British Library: Old Toy Trade Journals

Recently wrote to the British Library with a Project Sword/ Trade magazine enquiry. This was the reply, but, having tried, I don't seem to be able to take it further with them. Anyone got these old journals?

"The catalogue records below were selected by a researcher using the British Library Integrated Catalogue. Number : 2 Toy retailing news. (London : Batiste Publications, 1975-78.) (P) TQ 12 -E(1) (0307-6741) Record number : 3 Toy retailing news. (London: Toys International, 1975-) P.2000/423. Record number : 4 Toy trader. (Watford : Turret Group, 1979-1980.) (P) TQ 13 -E(4) (0041-0136) Record number : 5 Toys and fancy goods. (London : Trade News, 1960-62.) (P) TQ 12 -E(6) Record number : 6 Toys international. (London : Batiste Publications, 1962-80.) (P) TQ 12 -E(1) (0041-0195) Record number : 7 Toys International. (London, 1962- .)

Countdown Poster Fever by WOTAN.

Project 21 over on Eagle forum have scanned and hosted all of the first year of TV21 and the whole run of Countdown comic. I missed out on TV21 as a kid, but did get Countdown. In the June of 1971, while in the grip of Apollo 15 fever (!!), there was a pull out poster in Countdown of the next steps in space up to 1988 - was it me or did i miss something ? Ive still got my original poster, encapsulated in plastic and gracing the garage wall, shame we never made it to Mars though...

Nice one Wotan!

APOLLO EXPLORATION BOXED SET

Hi Woodsy,

I saw your article about the Boxed Apollo Exploration set on Ebay in 2005. I picked that one up for a small fortune after some spirited bidding. Gotta love those craters and monsters from outer space! I'll rustle up some pics and send them through to you soon! (although the seller's ebay pics were pretty good). I've ordered my copy of Playset magazine #17 from the friendly folk at Playset mag and am looking forward to seeing the set in print!

Cheers,

Tony Panther

LUCKY TOYS LUNAR PROBE NO.1 - JR21 ROCKET LOOKALIKE

This interesting rocket was recently on Ebay. It's a dead-ringer for the rocket on the JR21 and similar Rocket Carriers featured before on the blog. The name, Lunar Probe No.1, is clearly similar to SWORD names like Probe Force No.1. I am familiar with Lucky Toys making plastic racing cars. Did they make any other space toys or even Lunar Probe 2 and 3 I wonder?

The seller, Ilex18, kindly sent the extra pictures and information before it was sold:

"Hi Paul. I've sent some pictures. It's hard to get clear pics of the small
writing, but it reads on top of box "Lunar Probe No. 1, Friction Drive Chromed
Parts, The Lucky Toys, Made Exclusively For Trade Development Enterprises LTD.,
London." The small writing on side flaps reads "No. 186, Made in Hong Kong."
Hope this info helps.Many thanks for your interest, Holly"

Reconnaissance 2 Die-Cast

Found this little Chinese die-cast Spacex-Reconnaissance-2 lookalike at the last Donnington Toy Fair on Sunday. I liked it!

Original plastic Spacex R2 has appeared on the blog earlier here - from the Paul Vreede collection.

STUMPED BY CRICKET - FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN WOTAN

Now I'm back online here we have the first bloglet in the scoop tray....from our man WOTAN:

The first range of Spacex toys includes the distinctive, purple Base Patrol Cricket P1 - an armoured car with bubble canopy and cannon ( purple vehicle - middle picture). Second series Spacex revived the basic body as a quick addition to the line with the Apollo Tracker (and here). All of the initial run of the first vehicles are found to have been patented by Jack Rosenthal of JR21 toy fame as was discovered by Paul Vreede recently, apart from the Cricket, which does not appear to have been patented. The design of the 'car' first appears in the Remco Hamilton Invaders line in 1964, several years prior to the launch of Spacex, as the Mosquito Jeep (grey vehicle - top picture, also done as blue/red versions).

Remco used the same model for the Star Trek toy line (yellow 'astrocruiser' - top picture) and produced a white version for the Canadian market too (top). Mosquito and Cricket are obviously insectile references, so even overlooking the straight lift of the design, Tri-ang have blatantly plagiarised Remco. Several other army versions of the car have turned up by lesser manufacturers such as Codeg, featuring various styles of rocket launcher or cannon on the back ( four green vehicles above in pictures) and I have even found a modular, 'building block' style set with a red cricket and two other Spacex model bodies and an interchangeable motor base (middle picture).

One thing which always struck me about the cricket in all its variations was the similarity to Ed "Big Daddy" Roths 1963 Beatnik Bandit custom car. Harry Bradley adapted the basic real world design for the Mattel Hot Wheels Redline series and Ed Roth used a similar shape for his 'Orbitron' car and much later Bandit II (bottom pictures)

Might it be possible that there is a real design for a futuristic, atomic age, armoured car lying around somewhere ? Any gearheads care to comment ?

6

Earlier 'cricket' posts: 1 , 2

LOOK AND LEARN

Hi Paul, I've been through a run of Look & Learn recently and don't recall seeing any advertising for either Spacex or Project Sword. I'd certainly remember if I saw any of the latter, given its Gerry Anderson connections. If I do come across anything next time I trawl through some of the magazines, I'll let you know. Regards, Steve Holland

..... which is the reply to my original email: Paul Woods wrote: Hi, I am researching vintage space toys from the 1960's, specifically Spacex and Project Sword. Is it possible to find out which issues had any adverts for these toy lines and see pictures of them at all? Thanks ever so much, Love your site! Paul, UK

PS. I'm pretty sure that I've seen a reference to a Look and Learn Spacex advert. I'll have to dig further - Woodsy.

Back Online!

I'm back! PC Gremlins banished to the netherworld and my kung fu is strong again! Last Donington Toyfair yesterday. More to follow.