I've been trying to sniff out of any connections between toys of the Sixties and Star Wars.
Lacking sufficient Force this time of the morning my brain is struggling to get past the scum and villainy of my dreams.
Short of tearing this moonbase apart to find the plans, the only thing I can think of is an old link I found in the first months of the blog in 2008 to a website called Secret Fun Spot.
The site had a fun section about Star Wars knockoffs.
Alas the site appears now to be defunct but I did archive a particular image:
Along with obvious C3PO clones made of metal there is a neat set of our friends the Blue Box space vehicles.
Interestingly the Space Car at the bottom of the picture is white. Back in 2008 I'd never seen a white one before and now in 2017 I'm not sure I have yet.
Have you readers?
Why they are Star Wars knockoffs I'm not sure unless the website was only interested in the C3PO bit. Yep, that could be it. What are those toys numbered 18?
What's your fave Star Wars toy, knockoff or collectable?
I see you found Secret Fun Spot! The curator of the site still has a blog(SecretFunBlog),but only updates it rarely.Lately,there's only one contri at Halloween time,but it's worth reading.I think he also is on Twitter.His name is Kirk Demarias.Im very certain Wotan can identify the little metal robot figures in the picture!Have at it,Bill!
ReplyDeleteI used to love Secret Fun Spot Bri. It was a fun thing. Glad to hear it still exists in at least blog form. Have you any idea what the illustration of Star wars type characters at the bottom of the pictures is?
DeleteThe pic you see is from a Christmas catalogue,either Sears,J.C.Penney or Montgomery Ward.That would have arrived in a plain cardboard box,marked exactly that,4 piece U.F.O.set.Those catalogues often sold generic toys without fancy packaging to keep costs low.
DeleteCheers Brian.
DeleteSorry Woodsy,I think I misunderstood your question.If you're asking about the illustrated characters under the catalogue pics,they are from a generic action figure collectors case called Star World.I actually have the case around here somewhere.I bought it for my figures when I was a kid before the original Kenner collectors case was available.
DeleteMy fave SW knock-off is the Laser Sword (on the left) which I found all by surprise here in Finland about two decades ago. The box art and the whole design just swept me away!
ReplyDeletehttp://theswca.com/index.php?action=disp_item&item_id=55311
May The 4th Be With You!
What a fab galactic knockoff Arto! May the SWORD be with you!
DeleteThe 18 figures are Zee Toys/Zylemex Metal Men, a range of diecast figures split off from the Takara Microman range
ReplyDeleteGreat toy line Wote. You introduced me to them.
Delete