Lady Trouble

 The trouble with the internet is it's full of interesting coincidences! 

This auctioned Air Stewardess caught my eye.

A souvenir from Monarch Airlines ( hope it's not Monarch from the Godzilla movies!)

She's a monochrome dead ringer for the similarly but pinky dressed Fairylite Lady Penelope doll from the Sixties (did Century 21 do one as well?).

 Both logos even have crowns! 

Image from the superb Bold Doll 

https://thebolddoll.com/f-a-b/

Have you any Lady Penelope toys or Air Stewardess dolls readers?

Will's Patty Painter

Hi Woodsy,

Another girlie thing!

Did I see in the blog a little while ago some posts about the Denys Fisher Spiromatic?

This doll by Pedigree has her own , albeit hand operated. 

Will O

Fitzi Finds

Today I bagged a decent haul of cheap and interesting tat down at Fitzwilliam's bid Wednesday boot sale. Lots of vintage toys to be had along with knick knacks galore.

The 2005 Darth Vader Imperial Motorbike cleaned up well and once he got a DIY lightsaber in his mitt he was off! 

FAIRYLITE LADY PENELOPE AND TIN TIN DOLLS

Having established a profitable connection to the earlier Supermarionation shows with toys based on them the Merton based company Fairylite immediately bought into the Andersons most lavish production, THUNDERBIRDS. 

1966 saw the first true Anderson ‘Action Figures’ as we know the concept today. All of the main characters in the programme were represented with removable cloth outfits and fully articulated bodies. 

Despite Fairylite’s use of cheap ‘blown plastic’ bodies the overall impression is a good one and children were excited to be able to own the characters from THUNDERBIRDS in miniature form.

However 1966 was perhaps too soon for boys to feel comfortable embracing a doll. 

Palitoy’s ACTION MAN had only very recently appeared on the market in England and the concept was yet to be truly established. With this in mind a far more impressive campaign was launched to bring the female THUNDERBIRDS dolls to the attention of girls across the country. 

Adverts and competitions appeared in LADY PENELOPE comic one of which shows the variety in which the Tin-Tin doll was produced in terms of attire. 

The dolls heads are in fact one and the same. With a clever facial paint job, and hair colour/ style differences, Fairylite offered two very acceptable representations of the leading female operatives of International Rescue. 

Unlike the male dolls the female characters only enjoy movement at the shoulder, hip and neck much like many ‘fashion’ dolls of the period.

Lady Penelope’s packaging is of a far more feminine design than that which housed the male characters in the series but Tin-Tin is boxed in very much a hybrid of both styles. 

With Mattel’s BARBIE and Pedigree’s SINDY both doing well in toy shops Fairylite promoted their two characters in a similar manner. 

‘Dressing up’ and fashion changes were very much the order of the day as opposed to the ‘smash and crash’ stuff they were hoping boys would go for with the male dolls.

A variety of costumes were sold separately and encouraged girls to ultimately buy the entire range so both Penelope and Tin-Tin would have a wardrobe to fit any occasion or adventure. 

Some were pure flights of fancy on the part of Fairylite mimicking ‘Mod’ fashions of the day but others were close approximations of costumes seen in the show itself or the pages of LADY PENELOPE comic perhaps with some small differences to colour or design.

Now almost fifty years on from these dolls first appearing collectors will struggle to find a complete set of them and especially the accompanying accessory sets.

 The Lady Penelope doll seems to appear most regularly but not Tin-Tin and there are few who can claim to own all three variants of her.

Often overlooked by THUNDERBIRDS and Anderson collectors in general and regarded as ‘just for girls’ the Fairylite dolls are not to be dismissed by the serious enthusiast as they are rarely seen in decent boxed condition and represent well the characters who inspired their creation.

Anyone got any?

Jim Lewis.

first published on Moonbase Central 2010

HORSESH*T BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS ACTION BED AND DOLL

Seen last year on MC, One of the more unusual items I've found in my action figure reference books is the Horsh*tMan Self-Propelled Bedknobs and Broomsticks Action Bed.

Its an unusual choice for a toy.

It came with a 'Angela Lansbury' doll. Does it look like her?

Amazingly the doll stands up, makes the bed and then pushes it around the floor, before opening the covers, getting in and closing her eyes. 

The bed had mystery and non-fall action, but the doll often walked to the edge of of a table and fell off shouting 'Oh, Broomsticks!'

What a bed!

Has anyone got one?

THE SEARS SPACE COMMAND CENTER AND SOUND STUDIO

I love a good space toy mystery, especially one involving box art. This unusual Sears Space Command Centre and Sound Studio appeared on fleabay recently. It seems to be a plastic work station surrounded by card screens and was presumably generic enough for all 12inch figures at the time such as GI Joe and Barbie [Barbie did get her own Space Station].

It's the four card art screens that I like [pictured above right]. Depicting various spacecraft, I recognised the floating city as being from a beautiful Ken Fagg cover from a 1954 If magazine [below left]. I know I've seen the spaceship, which is flying below the floating city, before but just can't place it. As for the rest of the craft shown I would be amazed if they're not from similar Sci Fi pulp covers of the 1950's and 60's. 

Anyone recognise them?

A reader has struck gold identifying the Discovery panel, above right, as the cover of the paperback The Lost Worlds of 2001. The cover was painted by Bruce Pennington and he became famous overnight when it appeared on the first issue of Science Fiction Monthly in January 1974 [below].

BARBARA AND LILI'S SPACE AGE BEDROOM SET

 I love this Barbara and Lili bedroom Recamara set by Mexico's Lili Ledy.

There's something so 2001 about it. The cool orb chair, the small TV, the phone - all so late Sixties/ Early Seventies space mod!

It sort of reminds me of the cool TV dinner tray in Kubrick's film.

Do you like this Lili Ledy set readers?

KATHARINA STENBECK'S BARBIE AND GI JOE CREATURES

 

I like these creatures! 

So very Tomland!

Do you like them readers?

SHHHH! SECRET SUE AND OTHER SPY DOLLS

If like me you like vintage spy dolls then this article is for you. From the Doll Boldly site here's Double Trouble:

https://thebolddoll.com/vintage/double-trouble/

What do you think?

On your Christmas list now?

MEDUSA

I've been watching another tutorial on Catmeleon's channel, this one on how to create a Medusa. Completely mesmerising if you have a spare 40 minutes.

https://youtu.be/pNN2Ht9UsE0?feature=shared

HEADSHRINKER

 Before going to meet a mate for a Chinese buffet I'm shrinking a head.

A doll's head to be precise.

I'm doing it for my next custom project.

I'm following this fabulous tutorial on You Tube by Catmeleon.

https://youtu.be/pYbBOiNNVmU?feature=shared

Amazingly, I'm shrinking the same doll's head! Spooky!

Have you ever shrunk a head?

Auf Wiedersehen Pupp

 A few final notes from abroad last month now I'm home.

I saw this toy cable car in a German shop window, which I thought was neat. Whether it moved I don't know. It didn't when I was there. 

I think the maker is Lehmann but I may have seen a Rigi one.

Me and the Missus said goodbye to everything in her late parents' apartment. Everything that we didn't sell at Flöhmarkten or give away. This old plaster grandma held on till the bitter end, finally parting with us in the final days before we closed the door for good. She just didn't want to leave.

This long model ship was in a Trödel Laden or junk shop. It will make someone who collects ships sehr zu frieden (very happy).

I snapped this hot air balloon as it was passing near our car boot stall. I hadn't realized I'd got the chap in too. He looks non-plussed! I've never been in a hot air balloon and with a bad fear of heights I wouldn't ever. I do love to see them though. You?

This beautiful Isetta caught my eye whilst we delivered a deck chair to someone. I remember these from being a kid in the Sixties. We called them bubble cars. 

Has any reader driven one? Have you ever sat in an Isetta?

And a final sad note: despite trying to re-home a lovely and large 1960's home-made Puppenhaus, or dolls house, with various friends, alas, it went back to the charity warehouse we bought it from four years ago to start yet another journey in its long life.

Auf Wiedersehen Puppenhaus.

En Guard! My Home-Made Star Maidens Guard Doll

 Ever since I first saw this figure, Arto's rare Star Maidens Guard doll, I've been smitten.

So, recently seeing a toy mini American football helmet and some red Supergirl boots going cheap on eBay, I thought nows a good time to have a go at making my own Star Maidens doll.

As always, not a perfect replica, more of an impression.

See what you think. 

Here she is, the Moonbase Maiden Guard

H A U S

We had to say auf wiedersehen to this old dolls house in Germany.

We bought it about four years ago at a Diakonie charity warehouse. Alas due to its size we were never able to bring it home. It was bought largely on its great looks.

Clearly home made many years ago, each room was wallpapered, carpeted and tiled. There were doors and even electric lighting.

Priced at just 8 Euro, it came complete with tons of furniture, which we were able to bring home.

Despite asking friends and neighbours we couldn't re-home the house. I think it was the size more than anything.

It went with the house clearers in the end, along with most of this pictured below and much much more; the final remnants of my Wife's late parents' apartment of some 40 years.

Have you ever made a dolls house? Is it a lost art?

BLOGGIVERSARY MYSTERY: WHERE DID THE CANDY AND ANDY DOLLS COME FROM?

 

I saw this big doll in a Hornsea Charity Shop window and had to look twice!

Is that Candy? my brain shrieked!

Candy as in Candy and Andy, Gerry Anderson's photo-story kids comic featuring these two large dolls.

Ignoring the fact that Andy looks like the Good Guy doll from the later Chucky films I got to wondering if Candy and indeed Andy were commercially available dolls at the time, like April Showers and Tiny Tears et al.

I've read a lot about Candy and Andy over the years, including just recently Alan Dein's great short history of the comic and the hardbacks, Village of the Dolls  [Alan is also the discoverer of the lost transparencies and author of a new book].

Alas, there's been no mention of where Century 21 got the dolls.

Where they made by Century 21? Does anyone know?

Spur of the Moment

 Today's modest catch down the boot sale. See anything you like? 

Small celluloid Geisha

Action Force backpack

Unknown metal sailor and Action Jack

An Avon Robot and a modern Smiffys spur because I just liked it! 

Spanish flamenco dancer, Evergreen doll and Thunderbirds Projector slide.

Sunday Sale

 Picked up a few guys n dolls this morning for the various projects I have in mind.

LtoR: Modern Action Man, tall unknown figure, modern Ken or Paul, JLS member, modern Barbie, Barbie cheapo clone, 2 bent knee wrestlers, 2 finger fight wrestlers, unknown soldier

Any good?

BUYS 'N' DOLLS

Slim Pickens down the local boot sale last week but as always highly enjoyable.

Largely an old doll haul - three for a pound, who can resist! -  see what you think, from L to R:

Vietnamese [I think] 18 inch doll, 

Top row: cute tiny Sixties dolly [ID?], cheap Barbie clone, Spanish Flamenco dancer [My Mum loved these!]

Next: Ammonite, Britains Deetail Horse

Next row: plastic bazooka [for a future project]

Bottom: rubbery plastic Action Man pouches [from what?], cast Indian Chief, cast School sign, old 1935 penny, small weight, pendant, metal ball on a rod [glued onto my diver now!] and a VR Trooper.

Re. the tall doll, its a long time since I've found an 18 inch figure. The last time was Farah Fawcett Majors, who was married to Bionic Man Lee Majors, and who I always get mixed up with Jamie Summers, the actual Bionic Woman [played by Lindsey Wagner], the TV wife of the Bionic Man Steve Austin [played by Lee Majors]. See what I mean! My confusion isn't unique. If you read my original post Don't Fawcett about finding the 18 incher you'll see the seller was mixed up too!

Did you get confused between Farah and Lindsey?

M I R I A M : we Can Rebuild Her

 A while back Miriam arrived.

Her right leg was shattered and both feet were missing, as were her small high heels.

A few weeks later and post-Diver I finished repairing this doll using the shards inside the bag. Besides all the leg bits, they included the feet and shoes as well.

She's not Jamie Summers perfect but once back in the bag she does look better I reckon.

See what you think.