Brighton Toy Museum Video

Hi Woodsy,

I just discovered this interesting video on the Brighton Toy and Model Museum. It mainly consists of interviews with the people in charge.

You do get to see some of the toys – among them a Teddy Bear which belonged to the Father of the Museum founder; and a model he made of the ship on which he served in the Navy.

Most of the Museum exhibits cover the late 19 Century, up to the 1950s. The materials are mainly wood, metal, and fabric, rather than plastic.

The Museum is currently being refurbished, and there is some information on this. The Museum also has some very useful material on their website, such as old advertising and catalogue pages.

The Museum must be a great place to visit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjt0aAzRVis

Paul Adams from New Zealand

When Dinosaurs Filled A Box!

 I recently picked up this solid plastic plesiosaur from a house clearance chap.

A really gorgeous sleek toy, I had thought it might be a Nessie or sea serpent of sorts, but on closer inspection of the base it turned out to be a British Museum model by Invicta from 1978.

I recalled Invicta from being a kid, as they'd made the famous Mastermind game, which many of us had, picturing the bearded boffin and his attractive assistant. 

I guessed the plesiosaur was part of a range but boy, I had no idea how cool that range was!

Googling eBay I was amazed just how many Invicta dinos there are out there. It makes sense, they are solid hard plastic, ideal for display cabinets and will last.

The Invicta Museum range is a really superb and fabulously designed set. 

All the gangs there, Brontosaurus, T.Rex; yep, all the big lizards and ...... They came in a fantastic box, as seen in these examples on eBay.

I mean, cor!

Some of these are dated 1987, ten years after my Plesiosaur, so it was a range that had legs. It also came with posters and leaflets!

Wow!

I wonder if it was exclusive to the British Natural History Museum shop?

Maybe they still sell it? Is Invicta still around?

Did you visit the Museum and did you have these dinos readers?

Sixty Years Ago Today!

 It was 60 years to the day that Thunderbirds first graced the telly in the UK.

Blimey!

A lifetime ago!

And I've just realized that I will have seen it in black and white, missing all those fabulous colours!

An incredible show, one of the most important things I ever watched and there's a direct link between me seeing Thunderbirds and creating this blog 42 years later. 

Dee Anderson was on the morning News this morning celebrating the 60 year anniversary of Thunderbirds. She'd brought an original Lady Penelope puppet, spoke about her partnership with Andrew Powell and the prospect of new products such as make-up. Dee handed the presenter a pink box, which I assume is Lady P style make-up set for adults.

The new Thunderbirds exhibition in London at the Museum of Brands was also on the news report. Apparently it's the biggest public display of Thunderbirds toys and collectables in the world including some very rare items, curated by superfan Malcolm Garrett, ex-Duran Duran album cover designer:

 Thunderbirds & Space: 1999 – Sci-Fi Toys & Collectables Exhibition | Museum of Brands

https://share.google/Zn0Llsab5BbmWOh3S

When did Thunderbirds appear in your life and what's your favourite vehicle or episode readers?

Space Board Games from Germany

 I've always loved board games.

It's the box art and contents that do it for me. Not the playing. I get bored!

Here's a fantastischen gallery of German space themed board games I've found. 

You may have your own versions of these games. 

Here's the link to the Brettspiel Museum

 https://share.google/pUpwQB891aTeM0UXK

See anything you have or like? 

Museum of Brands Gerry Anderson Exhibition

Image: Museum of Brands

Reader Terranova47 spotted an interesting UK event on the Downthetubes site, the Thunderbirds & Space: 1999 – Sci-Fi Toys & Collectables Exhibition.

In London at the Museum of Brands, here's their own Museum link to the exhibition.

 https://share.google/zf9PIiK0YlJWXZWuw

Let us know if you go. Sounds FAB! 

Magna!

 We took the Grandkids to Magna today, the steel-making kids' centre in Rotherham.

With Fire, Earth, Water and Air displays, I really liked the fire gallery.

Another bit was the 

Argon Bubbler 

Seeing the name reminded me of the legendary unproduced Mad Bubbler from the LJN Thunder ats toy figure range, a prototype looking like .....

Anyone got any Thundercats toys?

Magna was a modern kids' science lab and as interactive as they come.

One of my fave exhibits was this air ball demo!

Do you like it?

Parainen Nostalgia Museum, Finland

Recently we visited the Nostalgia Museum in Parainen, SW Finland. 

A young lad had amassed an impressive variety of vintage items for his private collection on all fields of life, toys included.

 A grand day out!

Arto

Helsinki Base

Arto's Sears Super Sonic Jetliner

Re. your blog post on the subject, I sent you these photos of my orange Sears Super Sonic Jetliner back in 2022. 

It came up here in Finland, in great working condition and with a survivor original box. It is an imposing, sizeable toy in its 62 cm long box.

Sad news, the Suomenlinna Toy Museum which featured my space toy exhibition back in 2017 has closed down after 40 years. Still reeling from the shock.

https://www.hs.fi/helsinki/art-2000011053511.html

Arto

Helsinki Base

MAJOR SIMILARITIES

 I'm amazed how similar this old life-size kids' space helmet is to Major Matt Mason's miniature one.

Made by Dekker, this fabulous one was on the Australian Museum Powerhouse collection.

Did you have a space helmet?

All Good Things

Last summer my Missus took me to the Leeds Museum Repository.

A warehouse stuffed with old treasures ready for Museums but also on display themselves.

Here's a small selection of the fascinating exhibits.

Take the Plunge

I had to chuckle at the positioning of objects in this museum. A dalek and a big plunger! Can we expect a really big dalek to turn up and claim it! 

It needs a better caption! 

James Bond, Johnstown Castle, Wexford

After my last blogworthy post featuring Dinky Prisoner mokes, here's a visit to a Dinky exhibition at Johnstown Castle Wexford Ireland. 

The Maurice Bryan model vehicle collection features over 600 items, but only a fraction are on display in a converted garage in the Castle grounds.

The exhibition signage is very nice with modified catalogue art. What is that red twin bubbled vehicle, Moonbasers? 

The James Bond car is a first run gold paint number, although it doesn't feature the road tax disc on the windscreen that my example does. 

Also, it's displayed in the full glare of daylight, so I don't expect it to last another 50 years!

Looey

On tour