As I mentioned in my recent Auckland fair report, I was able to pick up a box full of 18 die-cast pencil sharpeners for just $10 NZ. That is about £5.
All are in an Antique Bronze finish. Some have plastic parts, usually in black or white. A couple are missing the actual sharpener, but most are complete. Some also have opening or moving parts.
I was only interested in a couple of the transport-related ones, but the lady wanted to sell the whole box, and I got a great bargain.
I recall when these sharpeners were in the shops, but I have not seen any around for years. There are usually one or two sellers at fairs with a few of these.
Most are loose, but sometimes you can find examples in either their original small cardboard boxes, or in a plastic bubble on a backing card.
The only boxed one I found this time, was an old naval cannon, of the sort that would have been carried by HMS Victory at Trafalgar.
A Rolls-Royce veteran touring car. I think the double-decker bus is a Routemaster.
Four assorted musical instruments. A wonderful fireplace, with a musket, broom, bed-warming pan, and logs in the grate.
A selection of what could be loosely described as household items: Washboard and tub; early electric fan; oil lamp; weather vane; alarm clock; school desk and seat (the desk top opens and the seat tips up); vintage camera (the bellows slides back and forth); water pump and bucket; rubbish bin; and an old-fashioned hand water-pump for fire fighting.
These are great fun to collect, they do not take up a lot of room, and they are usually fairly cheap. They are also useful, as they can still be used to sharpen pencils.
have you got any?
Paul Adams
NZ
Hi Woodsy! You can find many of these made by the Spanish company PlayMe. Just search for the name of the company on todocoleccion, or the name plus the word "sacapuntas" (pencil sharpener). Best regards, Juan
ReplyDeleteThese were huge in gift shops in the eighties. I had a space cruiser Yamato style one and im sure ive seen a lunar module too.
ReplyDeleteAmazing collection! What beautiful little sculptures these are!
ReplyDeleteFascinating Paul, I'd no idea there were so many of these. This antique brass look was a sort of craze I think. I have seen the Yamato one too.
ReplyDeleteYou have featured a few of my pencil sharpeners before, including the Yamato space ship, a terrible Sherman tank, and I think the Space Shuttle as well. They are fun, and this is only a tiny fraction of the hundreds that have been made.
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