Checked out the local train station bookshop in Germany. This is the hobby section in 2 parts. Lots of trains. Some modelling.
Sunday, 10 April 2022
Deutsche Magazinen
Ex Libris : Wotan - More Small Steps
'Battle for Space' is only co-edited by Gatland, but his influence is very clear. The content looks at the cold war spy systems used by the US and Russia and the gradual escalation into the projected use of space weaponry through the Reagan 'star wars' era, to particle beam and laser weaponry. As it is a post glasnost publication, there is plenty of information about Soviet satellites and the Salyut stations, which were fitted with large optical telescopes for live operations over the USA.
It covers most of the early space probes like Pioneer, Mariner and Telstar, but also covers early lifting body experiments such as the HL-10 and the British MUSTARD project.
I recently found a lot of booklets in discrete binders, which besides the space volumes I was after, also included books on Gravity, Photography, Sound, Bridges and other subjects. The owner had clearly been very meticulous in his cataloguing of the booklets, as all three versions of the Man in Space booklet were included, the first edition has a Dyna Soar Glider on the cover and dates from 1960, whereas the later versions follow Apollo and have a Lunar Module. Besides the stickers for the book, the space editions included fold out posters too, the 1960 edition focussing on Gemini and the later edition a Lunar Module.
All of the stickers and other illustrations are again, quite rare depictions from space history and the Universe edition also includes a fold out Find a Star Planisphere card.
The Science Series gives space exploration a very comprehensive coverage with a number of space themed booklets in the series, all of which are excellent, with unusual and rarely seen photographs.
THE MATCHBOX TWIN BLAST
Saturday, 9 April 2022
STAND BY FOR TROY TEMPEST SCANSHOES!
I decided to take a punt on this bagged pair of vintage 'Tempest Scanshoes' slippers, as they don't come up too often.
I think it's fair to assume that this is another example of some cheap old ex-shop stock that's found its way into the collectables market.
The hook for me was recalling the advert that appeared in my early TV Century 21 comics.
The ad suggested that the Scanshoes should be worn by all off-duty members of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol . An added feature is they are anti-magnetic and give complete protection against cosmic dust. Not sure how that would benefit budding aquanauts, but Troy's pal, Steve Zodiac probably has a pair tucked away on XL5!
The second competition was some time later, in May, 1966, and this was for the much more impressive, but probably highly impractical 'model heads' version.
They were available in three different colours; red, white or blue, and judging by the few photos of others I've found, appeared to have slightly different lettering and artwork on the header cards.
Back in the day either the model heads or WASP badge type retailed for 9/11d , the equivalent of .50p, but taking into account inflation that would be about ten quid in today's money.
Oddly, there's no manufacture's name on the header card, (I don't know whether anything is written on the inside of the slippers, or if there's a separate leaflet tucked inside) however the TV21 competitions say they were made by Church & Son Ltd, and reading the adverts, were distributed by Mornstar Ltd, or alternatively according to the TV21 competition , Audrey Noble & Co. Ltd.
The example I eventually bid for had been offered for sale a couple of times prior on that well known auction site, but with no takers, and as I only really considered them a bit of a nostalgic curiosity , I wasn't prepared to pay over the odds.
The next time it resurfaced the vintage slippers had 'dive, dive, dived' to a much more tempting starting price! Four other bidders did attempt to 'scuttle me', but in those final 'marine minutes' I managed to fend off borders and claimed the treasure for what I considered a more reasonable sum!
So, do I have treasure, or just a shipwreck?
Well, for a piece of Stingray ephemera that's managed to survive more or less intact for 58 years it doesn't look too bad.
The header card, which I'd original thought might have been a replica, but on closer inspection actually looks original, is quite simple in design. It features a rather simple generic Stingray illustration , the kind that appeared on a lot of merchandise from the time. The word, 'Foreign' is written in small letters underneath. I've seen examples of this and other header cards, some with a slightly more defined Stingray illustration, and a different font. At first I considered that maybe as these were labelled as foreign maybe that was the reason, but I honestly can't say for sure.
The card is copyright dated 1964 to A.P.Films Ltd. & I.T.C. Ltd.
The Stingray logo lettering is orange, although I can't be sure whether it's simply faded from red over time.
The original staples in the header card have been removed, or simply disintergrated over time, and have been replaced more recently
The polythene bag which also has 'foreign' written on it, has a little damage and shows signs of an old sticky tape repair.
I can't say whether the 'Scanshoes' themselves have ever been removed from the bag, but both are still neatly folded, and sat on a silver card keeping them in place.
The plastic model heads are in good condition. I should admit they don't resemble Troy or Phones at all, although there are slight differences, and the one with the wide-eyed look does have a sort of 'Troy Tempest' raised eyebrow!
The Scanshoes are white, possibly leatherette, with what looks like a suede type material on the soles. The header card describes them as medium size.
There's also a hanging string which obviously would have been used to display the Scanshoes.
Overall, a pleasing , if unusual piece of vintage Stingray merchandise .
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CHECKLISTS BY BRAND (FOR COUNTRY BY COUNTRY SEE TOP OF BLOG)
PROJECT SWORD SPACEX TIMELINE
- 1968 SPACEX LT10 CONCEPT
- 1966 SPACE GLIDER REAL THING
- 1969 LUNAR CLIMBER & MOONSHIP
- 1968 PROJECT SWORD ANNUAL
- 1968 TV21 #168 PROJECT SWORD PHASE 2
- 1968 PLEASURE CRUISER CONCEPT
- 1968 CENTURY 21 TOY MANUAL
- 1967 SCOUT 1 CONCEPT
- 1967 NUCLEAR FERRY TOY AD
- 1967 SWORD TOY AD
- 1967 SWORD TOY AD
- 1966 SPACE GLIDER CONCEPT
- 1966 HOVERTANK IN COMIC
- 1966 NUKE PULSE NEEDLEPROBE IN COMIC
- 1966 ZERO X FILM DEBUT
- 1966 MOONBUS IN COMIC
- 1966 SPACE PATROL 1
- 1966 P3 HELICOPTER IN COMIC
- 1966 SAND FLEA AND SNOW TRAIN
- 1966 MOBILE LAUNCH PAD IN COMIC
- 1965 SPACEX MOONBASE CONCEPT
- 1965 APOLLO FIRST UK TOY AD
- 1962 NOVA CONCEPT
- 1962 MOONBUS CONCEPT
- 1961 MOON PROSPECTOR CONCEPT
- 1953 MOLAB CONCEPT