CALLING ALL GRAPHIC ARTISTS

Shaqui saying that the SWORD typeface was COMPACTA in a recent blog comment got me thinking about the graphics people and printers utilised by Century 21 Toys. So here's a question for you graphic artists out there - rather than using artists, is it possible that where the art already existed (as a transparency - see Steve Holland below?), such as the Robert McCall and Ed Valigursky images, that C21 simply asked their printer (whoever that might have been?) to create the box art or would a graphic artist have had to be involved to set up the box art and compacta lettering etc? In short, is it possible that no artist was needed at all on some of the SWORD box art and the printer/techies did the whole job?

It's worth reminding ourselves what Look and Learn Historian Steve Holland observed in the McCall piece I did recently:

"I doubt if Fleetway ever saw the original artwork. They were probably sent a transparency and then had one of their regular writers or in-house staff write a new piece around the artwork. I've no idea who wrote the article -- which is definitely different to the text that appeared in Life -- although if I were to take a stab in the dark I'd guess at David LeRoi, who was the science editor of Look & Learn for a few years from 1961.As for how they came to be associated with Project SWORD, I've no idea. Fleetway would not be in the picture. You could almost imagine someone kept a scrapbook of nice space art that they dipped into every time they needed a spaceship of space scene. You'll know better than I whether the box art is a copy or not... but whether the box art was done by an artist commissioned directly by the toy manufacturers or the job was put in the hands of an agency I've no idea. The latter I would guess, making the name of the artist almost impossible to know"

Great Britains

One of the most enduring british toy companies has to be Britains. Its outlasted Airfix, Meccano, Triang and most of the other big names. As far as im aware, its still producing quality toys today, although in a much reduced fashion. In the sixties, there were always Britains toys at home. My sisters had the Farm and Zoo sets which came down to me and later the Floral Garden sets, which they still cleave to in their fifties!

I was always bought the army sets by my dad, who kept my battalions up to scratch with each new release. He also ensured he got each new catalogue and leaflet, to keep for reference.

One of the more unusual additions to the Britains range was the Bandetta Elastic Band gun, a ridiculously simple hand gun that shot rubber bands with surprising accuracy and power. Basically a two piece mechanism of outer case and sliding ratchet inside, it was introduced in the 1969 catalogue and still appeared all the way up to 1973. It came carded with four little targets to cut out of the card. I'd dearly love to get my hands on one of these again!

Another big favourite of mine in later years was the Stargard series of spacemen and frogmen-like aliens. The gorgeous green alien ships with black accessories were a real triumph of toy design. They were later churned out in white with red and blue accents, looking more like the world cup in space than anything else!

IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS ONLY MODEL MART

Last Saturday my good Lady and I had a saunter through the ancient streets of York. Seeking out our usual menu of bookshops, charity shops and Blakes Head cafe we found ourselves in the Oxfam bookshop in Micklegate. Amongst it's many delights, including a huge stack of 2000AD comics, I found an old Model and Accessories Mart from 1988 (pictured). I used to really love Model Mart or Model and Collectors mart as I came to know it a few years later. The 1988 edition just shows how TV toy collecting was really yet to happen, as just 7 sides are 'sci-fi' related out of 120! The pioneers back then were Englale Marketing (pictured), The Sheffield Space Centre, Comet Miniatures (pictured) and Hobby Bounties. A third of the sci-fi section is an article on model rocketry by Matt Irvine.

Reading this old mag sent me rummaging in the attic for my own early editions of Model Mart. Back in 2003, when we moved house, I regrettably threw out about a hundred copies going back to the early 90's, as they were covered in mould (cellars and paper don't mix). But I rescued the first two from 1992. I can't describe the excitement I felt when Model Mart arrived on the mat. I had it delivered to my home just like TV21, Look In, Shoot et al back in the 60's and 70's! It was a second wind really and a welcome relief on the dreadful double bus journey every day to my work in Morley, Leeds. I devoured every word and once I'd finished the 'sci fi' section I even read about toy 'cars' and all the rest! It's hard to appreciate now just how important Model and Collectors Mart was to vintage toy collectors just starting out like me back then. There was no email, no internet, no mobiles. Just the typed page, landlines and word of mouth. How we would have loved to have had Ebay and now it's here I'd love to have those Model Mart days back! Despite everything being low-tech I managed to send away for toy lists, ordered stuff by post and most excitingly for me, I actually placed small classified ads advertising my own meagre sales list and more importantly asking anyone for info on SWORD toys. I remember the title to one of these being 'DESPERATELY SEEKING SWORD!' Not very original I know but it sort of worked. I was amazed how people would actually write back to me with a little info and offers of toys. It may have been through these classifieds that I got to know my two 'oldest' 'contacts' WOTAN (or 'Thunderbile' as he was known then) and Paul V(reede), but that may have come later with the advent of email (maybe they remember!). Anyway, pictured are a selection of covers, dealer pages and SWORD prices from my two 1992 Model Marts and despite never really getting into Collector's Gazette, there's the 'Star Wars Jim' cover of the 1989 November edition heralding what was to come.

Did anyone else get Model Mart or other Toy guides like the gargantuan newspaper Toy Shop?

TV TOY ZONE AND THE 7.15 TO LEEDS

Back in the early 1990's when I got the toy collecting bug I used to love sending off for toy catalogues and lists. This was 10 years before Ebay, in the UK at least, and toyfairs, Model Mart and toy lists were the way to collect your favourite stuff. One of my favourite vintage toy dealers back then was TV Toy Zone (proprietor Andy Foley) and his catalogues were works of art in themselves! They were fantastic for the beginner like me - small encyclopaedias of vintage toys' names, pictures and values. Pictured aboved are a selection of these lists I got through the post: From left to right - TV Toy Zone #10 (all black and white). TV Toy Zone #11 (colour covers and centrefold pictured), Toy Scouts Inc #25 (the proprietor was the inspirational Bill Breugman, who published the seminal Toys of the Sixties book) and finally an anonymous sales list in the form of a booklet crammed full of poorly photocopied toy ads from TV 21 and the like.

However my absolute favourite sales list has to the first one I ever got, the A4 sized TV Toy Zone pictured below. I remember reading this gluttonously on the 7.15am bus to work in Leeds early one dark morning in the early 1990's. It was a revelation to me that anyone could make any sort of a living from the buying and selling of old toys and one which would influence me for the following 20 years. I can still sense the feeling of awe I had staring at the treasures in this pamphlet, which had a couple of pages of colour pictures. One item blew me away, a Lakeside Stingray Shop Display panel! Wow! I was amazed that stuff like that was still around and that TV Toy Zone could find it! Anyway, the cover, a page of pics and part of the Anderson listsing are all pictured below.

Although there was no SWORD listed in any of the above, TV Toy Zone and other dealers, notably Jim 'Mr.Star Wars' Stevenson, regularly listed SWORD in their monthly ads in the indispensable UK Model and Collectors Mart magazine throughout the nineties (TV Toy Zone later changed to selling new toys under the name Toy Heroes and Model Mart mag sadly changed to the short-lived glossy TV Memorabilia). However whilst posting this lot my old Catalogue had one more surprise for me. On the back page I'd scribbled some notes from what must have been a phone conversation with 'Modellers' Loft'  in 1996 I'd forgetten I'd had about trade boxes of 12 carded Spacex toys in each at £20 per box - Lunar HQ and others plus loads more carded and loose. £150 the lot, which would have represented a King's Ransom for me at the time (still does!). Needless to say I didn't acquire them, which as usual, now regret!

Did anyone else like toy dealer catalogues?

CENTURY 21 ACTIONGIRL ANNUAL- ACTIVITY FOR GIRLS OF TODAY!

There were slim pickings at this morning's freezing boot sale but a couple of things did turn up. A Chad Valley Crackshot game and this unusual Century 21 annual called ACTIONGIRL as pictured. There's no mention of Century 21 anywhere else except on the cover. The front and rear inside covers are a collage of photos from the Avengers TV series but there's no link to them anaywhere else in the book. There's a section, which looks like Look and Learn or World of Wonder (suggesting further links with those publications). My favourites bits though are the cooking pages. Bearing in mind this annual is for teenagers I think the meals are really complicated - could today's teenagers knock these up? I've photographed the mixed grill with kidneys! and apricot creme - below. My kinda yummy Seventies grub! If I was ever to do 'Come dine with me' this is what you'd get!

 

GREAT BRITAINS

Whilst contemplating my 1960's mystery miniature planes I've remembered how much I liked Britains toys. Those metal bases were way cool. The two sets I remember most clearly are the Police Rider (I remember a different box though) and the little Mortar diorama, both pictured below. Seems like yesterday. Anyone else have any favourite Britains?

Pictures: Ebay

JUST PLANE CRAZY

I've been wracking my brains about a toy I had in the Sixties but just can't muster enough memory to remember it properly! As far as I can recall it was a set of miniature planes or jets, which maybe attached to a ring for a finger or perhaps a wrist. I don't know. It's so fuzzy I might be dreaming. Not to be confused with Ring Raiders - they came much later in the 1990's. Help!

COMPETITION TIME

We've not had a brainteaser of late so here's one. Name the toy of which a part is pictured above. The winning entry will be the first correct answer recieved as a comment or by email. The winner will recieve a beautiful 'TOYSHOP painting blank greetings card' from our benefactor, the Philosophic Toad. You know you can do it!