MOONBASE CENTRAL

Monday, 31 August 2015

CABINET RESHUFFLE

The first flush of toys in my new Ikea display cabinet. Top: smaller craft, middle: scratch built SpaceX Photonic Propulsion Space Station and bottom: scratch built Project SWORD Hover Tank by Kevin D.

Right: Hoover

More to come.

CATS EYES?

I can't decide if this is cat's eyes or eagle eyes - either way it's a photobomb!

Sunday, 30 August 2015

GLICO TOY IDENTIFICATION SEARCH ENGINE

Here's a cool thing, the Japanese Glico company's heritage search engine, which allows you to identify old Glico toys and date them. Look here and translate to suit: EZAKI GLICO MEMORIAL

Vehicle and Plastic is a good category but I had a browse through everything! Click on any image to make it bigger and get some more details.

There's definately some Thunderbirds inspired stuff in there. I'm not sure if this covers everything Glico ever did but its a start for us collectors in the West.

What do you think?

THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS

I'm loving just taking some simple random pics of Dinky die - casts in the garden.

Here's the Thunderbird collection

SPACEX II NUCLEAR FREIGHTER MOCK BACKING CARD

This is a mock up of a theoretical card back for the as yet unseen SpaceX II Nuclear Freighter.

Saturday, 29 August 2015

SATURDAY EVENING POP AND CRISPS: OBSCURE WORDS FROM MY YOUTH

I was thinking about something to do with miniature orc models from my youth in the Seventies and thought of a word - or words - I just don't recall what it means anymore, Ral Partha!

This got me thinking - are there any more verbal obscurae from back then that I'm just not sure about anymore? Well, turns out there's loads! Here are a few:

1. Ral Partha?

2. Dolly Blue?

3. Bex Bissal?

4. Brogues?

5. Condo?

6. Duplex?

7. Mel Tormay?

8. Pelican and Zebra Crossings - difference?

9. Ah Oh Chongo?

10. Perambulator?

11. Feature Film?

12. Coal Flowers?

13. Pantry and larder - difference?

14. Cottage and Shepherds' Pie - difference?

15. Gaberdine?

16. Broiled?

17. Rotisserie and spit roast - difference?

18. Grits as in a sort of food?

19. Saloon, coupe, estate - as in cars - difference?

20. Manila as in envelope?

21. Linesman of the County - Glen Campbell sang about one?

I have no idea of the answers and of course I could look them up but it'd be more fun to hear what you think readers off the top of your heads! Your own obscure words welcomed too!

THRUSH BUSTIN' IN THE BUSHES

Another die casting big pic of my favourite Uncles'

RUN-OFF GROOVE MESSAGE: THE HOUNDS OF LOVE

As I'm currently listing LP records on Amazon I'm checking all the run-off grooves for messages. The run-off groove is that no-mans land between the last track and the label, where the stylus 'runs off'.

Often there are production numbers with A or B depending on whether its side 1 or 2. These can be scratched on or machine-written. Its the other scratched messages I look for, handwritten with a needle or something by someone in the factory.

The most intriguing one today has been TOWNSEND on the run-off groove of Hounds of Love by Kate Bush. Maybe Townsend was the scratcher?

Whatever, its a lost art form and literally just below the surface.

I can't recall seeing any messages inside plastic toys, although there's plenty of room to scratch something. I guess the fact that the insides are not meant to be seen makes it pointless. Sometimes parts of other toys are re-used like the Boat box card in a T in a Circle Flying Saucer we covered years ago.

I do love hidden record messages, ghost posters, notes in old books and the like. Do you readers?