DYMO: EVERYTHING CAN BE LABELLED

My Grandson got an electronic label maker at Christmas. 

I was fascinated by how much he loved this gift and it reminded me of how much I enjoyed printing labels back in the late Sixties. 

Mine were clunky plastic strips printed a letter at a time using a cogged letter dial. My Grandson's were smooth and flat paper strips printed using a handheld printer.

I labelled everything with my clunky titles, in various colours like red and blue. Drawers, boxes, toys and cartons, just like my Grandson is doing now 55 years on!

Regardless of the progress I was amazed at the name of the maker: Dymo, just like it was when I was a kid! Dymo must be THE name in label making machines.

You can re-visit the vintage printed feeling online here with Fuzzimo!

Did you have a label maker as a kid?

AVENGERS ANNUALS

As my Avengers posts are going down remarkably well, here’s some more Avengers ephemera:

First off, the Avengers annuals. 1967 saw the publication of the first ‘official’ Avengers annual (Souvenir Press/Atlas Publications), and features Steed and Mrs Peel.

The second annual, published in 1968, featured Tara King. I was lucky enough to meet Linda Thorson at a Cult TV festival, who kindly signed my annual.

The third annual published in 1969, and again featuring Steed and King.

I should include the TV Crimebusters book produced by TV Publications in 1962, which contained an Avengers strip story featuring Dr David Keel, played by Ian Hendry, the original Avenger, and undercover agent, John Steed, played, of course by Patrick Macnee, the perineal Avenger.

Gold Key Comic:  The Avengers featured in quite a few comic strips at the time.  TV Comic carried both Emma Peel and Tara King strips. There was an early newspaper strip with Cathy Gale. A full colour strip appeared in the girls magazine, Diana, and 'The Growing Up of Emma Peel' was printed in  another girls comic, June.  While I don't have examples of those I do have a copy of the Gold Key comic.

Gold Key released a one-off all colour comic for the American market, in 1968. Titled John Steed & Emma Peel, presumably to avoid confusion with the Marvel Superheroes. 

It features a photo cover from 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Station'. Some issues also feature a back page pin up. Unfortunately, mine doesn't.

The comic contained two comic strips, previously printed in TV Comic.

Although not vintage, I felt these books below might be worthy of a mention.

From 1980, this Australian bootleg publication; The Saga of Happy Valley by Geoff Barlow. For some reason Steed is spelt Steade, and Mrs Peel is Mrs Peale.

Above a couple more of Geoff Barlow’s bootleg Avengers stories.

In 1990, Eclipse Comics and Acme Press produced a three-part graphic novel from Grant Morrison and Ian Gibson, titled Steed and Mrs Peel.

LADY PENELOPE INVESTIGATES THE AVENGERS

 

SOME MORE AVENGERS MEMORABILIA

Here's some more vintage Avengers TV series memorabilia:

The Avengers jigsaw puzzles: A set of four was manufactured by Thomas, Hope and Sankey exclusively for Woolworth's in 1966.

All four were painted scenes  based on episodes from the first B/W Diana Rigg filmed series.

The first in the series, No Escape looks to be from The Gravediggers, however Mrs Peel is dressed as she was in The Town of  No Return.

The Second puzzle , Castle De'ath is clearly from Castle De'ath with Steed wearing a kilt.

The third puzzle is titled The Basement showing a scene from Death at Bargain Prices.

 The fourth puzzle, Archery Practice is inspired by a scene from The Master Minds. 

A photo of  The Steed Sword Stick header card from Lone Star (photo from The Little Storping Museum website)

This was also issued in 1966, and used a water jet to eject little plastic corks. The same company apparently issued a small bowler hat to compliment the stick.

Finally, the 10" Emma Peel doll, which was manufactured in Hong Kong, and although the packaging bears no makers name, it's widely believed to be Fairylite.(photo from Vectis)

Note: Other items of memorabilia were licensed but never issued:

A Shooting Round Corners Game from Chad Valley in 1965.

The Avengers Stationary Pad.

A set of View Them Yourself film strips.

An Avengers Bagatelle.

Emma Peel Dress Cut-Out Book.

Very Strange Cars

I found this video on You Tube, a look at some more weird cars. It starts off with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile (Hot Wheels did a die-cast version in 1993).

Then the long and narrow Banana Car (Matchbox released a die-cast version in 2020, but I have never seen one in NZ). Other vehicles include an upside down car, a Volkswagen van on its side, a Cessna 310 plane, business jet (Learjet ?), OH-58 Kiowa helicopter, giant peanut, and a roller skate among others.

The mobile hot tub may be the weirdest of the lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIaAjXvYG9w

Paul Adams from New Zealand

LOFT PROPERTY

One of my new year resolutions is to tackle our attic, which has sadly fallen into disrepair and is now ruled by spiders and wasps!

I have to admit my resolution was given a kick up the behind by my daughter, who, now approaching 40 herself, wants to sell her childhood toys, which we have kept in storage for her, boxes and all!

There's Cabbage Patch dolls, Cherry Merry Muffin, Barbies, Sindy and tons more awaiting her down memory lane up there.

But first I need to make my way into the attic and find it all!

Whats your attic like readers?

LIBERATED!

Hi,

First model of the year. This is the old Comet kit of the Liberator from Blake's 7.

Down and safe,

Kevin

UK

Planet of the Year

Hi and Happy New Year!

I Had a monkeytastic New Year's Day watching Planet of the Apes while the wife watched Mary Poppins Returns on the other telly. 

A couple of years ago, the eldest granddaughter spotted this in the local Sally Army charity shop and got it for me. A great find with signatures of the main protagonists!

Will O.

UK