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It’s A Beanie Halloween.
Ty have released a number of Halloween specials in their toy rages including these three new Beanie Babies: Trickster the Bear, Treator the Bear and Vanish the Ghost.
Visit the Ty web
site for more details.
Visit the WCN Beanie Babies information
pages and message boards.
Random Collecting Feature
Captivating Cassy
Do you remember Cassy? Cassy was an innovative little doll who became popular in the early 1990s, manufactured by the Hornby company. A few years before, Hornby had enjoyed a huge success with their Flower Fairies – dainty dolls who inhabited their own small world – and obviously, they hoped to do the same with Cassy.She was released amidst a torrent of publicity in 1992; slim, petite and just seven-and-a-half inches tall. Cassy was available with assorted hair colours and styles – sometimes her hair was long and sleek, and sometimes it was worn in a thick mass of curls. On special occasions it was piled high on top of her head in a kind of beehive style. Her pretty face featured painted blue eyes which looked straight ahead, a tapered chin and pale lips. The back of her neck was marked ‘Hornby 1991’. Cassy’s facial expression varied, and the Hornby brochure declared ‘Her moods are reflected in many differing expressions, from broad smiles to that unique, pensive look.’ The doll was fully poseable with joints at the neck, shoulders, hips, knees and waist, enabling her to sit, bend, straddle a pony or assume graceful ballet positions. However, the most innovative thing about this little doll, and the reason for her name, Cassy, was her unusual packaging – she arrived inside a transparent cassette, similar to the kind of boxes used to hold video tapes. Alongside the doll were a brush and a stand as well as a colourful backing card printed with a room setting. It was also possible to purchase sets of furniture for the doll, packaged into cassettes. This furniture was well-made from plastic, and often featured light or sound. The cassette cases were not just a practical gimmick for shop display purposes – they could be clipped together to build up into a large play-set, a brilliant marketing ploy, as the more you bought, the bigger the house for your Cassy dolls! Each cassette measured ten inches tall by six inches wide, and was hinged, just like a normal video case. Bases and roofs were sold to make the cassette-houses more realistic. These bases were complete with decorative edging and fencing, and they ensured that the structure was firm. Pretty pink roofs provided the finishing touch. Everything was held together with plastic clips to make a sturdy and versatile structure. In addition to the small cassette packs, it was possible to buy large boxed sets such as a ballet studio, disco, house, riding school or, the ultimate, Cassy’s country home – it saved time to get them this way, rather than gradually buying the individual cassette units. These boxed sets contained additional features, including dolls in special costumes. The disco contained a dj’s console with flashing lights and a Cassy doll dressed in a metallic-look jacket over a purple catsuit, while the balle t studio pack came with a roof, base, and two cassettes containing a barre, a mirror and a Cassy wearing a delicate lilac tutu. The stable set was enormous fun, because the horse-trough was fitted with tiny red buttons, which, when pressed, enabled you to hear the horses walking, whinnying and huffing. It came with plenty of accessories such as tack, brushes, rosettes, and an all-important broom and rake to enable Cassy to muck out Stroller, her palomino horse. Without doubt, Cassy was a young lady from a wealthy family; her lifestyle was reflected in the lilac quilted satin draped bed, gold plated bath taps, and dining table set with ornate silver cutlery and candelabra. She had a fully-equipped kitchen which included a microwave oven. Buttons on the hob of her glass-fronted cooker pinged the microwave, or made the sound of food frying, while buttons on the fridge caused the phone to ring and the food processor to whirr. Her top-of -the-range country house was a huge double-gabled building, with two attics and a stable, featuring plenty of lights and sound. As with the other buildings, this could be purchased all in one go, or built up from the various cassette units, and the ingenious design meant that all the fittings, even the lights, could be repositioned. Everything folded down and clipped neatly inside its cassette, ensuring that small accessories were kept safe. Cassy’s clothes were superb, especially her evening dresses and disco outfits. Everything was well-detailed, and made from fine, colourful fabrics, often floaty chiffons, sparkly lurex or layers of net. Even the ballet tutus were trimmed with narrow satin ribbon, and their skirts were of finely pleated net over white, lilac, or turquoise leotards. Many of the outfits featured a novel characteristic – an unusual puff sleeve on the right arm, the left arm being bare. This could be seen in all the tutus, as well as in several dresses such as a full-length silver gown in the ‘Special Occasion’ range, with detachable pink and purple chiffon panels. A froth of chiffon was gathered on the right shoulder, while an unusual finishing touch was the narrow pink and mauve plait fastened across the top of Cassy’s head, to match the dress. Some of her most elegant outfits were the sheath-type fitted gowns which flared below the knee, and the lavish, silky ballgowns. When she went to the disco, Cassy opted for a gold lame mini with pink satin overskirt, a silver and black dotted jacket worn with a swirly cerise skirt, a gold and black shimmering dress with fitted bodice and full skirt or a blue handkerchief-pointed spot net dress with a navy bodice. A purple catsuit was included in with the disco studio. She adored colour – her casual clothes were in shades of orange, pink or purple, and of course, being the early nineties, she was the height of fashion in her pink and green shell suit! Outfits could also be bought separately, in blister packs, which often also contained a plastic easy-to-dress ‘mannequin’, which allowed the garment to be displayed if required. Packs of hats, shoes and […]
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 […]
Raphaël Kirchner Postcards
Raphaël Kirchner (1876 – 1917) was an Austrian artist, best known for Art Nouveau and early pin-up work, especially in picture postcard format which became extremely popular during World War I. Kirchner attended the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and began his career as a portrait painter for the fashionable in Vienna. He moved to Paris in 1900, creating illustrations for magazines including La Vie Parisienne, where he worked with other notable artists such as Mucha. Kirchner became best known for his saucy ‘glamour’ postcards of young women which are very collectable over 100 years later. Raphaël Kirchner produced over a thousand published paintings and drawings in his lifetime, mostly in the form of picture postcards. His postcards are very sort after with collectors, from his orientalist Geisha series which had influences of Art Nouveau, East and West, to his ephemeral beauties from La Vie Parisienne to the more realistic erotic young ladies who were the favourites of the European and American soldiers in the Great War who pinned his cards up in the trenches. Raphaël Kirchner postcards were the original pin-ups. It was Kirchner’s witty, accurate portrayal of the seamier, yet perhaps the most exciting and glamourous aspects of Parisian night life–of the world of the bar and of the boudoir–that provided the real road to success for the artist. Kirchner’s alluring, often erotic depictions of the typical Montmartre female in La Vie Parisienne and in watercolours and pastels such as ‘Les Joueuses’ became so popular that the prettiest and most expensive of the ‘Montmartre Girls’ became associated with the artist’s images of them, and were duly dubbed ‘Kirchner Girls’. There are normally 350-400 Raphael Kirchner postcards on ebay click on link to view – Raphael Kirchner postcards on ebay.
The Naturalism of Manuel Mafra Portuguese Palissy Ware
Manuel Cipriano Gomes Mafra (1829-1905) was one of the foremost Portuguese ceramists of the 19th century who developed a vast array of work influenced by the natural world. Manuel Mafra’s pottery work, marked by naturalism, was strongly influenced by the French 16th century engineer, craftsman and potter Bernard Palissy . Palissy was famed for his figulines rustiques (rusticware), or decorative faience fired in a high-relief pattern inspired by nature, and especially pond life: reptiles, insects, vegetation, flowers and fish. Palissy’s work apparently often used moulded from casts taken of dead specimens. The tradition Mafra developed of Portuguese Palissy-style ceramics became an important movement in the decorative arts in the second half of the 19th Century. Mafra moved to Caldas de Rainha to work at the famed Maria dos Cacos factory. He was later to run the same factory from 1853 till his death in 1905. The town was to become a magnet for other ceramicists and it became the centre for Portuguese Palissy Ware. The factory produced faience wares and later Did you know? Mafra was actually christened Manuel Cipriano Gomes and took the name Mafra, the county of his origin in 1853 19th Century copies of Palissy’s work were made in both faience and in majolica, a 19th Century version of faience with an improved lead-based glaze. Reference Manuel Mafra at the Met Museum A Concise Guide to Caldas Ceramics
The Unique and Creative Art of the The House of Rayne
WCN has been a fan of artist Colin Rayne for some time and in this feature we take a look at his varied and unique artefacts. Colin’s work ranges from traditional oil and watercolour paintings to incredible clocks, from sculpture to kinetic art, and from glass sculpture to large scale commissions. Colin Rayne was interested in art from an early age winning prizes for art at school and he was frequently encouraged to copy ‘old master’ paintings. After school, Rayne served an apprenticeship in his father’s dental equipment manufacturing company Norman Rayne Ltd which gave him experience in precision and cinematograph engineering which would serve him well in his creation and design of kinetic art and clocks. Hence, ‘a seemingly unusual alliance’ of the arts and sciences, forms the basis of Rayne’s prolific and uniquely creative and prolific artistic life. Colin had a number of successful exhibitions in London and led to many notable commissions. Early on in the mid 1960’s when Harold Wilson was premiere, London’s Post Office Tower was erected close to Norman Rayne Ltd where Colin was studying design drawing. Colin created an Illuminated Scale Model (1″:30′) of the building with rotating restaurant for the advertising department of P.O. Telecommunications. The resulting publicity, which included a live six minute interview on BBC TV, greatly encouraged him to work independently. In 1983 he was elected a Member of The British Horological Institute and was invited to display two pieces of work in London’s Goldsmiths Hall in 1987. At WCN we believe that the combination of Colin’s art, innovation and engineering are portrayed best in his clocks and kinetic art. One of Colin’s most impressive pieces is the Stonehenge clock. Stonehenge 2000 – Neolithic Time The wall mounted sculpture recreates the most ancient relics of the Stonehenge monument, showing the stones as they would probably have looked when first built. An Arc of twelve ‘Sarcen’ stones in acrylic, light individually, to indicate the ‘hour’, and an ‘Oval’ of acrylic ‘lintel’ stones divided into sixty, indicate the minute. Time showing: 9.23. The inner rings and the ‘Altar’ stone are cut from ‘Spotted Dolerite’ from the Presilli Hills of Wales. (The same location from which the actual monument’s stone was obtained). The clock’s circuitry is based upon 4.193mhz crystal, subdivided into minutes and hours. The 72 LEDs are driven from serial shaft registers; – ‘CMOS’ logic is used. The Stonehenge Horlogical Sculpture is available at £7,500. Colin’s recent works include The Ancient of Days by William Blake inspired by a 10” x 8” print forbook illustration is one of eight, all slightly different. Colin says of the piece “I hope that Blake would be flattered by my tribute to him, were he with us today, and that my followers will find it of interest, and offer some stimulating thought!” In 1983 Rayne moved from London to Brighton and in 2000 created a private gallery The House of Rayne, close to the South Downs which has on display a permanent show of approximately 100 artefacts. For more information including a virtual tour of the gallery visit TheHouseofRayne.co.uk and remember to see the kinetic art page which is of particular interest. The gallery can also be contacted by phone UK + 44.7870125991 and by email to [email protected]
Masons Ironstone China
Masons Ironstone China The 19th Century saw a massive growth in the British pottery industry with the production of functional, durable and decorative ceramic tableware. The durable nature of the pottery being produced and the ability to use transfer-printing, meant that customers still wanting Oriental patterns could now have the patterns on a much more dense, and stronger “china”. Pictured: A Mason’s Ironstone Part Dinner Service Late 19th Century, Impressed And Black Printed Ironstone China Marks Each piece with a figural chinoiserie vignette within a paper scroll and oyster ground punctuated with floral sprays and cartouches of precious objects. The set comprised over 100 plates, platters, dishes etc. Sold for $50,400 at Christies, New York, 2006. Image Copyright Christies. The manufacturing process could also be scaled up and the production moved to large factories, the cost of items was reduced and a new market of aspiring middle classes could now afford household china for everday use. This move supplanted the more delicate Chinese style porcelain that was common at the time. One such material was ironstone – a hard, dense and durable, slightly transparent white earthenware. The first form of ironstone was thought to have been manufactured by William Turner around 1800 at the Lane End potteries at Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. A number of potters were experimenting and it was also known as semi-porcelain, opaque porcelain, English porcelain, stone china and new stone. Pictured: A William Mason blue and white dessert-plate and three Mason’s Ironstone dishes Circa 1820, the dishes with printed and impressed MASON’S PATENT IRONSTONE CHINA marks The dessert-plate printed with the ‘Furness Abbey’ pattern, within moulded arcading and broad borders of scrolling cartouches of landscapes divided by passion-flowers and convolvulus, the dishes of leaf-shaped form with double-scroll handle, printed with the ‘Blue Pheasant’ pattern (all with riveted repairs and slight chipping, and staining to first) The first 7½ in. (19 cm.) diam., the second 9 5/8 in. (24.4 cm.) wide (4). Sold for £688 at Christies, London, 2009. Image Copyright Christies. Ironstone was first patented in 1813 by Charles James Mason, the son of Miles Mason. The Mason’s were a family of potters and had been developing a number of potting techniques at their works at Lane Delph, Fenton. The patent was No. 3724 was for a process for the “Improvement of the Manufacture of English Porcelain’, IRONSTONE PATENT CHINA”. The initial patent was for 14 years and was not renewed. Other companies such as Davenport and Hicks, Meigh & Johnson started producing similar wares. Pictured: Eight Mason’s Ironstone Jugs Circa 1825-35, Black Printed Marks Of octagonal form and graduated in size, painted with Oriental figures within shaped cartouches on an iron-red tiled ground The tallest 7½ in. (19 cm.) high (8). Sold for £688 at Christies, London, 2009. Image Copyright Christies. At the time the patent was taken out the ownership of the company was transferred to Miles Mason’s two sons and became known as G. & C. Mason or G. & C. Mason & Co. Family members include Miles Mason, his sons William Mason and Charles James Mason, and George Miles Mason.The company enjoyed enormous early success and continued to introduce new wares and designs. However, a change in fortunes saw Charles James Mason declared bankrupt and the firm close in 1848. Charles James Mason started a new factory at the Dasiy Bank Pottery but he died in 1856. At that time all the Mason patterns and moulds passed to Francis Morley. Morley and the Ashworth family formed a partnership during the period 1858-60, at the Broad Street works in Hanley. In 1862 Morley retired and passed everything to Ashworth including the Mason patterns, copper plates, moulds and trade marks. The company was acquired in 1884 by John Shaw Goddard and remained in the Goddard family until 1973 when the firm joined the Wedgwood Group. Masons Ironstone Related Masons Ironstone at Auction The Mason Family of Potter MILES MASON Miles was born in December 1752 in the village of Dent, Yorkshire. By 1769 he had moved to Chigwell where he was a neighbour of the Farrar family. On 13th August 1782 he married Ruth Farrar at St. Gabriel’s, Fenchurch Street. He was aged 30 but she was only 16 years old. After the marriage Miles became tenant-in-chief of a fine house and other properties at Chigwell Row, Essex which had previously been let to his late father-in-law by the Lord of the Manor of Barringtons. Apparently he never lived there. On 8th September 1783 Miles became a Freeman of the Glass-sellers’ Company and took the Livery on 23 September 1784. He was the founder of the Mason company and was producing porcelain of a high quality from the early 1800’s. He started by taking over the business of selling imported china which had been started by Richard Farrar, his father-in-law, in London in about 1783. Much of the porcelain sold was of the shape and design of the very popular Chinese export market porcelain. At this time a producer of such wares was called a ‘chinaman’ – a producer of china. By September 1784 he had taken over the china business of Richard Garrett. In 1793 he moved with his family from Fenchurch Street to 41 Finsbury Square and it was at this time that he was master of a City Livery Company. In 1796 Miles had moved to 25 Queenhithe near Blackfriars and it was a this time that he became a partner in three different partnerships and was involved in the manufacturing and retail sides of the pottery trade. One partnership was with Thomas Wolfe of the Islington China Manufactory, Folly Lane, Liverpool, a manufacturer of earthenware, a second with James Green of Upper Thames Street, London, a wholesale pottery-dealing company and thirdly a partnership was formed with George Wolfe so that he could make eartherware at Lane Delph. In June 1800 he dissolved the partnership with Thomas Wolfe, due to the heavy duties that were imposed by the Government in 1799 on […]
Groovy Baby! – Dolls in The 1960s
Here’s a different theme idea for you “why not concentrate on your favourite era; dolls which capture the essence of the decade, even though they might have been made very recently? My favourite era has to be the 1960s. People say that if you remember the sixties, you weren`t there“ well, I remember it, and I was most certainly there! It was a time unlike any other, a decade of colour, movement, music and youth. It was a ‘good to be alive’ time, at least in Britain, and for once, we were proud of our country. We had the Beatles, of course, and Mary Quant, Twiggy, Tuffin and Foale, Biba and Carnaby Street. Walking down Carnaby Street in the mid-sixties, seeing the boutiques, the psychedelic window displays and the mad fashions paraded along the pavement was a crazy experience. It’s easy to recreate the feeling with a collection of dolls in those zany sixties fashions, perhaps adding a Beatle or two for good measure, and maybe displaying the whole lot against an op art background. Load a Sergeant Pepper cd (or play the vinyl version if you want to be truly authentic), dress yourself in a floaty caftan or a psychedelic mini – and there you are, you’ve regressed forty years! There’s a tremendous selection of dolls to choose from, some actually dating from the 1960s while others are modern repros or fashion dolls. The 60’s look can be instantly captured by including a few Twiggy dolls. After all, Twiggy was designated ‘The Face of ’66’ by the Daily Express, and she went on to become the world’s first supermodel. Mattel issued a Twiggy doll in 1965, a vinyl teen just under 11″ high. Though she doesn’t bear a great resemblance to her namesake, she’s very cute, and certainly looks the part in her blue, green and yellow striped mini dress with yellow knee-high boots. Other outfits could be purchased separately, such as ‘Twigster’, an orange and yellow geometric-design mini. Much more recent are Medicom’s series of small, all-plastic ‘Little Twiggy’ dolls standing 4″ high with moulded outfits, and their 10″ doll with moulded hair, dressed in a black and white mini dress, red low-slung belt and pink-spotted tights. The most stunning Twiggy doll must surely be the bisque beauty issued by Franklin Mint in 2001. Standing 16″ high, she really can’t be mistaken for anyone else. Her makeup is perfect, from her ultra long spiky lashes to her pouty lips, while her psychedelic cat-suit really is groovy! Other outfits could be obtained including a lemon yellow mini, and a white dress decorated with metallic rings. Twiggy came with a fashionable op-art ‘trunk’ or wardrobe, decorated with colourful Twiggy decals. In 1960, Barbie had only been around for a year, and was sophisticated in sheath dresses and high heels – not really capturing the British feel of the decade at all. However, Mattel issued a stunning 1960s look Barbie in 2000, dressed in a bright pink fun fur, so typical of the era. This ‘Groovy Sixties’ Barbie is a delight in her drop-waist dress with a print top, white boots and white cap. Amongst the range of dolls by American designer Robert Tonner are the Tiny Kitty Collier series. They mainly wear 1950’s styles, but occasionally stray into the following era, such as ‘Kitty A Go-Go’. Her classic sixties style block printed mini dress is bold and dramatic in two colours – fuchsia and white. In the 1960s this style was often seen in black and white; in fact, I had one! Another creation is ‘Mod Togs’, a white sleeveless mini over a black and white striped top, while mix ‘n’ match ‘Kit and Caboodle’ contains a white mini quartered by a wide black stripe and a super lilac pvc mac with long matching boots. These outfits appeared about three years ago, and all fit well into a 1960’s collection. An absolute must in a 1960’s theme collection is Sindy. Sindy was Britain’s first 12” fashion teen, and her clothes reflected the trends. The classic is, of course, ‘Weekenders’, an outfit designed by Sally Tuffin and Marion Foale, who were very much in vogue. ‘Weekenders’ reflected the patriotic feel of the era with its red, white and blue striped matelot top, blue jeans and white sneakers. Authentic 1960’s Sindys are still obtainable at doll fairs or on internet auctions, or you could go for the stunning porcelain replica issued by Danbury Mint in 2006. Just like the original Sindy, she wears a ‘Weekenders’ outfit. Another option is the British Airways’ range of retro cabin crew Sindys; one wears a delightful representation of a 1967 white paper dress decorated with large flowers, finishing the look with a flower in her hair. During the 1960s, this outfit was sported by stewardesses on BOAC flights between New York and the Caribbean. Perhaps the designers who have most captured the 1960’s feel are Doug James and Laura Meisner. In 1999, they introduced Willow and Daisy, two glamorous girls wearing over-the-top outfits. They included ‘Ladybug Concert’ – an obvious play on the Beatles – consisting of a stunning white pvc getup topped with a matching ‘baker boy’ cap; a psychedelic hippie trouser suit called ‘Rock and Roll’; ‘Carnaby Street’; a lime green and lemon pvc mini with translucent panels, and ‘An Art Opening With Andy and Edie’. This tribute to Andy Warhol and his muse, Edie Sedgwick consisted of a vivid Warhol print pvc dress. Daisy’s black hair was cut in a geometric style, and the look was completed with a huge pair of turquoise earrings. The series was discontinued in 2002, but last year an associated range appeared, dressed in similar sixties’ quirky fashions, such as guitar wielding ‘Troubadour’ in a military style red and blue jacket, and ‘Sunflower’ in a lemon chiffon mini, crocheted hat and colourful velvet boots. Australian designer Jan McLean, issued a group of porcelain ‘Lollipop’ dolls a few years […]
Pot-Lids – one of the earliest forms of visual advertising
One thing that often appeals to us collectors is a sense of order.
How Superior Detailing and Scale Models Led to the Success of the Spot-On Range
Spot-On was a range of die-cast toys produced by British toy factory Tri-ang from 1959 to 1967 (Tri-ang was a division of Lines Brothers, which had been established as a toy maker in 1935). The Spot-On range was created in response to the success of rival toy company’s Dinky and Corgi. Dinky had had great success in the early 1950s with its die-cast range and in 1956 Corgi entered the market. The Spot-On trade mark was registered to Triang based in Merton Surrey, this was in December 1958 and in the following year ‘Spot On Models Ltd was incorporated on the 12th February 1958. The Spot-On range was made at the Lines Bros factory in Northern Ireland. When the folks at Spot-On Models set out to create a new line of die-cast models that would be different to the Dinky and Corgi ranges, and they wanted to ensure that their cars and vehicles would be as realistic and detailed as possible. They began by carefully selecting 1:42 scale as the basis for their new range, taking into account factors like size and weight. The Spot-On range were heavier than the Corgi and Dinky ranges. This meant that all of the tiny parts and components on the models could be accurately scaled and rendered, while still allowing some wiggle room for creativity and flexibility. From the outset in 1959 Spot-On models featured interiors and they were the first company to introduce electric lights in August 1961. On top of that, they infused the range with inspiring themes from real-world automotive history, ranging from classic racers to iconic supercars. In the end, it was this combination of practicality and creativity that led to the creation of a truly exceptional line of model vehicles. The Spot-On range was an immediate success with both children and adults. Its high quality meant that it appealed to collectors, but its cheapness ensured that it remained accessible for ordinary families. In addition, Tri-ang’s clever marketing strategies helped to ensure that the Spot-On range stood out from the crowd. For example, in 1963 Tri-ang launched a series of television advertisements featuring the character Mr Spot, who demonstrated the various features of its toys such as steering and suspension. This was highly unusual at that time, and helped to cement the Spot-On brand in consumers’ minds. To fully emphasize the fixed 1:42 scale, both large and little cars were chosen for inclusion in the range. The Silver Wraith was initially offered as a Rolls Royce, before being replaced by the even bigger Phantom V, which included functioning headlights and passengers from the Royal Family. Smaller vehicles included the Isetta bubble car, the rare Meadows Frisky, the Fiat 500 and the Goggomobil. The Mini Cooper, which had been added in March of 1960, was joined by other uncommon vehicles such as the Aston Martin DB Mark III, Jensen 541, Daimler Dart SP250, and Bristol 406. The Spot-On Meadow Frisky showing the same model in several colours Early Spot-On models stated “Made in the United Kingdom” on the base, but later models, changed to “Made in Northern Ireland”. The first packaging for Spot-On die-cast vehicles was a box in light blue with draughting compass ‘dividers’ and ‘graph paper’-like grid printed on it, as well as the standard yellow and black lettering. The appearance of the designs suggested that they were not only toys, but also finely engineered components. The second series of boxes was similar, however the ‘dividers’ were considerably reduced and an image of the automobile (which was not featured on the first boxes) was added. The final boxes in the late 1960s were black and blue with cellophane windows, which are thought to be some of the first window boxes available. The Spot-On range has long been popular with collectors and the prices for rarer models and colours have been rising consistently. The ranges were crated in more limited numbers than many Dinky and Corgi ranges and the colour range of models was much wider. The larger size and brittle nature of some pieces has meant that fine and near mint examples are much sort after. Spot-On also created a number of gifts sets and presentation sets which remain some of the rarest editions. Mecanno, which included the highly successful Dinky range, was acquired by Lines Bros in 1964, and this might have hastened the demise of the nascent Spot On model range. The last year of production for the original Spot-On models in the United Kingdom occurred in 1967.
Christmas Collectables and Gifts for Christmas 2018
We take a look at some of the Christmas Collectables, Christmas Collectibles and Christmas gifts available for Xmas 2018. Royal Doulton Royal Doulton has several festive offerings including their annual Christmas Figure entitled Christmas Surprise, their 2018 Father Christmas entitled Santa Christmas List and the annual petite figure Glad Tidings. Also available are two new models from the Carol Singers collection: Angels from the Realms of Glory and Here We Come A-Carolling. We especially like Santa’s Christmas List which is a colourful study reflecting all the magical charm of the festive season. The jolly Santa reads from a scroll bearing the names of the children he’s leaving gifts for under the flamboyantly decorated Christmas Tree. For more details visit Royal Doulton. Jim Shore Heartland Creek Jim Shore does create wonderful festive items and colourful items. White Woodland Santa is a new addition to the White Woodland Collections from Heartwood Creek by Jim Shore. Standing at 48cm tall, this impressive piece features Mr Claus with his arms out-stretched, holding a piece of bark in his hands. At either side of the log are small woodland creatures including a squirrel and two birds. His feet are surrounded by other creatures, with the piece depicting a white rabbit and grey raccoon. There are a number of new pieces in the White Woodland collection whose colours feature muted winter tones of ice blues, silvers and greys, creating a coherent look that will complement other items across the range while working harmoniously in any home off-set against existing festive décor. For more details visit Enesco’s Heartwood Creek by Jim Shore. Swarovski Silver Crystal The release of the Swarovski annual Christmas ornaments, stars and editions are always keenly anticipated. The 2018 Christmas editions include the SCS Christmas ornament, annual Christmas ball and a Kris Bear annual edition. The Annual Edition Ornament 2018 has been designed by Verena Castelein and is in golden crystal with 156 facets, and comes with a golden satin ribbon and a specially designed metal tag engraved with ‘SCS’ on one side and ‘2018’ on the other. The Christmas Ball edition is very nice and has been designed by Stefanie Nederegger. The Christmas Ball Ornament, Annual Edition 2018 showcases a delicate shooting star, a symbol of dreams and wishes, inside a hand-made, mouth-blown glass ball. Small hand-glued crystals add extra sparkle and make each piece truly one-of-a-kind. The 2018 Kris Bear Christmas Annual Edition shows the Kris Bear in an active pose, decorating a colourful crystal Christmas tree with a golden crystal star on top. The edition has been modelled by artist Viktoria Holzknecht. For more details visit Swarovski.com. Lladro Lladro have released three versions of the Lladro Christmas Bell and three versions of the Lladro Christmas Ball. These classic designs both feature new decoration inspired by musical instruments. In matte porcelain and decorated in three different colours. For more details visit Lladro.com. Steiff The Sweet Santa Musical Teddy Bear by Steiff is a limited edition teddy made in white mohair. It is a limited edition piece, has the white ear tag and the trademark Button in Ear – gold plated, and is being produced in an edition of only 1225 pieces. It stands 27cm tall and plays Jingle Bells . Very sweet. Visit https://www.steiff.com for more details.