LOOEY'S SUTCLIFFE VALIANT

Hi Woodsy, great Jules Verne thread!

Speaking of Sutcliffe toys, I never had the Nautilus because I didn't like the mint green colour scheme (much like Dinky's SHADO interceptor!) BUT my father did pick up a Sutcliffe Valiant Battleship in an antique shop in Australia. 

It was always featured prominently in his living room. It was always agreed it would be mine one day and I even found a Sutcliffe gun boat to match at a Sydney swap meet.

All that nearly changed when my father took the photograph of a prominent (and particularly odious) NSW QC "Destroyer Lawyer". He posed the man with a chess board which perfectly summed up his attitude to his work - it was all a game that he intended to win.

My father often tried to ingratiate himself to the famous and powerful and asked me if I'd let him give the Sutcliffe to his latest buddy.

I replied with a resounding NO, which is why I still have it to remember him by.

Here it is alongside some pictures of my dad as a younger man and one of him with his long time friend Barry Humphries admiring one of my Art Toys!

Cheers

Looey

OZ

WILL O's SUTCLIFFE SUBS AND TOY BOATS

Here’s some of my metal subs!

A few more Sutcliffes in the memorabilia vein: Sooty, Noddy, a couple of the Campbell’s Bluebirds and a 1953 Coronation toy, which must be in the same series as Terranova’s submarine.

Ken Sutcliffe was a friend of my old Dad. I can remember back in the 70's he and his wife used to visit us in his caravan when touring the country. He used to send us bits and pieces as we sold Sutcliffe boats in the family toyshop. 

If any of the readers want to see some more pictures of other Sutcliffes, I’d be happy to send them.

Will Osborne.

UK