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Collecting Novelty Soaps

July 25, 2022 7:48 pm Views: 23

Collecting Novelty Soaps – Soap has been around for centuries, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that soap became a common household item. The first boxed household soap was made by Sunlight in 1884. Prior to that, soap was typically made in small batches and was a luxury item. The invention of mass-produced soap eventually led to a novelty soaps boom in the 1970s and 1980s based on films, TV and cartoons and especially aimed at children. The soaps would often be shaped as the characters themselves.

Mickey Mouse Novelty Soap From Jean Sorelle Of London — Mickey Mouse Novelty Soap From Jean Sorelle Of London. Value Guide Estimate £8-£12.

Many famous characters found themselves appearing in figural novelty soap form including: Snoopy, Paddington, Rupert the Bear, Sooty and Sweep, The Smurfs, The Mayor of Trumpton and Miss Piggy; and Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; and characters from film franchises such as Star Wars.

snoopy soap with box by norton of london — Snoopy Soap With Box By Norton Of London. Value Guide Estimate £12-£15.

A few companies appeared to have produced a large number of the TV related novelty soaps in the 1970s and 1980s including Jean Sorelle of London and Norton of London.

trumpton mayor novelty — A boxed Jean Sorelle figural novelty soap of the Mayor of Trumpton. Sold for £7.65 on ebay, July 2022.

Novelty soaps had of course existed before the 1970s and companies such as Cussons had a ranged based in Disney characters including Donald Duck, Bambi, and Thumper; and Cullingford of Chelsea had made a figural novelty soap of Muffin the Mule in the early 1950s.

A collection of assorted boxed novelty soaps including Disney and Muffin the Mule — A collection of assorted boxed vintage soaps to include: Cussons: Bambi, Donald Duck, Pluto, Thumper, Archie Andrews, Figaro, Chummy; Cullingford: Louise the Lamb, Muffin the Mule etc. Sold for £85 at Hansons Auctioneers, June 2021.

Many examples can still be found cheaply at car boot sales and flea markets for very little but there is a growing collectors market. The packaging can be attractive, the association with TV and film and bring back memories of childhood make them a fun and inexpensive collecting theme.

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Random Collecting Feature

Paddington Bear at 50

Unlike us, bears have discovered the enviable secret of eternal youth. An eighty-eight-year-old Rupert? Ridiculous! A seventy-eight-year-old Mary Plain? Unthinkable! An eighty-eight-year-old Pooh? Preposterous. And as for a fifty-year-old Paddington – you must be joking! How can a bear who creates mischief and mayhem wherever he goes – admittedly a bear whose sole aim in life is to be helpful and polite, but who is unfortunately accident prone, impulsive and always in deep trouble – be well on the way to collecting his bus pass? Bears always find an age with which they are comfortable and stick to it. So, believe it or not, Paddington really does celebrate his fiftieth birthday this year. Pictured left: Paddington Bear by Gabrielle No doubt he will be hosting a party with an iced cake cooked by Mrs Bird, buns and cocoa donated by Mr Gruber, and a ‘here’s one I made earlier’ wobbly jelly from the Blue Peter team. (For many years, Paddington was a regular in the Blue Peter studio.) Of course, there will be a huge pile of sandwiches too, but the vital question is, will they be filled with marmalade – or Marmite? Up until recently, the choice of filling would have been a forgone conclusion, but suddenly our loveable bear has developed a taste for the sticky brown stuff. Of course, he still loves marmalade very much. In fact, when Paddington was first approached by the advertising company he exclaimed, “But I always have marmalade in my sandwiches!” The agency explained, “That’s exactly why we think you would be perfect for the campaign. We want people who normally have something different in their sandwiches to try Marmite.” Pictured right: Paddington Bear with Marmalade Hidden Treasures from Arora Design – each figurine has a secret compartment containing a hidden treasure. So, rather tentatively, Paddington took a sniff, and then a nibble, and finally a big bite. He discovered that he enjoyed Marmite very much indeed, and though it could never really replace his beloved marmalade, it certainly made a jolly acceptable change. The pigeons and the ducks are not too sure, though, as can be seen in the adverts. Michael Bond is not too sure, either, and in a letter to The Times wrote, “Paddington likes his food and tries anything, but he would certainly never be weaned off marmalade”, saying that Paddington’s characteristics are “set in stone and you shouldn’t change them.” In the past he has always tried to avoid any hint of commercialising Paddington Bear, so he added darkly, “Now there’s no going back.” What actually is Marmite? Well, it’s a spread made from yeast extract, vegetable extract, salt and various spices and, as the adverts proclaim, ‘You either love it or hate it’. You certainly can’t be indifferent to that tangy, tongue numbing taste. Although Paddington has been weaned off the marmalade for a while to promote the new, squeezy Marmite, I’m sure it won’t be long before he reverts to his favourite marmalade chunks. A marmalade-free Paddington is about as unthinkable as a Paddington who has lost his duffel coat and floppy hat. When Michael Bond found a small toy teddy bear on a shelf in a London Store on Christmas Eve 1956, he decided to buy it as a present for his wife. He called the bear Paddington. Just for fun, he wrote some stories revolving around the bear, and after a few days realised he had a book on his hands. However, he admits that while he was writing he didn’t consciously set out to write a children’s book – which is good, because, as all Paddington enthusiasts know, the books are far too special to be the sole prerogative of youngsters. Eventually, the book was placed with William Collins and Sons (now HarperCollins), and illustrator Peggy Fortnum was commissioned to produce the delightful sketches which complemented the stories so well. ‘A Bear Called Paddington’ was published in 1958, and as we all know, the rest is history. Amazingly, the Paddington series of books have sold over thirty million copies world wide and have been translated into thirty languages. Pictured left: Paddington Bear by Steiff As the birthday bear’s big day approaches, as well as planning his party shopping list and putting both Marmite and marmalade at the top of it, how else will Paddington be celebrating? For starters, he will be starring in a new book, the first Michael Bond Paddington Bear book to be published for thirty years. Rumour has it that a mysterious stranger will cause Paddington to reflect where home really is – surely he won’t forsake 32 Windsor Gardens and return to darkest Peru? ‘Paddington Here and Now’ will be published in June, while in October, to commemorate the publication of that very first book, HarperCollins will issue a special anniversary edition of ‘A Bear Called Paddington’. And there’s more – in March, as part of World Book Day, a £1 read, ‘Paddington Rules the Waves’, will be amongst the titles on offer. There will be plenty of new Paddington Bear collectables and merchandise this year, too, including a new Steiff creation. As we all know, Paddington was first discovered by Mr and Mrs Brown on Paddington Station, hence his name. The optimistic little refugee was sitting hopefully on a suitcase containing his worldly goods, and Steiff have depicted him, carrying his case, in a limited edition of 1,500 pieces. This 11 inch tall Paddington wears a pale blue coat and is complete with a gold-plated button-in-ear. He is based on the FilmFair Paddington Bear from the television series, a super bonus for fans of the animated episodes. Other items include puzzles courtesy of Hausemann en Hotte/Falcon, while Robert Harrop has produced a gorgeous commemorative figurine of Paddington munching a marmalade sandwich (not a blob of Marmite in sight!). More planned Paddington releases include a commemorative coin, a pewter figurine, clothing, greetings cards, a cookery book and gift wrap, as well as a range of soft […]
Ewald Dahlskog The Swedish Functionalist Glass and Ceramic Designer

Ewald Dahlskog (1894-1950) was a Swedish designer who has become known for his ceramic, glass work, pottery designs and his work in public buildings. His work is often minimalist and inspired by natural forms, which can be seen in his use of simple curves and muted colors. Dahlskog’s pieces are both beautiful and functional, and have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. Ewald Dahlskog’s studied at Konstfack (University of Arts, Crafts and Designwork) from 1908 to 1912 and from 1913 to 1917 at the Royal Art Academy in Stockholm. His work is deeply rooted in Swedish design traditions, which he combines with a modern sensibility. His pieces are both elegant and functional, and often incorporate natural forms into their design. Dahlskog’s use of simple curves and muted colors give his work a calming, tranquil feeling. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, and he is considered one of Sweden’s leading ceramicists. Ewald Dahlskog at the Kosta Boda factory Ewald Dahlskog worked at Swedish glassworks Orrefors Kosta Boda from 1926 to 1929, where he was an artistic assistant, during which time he radically transformed the production of art glass, using cut decoration in a new vigorous modern aesthetic. Whilst at Kosta he had joint exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York city. He has designed many of the glassware pieces that are produced by the factory, and his work often reflects nature in its designs. His pieces often incorporate elements such as leaves and vines, and he strives to create shapes that are both organic and elegant. Ewald Dahlskog at the Bo Fajans factory After leaving Kosta, Dahlskog moved on to work at the Bo Fajans factory (Boberg Fajansfabrik AB in Gävle) in 1929. He remained at Bo Fajans for 21 years until his death in 1950. At Bo Fajans he continued to innovate creating high-quality ceramics in geometric designs inspired by nature. His work at Bo Fajans is considered to be some of his best, and his pieces are highly sought after by collectors. Dahlskog’s designs are often inspired by nature, and he strives to create shapes that are both organic and elegant. At the 1930 Stockholm Exhibition, his designs were described as ‘functionalist’. The vases displayed showed highly ribbed surfaces reminiscent of electrcial transformers. The Scandinavian design philosophy was internationally recognized at the Exhibition. They were shown in London in 1931 and had a great influence on British designer Keith Murray (Keith Murray Designs for Life). As well as being a versatile designer Dahlskog is famed for his artistically designed inlays in public buildings, such as the 1924-1926 built Stockholm Konserthuset and the silent film palace and later revue theater Chinateatern 1926-1928 directly at Berzelii Park in the Norrmalm district was built in the center of the Swedish capital. His work has won many awards, and his pieces are collected by museums and private individuals all over the world. Related Ewald Dahlskog items on ebay Bowl at Met Museum
Collecting Muffin the Mule

Muffin the Mule was a puppet character on the British children’s television show For the Children that first aired on the BBC in 1946. The show featured a wooden puppet mule who would interact and dance along with human characters. Although the show was very popular with children, it also had an appeal for adults. The humour and wit of the show made it entertaining for all ages. Over the years, Muffin the Mule has become an iconic figure in British culture. He is often referenced in popular culture and has been featured in commercials, movies, and books. For many people, Muffin the Mule is a reminder of their childhood and a symbol of British culture. We take a brief look how Muffin the Mule was created and look at some of the Muffin the Mule collectables and Muffin the Mule merchandise over the years in this Collecting Muffin the Mule feature. The original Muffin the Mule puppet was created in 1933 by puppet maker Fred Tickner for puppeteers Jan Bussell and Ann Hogarth. Although we know him as Muffin, the puppet was originally unnamed. The puppet was part of a puppet circus made for the Hogarth Puppet Theatre. The couple had met while they were both working as puppeteers in London. They married in 1932 and decided to open their own puppet theatre. The original Muffin the Mule puppet was made from papier-mâché and had a wooden head. It was operated by two strings, one attached to each side of the head. Muffin was used for a short while but as Jan Bussell and Ann Hogarth moved on to more experimental and dramatic puppetry he was put away, re-appearing some 12 years later 1946. Bussell and Hogarth were working with presenter Annette Mills (sister of actor John Mills). Annette Mills named the puppet mule “Muffin”, and it first appeared on television in an edition of For the Children broadcast on 20 October 1946, where she performed as a singer, pianist and story teller. She wrote the songs and the music, including Muffin’s popular signature theme song “We Want Muffin! (Muffin The Mule)”, some of which appeared Muffin the Mule songbooks, as well as making records. Ann Hogarth wrote the scripts for the series. The show ran on the BBC until 1955 when Annette Mills died. During the show Muffin the Mule used to clip-clop and dance around on top of a piano which was being played by Annette Mills. Annette and Muffin would interact and the show appealed to not only children but to adults as well. Other characters were later added to the show including Prudence the Kitten (who went on to have her own show), Mr Peregrine the Penguin, Sally the Sea-Lion, Louise the Lamb, Oswald the Ostrich, and Morris and Doris the field mice. As Muffin the Mule’s popularity grew a range of merchandising, toys and comics were created mainly on Muffin but a few products were created featuring other characters. Lesney created a die-cast movable puppet which according the Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh was “the first toy to be marketed under licence as a result of a successful TV appearances”. Other items include Toy Television Sets, a Muffin the Mule Pelham Puppet, games, Metal figures by Argosy Toys, licensed pottery, tins and much more.
World Cup Collectables 2014

With the World Cup now under way we thought we would have a look at some of the official and unofficial collectables and memorabilia available to collect and buy. The Official FIFA Store There are quite a few interesting items here. The World Cup mascots are always fun and especially nice are the range of Limited Edition prints available. There are about 20 prints available, including prints for each host and of interest to collectors will be the Romero Britto prints. Robert Harrop Designs To celebrate the World Cup in Brazil, Robert Harrop has produced 10 special Bull Terrier footballers. The England and Brazil editions are both timed and feature Red Bull Terriers. The remaining eight are all modelled using White Bull Terriers: Germany, France, Argentina, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, USA and Australia. Coca-Cola World Cup Brazil 2014 The Coca-Cola Company has had a long-standing relationship with FIFA since 1974 and has been an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™ since 1978. Coca-Cola has had stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup™ since 1950. Brazil 2014 sees one of their largest campaigns ever. Look out for special bottles, cans, and promotions which will vary from country to country. Betty Boop Something different with these Betty Boop footballer figurines. There are six different posed figures. Header, On My Knee, Striker, Goalie, Free Kick and Star Player. Panini Stickers and Panini Heritage Collection Football stickers form part of every World Cup. When I was first collected you had to lick the backs to stick them in (my first was Argentina 78). Panini have a section called Panini Heritage which includes framed prints and tee-shirts featuring the covers of all the previous World Cup sticker albums. Swarovski Silver Crystal Swarovksi’s latest limited edition Soccer Champion Mo has a World Cup feel. She is very colourful with a yellow head, green body and clear horns and bell. A football hitting the target decorate her body. All very much giving a Brazilian theme.
Netsuke – Japanese Netsuke

Netsuke date back to the 17th Century, and became extremely popular in Europe towards the end of the 19th Century. This coincided with the Japanese adopting the suit and its pockets and with oriental artefacts being very much in vogue with buyers in western Europe. A huge supply of redundant netsuke came into Europe and were sold in many places as novelty items very cheaply. For the collector today there are many styles, and types, some by well known designers and the range in price can be incredible: from a few $/£ to £140,000 paid for a netsuke horse carved by Tomotada. Netsuke served both functional and aesthetic purposes. The tradtional Japanese dress, the kimono had no pockets. The robes were hung together by a broad sash (obi), so items that were needed to be carried were held on a cord tucked under the sash. The hanging objects (sagemono) were secured with carved toggles (netsuke). A sliding bead (ojime) was strung on the cord between the netsuke and the sagemono to tighten or loosen the opening of the sagemono. The best known accessory was the inro, a small box used by the wealthy for carrying medicines and seals. Netsuke were also used to secure purses, and were widely used to hold the tobacco pouches that became almost universal with the introduction of smoking in Japan. The quality of Netsuke was variable. As everyday objects many were carved quickly with left over materials. Netsuke could be made using a variety of materials mainly wood, and ivory (also shell, bone, horn, even metal and precious stones). Wealthier people would have finer netsuke, and it could be possible to tell the status of an individual by the quality of their netsuke. The workmanship is some is outstanding and despite their small size 1 to 2 inches, there can be considerable detail. There are several types of netsuke including: manju, round or square button like boxes; and kagamibuta, comprising a metal lid and a bowl; and katabori. The range of subjects included all manner of animals, birds, the heores and villains from folklore, the immortals and mythical animals of Japanese legend, the grotesque and the amusing. The variety and variability of netsuke is a reason for their continued popularity today. Knowledgeable collectors look for compactness, a design that appears good from any angle, and the cord holes must not interfere with the piece and may often form part of it. With the decline of the kimono there was less demand in Japan for netsuke, but they continued to be produced for export. Some skilled designers continued to produce excellent pieces which are much sort after. Production continued into the 20th Century with a revival in the art as interest incr eases. In recent years a number of poor netsuke have been produced and a number of fakes of original pieces have also been manufactured. These pieces are often produced using ivory obtained from illegally poached elephants and other animals. Resin replicas are also being produced. Many are sold as such but collectors should be careful. Forms of Netsuke kataborinetsuke (形彫根付) or “sculpture netsuke” – this is the most familiar style, a compact three-dimensional figure carved in the round, usually around one to three inches high anaborinetsuke (穴彫根付) or “hollowed netsuke” – subset of katabori which is hollowed-out and carved within; the most common are scenes in clams sashinetsuke (差根付) – this is an elongated form of katabori, literally “stab” netsuke, similar in length to the sticks and gourds used as improvised netsuke before carved pieces were produced, about six inches long obi-hasami – another elongated netsuke with curved top and bottom. It sits behind the obi with the curved ends visible above and below the obi. mennetsuke (面根付) or “mask netsuke” – the largest category after katabori, these were often imitations of full size noh masks, and share characteristics in common with both katabori and manju/kagamibuta manjunetsuke (饅頭根付) or “manju netsuke”- a thick, flat, round type of netsuke, with carving usually done in relief, sometimes made of two ivory halves. Shaped like a manju. ryusanetsuke (柳左根付）- shaped like a manju, but carved like lace, so that light shines completely through kagamibutanetsuke (鏡蓋根付) or “mirror lid netsuke” – shaped like a manju, but with a metal disc serving as lid to a shallow bowl, usually of ivory. The metal is often highly decorated with a wide variety of metallurgical techniques. karakurinetsuke (からくり根付) or “trick/mechanism netsuke” – any netsuke that does something, ones with moving parts or hidden surprisesForms of Netsuke text – Copyright (C) 2000,2001,2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc. 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. Books on Netsuke
Troika Pottery – History, Designers and Troika Price Guide

Troika Pottery has become one of the most collected forms of modern British pottery with it’s distinctive colours, incised and geometric designs it has attracted many collectors. Early works from two of the company’s founders Leslie Illsley, and Benny Sirota are especially collectable with prices for rarer items reaching well into four figures. The third member of Troika was sleeping partner Jan Thompson. Troika Pottery was founded in 1962 and produced pottery until 1983 and was named by the three founders from the Russian тройка, meaning “a set of three”, or triumvirate. They took over the Powell and Wells Pottery at Wheal Dream, St Ives, Cornwall, where Sirota had previously worked as a decorator and driver. The group wanted to pursue their vision of pottery as art, without regard to function which ran counter to the aims of much of the studio pottery movement at the time, as epitomised by the work of Bernard Leach (see Bernard Leach the Father of British studio pottery). Illsley and Sirota wanted to create distinctive, individualistic wares and they were not afraid to experiment with unconventional production ideas, methods and materials including emulsion paint and melted broken glass. Fantastic designs began to be produced including Cycladic masks with Aztec-style decoration and the heavily textured monolithic wares that were to become a trademark, the pottery pillar vase, plaques with raised geometric patterns and geometric lamp bases. The Troika venture rapidly became successful, gaining both critical praise and very high sales through a combination of the summer tourist trade and contracts in 1968 with Heals and Liberty in London. The pottery moved from Wheel Dream for larger premises in Fradgan Place, Newlyn in 1970. In the mid 1970s sales began to go down as trends changed, Benny Sirota left in 1980, and with declining sales, the business closed in 1983. Troika at Auction Troika Pottery on ebay Troika Designers and Marks Troika Pottery marks were handwritten. Some designers have the same initials such as Avril Bennett and Alison Brigden. Selected examples below. New
Toby Jugs & Character Jugs

Political Character and Toby Jugs at Stoke Art Pottery Toby Jugs have been around since the early 18th century. They were revived by Doulton in the 19th century, who developed the idea into a range of character jugs. Today, their popularity shows no signs of waning and they hold their price at auction sales. Their appeal is wide reaching because Doulton jugs are varied both in their craftsmanship and their subject matter. The first Toby Jug was made in the early 18th century. It was a jovial, seated, male figure, with a mug in his hand and a tricorn hat which made a pouring spout. He was dressed in clothes of the time; a long coat with low pockets, waistcoat, cravat, knee breeches and buckled shoes. No one really knows why he was named ‘Toby’ although it is possible he called after Sir Toby Belch a character in Shakespeare’s Twelth Night. Or maybe it was after a song popular in 1761, around the time the jug was first produced in a traditional, brown salt glaze version. The song ‘Brown Jug’ featured ‘Toby Fillpot’. Doulton had made Toby jugs in the traditional manner since 1815 but in the 1920’s Harry Simeon added colour. This inspired Charles Noke, a Doulton artist and modeller to rethink the Toby jug tradition. He envisaged a more colourful and stylish jug based on the head and sholders of a character rather than the full figure. He had in mind characters from English song, literature, history and legend, designed to appeal to future generations. It took him almost ten years to be satisfied with the standards of design and production, but in 1934 the first character jug was launched. He chose as his subject John Barleycorn, a figure symbolising whisky. It became an instant success and the range was added to with Old Charley, the Night Watchman, Sairey Gamp, Parson Brown and Dick Turpin. Two years later the first character jug modelled on a real person was made with Herry Fenton’s John Peel, a trend which has continued to the present day. A feature of character jugs is their handle which often shows an elaborate diversity of applied decoration. However, this is a feature which has developed over the years. The first jugs generally had plain handles, with one or two exceptions, for some of the clown jugs had multi-coloured handles, Dick Turpin had a gun for a handle and the Cellerer a bunch of keys. It was during the 1950s that the handles achieved greater creative significance when Max Henk was involved in their production. His Long John Silver had a parrot handle and for the sake authenticity does not have an eye patch, sticking to Louis Stevenson’s book ‘ Treasure Island’. The handles developed to tell more about the character and their associations, so the Dutchess from ‘Alice in Wonderland’ has a flamingo handle, the Mikado, a fan. More recently, the London ‘Bobby’ has both a whistle and Big Ben. The character jug from 1996 shows how far this trend has developed in the model of Jesse Owen who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics. This handle contains the Olympic torch, a contemporary US flag of the time and a banner inscribed with the name of the Olympic town ‘Berlin’. Character Jugs Variations Sometimes variations have been made to handle design without altering the overall style of the jug. The Beefeater Guard who guards the Tower of London was introduced in 1947 and carried the initials GR on his handle for George Rex. In 1953 when Elizabeth II came to the throne, these were changed to ER, Elizabeth Regina. There was also a version with gold handle, now more valuable. In 1991 a completely new updated design shows the trend for more elaborate handles with its raven, the birds which legend says signifiy the fall of London should they ever leave the Tower. Other handle variations which help to date the character jugs are the easrly versions of John Barleycorn. The first plain handle disappeared inside the jug at their top end. Later handles were attached to the outside. Early versions of Stairey Gamp have an ‘S’ at the bottom end of the handle. There have also been limited editions of handle design. Founder members of the Doulton Collectors Club were offered versions of John Doulton with the clock on the handle pointing to eight o’clock. Members who joined at a later date find the clock points to two o’clock. Rare Character Jugs Other factors which aid dating and can affect value includes colour variations. For instance, the first clown range of jugs produced in the 1930s had red hair and multi-coloured handles, but due to the war time restrictions on supply of materials, the hair during the war years was changed to brown. Between 1951 and 1955 hair colour had changed to white. Red or brown haired clowns are two-three times more valuable than the white ones, but the most valuable if the one-off black haired clown, commissioned by a family whose grandfather was a black haired clown. This was sold at auction a few years ago for £12,000. Old King Cole designed by Harry Fenton had a yellow crown in 1938-1939 and a green handle and is vastly more valuable than the versions produced after until 1960, which had reddish-borwn crown and handle. Even more valuable are the versions which contain musical movement, produced in 1939. One of these sold at Phillips for £1,092. The Mad Hatter, from Alice in Wonederland woar a black hat in the original but ten years ago a red hatted Hatter came to the market and was sold for over £6,000. It appears that in the 1960’s a painter in the factory changed the colour of the hat and this was produced for a short period before it was discontinued. Another example are the colour variations in the buttons, hat coat and feather boa of Hary Fenton’s character jugs of the cockney pair ‘Arry […]
Collecting Classic Planet of the Apes Movie Quad Posters

The classic Planet of the Apes film was released in 1968 and four further films were released in the first series: Beneath the Planet of the Apes 1970; Escape from the Planet of the Apes 1971; Conquest of the Planet of the Apes 1972; and Battle for the Planet of the Apes 1973 We take a look at the UK movie quad posters created for the films. The quad posters for the Planet of the Apes films are some of the most recognizable pieces of movie advertising from the late 1960s and early 1970s and fine examples are very collectable. The original poster for the 1968 film was particularly effective, as it featured a now-iconic image of Charlton Heston as he realized the truth about the planet. Planet of the Apes 1968 In the 1968 film Planet of the Apes, an astronaut named Taylor (played by Charlton Heston) crash-lands on a strange planet ruled by intelligent apes. The apes consider humans to be primitive creatures and keep them as slaves. Taylor eventually leads a revolt against the apes, but is captured and put on trial. During the trial, it is revealed that the planet is actually Earth, and that the apes have evolved while humans have devolved. The film ends with Taylor wandering off into the ruins of civilization, contemplating the situation. Planet of the Apes is a classic science fiction film that is still relevant today. It addresses issues of racism, slavery, and human rights, and offers a devastating comment on the potential consequences of nuclear war. The poster features the classic heading SOMEWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE THERE MUST BE SOMETHING BETTER THAN MAN. IN A MATTER OF TIME, AN ASTRONAUT WILL WING THROUGH THE CENTURIES AND FINE THE ANSWER. HE MAY FIND THE MOST TERRIFYING ONE OF ALL ON THE PLANET WHERE APES ARE THE RULERS AND MAN THE BEAST. Beneath the Planet of the Apes 1970 In the 1970 film Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Brent (played by James Franciscus) is a journalist who arrives on the planet in search of his missing friend, Taylor (played by Charlton Heston). Brent soon discovers that the planet is ruled by apes, and that humans are treated as slaves. He also finds out that Taylor has been captured and is being held prisoner. Brent then sets out to rescue Taylor, with the help of Nova (played by Linda Harrison), a human woman who falls in love with him. Brent travels to the Forbidden Zone, where he discovers a group of human survivors living underground. These survivors have developed telepathic abilities and are planning to destroy the surface world with a nuclear bomb. Brent attempts to stop them, but he is ultimately unsuccessful and the bomb destroys everything. Beneath the Planet of the Apes is a powerful film that explores themes of loyalty, love, and betrayal. It is considered one of the best films in the Planet of the Apes franchise and has won numerous awards. Escape from the Planet of the Apes 1971 The film begins with a trio of apes – Cornelius, Zira, and their infant son – escaping from a destroyed Earth in an spacecraft. They crash-land in contemporary America, where they are immediately captured and put on public display. While being studied by scientists, the apes learn to speak and soon come to dominate their captors. Fearing that the apes will overthrow them, the humans devise a plan to send the apes back to their own time. But when Zira’s baby is born human, the apes realize that their destiny has changed forever… Escape from the Planet of the Apes is a science fiction classic that explores what might happen if intelligent apes were to take over the world. The film is suspenseful, thought-provoking, and entertaining, with excellent performances from its all-star cast. It is a must-see for fans of the genre. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes 1972 In Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, the year is 1991 and apes have become slaves, used for manual labor and entertainment. Caesar, son of the late great ape leader Cornelia and Cornelius, is brought to a zoo where he is caged and tormented. witness these atrocities firsthand, Caesar leads an uprising that culminates in a full-scale revolution. With apes in charge and humans now the slaves, will peace reign or will this new order merely mirror the old one? Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is a gripping tale of oppression and rebellion that raises questions about what it means to be human. vConquest of the Planet of the Apes is a thought-provoking film that explores the relationship between humans and animals. It is also a brutal story that highlights the dark side of human nature. Battle for the Planet of the Apes 1973 The 1973 film Battle for the Planet of the Apes is set 10 years after the events of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. The apes have established a peaceful society in the ruins of San Francisco, but they are soon threatened by a group of humans who want to take back control of the planet. As the two sides prepare for war, Caesar (played by Roddy McDowall) tries to find a way to avoid bloodshed. However, when his wife is killed in an attack, Caesar leads the apes into battle. The film ends with the apes and humans reaching a truce, but it is clear that the peace will not last long. Battle for the Planet of the Apes was well-received by critics and was a box office success. It is considered to be one of the best films in the Planet of the Apes franchise.
Collecting Victorian Copper Jelly Moulds and Price Guide

Copper jelly moulds are among the most attractive and popular of all kitchenalia. The humble copper jelly mould came in a variety of shapes and sizes and became more and more elaborate over time. The moulds that were part of the batterie de cuisine of the larger houses sometimes bore the name of the house or their owners initials. Moulds were made of copper and tinned on the interior and were used for the wide range of world recipes developing in the Victorian era including many jellies such as Constantia jelly and desserts such as Dutch Flummery and sponge puddings. Copper jelly moulds shapes varied from simple round forms, fluted forms, castellated forms, vertical asparagus forms, and animal shapes. The Alexandra Star shaped mould was named after Queen Alexandra Queen to King Edward VII. Some were created in tiers making larger moulds and some have central hollows to allow the creation of ring desserts. Copper Jelly Mould Price Guide / Value Guide Famous names in the creation of copper moulds include Benham and Froud, Copeland and Henry Loveridge. Fine copper jelly moulds remain collectables and prices vary depending on quality, maker, size and condition.
Collecting Tinplate Fire Engines

There’s something special about tinplate fire engines. They’re intricate, they’re beautiful, and they hark back to a bygone era of firefighting. For collectors the area is easily definable and a good collection can be acquired. We include a number of examples along with their estimates or prices achieved at auction. Tinplate fire engines were first produced in the late 19th century, and they quickly became popular among children and toy collectors alike. Some of the most collectable and highly prized tinplate fire engines were made by the German and French toy companies including Marklin, Bing, Arnold, Distler and Unis. They were often colourful with excellent and transfer printing including names, firemen and fire engine details. Some models included extending ladders and detachable tin firemen. Clockwork tinplate fire engines are particularly desirable, especially in good working order. British toy makers such as Mettoy made tinplate fire engines.