Welcome Back...

My son started back to school this week --and now in his final year of college already, say what?! --so how about a look at this too kool for skool "Welcome Back, Kotter" classroom playset / vinyl toy case by Mattel from 1976. This one is missing a few things like the globe and homework for the desktops, but still has most of the main accessories like the desk and chairs. More importantly, the case still contains all of the TV show's biggest stars in action figure / doll form: Mr. Gabe Kotter, Arnold Horshack, Vinnie Barbarino, Juan Epstein (not that Epstein-- but please release the goddamn files, already!), and finally, Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington. "Hi there." Condition is not the greatest, and to the person at Mattel who didn't think that adding a Julie Kotter doll (my favorite character on the show!) was important enuff, well, --up your nose with a rubber hose! Yes, in our current age where acceptance of diversity is questioned, and in some cases ridiculously erased by our countries "leaders", it's nice to reflect on a TV show like WBK, because as silly as it was at times, it was still one that welcomed EVERYONE into the room with open arms.

Kooky Patches

Of all the Wacky Packages rip-offs that I've ever encountered, N. G. Slater Corp's "Kooky Patches" (early 70's) might be the most obscure. In this kooky-wack world of sickening spoofs, Big Macs become "Big Tacs", Baggies become "Saggies", and One-A-Day vitamins become "None-A-Day." The checklist on the backside of the product card reveals even more gaggy gems to come from Series One: Junkys, Jerks, Belches, Butts, Snotties, Vomit, Doublestink Gum, Kentucky Fried Chipmunks etc. Yes sir, funny, gross-out humor was every kid's bread 'n butthole back in the day, and I'd love to see the original illustrated art which I'm sure worked out great visually. Unfortunately, in this sticky / stitchy, iron-on / sticker patch format, the gags don't really seem to translate all that well, with all of the great detail getting a bit muddied in those colorfully sloppy strings. (Googled the others in the set and in a few cases some look just fine though.) Still, another cool find, and seeing Ronald McD with a mouthful of tacks really made my day!

Lady Turtle Butt

Well, I guess my post title isn't exactly correct, considering the only thing about her that is actually turtle-esque would be the shell, but still-- this is a rare, early 1900's antique German bisque "bathing beauty" figurine, also referred to as a "naughty lady", as you will see when you remove the top half of her dainty turtle shell. Made by a number of different companies, so she's a little hard to pinpoint exactly here (plus, no visible markings), m'lady could be used as a small trinket box, and was actually produced in a variety of revealing styles, some with her bloomers closed and completely covering her bare arse, as well as another variation with a little brown teddy bear laid across her exposed backside cleavage. This would have been an instant no-brainer purchase for me except the steep price tag (once again) waging war alongside some rather unfortunate, sloppy painted facial features. Still a neat find, and wonderful to see and hold one in my hand after years of ogling pictures of them in collector books and online antique sites.

Popular Magic

I totally forgot that I was going to share some of these amazing old "Popular Magic" header illustrations after my Dumminger post last week (CLICK HERE if you missed it.) And like that previous post, these illustrations are also from the Dunninger's Monument to Magic book; pulpy, black and white greatness that I'm guessing originated in some of his previously published magic trick books of the 1920's - 40's. Super illustrations that capture the eerie, mystical qualities of the old time stage, and/or parlor rountines-- and look at that brilliant lettering! I would find modern magic way more interesting if it still conveyed even an ounce of this otherworldly, arcane visual vibe.

Hey Kids! It's Tin Tank Turnover Time!

I recently found this fun, and very rare Casper the Friendly Ghost wind-up tank toy, wonderfully adorned with a variety of lithographed Harvey characters. Little Audrey, Herman and Catnip, Baby Huey, and Buzzy the Crow are all aboard, and aiming their silly sights at you! Made in Japan by Marx / Linemar, what makes this so unique is that after giving the 'ol tank a good windin', the full body, flat Casper piece on the underside pops up, turning / flipping the tank over until it rolls back on its wheels, where it then continues on down the path to do more hilariously haunted tank destruction ahead. Okay, there wasn't much damage done to my wallet though, fortunately, as this thing was way out of my price range, but it was still cool to play with at the antique mall until an employee waltzed by and gave me a dirty look. Marx / Linemar made a ton of different tank type toys like this, they even teamed up with the DCU for an oddly off-model, yellow color costumed Superman tank variant-- check it out by FLIPPING OVER HERE!

Another Nymph For Karswell

Yes, nymphs, nymphs, nymphs! If they're anywhere in my vicinity I will find them and I will bring them home and they will sit on my shelf and I will love them. All of them. Especially this gorgeous antique Jasperware planter example I scored last week-- my very first Wedgewood! For those unaware, Jasperware is a type of fine-grained, unglazed stoneware developed by Josiah Wedgewood waaaay back in England in the 1770's. It's known for its matte, bisque finish and the ability to be colored throughout the entire clay body, most recognizably in a rather unique pale blue and white. So here we have a lovely, long-haired, and very bare young lady about to take a dip into a flowing stream surrounded by flowers, cattails, and dive bombing dragonflies. I'm still not sure if I'll use this as an actual vase, though looking inside, it seems to have definitely been used as one in the past. It's all very old and very delicate, and I'm very, very happy that she's mine.

Dumminger: Master Mentalist

In February and April of 1956, Whitestone Publications Inc. entered the world of MAD magazine rip-offs with two issues of the hilariously titled, Lunatickle. Issue #1 was edited by Myron Fass and Pat Kahn, and featured a variety of master talents like Joe Kubert, Lee Elias, and Russ Heath, ribbing on everything from Peter Pan to sexless space. Having said that, we're actually going to take a look at a magician spoof featured in Issue #2, edited by Joe Archibald, and illustrated by the always awesome, THOIA fan favorite, Bob Powell. Dumminger Master Mentalist is a super silly send-up of actual real-life performer, Joseph Dunninger, often considered "the greatest mentalist of the 20th century", most notably during the vaudeville era, as well as on popular radio shows of the 30's - 50's (you can read more about him HERE.) The funniest thing of all about this post though, is that I don't actually have this issue of Lunatickle, BUT I do have the book Dunniger's Monument to Magic, by Jospeh Dunniger himself! That's right, 'ol Dunny had a real sense of humor and actually reprinted the full Lunatickle jab right there in his own book! And as much as I love stage magicians and MAD swipes, I have to admit the real reason I'm posting this story is because I'm insanely obsessed with the Powell illustration of that smiling lady with her lips sandpapered off on page 4, haha... holy moly, that's love at first sight!

Black Demon

No, you haven't accidentally landed on THOIA today-- this demon means you no harm! And in fact, it's actually here to help you! Where ever you are, whatever you're doing, sometimes emergency light is needed. Enter-- The Black Demon! Whether camping, broke down on the side of the road, --or just adding some flare to the five points of your ritualistically inverted floor pentagram (hey, why not?), this re-usable, very vintage, 1940's safety light burns through rain, snow, and very strong winds, and it also has a wonderfully illustrated box that is probably even hotter / cooler than the actual product itself. All hail the Black Demon! *to the tune of Black Diamond by KISS.