This item has always baffled me ever since I saw it years ago. Its been on the blog for a decade now and my memory was jogged when I saw another bottle of James Bond Lotus Esprit Spy Bath Bubbles online.
The mystery is the maker's name Australian Tarheel.
I know about American and Japanese Tarheel - makers of plastic toys in the Sixties and Seventies - but who are Australian Tarheel?
There are very few instances of this bubble bath online so information on the company - if indeed it is a different company to the Tarheel we all know as the American purveyors of Project SWORD toys.
So readers, anyone know of Tarheel of Australia or any more about this bubble bath?
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/james-bond-007-1977-lotus-esprit-471661693
Some clues in the photos. Firstly, there is a very familiar Tarheel logo with a capital T on the side of the box. Therefore definitely has connection to its U.S. counterpart.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, the sticker on the base of the Lotus Esprit states the company as Tarheel Holdings Pty. Ltd., the "proprietary limited" being a form of privately owned company characteristic to Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Interesting Arto! I've just seen that sticker now! Thanks! Doh! I'm still baffled why Tarheel in any form would issue this in 1977. Maybe its blow moulded and linked to their blow moulding aspect, which came to the fore under Empire Plastics.
DeleteAlas, the logo isn't the Tarheel T. Looking closely I've noticed its the United Artists logo, who presumably owned James Bond in 1977 https://youtu.be/7hoiwFO9S-4
I had to laugh at the line in the description "contents emptied on request". ha ha! Shaken not stirred!
Oh you're so right, eagle-eyed Woodsy. I should've had my glasses on!
ReplyDeleteThus the main evidence evaporates. The mystery prevails.
ha ha! Dont be too hard on yourself!
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