BREAKING NEWS: OVMS takes over MAX Show

On Saturday night, November 1, 2014, Military Trader received an important communication from the Board of Directors of the Ohio Valley Military Society (OVMS). The OVMS (which manages the Show of Shows) has acquired the ownership of the MAX Show.

The full content of the announcement reads:

October 31st, 2014
Wilmington, Ohio

After 30 years of operating the Military Antiques Extravaganza, better known as the MAX Show, today Tom Wittmann and Colonel Tom Johnson have passed the baton to the Ohio Valley Military Society. The MAX pioneered the international military collector show in the United States, and established the standards that other world class militaria events strive to emulate. The OVMS Show-of-Shows was in fact built on the model set forth by the creators of the MAX. Over the past 30 years, their efforts have directly resulted in the introduction of countless new collectors to the hobby, a raised standard for integrity and honesty, and fostered an atmosphere of scholarship that had been of significant benefit to veteran and new collectors alike.

The Ohio Valley Military Society is dedicated to preserving the tradition of quality and international fellowship that has been the cornerstone of the MAX Show. A number of MAX traditions will be retained, most importantly the revered MAX name. In addition, the best of the MAX will be combined with some of the most popular features of the OVMS Show-of-Shows. A complete plan is currently in development, but there are several highlights that can be shared at this time.

Table rates will be adjusted to match those of the Show-of-Shows. MAX tableholders who have already pre-paid their 2015 table reservations will be offered a choice of a rebate for the difference in price or the opportunity to add additional tables to their reservation.

MAX Show Life Members who are not already OVMS Life Members will be automatically granted OVMS life membership at no cost.

Of particular interest to all current and future OVMS members, your membership badge that allows free admission to the Show-of-Shows and all other OVMS events will now grant you that same privilege at the MAX Show. This is an important added value for your membership, at absolutely no additional cost.

The OVMS leadership will have more information to offer in the weeks to come. At the time of this writing, the acquisition of the MAX Show is merely hours old, and there is much to do before all administrative details are finalized. We will have table reservation forms available soon on the OVMS website. In the meantime, we invite all militaria collectors in the US and around the world to open a beverage of their choice, and join us in a toast to the proud record of the MAX, and it's successful future under OVMS direction.”

The staff of Military Trader want to thank the organizers and Board of Directors of the MAX Show for their 30 years of commitment to elevating the hobby. They have truly been pioneers in developing a world-class environment for all of us to pursue our passion.

And, we would like to congratulate the OVMS leadership for their forward-thinking and positive movements to continue this momentum. They have made great efforts to build on the MAX model and to propel the hobby to new heights.