo table. Peter VanStalduinen, Rob Tas, Kevin Stewart & John Youngerman
Kevin Stewart commissioning a Youngerman model A future collector Teruo Higasaguchi sees his first Heinrich model
Harold & Don Andrews, Phil Woodruff and Les Kawamoto Tom Vargas with his recognition models.
Teruo Higasaguchi and Robert Liu David Haynes studies Tsushima Tom Vargas at Chris Daley's table
MSM's Bill & mary Werner make another sale to Tom Vargas A non-collector (Johanna Scheel) admires Tom's dioramas
Rick Rudofsky never misses a meeting! John Olsen and John Youngerman Paul Jacobs at the SMY table
We should do this again sometime! SMSC's annual meeting
Pearl Harbor's Battleship Row Tom Vargas' ASBD diorama John Olsen's Ise & Hyuga conversions
The Reunion Dinner at Santa Lucia's The end of a good day.
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October 9
Once again, Paul and Renee Jacobs hosted an open house at their home in Saratoga, this time with a barbecue enjoyed by all.
   Teruo Higasaguchi in Paul's model porch Dave Shadell and Paul Jacobs John Olsen and Teruo in the basement
   Faraway places Paul's fitting out basin The garden railroad
   Nancy & Kevin Stewart, Judy Vargas Renee Jacobs, Atsuko Higasaguchi Everyone at the table!
and from our Japanese friends . . .
Joining us for the first time from Japan were Atsuko (left) and Teruo Higasaguchi, who made this meeting an extra special one. Teruo's interest is in the transitional steam/iron fleets of the 19th century, particularly the Japanese. Besides collecting, he is a talented scratch builder and has made his own models of all of the ships in the early Meiji fleet. He has also assisted H&B producer Juergen Streich in the research that has led to his latest model, the auxiliary cruiser Shinano Maru. Teruo also made several souvenir fans for our meeting, which some of you may have noticed:
Commodore Perry's USS Susquehanna Yamato and Musashi
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