"You Pull the Trigger of Myyyyy..."

"Coke Xmas Pop Gun!" Here's a neat midcentury Coca-Cola promotional item for children everywhere to blow-away xmas with-- a cardboard pop gun! Nice Santa artwork on all sides, hold it like a regular pistol, swing your arm down hard and the inner folded paper piece comes out and catches air, thus making a popping noise. Yep, at one time, soda companies were really this fun, and dare I say "edgy." Most people my age were introduced to this sort of kid-friendly assault weapon technology via the KISS LOVE GUN LP bonus, which by the way, I also still own...

Patsy-Ann vs. Freckle Face

No, this isn't some battle of Dick Tracy villains (though Patsy-Ann could very well be drawn by Chester Gould!), it's just a couple more neat old bottles I found while diggin' around the 'ol antique malls. Patsy-Ann Home Drink was an "imitation concentrate orange flavor" made right here in St. Louis MO, and I'm guessing you'd add it to water or whatever to spruce up the juice. It does say "home drink" but maybe you could cook with it too, who knows, there's no label with directions or anything on the other side, so for now it's just the front until I can scrounge up more info. I do like that gold label though with the green nouveau ribbons and grumpy girl mascot. Seibert's Freckle Cream is also an interesting lil find. Made about an hour away across the Mighty Mississippi River in Ashely, ILL (why the extra L?!), this "perfected complexion beautifier" actually contains a nice wraparound label with directions, and features a cute photograph of a young girl instead of an illustration. Found absolutely zilch info for this product on the internet as well... it's all very odd. I'd say both are definitely pre-mid century, maybe as early as the 1920's, or so. Happy early Xmas presents to myself, --and someone please correct me if I'm wrong about anything in this post.

Why Ghouls, Tarantulas Haunt Teenage TV!, or: Ghouls Cut into Witching Business, or: TV Ghouls Scalp Hallowe'en Hobgoblins

Flipping through a huge stack of dusty 'ol hep 'TEEN magazines at an antique mall last week (no, not those kinds of teen mags!), and if spotting a frisky cute Fall picture of actress Carol Lynley on the cover of the October 1958 issue wasn't enough, then the "Why Ghouls, Tarantulas Haunt Teenage TV" article blurb near the bottom left would have likewise surely grabbed my undivided attention. It's a brief but fun little 2-page write-up (by "Carmella Cleaver", no less!) about the popularity of 50's late nite TV horror host shows (NOTE: this article was published 3 years after VAMPIRA was booted off the air), and focuses mostly on iconic "Cool Ghoul" Zachary, as well as Portland Oregon's fiendish KPTV fave, Tarantula Ghoul!

Coming Out of Her Shell...

Have you ever seen an Edwardian era human hair postcard? Originally mailed to Oneita Moore of Weston, MO in the early 1900's (anyone know her?), this is your standard size, mailable postcard upgraded with not only some beautifully applied gold inlay to the exquisite, colorful illustration, but also features some actual real hunks of wavy human hair! I've seen a few other examples online in a variety of hair color, as well as hair condition, and they mostly seem to be shades of brunette in various lengths... I have seen a couple of blondes too though. Also, the females presented typically seem to be a more traditionally seated portrait of an actual human in a black and white, tinted, or hand colored photographed pose, and that's what makes this particular, cartoonish postcard so oddly cute and original. But ain't she sweet? Awww, she's finally coming out of her shell...

Beautebox Canco Christmas Tin

Beautebox Canco tins appear to have been quite popular in the 1920's, and no doubt due to the fabulously colorful, Deco style artwork you'd find on the lids, (mostly featuring pin-ups and movie stars, but also other great seasonal and themed imagery of the era as well.) They also came in other shapes besides just round too, like rectangle, square etc. I am a bit perplexed about what actually came in the tin originally when first purchased though, seeing internet listings for candy and cookies mostly, but also powder. Whatever was inside, I picked up this Henry Clive illustrated blonde Santa baby xmas themed tin a few months back and held onto it until we got a little closer to the actual holiday, --and I guess we're close enough because here she is!

Bottom's Up 2: Ceramic Boogaloo

We bottomed up last month with a set of naughty drinking glasses HERE, and now it's time to do it again with a ceramic mug containing a super swingin' addition! Yep, that's one shapely babe booty, separate from the rest of the mug, and impaled through the hips on a spit within the hollowed out part of the mug. This way when you tip'r up for a slug o'sauce, that delightful lil derriere does a tiny twerk! Boy, if this ain't the epitome of MC "kitsch" then I don't know what is, --and the world is certainly much better for it, too!

Folies-Bergere Postcard Set

Found this neat vintage set of 5 performance postcards in a cute die-cut envelope displaying all of the gorgeous glitz and glamour (among other things) from the fabulously original Folies-Bergere. Just look at those sets! No other information is listed anywhere on this particular piece, so dating it is impossible, though it all looks distinctly 1930's or 40's, I guess. And apologies once more as I'm back to watermarking some of my posts again... some of you poor image dump freaks without your own original content just don't know how to kindly link back to my page here, (it's always the risqué material too), so it's come to this again. If anyone has any additional, helpful information to add to anything about this post, please leave a comment. Thank you!