SEARS 3-STAGE ROCKET SPARE TAIL FINS

Here's something you don't often see on Ebay - spare tailfins for the glorious SEARS 3-STAGE ROCKET of the ROCKET BASE pictured below, an amazing 1960's American SWORD forerunner that combined the Apollo Saturn Rocket and a sort of Cape Kennedy Set. I have only ever seen it in pictures and specifically those that blog reader Darth kindly posted way back in the first few weeks of the blog in 2008. Testimony to how rare even the pictures are of the set online is the fact that the Ebay seller has used the very same pictures of the rocket and box posted here back then! Wonder what happened to the rest of the rocket?

Above picture courtesy of Darth

(first posted September 2008)

HP SAUCER

Recently saw this on Ebay a "VINTAGE HP TOYS FRICTION POWERED FLYING SAUCER IN GOOD PLAYWORN CONDITION - ITS MADE IN HONG KONG AND HAS HP AND NO 625 ON THE BOTTOM AND THE FRICTION MOTOR WORKS PERFECTLY - ITS 5 INCHES ACROSS - PILOT IS STRAPPED IN". HP isn't a brand I'm that familiar with. Is it related to LP? I thought it might be a clone of the Blue Box Flying Saucer, picture below, but not really.

Comparing the HP saucer base to the base of a T in a Circle New Flying Saucer (below) they aren't really related either.

The T in a Circle New Flying Saucer base is virtually the same , however, as its stablemate's, the T in a Circle Moon Prospector picture below.

Here's another plastic rotating toy base, below, in my photo archive but I can't identify it.

RADIO SILENCE

Been a busy week so I've not had chance to post much I'm afraid. Not seen much on the collecting front either. I must get to a toy fair soon! How different this January is compared to last years - a golden harvest of SWORD toys with a Nuclear Ferry the cream of the crop! Or have I spoken too soon! Anybody got anything interesting of late?

BATMANTASTIC

I have to admit I've had a soft spot for BATMAN since the 1960's TV series. KAPOW! I've recently been sorting through my Batcave and auctioning a few items to raise some funds. Whilst sorting I came across a few completely battered Batman annuals from the 60's including one with this cool back cover. It's so ...Bat Deco! I had to post it. Is Batman popular out there or is my echo location completely kaputt? BLAM!

FIREBOLT LAZER WHISTLE OR WHAT?

Am  I dreaming or does the above whistle by BRUDER of Germany look like Major Matt Mason's FIREBOLT LAZER CANON as pictured below?

Whistle currently on Ebay

LP SPACE EXPLORING SET FROM ARTO

I always love coming across new versions of LP Space Exploring sets and here's a cracker from Arto in Finland: a beautiful long window box with space car, capsule, rocket, a piece of moonscape and 4 LP silver astronauts. Its all rounded off with a colourful card background. Oddly enough between myself and the WOTAN's newly acquired space explorer I reckon we've got all the parts in this set loose! Looking at the little green helmeted astronaut pictured on the box it reminds me of the smiling boyish spaceman on the box side of the recently blogged SPACE BIRD. What do you think?

 

My thanks to Arto for sharing this great LP set. Woodsy

SOLO 19, STORY ONE AND THE LOWLY SWORDHEAD

Despite several attempts over the last 12 months, including one today, I have failed to win SOLO #19 on Ebay, the comic with the start of the original PROJECT SWORD strip i.e it's birthplace, earthdate 24th June 1967. Like most mortals (or casuals as I'm sure I would have been part of in the dying earth of SWORD) I have a limited budget, which I would be foolish to go over lest I wish to incite the the wrath of an unforgiving  Barclay brother! Short of a minor miracle on said Ebay or at a Comic Fair, I am begiining to think that I will never take possession of the coveted Issue 19. Perhaps a reader already owns this comic and would be prepared to scan the SWORD strip, 3 black and white pages, and email it me for posting so that all Swordheads can share the joy? Desperate times call for despertae measures! However, if said SOLO was acquired at considerable expense I would quite understand if not. In the meantime we can still enjoy a taster of STORY ONE on the wonderful GACCH site.

LUNAR ADVENTURE 2: GLOBES OF FUN

Hi Paul,

I have this toy by Palitoy but maybe it originated with Hover in HK? See logo on box. Best wishes for 2010,

Sean

Nice one Sean - like a battery operated mouse globe!  The box livery is reminiscent of SWORD! Hover appear to have re-issued space toys of larger Toy Companies like Palitoy and Century 21. Here's an Italian version of the Lunar Adventure 2 (was there a 1?) with the 'juggler' figure on it familiar to us from the Italian Probe Force 3 and Moon Ranger previously blogged.

I also love this MOON GLOBE ORBITER by MEGO (HONG KONG) who made the fabulous Space Tract clone of the SWORD Space Glider.

Lower 2 pictures courtesy of Ebay