Baby Bubbly Beer mats

1960 Baby Bubbly beer mats.

Cadburys chocolate box lid

Got really lucky at the car boot last weekend, when a couple were clearing out there loft.

There was a stack of stunning chocolate packaging from the sixties. This was the best of the lot! It seems odd today, that the actual chocolates dont feature on the pack, just a fantastic Wild West board game. And what about the colour palette?

Optical toy discs

These six optical toy discs, came to me recently as part of an old collection of toys. They're stunning! The discs measure 4.5" across and came with spindles, that should drive, and spin the cards, but I cant see a way how you can insert the card on to the spindle without ruining the images.

Ive seen Phenakistiscope images online that look similar, but they appear to have slits on the outer edge, that look to fit some kind of contraption. The ones posted here, just have a central hole.

Hopefully, theres a clever soul out there that can tell us all about it. It would be good to shed more light on them.

Until next time........................

Marching Mexican Mariachi band

Recent purchase that turned up on our summer travels . I thought they were a Mariachi band , but it turns out they may be Jarochos! They dress and play in the Veracruz style. The big difference being their traditional white shirts, trousers and hats!

Wooden GALT transport puzzle

I think I promised more by Galt, a while back. So here you go.

Galt made loads of beautifully designed toys, that won many a Design Council award. This very tasteful wooden puzzle is worthy of a mention! On removing the vehicle from the scene, you can see the interior, inside. Plain, simple and also very charming!

Remember Remember Kenneth Townsend

On recently posting "Marble Fun" up here, I was amazed to find out we had more by Kenneth Townsend. Here for todays post is Remember, Remember. A great game of pairs by Galt Toys.
It appears Galt released this game in two guises. Im not sure which was released first, the one here or Snap, which can be viewed over at kenneth townsend















Above are are a few close ups of the cards and the reverse!

Football Snowdomes

The new football season is now well under way, so excuse another football related post. Its true theyve seen better days, but like much that Ive uploaded here, they have a special place on the mantlepiece. There was another I had in the series, but that fell behind a radiator, and sadly was never able to retrieve!

If you like snowdomes, (and theres no doubt a lot of people do!) Theres a superb book in the Abbeville collection series that features a great selection of these plastic domes in stunning technicolour, and details their humble origins.

I did wonder though, shouldn't 1970s footballers play with orange balls in the snow?

Flags of the World tin badges

Ten lovely tin badges that are still on their original display card. Theres something very attractive about printing on tin. The little feet at the bottom of each flag are to bend round and attach to your lapel. They remind me of the paper World War One, Flag day pins you used to be able to get quite cheaply at the Ephemera society.

I couldnt find many images on line but theres a nice page in Robert Opies Great War Scrapbook.

Marble Fun with Kenneth Townsend

I have long treasured this fantastic game by Merit with its bold graphic illustrations. It may well be wishful thinking but I think I had this game as a child. The idea was, to shoot marbles down the wooden ramp aiming for the holes, under each animal. If the marble goes in the hole you score those points. Simple, beautiful and hours of fun.

As with most of the posts on here, I try and do a little bit of research before listing to see whats been posted before. Amazingly I found out the illustrator was Kenneth Townsend, who was born in 1931. Kenneth lived in Hastings and worked for Galt toys (more of which another time), Hornsea Pottery and Chance Glass, amongst others.

You must pop across to The humorous world of Kenneth Townsend where you can see even more of Kenneths work. Its an absolute delight!

metal chewing gum advertising signage

Thought you might like these? Seven Small tin advertising signs that clipped onto advertising stands that stood next to the shop till. The signs are just a bit bigger than the original chewing gum packets and judging by the prices date from the mid to late seventies.

Those were the days when you could still buy a Bubbly for a penny, and before Bubalicious and Space Dust swept the nation!