Feasts, Fires and Fiends

The end of the year brings feasts and festivals around the world.

For me as a kid Halloween was not a big deal. It wasn't in the UK in the Sixties I don't think. That's changed now. It's got much bigger here, the prelude to Christmas.

Bonfire Night on November the 5th was much more important in the Sixties here. It was a big night for us kids, fireworks, pie and peas, bonfire toffee, toffee apples, apple dunking and best of all, sparklers.

Bonfire Night has diminished. Halloween has taken its place in the UK. That's my observation. Fireworks are a lot harder to sell kids than plastic skeletons these days.

Christmas is in the shops now too. I went to a garden centre last Sunday and the Halloween display merged into the Christmas grotto! Zombies and elves slugging it out for our attention!

What are the feasts and festivals the next couple of months in your neck of the woods? Has Halloween got bigger or was it always big?

Match Made in Heaven

  Whilst many cigarette manufacturers included a collectible card in the pack, Bryant & May went a step further and included a small paper token in boxes of ‘Redhead’ brand safety matches. These were mostly available in Australia, with most collectible match boxes appearing in Europe. Very rare in the U.K, this full set was supplied by a gentleman in Australia.

Each paper is a couple of inches high and printed on quite rough stock, quite cheaply produced, but durable enough to be kept as a collectible if required. Redheads produced many different sets over time, with subjects ranging from history and mythology, to architecture and nature. The name .redhead, presumably being slang for the pinkish red striker on the match itself.

Each little token shows an image from Space history, beginning somewhat oddly, with Sputnik 3, and moving quite out of historical sequence, through important events in the space race. For example, Yuri Gagarin is immediately followed by a design for a future moon base and a 21st century space station and later the moon landing is followed by the first American astronaut and a German Me 163 rocket powered fighter and Robert Hitchens Goddard appear later still.

However, continuity issues aside, the artwork for each token is beautifully rendered in a simple line and wash style, reminiscent of a block print. The images are clearly identifiable as the vehicles and personages they depict, but have a wonderfully abstract and painterly feel to them, which makes each one a great little miniature design.

TIM WORK

 Since first seeing the Tim Mee ape I've liked it. He's sure clutching that space rifle!

As a kid I would have liked the fact that you could own that very same space rifle, also by Tim Mee!

Pictures from Ebay.

Have you anything like this?

The Temple is Doomed?

I saw Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom this week on the tellybox. I used to think it was pants compared to the first two movies but it really is growing on me. 

It has its own iconography. The golden rocks, the blond heroine, the boy, the temple and it's thuggee crew, the black sleep and Kalimar.

The feast scene is grotesque, so I'll not say more on that though.

Is it a classic? What do you think Readers! Is the temple doomed?

MEXICO'S MAN IN SPACE

Mexico's Matt Mason toys are fascinating. Released by Cipsa, the box art is different as are some of the toys.

There's a white Firebolt Laser canon and a completely new flying saucer called the Selenium.

Have you any Cipsa toys readers?

2023/24 Atlantis Kit Catalogue

Earlier in the year Atlantis have just released their new 2023/24 kit catalogue. It can either be viewed on-line, or a paper edition can be purchased.

This is filled with their aircraft, space, SF, and missile kits, cars, wild customs, figures, movie monsters, ships, and other models.

Most are re-issues of older Revell, Aurora, Monogram, Lindberg, and Pyro kits. Some of which have not been available for decades. So, if you missed out on the Pyro Wyatt Earp cowboy kit (last seen in the mid-1960s), you can pick one up now.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IDree_b5Zh5kx26yYpUAZ56qpafySjg4/view

Paul Adams from New Zealand

More Tinkerings

A few more motors straight from the polishers and painters. Some a little, the Bluey a lot.

Rocket up the Boot Sale

Slim Pickens down the sale today. Mostly dolls!

L to R: Bild Lilli-esque dolls face, Sparkle boy wearing Action Man Mountie jacket, Corgi Rockets autostarter and a Drei M West German dolly.

Anything you like?