A FLY AND A FLEA

208. HEY THERE, BARBIE DOLL!

2012-01-03T04:22:00.001-08:00

An early Barbie doll from the collection of a 65++ year old mother who had this as a teen in 1961. A friend who works for an airline bought her this brunette Barbie, already a worldwide hit in the 60s, in France, of all places. After years of play, the daughter of the original owner decided to put it up for sale online--so that's how it got to my toy chest!

Barbie (Barbie Millicent Roberts) is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration.

Contrary to the seller who advertised this as the first Afro-American Barbie, this is actually Barbie Ponytail #5. It is different from the Barbies released in the previous years in that it has a new, hard hollow torso, and a flesh-like, tanned complexion (earliest Barbies had a pale, ghostly skin color). Her brunette hair has a firmer texture, and she comes dressed in her traditional striped swimsuit, earrings, high heels and shades (now missing). She has also lost her wire stand.

Ken, Barbie's boyfriend, would be introduced the same year this doll came out (1961), and there has never been an idle moment since their first meeting. Yes, I do have a Ken doll from that era as well, a perfect match to my vintage Barbie acquisition. In the meanwhile, the two stand side-by-side in a glass encased cabinet in my toy room, playful reminders of an era when girls' idea of leisure was dressing up Barbie and pretending to go to shindigs with their Kens in tow.

207. Boxed: HOPALONG CASSIDY

2012-01-03T04:20:00.000-08:00

Cowboy hero Hopalong Cassidy ran on television from 1949 to 1954, with William Boyd (1895-1972) in the title role.In 1950, Aladdin Industries created the first children's lunch box based on a television show, Hopalong Cassidy. The Hopalong Cassidy lunch kit, or "Hoppy," quickly became Aladdin’s cash cow. Debuting in time for back-to-school 1950, it would go on to sell 600,000 units in its first year alone, each at a modest $2.39 . A red and blue version were made, with a decal of Hoppy stuck on the front panel. A thermos was also made in red or blue cap.

I was lucky to find this lunchbox and a matching thermo (not shown) in a thrift shop in Metuchen, New Jersey that was holding a closing out sale. Still in serviceable condition, it set me back by $20, a hefty sum back in the late 80s. There was a later 1954 version Hopalong Cassidy made by Aladdin Industries Inc. One outstanding old store stock example in excellent/near mint condition sold at an auction for $1,382.94. That must have made the dealer very Hoppy indeed.

206. VINTAGE IGOROTTE CLOTH DOLLS

2012-01-03T04:18:00.001-08:00

I lived for awhile in the City of Baguio and whenever I walked to the market, I would often see these homespun cloth dolls of orange muslin, handmade to represent an Igorot and Igorota and wrapped in cellophane to be sold as tourist souvenirs. Like the ubiquitous Man-in-a-Barrel and wooden Fork & Spoon giant wall hangings, these cloth dolls (made from as small as an inch to as big as a 2-footer) were among the bestselling items from the mountain city--made cheaply, but certainly full of folk charm. Baguio dolls are still being made and sold in the local stall of Marbayand Maharlika Livelihood Center, but the materials that are being used have changed, giving the dolls an uncharacteristic look. There are less details too, unlike these two half-a-century old dolls from the collection of a Manila octogenarian.

These 10 in. stuffed ethnic dolls have hand-painted faces; the lips are sewn with red thread. Though of basic construction, the pair are garbed in authentic Igorot costumes (well, almost!). The male doll in a g-string even has a small harvest basket at his back. The lovely Igorota wears a traditional wrap around skirt made from traditional woven fabric and her vestida is trimmed with shells at the collar.

Baguio has changed a lot these days--Session Rd. has been closed to vehicles, a giant mall dot the landscape where Pines Hotel used to be. Where are the Indian bazaars? The Old Pagoda Shop? Sunshine Bakery? I miss too, the scent of pines and the sight of sunflowers. But thank heavens I have these 2 dolls to remind me of my Baguio memories now blanketted with the mist of the passing years.

205. Pulling Strings: VINTAGE UKULELE

2012-01-03T04:15:00.000-08:00

At the most recent Greenhills Antique Fair, I found this Philippine-made toy ukulele that I could not resist. It dates from the 1950s , and is fairly in good shape for a 50 year old musical instrument. At first, I thought it was a toy guitar--it was shaped like one. But then it only had 4 strings, making it an official ukulele. And to top it all, it was still playable.

I tried singing "My dog has fleas", to tune the 4 nylon strings, but it remains out of tune, so I'll leave it that way in the meantime. The front panel of the ukelele is inlaid with some other material, possibly plastic or other wood. Of hawaiian origin, the ukulele was widely popular in the Philippines in the 50s and 60s--thanks to Tiny Tim who strummed a uke to the tune of his hit song, "Tiptoe Thru the Tulips". Israel Kamakawiwo'ole revived the popularity of the instrument thru his 1993 medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World" that reached #12 on Billboard's digital chart. Likewise, Bruno Mars does a lot of songs accompanied by lazy uke strumming. Now, there's even a museum devoted to the tiny ukulele (http://www.ukulele.org/), proof that it has earned its place in musical history!

204. TIN INTERCOLLEGIATE FOOTBALL GAME

2011-12-08T16:55:00.001-08:00

One of the first tin toys that I found at the old Makati Cinema Square is this wood and tin Intercollegiate Football. This is a pre-War toy put out by Hustler in the 1920s, and I understand the piece is still being reproduced today. I remember the price of this original plaything--200 pesos. I bought it but I have never figured out how it works as I have no patience reading the instructions at the back of the metal plate. There are spinning mechanisms and score dials that I can't simply comprehend. I have seen similar pieces on ebay, and the most expensive one is available at a Buy-it-Now price of $249! I bought it for the nice, strong graphics, and of course, for the nostalgia it brings. I may not understand the game of football, but I know a good antique buy when I see one.

203. Boxed: ANNIE

2011-10-02T05:48:00.001-07:00

Little Orphan Annie was a popular U.S. comic strip created by Harold Gray (1894–1968) and syndicated by Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and made its debut on August 5, 1924 in the New York Daily News. By 1937, it was rated #1 comic strip. As expected, it inspired a radio show in 1930, film adaptations by RKO in 1932 and Paramount in 1938 and a Broadway musical Annie in 1977. The original production ran from April 21, 1977 to January 2, 1983 and was staged internationally. "Annie" has also been adapted to film twice, in 1982 and in 1999 the better known being perhaps the former, directed by John Huston and starring Aileen Quinn as Annie, Albert Finney as Warbucks, Ann Reinking as his secretary Grace Farrell, and Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan. (Lea Salonga also was our very own Pinoy 'Annie" and this role would forever be associated with her). Songs from the musical include "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard Knock Life".

Capitalizing on the broad appeal of this carrot-haired girl who sang "The sun will come out tomorrow", like there was no tomorrow, Aldaddin issued this metal lunchbox in 1981, complete with a plastic thermos. This vintage example, with a current market price from $35-$50-- has never been used and is in impeccable condition, so bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, it is certain to increase in value!

202. SHIRLEY TEMPLE CEREAL BOWL & PITCHER

2011-10-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

Original cobalt blue cereal bowl and pitcher set with the stamped likeness of 1930s star, Shirley Temple. These were premium items given away by General Mills Cereal that came free with every purchase of Wheaties. A pitcher, cup, and bowl were released. The pitcher is most common and is worth around $35-45, the cup and bowl are more rare and are usually worth around $50 or more. In the 1970s/1980s reproduction Shirley Temple glassware was released to the market but their quality leaves much to be desired. I got these toy tableware from the Greenhills Antique fair, along with the fan photo of an older Shirley Temple.

201. PEPSI COLA SHELF

2011-09-26T23:09:00.001-07:00

A retro mid-century moderne Pepsi Cola wall shelf given as a premium to stores in Thailand, found at the famous Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok. Classic free-form amoeba shape back panel dates this to the 50s. The tin shelf ledge itself is very narrow, so maybe this was used to hold match boxes, or collect discarded Pepsi crowns. Pepsi collectibles have always played second fiddle to Coke items, but this is a rare piece as localized advertising premiums of international brands like Pepsi are hard to come by in Thailand. When I found it, I sure had a Pepsi Day!

200. I, ROBOT

2011-09-26T23:06:00.000-07:00

Tin metal robots from Japan are very desirable in the current collectible market today, boosted by the immense popularity of the 1970s robot wonder, Voltes V, Mazinger Z and Mekanda Robot. But as early as the 50s, tin robots were being made for the world market in large quantities--often with mechanical wound-up parts that made robots walk, glow, shoot weapons and emit sounds. There were Martian Robots, Gear Robots, Big Chiefman Robots, Meteor Tin Man and Robby the Robot with Blaster, made by assorted makers including Yoshio Toys, Osaka Tin Toys and Metal House Toys.

The one I recently got dates from the late 70s, with more plastic parts than tin. I have no idea who this robot is or who manufactured it. But it is typical of those made in Japan with Automatic Action, Stop 'n Go, Swing Open Door and Shooting Gun Action. Battery operated, this robot still works! Rght now, it doubles as a guard robot, ready to shoot imaginary gamma rays to those who dare enter my inner sanctum of a room.

199. PINCUSHIONS OF THE WORLD

2011-09-26T23:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a parade of international chalkware beauties meant to appeal to domesticated moms who loved sewing. These figural pincushions--representing such nationalities as Indian, Chinese, Scot, etc--date from the early 60s; each bust is topped with a flannel-covered cushion where one can stick pins and needles. Cheaply made in Japan, they are nonetheless, brimming with colorful cuteness, especially when lined up on the shelf, don't you think? I just wish they made a Philippine version--a girl with a pot on her head that doubles as a pincushion would have been appropriate!

198. Boxed: THE BIONIC WOMAN

2011-09-26T23:01:00.001-07:00

Hot on the heels of "The 6 Million Dollar Man" came a spin-off TV series--"The Bionic Woman", starring Lindsay Wagners as tennis pro Jamie Sommers who survived a skydiving accident but only after being outfiited with "bionic" implants similar to Steve Austin. As the result of Jaime's bionics, she has amplified hearing in her right ear, a greatly strengthened right arm, and stronger and enhanced legs which enable her to run at up to 60 miles per hour.

The series premiered on ABC in January 1976 and became the fifth most-watched television show of the 1975-1976 season. It ended in 1978, only to be resurrected in 2007--but the revival was short-lived. Aladdin issued this metal lunchbox in 1978 to ride on the show's popularity. It is similar to the one previously made a year earlier except for one panel, which shows Jaime outrunning a dog. This version shows her stopping a runaway car.

This Bionic Woman lunchbox is in pristine condition, never used, and with its own thermos. In this condition, a price guide book pegs its value at $250! That sure costs a bionic arm and leg!

197. SMILEY MUG

2011-09-25T05:33:00.000-07:00

Back in the psychedelic-age-of-Aquarius 70s, the yellow "Smiley Face" made its appearance in pop art -- mirroring the exuberant, carefree and hallucinogenic happy mood of the decade. "Smiley" made its appearance on every inconceivable material--curtains, wastebasket, stationery, decals and even mugs---such as this one made by McCoy Pottery. It is marked with the McCoy USA name and log on the bottom. McCoy Pottery was established way back in 1910 by Nelson McCoy, manufacturing utilitarian pieces which proved to be popular in the 1930s. The business declined in the 70s and closed permanently in 1990. "Smiley Face" has continued to evolve however, and scores of variants have been generated, known in the cyberworld today as 'emoticons'.

196. PRETTY AS A PICTURE Paper Doll

2011-09-22T06:49:00.001-07:00

A generic paper doll from the 1950s that I found buried under tons of magazines in the scroungers' paradise that is Kamuning--"Pretty as a Picture" featured "lovely dolls, glamorous gowns". Printed on thin paper, this paper doll book was typical of the hundred and thousands of cheap playthings for little girls made in the 50s.

Dig these vintage fashions that reflected the styles and tastes of the time. I can't believe this paper doll book survived uncut considering how thin the paper is and how kitschy some of the colors are. But for 15 cents, I guess you can't complain--you still get transported somehow to a make-believe world of glitz and high-fashion glamor--on paper, that is.

195. His Own Paint Book: MICKEY ROONEY

2011-09-22T06:44:00.001-07:00

The child wonder of the silver screen of the 30s and 40s was born born Joseph Yule, Jr. in Brooklyn, New York, to a vaudeville family. At 14 months old, he crawled on stage wearing overalls and a little harmonica around his neck. His father, Joe Sr., picked him up and introduced him to the audience as Sonny Yule. He began performing officially at the age of 17 months as part of his parents' routine, wearing a specially tailored tuxedo. At 3, he was cast by Hal Roach to participate in the Our Gang series in Hollywood at $5 a day.

Soon, Joe Jr. was getting bit parts in films, working with established stars such as Joel McCrea, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Jean Harlow. While selling newspapers, he also enrolled at the Hollywood Professional School, where future stars like Nanette Fabray, Judy Garland, Lana Turner went. In 1938, he graduated from Hollywood High School. He got his name "Mickey" from the "Mickey McGuire" short film series in which he was featured in 1925.

He popularized the character "Andy Hardy" with Judy Garland in 1937 and which made him a superstar. He an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award. He has had one of the longest careers of any actor, to date spanning almost 90 years actively making films in ten decades 1920's to 2010's. He is the last surviving male star from 1930s Hollywood.

This paint book dates from his juvenile years when Mickey was at the peak of his career. It's a large (10 1/4" x 16") vintage coloring book printed by Merrill Publishing Company, Chicago in 1940, # 3496", with over 30 coloring pages.

194. CHINA HEAD DOLLS

2011-09-22T06:42:00.001-07:00

A pair of teensy-weensy china head dolls, no more than 3/4 inch high. They date from 1910-20 and are made in Japan, though the best and finest examples are from Germany. Painted china head dolls also came with separate arms and legs which could be assembled by an adept sewer on a cloth body, then dolled up in the latest fashion. These heads are so small, the dolls would probably measure about 5-6 inches when completed. I found them at Makati Cinema Square (whic sadly, is about to go!) and at the moment, I have no plans though of making cloth bodies for them--they're better off kept and seen in my shadow box, where they wll repose most likely for the rest of their doll lives.

193. CASPER The Friendly Ghost Game

2011-09-22T06:13:00.001-07:00

When boardgames became hot collectibles, of course, I just had to have one. The first gameboard I got was bought from a local "variety store", which sold used items salvaged from the homes of American servicemen's families. This 1959 Casper The Friendly Ghost Board Game by Milton Bradley was marked #4018, ages 5 to 12. The objective is to be the first player to move his four ghosts around the spooky path and into the haunted house. It looked like it was hardly played--the spinner is intact plus the original instruction printed on box interior. Casper gameboards are available on ebay from 99 cents to 19.99$, depending on their condition. Not as desirable as other TV-based games. I haven't touched this game, but maybe one day I'll use the spinner to contact ghosts and other friendly supernatural beings.

192. RIN TIN TIN Magic Erasable Pictures

2011-09-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, aired from October 1954 to May 1959 on ABC Television. The star was German Shepherd dog descended from the original Rin Tin Tin raised by American serviceman Lee Duncan who became popular in earlier 1920s films. The canine's adventures were adapted for TV and "Rinty" shared billing with child actor Lee Aaker as Rusty, a boy orphaned in an Indian raid, and who was being raised by the soldiers at Fort Apache, a US Cavalry. Rusty and Rin Tin Tin helped the soldiers to establish order in the American West. Texas-born actor James Brown (1920–92) appeared in every episode as Lieutenant Ripley "Rip" Masters.

Transogram came out with a boxed kit of Rin Tin Tin Magic Erasable Pictures at the height of the show's popularity. There were actually several boxed activity kits issued in the 50s--including a Paint by Number set and a gameboard. But this picture playset that dates from 1957 is the rarest. The activity kit featured 12 panels that could be colored with crayons and then erased with a tissue and then colored again.

The panels carried illustrations of the major scenes and characters from the TV show. A box of crayons and a sharpener came along with the boxed kit. The best thing about this Rinty's collectible is that it's unused! A similar kit in unsued condition (saved for a split corner in the box) was priced at $175 on ebay. In the field of TV collectibles, Rin Tin Tin is sure one hot dog!

191. SPOTTING SHIRLEY: A Darling of a Doll at the Greenhills Antique Fair

2011-08-31T05:15:00.000-07:00

I didn’t even know that the famous Greenhills Antique Fair was already under way since last week; I had earlier texted a dealer for an appointment, and he texted back—asking me to meet him instead at his stall at Greenhills. Apparently, it’s that time of the year again for this longest-running antiques and collectibles show which I have been attending since the mid 90s. I think its history goes even further than that.

For 4 weeks, Manila’s antique dealers, segunda mano shops, numismatists, deltiologists, philatelists, collectors, “junkies” and kibitzers congregate near the fountain area of the Greenhills Shopping Center for a full day of wheeling, dealing, trading and swapping. Anything of value is sold here---the term ‘antique fair’ is not quite accurate as there are more repros being sold than the real thing.

Thus, Greenhills is not for buying quality century old santos; instead, it is for rummaging and scrounging around for collectibles of all sorts—not too old, mostly vintage, but still capable of invoking nostalgia, that hard-to-explain longing for a connection to the past, which many collectors like me experience in the presence of anything old, passé and defunct.

Toys, softdrink bottles, old product packaging, medals, stamps, 1950s magazines, schoolbooks, clocks, pens, pinback buttons, vinyl records, prints—name it, the Greenhills Fair has it—well, almost.

Supply seems to decline over the year judging from the number of participating dealers this year. This did not deter me from rushing over at Greenhills on one Sunday afternoon, ready to jostle with the thick weekend crowd in the hope of unearthing a ‘find’.

But the old reliables are still there—my tocayo, Alex Villaflor, is still at it, peddling ephemera, artworks and kitsch with his partner Sonny Benitez. Alex founded the first pop culture collectible shop in the country—Circa—back in the 80s at Creekside. He used to have a fne array of Bakelite radio and Coca Cola memorabilia, but those are long gone. Instead, he had these nice Flora de Filipinas botanical prints (called ‘Blanco prints” by collectors), ready for framing.

George Bonsai also has one or two stalls here, but unfortunately, he was still setting up.

Jun Macaro had a fine display of medals and coins, but I was after his old photos, which he failed to bring, to my disappointment. I’ve have had lots of luck with June—I found my small ivory Sto. Entierro complete with his wooden calandra in his Aurora Blvd. junkyard and I also bought most of his old photos from the estate of Jorge Pineda.

I just hopped from stall to stall—the antique shops from Tiendesitas are in full force—but they carried mostly reproduction santos dressed in gaudy clothes—they looked more like overdecorated dolls.

Talking about dolls--it was at Mike’s stand that I saw, lying on the bottom-most shelf of his glass display—an old cardboard box that had a large doll inside.

The box was wrapped in plastic, but it took only one look for me to recognize the moppet with curly golden locks tucked inside, which even had a cardboard leg separator and head support.

This is a large composition Shirley Temple Doll from Ideal Novelty Inc, perhaps the most popular doll in the world based on the likeness of the top child star of the 30s, at the time of its release in 1937.

Today, early Shirley Temple dolls are highly prized by doll collectors and Shirleyana enthusiasts; only large pre-War emporiums had Shirley dolls in stock as the prices were prohibitive. This is just the second Shirley Temple doll I have seen so far here in the Philippines.

The first ever Shirley Temple I have seen here was an 8 inch compo that was sold to me by person whose name I have forgotten while looking for old toys at Makati Cinema Square. She had overheard me while talking to a shop owner and made small talk with me after, telling me of a Shirley doll which had once belonged to his lola. To make the long story short, she sold me the doll.

But Mike’s Shirley Temple doll was a big one—all of 22 inches tall. It came in its original cardboard box with a paper label that clearly identified it as an authorized doll made by Ideal Novelty Corp.

The name “Shirley Temple” was scrawled in the familiar signature of the child star, just 10 years old in 1938. He told me the doll was sold to him by an 80++ year old grandmother, who had barely played with it in her childhood, hence, the almost pristine state of the doll.

Almost perfect—one finger was nicked which I quickly repaired using clay epoxy. The face had some crazing, a typical problem of old painted composition dolls which were made of pulp, sawdust, paper and binder. The paint and the composition contracted at different rates with every change in temperature, hence the crazing, but the condition has since stabilized. When I have the time, I intend to further clean the doll with Wipe-Out and give it a single coating of clear paste wax to condition the composition material.

When I got the doll, I thought the open-shut eye mechanism had been damaged or had rusted, but when I carefully pried the eyelashes which had adhered to the lower lid, the eyes popped open. I just had to swab clean the glass eyes with a glass –cleaning solution using a cotton bud.

The trademark golden curly locks of mohair are as curly as the day the doll came out of the factory, even after 73 years! The red ribbon on her hair however, is full of pin-prick holes.

The original party dress, undergarments, socks and shoes are intact, although moth-eaten and tattered in some places.

What’s more, the metal pinback button is still with the doll—“World’s Darling, Shirley Temple” the button proclaims, made to be proudly worn by the owner. In auctions, these Shirley Temple pinbacks are sold separately, some commanding as much as 40-50$! Interestingly, 3 heart shaped buttons are also included as part of the doll’s extras.

Of course, I just had to have this rare Shirley doll! I needled Mike into giving it to me for the best price—and for less than the price of a 15 in. antique santo the world’s darling was mine!

A quick survey of antique and collectible price guides as well as online auctions put the price of this doll in the $385 to $800 range. Given the good, unplayed with condition and the presence of its original packaging and accessories, this Shirley should be worth about $900, at least!.

I haven’t figured out what to do with Shirley, whether to put it in my cabinet of old toys or display it at home—but one thing for sure, she will be treasured and handled with lots of TLC, befitting the stature of a child star who once animated the silver screen with her precocious talent, captivating the imagination of movie audiences and earning a place in heir hearts as the world’s darling!

190. FOLK ART FRUITS IN SHADOW BOXES

2011-08-31T05:12:00.000-07:00

Was lucky enough to find this pretty pair of folk art fruit ensembles in shadow boxes that date back to the pre-War 30s. They used to hang in the home of a dealer-collector, until he probably got tired of them and consigned them at an antique shop. They're not exactly cheap but these fruity displays are very typical Filipiniana pieces that were handcrafted and sold at curio shops in Manila. The fruits are so life-like--they are actually made of wood, pulp and fabric coated with escayola/ gesso then painted realistically and assembled in their narra frames. The first boxed frame features a basket of indigenous fruits like kamatsile, lanzones, balimbing, atis, mabolo, duhat, banana. chico and kasuy, artfully arranged in an embroidered red satin pouch.

The second shadow box combines fruits and vegetable--ampalaya, green and yellow mangos, turnips, squash, guava, sampalok, avocado and a section of a sugar cane. The fruits are wired and stitched on to a fabric backing, which in turn, was nailed onto the wooden stretcher. The molded fruits have some minor scruffs but overall, the unusual displays are in fairly good condition despite their 70 odd years. Who would think that artistic inspirations can also come from our own orchard?

189. 1964 MISS INTERNATIONAL MUSIC SHEET

2011-08-14T03:01:00.000-07:00

Fresh from my Kamuning thrift shopping comes this memento of Gemma Cruz's Miss International triumph in Long Beach. The first ever global beauty winner from the Philippines, Gemma redefined the Filipina beauty stereotype with her victory; after all, she had distinct Malayan looks (mestizas like Lalaine Bennett and Josephine Estrada were the rage at that time) and was a woman of culture and intellect (she played the nose flute in the local contest and was already working at the National Museum). To top it all, she had a national hero--Dr. Jose Rizal, no less, as a relative!

When she left to compete in the U.S., she was sent off with only a few relatives and 10 friends (Ten-tacles, she called them), but when she came back as Miss International, the whole country embraced her! She was given tributes of all sorts and this musical composition of Alice Doria Gamilla is just one example. "My Wonderful World Is You" was composed for the piano by Gamilla, who would also find fame as the composer of Pilita Corrales's signature hit, "A Million Thanks To You", that was even recorded by famous international artists like Bobbi Martin and translated in 7 languages!

Shamcey Supsup's recent Miss Universe 3rd runner up win also has interesting parallels with Gemma's Miss International experience. Soothsayers predicted that she will be a "thank you, girl", while others talk of the so-called "UP curse" that plagued brainy UP winners of Bb. Pilipinas Universe--all losers in the contest. Like Gemma, Shamcey left with little publicity. Like Gemma, she came back to an adoring nation, was paraded, serenaded and even met Pres. Noynoy. Shamcey seems to have it all for now...but like Gemma, will she have her own special music sheet entitled "My Wonderful Universe Is You?". I wonder.

188. Head's Up: BOY'S HEAD VASE

2011-08-07T02:50:00.000-07:00

Male head vases are rarer than ladies', so when I saw this 50s boy's floral head vase at a Kamuning thrift shop, I just had to bring it home. I don't know, but there seems to be a certain holiday feel to this ceramic vase--maybe I could use it this coming Xmas. This, by the way, was made by Relpo, and is about 7 inches high. Relpo was a leading maker of quality decoratives in the 50s and it identified its works with a paper label--which remains intact on the bottom of this vase. This head vase is well-made and delicately painted. I looked up the value of this vase in a 1998 price guide, and was surprised that it already cost $65 in pristine condition 13 years ago. Of course, I got my flower boy for half of that. You should see how much head vases go for now--at www.antiqueheadvases.com, there's one priced at $1,600 and a couple more at $1200, $800! Crazy but true. Definitely, my head-hunting days aren't over!

187. CORONATION COLORING BOOKS

2011-08-07T02:48:00.001-07:00

On 2 February 1953, Princess Elizabeth was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon, and Pakistan, and named as Head of the Commonwealth after her father's death, the late King George VI, on 2 June 1952. Over eight thousand invited guests attended the historic coronation at the Westminster Abbey. Commemorative souvenirs were made by the hundreds of thousand to mark the ascension of a new monarch--and this very nice coloring book was just one example produced in the U.S. The Coronation Coloring Book has the painted portait of the new Queen on the front cover, while inside, there are pages and pages of illustrations of the various stages of coronation for kids to color.

This second example is an unauthorized 50s edition paint book that features generic coronation scenes, obviously capitalizing on the Queen Elizabeth fever. It is a thin book, made in Britain, and most likely cost a pence or so. Royal commemoratives are making a comeback after the recent wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleston this year. They may have mugs, plates, tea sets, key chains and coins--but did they have coloring books? I bet none!

186. ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTIE

2011-07-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police had its beginning in 1873, when the Canadian Government organized the North-West Mounted Police to maintain peace and order from the western border of Manitoba to the Rockies and the far north. Through the years, the RCMP, handsome in their red uniforms and hats, patrolled the sweeping wilds of Canada in their horses--and this image of them has become perpetuated in many collectibles that honor their legacy. This ceramic RCMP figurine holder is one such mid-century example. It shows a Mountie astride his horse, with the RCMP initials on the base to signify that this was an authorized edition collectible. I can't recall where I found this, but it still is in goood shape--no cracks or chips--after all these years. Today, the RCMP continue to be a part of the Canadian safekeeping forces, with their own website that sells licensed collectibles.

185. PEN AND INK FOLK ART

2011-07-27T16:23:00.001-07:00

Now here are two nice finds from a Mabini antique shop: two calligraphic illustrations in their original frames, charming examples of turn-of-the century folk art, each dedicated by the maker to their object of affection. The first one is a birthday greeting for Pering, bearing the inscription:
"Happy Birthday, Pering. 26 July 1916". A heart shaped cut-out in the middle of the rose originally contained the picture of Pering, now lost. The colored paper art included a rustic scene in the foreground.

The second example carries a more profound, if not verbose, sentiments: "Anching, In your moments of meditation, let me be the subject of your inspiration with my most and sincere appreciation. Lucien. 18 Dec. 1934, Tuesday". Perhaps to balance this, the sender illustrated his paper tribute more simply, but using the same device of a flower with a cut-out center where a picture of Anching used to be. Drawn calendar pages are used to put in the sender's greetings.

Handmade paper greetings such as these went out of style with the coming of commercially printed greeting cards. But hopefully, with the renewed interest in scrapbooking, this paper art tradition can be revived and made popular again!

184. Made in Occupied Japan: NUBIAN FIGURINES

2011-07-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

After World War II, from 1945 to1952, items imported from Japan to the U.S. had to be marked with "Made in Occupied Japan" or "Occupied Japan", to denote America's conquest of the Oriental power. These 2 decorative figurines, depicting Nubian court musicians, are from that period in our war history, stamped with the Occupied Japan mark. These may have come from a set. Black figurines are very desirable for Occupied Japan collectors as only a few were made. Popular figurines often depicted Asian ethnic stereotypes, European court characters as well as animal figures.

183. PLASTERCAST ASIAN FIGURAL LAMPS

2011-07-27T16:18:00.001-07:00

Here are three kitschy lamp finds from the scroungers' capital of the world--Bangkal, Makati. I remember handcarrying the two his 'n hers matching mandarin lamps made of heavy plaster--from Evangelista all the way to my office. I couldn't find a darn cab!! They are, however, well-made and complete--only needing a pair of lampshades. I have since rewired them and they now occupy a special place in my 50s-furnished house. The middle, equally tacky lamp is Art Deco-inspired, showing an Oriental woman and her feline friend--a leopard, I think. My pet cat however, dislodged the lamp from its small table, damaging the escayola nose of the poor feline. Other than that slight defect, the lamp just works fine. Who would have thought that there would be a second life for these cheap, American-made accent lamps--now avidly collected by 'mid-century moderne' collectors--when tacky was the new 50s fad?

182. VINTAGE MORION MASK

2011-07-07T05:18:00.000-07:00

Now here's a nice Morion mask I found in my fave Plaridel antique haunt. Masks like this are used during the annual Moriones Festival in Marinduque, in which people, masked and garbed like Roman soldiers, participate in the unique Lenten rites, culminating in the search for Longinus.

The masks, which are fine examples of folk art, are carved out of Dapdap wood by local sculptors (who also sculpt religious statues) although some are done in papier maché. Painted red or pink, they almost always show a stern expression, with wide, staring eyes, large noses, black beard and open mouth. The turbante, or headgear, mimics that of a Roman centurion's helmet. This particular example is made from wood and raffia brush. When finished, a mask may weigh about 2 kilograms. A new Morion mask is priced at an average Php3,500, but I was lucky to get this for just half the price.

181. A 50s REPLOGLE SCHOOL GLOBE

2011-07-07T05:14:00.000-07:00

I always wished our class had a school globe, because I thought it's one of those things that made a school---well, a school. But I went to a public school that was always short of funding, so our class never had one. That's why when I found this 10 inch Replogle globe in a thrift shop, I just had to have it--despite the fact that it's missing its original base. The company that made these paper-wrapped globes was started by Luther Replogle in 1930, a school supply salesman who had a special interest in globes. He hand-assembled the globes and sold them from his Chicago apartment. To make one, one has to cut 'map gores' by hand, which were then applied manually to a globe ball, a time-consuming process.

Today, Replogle is the biggest manufacturer of globes in the world. The maps in my vintage globe show all nations, colonies, possessions, boundary lines and place names as approved by the U.S. Government. Of course, the first country checked--the Philippines--still had for its capital, Manila. Its population was still under 500,000 (as indicated by a 'star' legend). What a different perspective of the world this vintage reference globe offers! From longitudes, latitudes, international date lines, prime meridians to zero point and the equator, there's so much to learn, and it's good to wonder!

180. ELIZABETH TAYLOR Coloring Book

2011-06-26T02:04:00.001-07:00

For me, Hollywood glamor and beauty will always be epitomized by Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011). This British-American actually started as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age, known for her her acting talents, her wealthy lifestyle, distinctive violet eyes--not to mentioned her 8 marriages! From the time she made the successful National Velvet (1944) , to her Oscar triumphs (Butterfield 8 and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) , Liz Taylor proved to be an accomplished actress, often partnered with Richard Burton, who became her husband after making Cleopatra (1963). She was also noted for her AIDS advocacy, a passion she shared with Michael Jackson. She received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the Legion of Honour, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and a Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute, who put her on their list of the "Greatest American Screen Legends". Taylor died of heart failure at the age of 79.

At a time when her career was about to take off, Whitman Publishing Co., issued this large format Elizabeth taylor Coloring Book in 1952, an authorized edition from MGM, with coloring pages drawn by Lee Lunzer. The 64-page book features the young Liz at the prime of her youth, decades before death claimed her this year at age 79.
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179. Dollified: JORDAN OF NKOTB

2011-06-22T17:13:00.001-07:00

Remember the NKOTB? (New Kids On The Block)? Not too long ago, this American boy band from Boston took the music world by storm in the late 80s and early '90s with their record-breaking songs (80 million sold worldwide) and a slew of American Music Awards. The band members included Donnie Wahlberg (Marky Mark's sibling), Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood, Jonathan andJordan Knight--whose 1991 dollified likeness is featured here. This 12" Jordan 'action fashion figure' is from the Collectors Series and made by Big StepCollectibles/Hasbro Inc. I bought this at a discounted price in a Hong Kong toy shop years ago. On ebay, this indivual doll is priced from anywhere between $9.99 to 49.99. A complete 5-doll set goes anywhere from $100-185!!.

After disbanding in 1994, Jordan Knight scored post NKOTB success when he released a self-titled solo album in 1999 that went gold. He also scored a top 10 hit with "Give It to You", which went platinum. His second solo album entitled "Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block: The Remix Album" was also warmly received. Not bad, huh? Even his dolls sell well on ebay!

178. Holy Cards! ESTAMPITAS

2011-06-22T17:11:00.001-07:00

"Estampitas" or holy cards are small, mass-produced religious pictures for the use of the faithful. They usually feature a saint or a sacred scene on paper while the reverse typically contains a prayer, some of which promise an indulgence for its recitation. The circulation of these cards is an important part of the visual folk culture of Roman Catholics. Early estampitas were just small black and white engravings, but withe the advancement of printing processes (e.g. lithography and chromolithography), they became more colorful and artistic. Estampitas range from plain to fancy--some have gilt, die-cut edges. The more precious are lace estampitas, in which the borders are delicately cut to mimic fragile laces. A range of affordable examples are shown above.

177. Boxed: SPACE 1999

2011-06-22T17:01:00.001-07:00

Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that aired from 1975 to 1977, produced by Gerry & Sylvia Anderson . It tells of a cataclysmic accident on 1999, where the Moon was knocked out of its orbit, sending i 311 inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha hurtling into space.
Main stars include husband and wife Martin Landau and Barbara Bain who portrayed Commander John Koenig and Dr. Helena Russell respectively. Its fame was shortlived, but long enough to merit its own lunchbox, manufactured by King Seeley Thermos in 1976. The front panels show the stars--Dr. Russell with her nemesis--a multi-tentacled monster, while the Cmdr. Koenig side features a lunar rover. In 1975, 1999 seemed so remote. But 1999 came and went and we've not seen any futuristic creature remotely looking like those featured in the show. And did I tell you that Martin and Barbara has since split up as a couple? Maybe they needed more--space.

176. REPORT CARDS OF JORGE PINEDA'S SONS

2011-05-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

While rummaging thru the stuff of my favorite Q. C. dealer, I chanced upon these 70++ year old Report Cards of the children of famed artist, Jorge Pineda (26 July 1879-12 Sept 1946), a peer of Fernando Amorsolo and an award-winning artist at the St. Louis Universal Exposition in St Louis, Missouri. As a resident cartoonist in The Philippines' Free Press, Pineda was also famous for his portraits of Filipina women and rustic landscapes. Pineda married late at age 40 in 1919, settled in Balintawak with his wife and 3 children: Jorge Jr., Isagani and Araw.

His children were enrolled at the Arellano High School during the 1930s and these report cards give us a glimpse of their academic performance. Eldest son Jorge Jr. finished his sophomore year at Arellano from 1934-35. In all, he was an average student, earning a pair of 75s for Literature and Science, while excelling in Geometry with a final grade of 90. This is a vast improvement from his First Year where he finished with a 65 in Literature-- a barely passing mark.

Meanwhile, the younger Isagani graduated from Arellano High at age 17 in 1939 also with satisfactory grades. It would seemed he was better than his kuya as he only got one line of "7" grade--75 to be exact--earned for Literature, during the 1st grading period. Like his brother, Isaganai as apparently proficient in numbers- getting a high 85 for Physics. He also earned a "B" (Above Average) in P.E. and Preparatory Military Training. American Mabel Carlson was the high school principal of Arellano at the time the Pineda boys were schooling there.

Both cards were dutifully signed by their father-artist, Jorge Pineda, at the back of the card. His signature in script is very different from the way he signed his paintings (JPineda, in block letters). I don't know what became of his sons afterwards, but, judging from their scholastic achievements, they must have excelled in numbers more than in Art!

175. GRACE KELLY Coloring Book

2011-05-15T03:31:00.000-07:00

Grace Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was a true Hollywood royalty as she became a princess in real life. She bcame an actress at age 20 and won an Academy Award for "The Country Girl". This very desirable 1954 coloring book of her, made by Whitman, was printed at the peak of her career and designed to appeal to starstruck kids. At age 26, she met and married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and retired from her movie career to fulfill her duties as Princess Grace. The royal couple had three children: Caroline, Albert, and Stéphanie. She also retained her American roots, maintaining dual US and Monégasque citizenships. On September 14, 1982, she lost control of her automobile, crashed and died after suffering a stroke. Daughter Stéphanie, who was in the car with her, survived the accident. In June 1999, the American Film Institute ranked her #13 in their list of top female stars of American cinema.

174. Seeing Stars: 1951 SONG-MOVIE MAGS

2011-05-15T03:26:00.000-07:00

Then and now, weekly entertainment magazines enjoyed wide readership among movie and radio fans, who avidly read the latest activities about their favorite actors. These well-thumbed copies from the early 50s--Literary SONG-MOVIE Magazine--gave the reader updates on the latest movies-in-the-making, happenings in the lives of stars like Efren Reyes, Tita Duran, Lilia Dizon, Rogelio de la Rosa, Lota Delgado and Cesar Ramirez via chatty columns and interviews all for 40 centavos. Colored full-page close-ups of the glamor stars were included in these magazines for collecting and scrapbooking.

Today of course, you can learn about any star's shenanigans not just through printed magazines but also through Twitter, google and facebook. You can watch their sex videos, read about their escapades, illicit affairs and vices with just a click of the mouse. Why, you can even stalk them online! Times may have changed but not our preoccupation with the life and times (and dirt) of popular movie stars.

173. Hey, hey it's: THE MONKEEMOBILE

2011-05-12T04:54:00.000-07:00

"Hey, hey we're the Monkees!"
In 1967, the American-assembled boy band, THE MONKEES, was launched on TV and took the teen world by storm. Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, Mark Nesmith and the diminutive Davy Jones became instant bubblegum celebrities and their songs and music became known worldwide--from "Last Train to Clarksville", "Daydream Believer" and "I Wanna Be Free" (which we used to sing to death in our high school songfest).

Aside from their hit records, there were Monkees lunchboxes, Monkees puppets, Monkees books, Monkees Viewmaster---and Monkeemobiles-- toy replicas of their funky tour car. The more common ones were the small diecast Corgi toys made in 1966, but rarer still is this 1968
tin batter- operated and friction 1968 Pontiac GTO Monkeemobile car made by ASC of Japan.
Unfortunately, this Monkeemobile--found in a Cubao junk shop, has lots of missing parts. Of the band members, only the vinyl body of the driver remains. The car used to have a plastic windshield and comes with soft rubber tires with chrome hubcaps. There also used to be a battery operated sound box, which when switched, plays the TV show theme song. One example of this rare Monkeembolie in pristine condition and with box intact sold for a whopping $1, 191.78 in an auction! Why, I can buy a real, driveable car with stereo for that amount!

172. SHIRLEY TEMPLE Crayon Book

2011-04-14T05:17:00.001-07:00

Another nice example of Shirleyana---inspired by the child star Shirley Temple, who turned 83 this year! Unbeleivebale how time flies. One day she' "On the Good Sip Lollipop", the next, she's the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia! But before her career shift, little Shirley regaled us with such hit movies as "Bright Eyes", "Curly Top" and "Heidi". Her years as a child star spawned merchandise of such variety---from the most expensive child-size Shirley Temple dolls with their own doll buggies to more affordable paper items such as this "Shirley Temple Crayon Book"--whose only connection with Shirley is the diecut photo cover. The inside pages feature blank pages for doodling, sketching and scrawling. But maybe you need a little drink of Shirley Temple first--for a bit of creative inspiration..

171. PHILIPPINE MOVIE STARS FAN PHOTOS

2011-04-12T22:50:00.000-07:00

Real photo fan photos that doubled as postcards were very popular during the early '50s and were sold in shops, news stands and photo stores all over the country. One could also write the studio or the actor himself to request for a photo complete with dedication. These examples, bought from a Philippine ebay seller, are a few examples--portraits of some of the most popular stars during the Golden Age of Philippine cinema.

From LEFT TO RIGHT: Lucita Goyena (late 30s star who was a favorite leading lady of Fernando Poe Sr.), Corazon Noble (known today as Jay Ilagan's mother) and Elsa Oria ("Singing Sweetheart of the Philippines who starred in many musicals).

From LEFT TO RIGHT: Leopoldo Salcedo ("The Great Profile", Lionel Barrymore of the Phils.), Fernando Poe Sr. (FPJ's father who died of rabies in 1953) and Rogelio de la Rosa (Philippines' most famous actor of the 50s, future ambassador and senator).

170. BEWITCHED Fun and Activity Book

2011-04-11T23:56:00.000-07:00

This popular, award-winning comedy show that had for its premise an ad executive marrying a witch who can't resist using her magic to solve problems--was created by Sol Saks in 1964. The stellar cast headed by Elizabeth Montgomery (as the witch-wife, Samantha Stephens), Dick York (the original Darrin, the harried ad man, replaced later by Dick Sargent), Agnes Moorhead (as the catty, meddling mother-in-law Endora who does not approve of her mortal son-in-law), George Tobias and Sandra Gould 9as the suspicious neighbors, the Kravitz) and David White (as the slave driver boss, Larry Tate). Tabitha, the Stephens' daughter who also had some powers, was portrayed alternately by twins Erin & Diane Murphy.

In its successful 8 year run, "Bewitched" won 4 Golden Globes, plus a couple of acting Emmys. The series was the basis of many TV collectibles including a Samantha Stephen doll, pocketbooks, coloring and activity books such as this one. In 2005, Nicole Kidman reprised the role of Samantha Stephens in the movie version of "Bewitched", but the original 1964 series held more magic for the show's millions of spellbound fans.

169. PAT BOONE PAPER DOLLS

2011-04-04T02:05:00.000-07:00

Pat Boone (b. June 1, 1934) was one of the most successful pop singers in the United States during the '50s and early '60s. Hesang black artists' songs but sold more copies than them--like "Long Tall Sally", "Ain't That A Shame", "Tutti-Frutti", "Two Hearts, Two Kisses" and I Almost Lost My Mind". He sold over 45 million albums, had 38 Top 40 hits and appeared in more than 12 Hollywood movies, and, according to Billboard, was the second biggest charting artist of the late 1950s, behind only Elvis Presley but ahead of Ricky Nelson and The Platters.

In a poll, Boone was nearly the "two-to-one favorite over Elvis Presley among boys and preferred almost three-to-one by girls...". Today, Pat Boone continues to perform and pursue his other interests like politics, basketball, religion and writing. This 1950s paper doll of him by Whitman is proof of his widespread popularity in the rock 'n roll era--despite his old-fashioned values!

168. Color her Ferocious: BETTE DAVIS COLORING BOOK

2011-03-27T03:26:00.001-07:00

Color her feisty, fiery and ferocious!
Bette Davis (b.1908/d.1989) was a stage actress before making the move to the silver screen in 1930. Her first films ("The Bad Sister", "Seed"), didn't create any ripples so she was dropped from her Columbia Pictures contract. She was picked up by george Carliss who cast her as the lead in "The Man Who Played God", and her career took off. In 1934, she played the shrew, Mildred, in "Of Human Bondage" and won critical acclaim. She became well known for playing unsympathetic characters but was praised for her ability to shift from role to role--be it in comedy, historical drama, crime stories or romances. She would earn 10 Oscar nominations, winning two (Best Actress in "Dangerous" and "Jezebel"). Not only was she the 1st female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but she was also the 1st woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. At the height of her fame, many authorized merchandise were produced to cash in on her popularity as a Hollywood celebrity. Her last appearance was in "Wicked Stepmother" (1989). She died in France the same year, later in October. Her memory lives on in this coloring book I picked up from a U.S. thrift shop and in the 80s song that Kim Carnes popularized and which I kept imitating as I type this entry:

"She'll tease you
She'll unease you
Just to please you
She's got Bette Davis eyes.."

167. Pinback: KOLYNOS TOOTHPASTE

2011-03-13T05:06:00.001-07:00

Kolynos was one of the first toothpastes made available in the Philippines that was created by N.S. Jenkins in 1908. It became a popular brand and was widely promoted by way of radio programs through music. In 1936, 15 year old Esen "Priscilla" Aristorenas was named as "Priscilla the Kolynos Girl" in a radio show sponsored by the brand. She was a huge success, singing most jazz songs that were new to the ears of music-loving Filipinos. The show lasted until 1942. A few Kolynos advertising premiums survived (I once had a cardboard counter display of the Kolynos mascot which I gave away--regrettably!), and this pinback--a foreign issue-- is just one of them. In 1995, Kolynos was bought by its own competitor--Colgate-Palmolive.

166. COKE COOLER RADIO is it!

2011-03-13T05:03:00.001-07:00

It's the real thing!
A hard-to-find Coca Cola radio set from the '50s--and made in the Philippines! This was perhaps a store giveaway or a premium item that one could win in a past Coke promo. This is a working model, manufactured by Maharlika Radio, and is made from molded wood, that looks like 'lawanit'. This cool Coke Cooler Radio used to have non-working radio glass bulbs, but I have since had it 'transistorized', so it works just as fine. Wouldn't it be fun and creepy if it only aired 1950s programs like "Tayo'y Mag-Aliw", "Lux Hour" or "Reyna ng Vicks"?

165. Boxed: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER

2011-03-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

The TV series" Welcome Back, Kotter" was a popular comedy show that aired from 1975-1979, about a teacher with a heart and his inner city high school stint where he had to deal with troublesome kids. Gabe Kotter, the dedicated teacher, was played by Gabe Kaplan, while Vinnie Barbarino, leader of a group of young misfits called Sweathogs who liked dropping rhyming insults was played by pre-Saturday Night Fever disco king, John Travolta. John was paid $2,000 per episode and only did occasional appearances--but after Saturday Night, his fee skyrocketted and his contract had to be changed. This vintage 1977 lunchbox celebrates the show at its most peak, and is made by Aladdin. A rare, unused example with thermos and tags intact would be worth about $350. I scored this one for just a few hundred pesos in some garage sale I can't even remember. I'm just happy to see again a familiar artifact from my high school days--so welcome back!!

164. Family Matters: Talking STEVE URKEL

2011-02-07T00:38:00.000-08:00

In the 1990s. the TV show "Family Matters" was an instant hit, largely because of the antics of Steve Urkel. This classic talking doll from the 1991 I found in Cubao. This 20 in. doll is missing his glasses, but he still talks! Pull the string on his back and he says his famous lines--"Did I Do That?", " You got any cheese?" , "Nice work Mikel!". He also laughs and snorts! Made by Hasbro, this vintage Steve Urkel doll, being a celebrity doll, is bound to be more valuable in the next few years, but as of now, he is better off as a scarecrow for my desk, for the moment.

163. Playbill: AIDA PROGRAM & PHOTO

2011-02-07T00:32:00.001-08:00

Talk about being cultured in the 1920s! Manila Grand Opera House was the center of high culture during the American occupation, the equivalent of today's CCP. It featured Western-style entertainment, showcased Italian artists and local opera productions such as Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida", first performed in Cairo in 1871. It is the story of Aida, an Ethiopian princess who was captured and forced into slavery in Egypt. A military commander, Radames, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh. In turn Radames was pursued by the Pharaoh's daughter Amneris, who spurned her advances.

The 1933 Philippine production was headlined by the Manila Chamber Music Society and a stellar cast that included: Mrs. Angela A. de Gonzaga (Aida), Jose Barredo ( Radames), Vicente Vera (Amonasro)--all shown in the photo that was found separately in my flavor-of-the-month Q.C. junkshop. I scored the opera program (pardon the pun) from a Makati paper dealer. Others in the cast: Nelia Manalo (Amneris), Gerado Ayllon (Gran Sacerdote) and Manule Galicano (Amneris' father).

"Aida" has been adapted as a musical by Elton John and Tim Rice in 2000, but Pinoys beat the Broadway cast by 67 years, with their own version of "la grandiosa opera en cuatro actos y siete cuadros" premiering on 21 February 1933.

162. CELEBRITY PLATES: Daisy & Blanca

2011-02-07T00:30:00.001-08:00

Guess who's coming to dinner?
Why, Daisy Romualdez and Blanca Gomez, of course--sister actresses who made a name for themselves in the 1960s, when light musicals and romances were the order of the day in Philippine showbiz. Here, we find their images reproduced on two decorative plates, souvenirs of their stardom in those bang-shang-alang days.

The elder Daisy Romualdez (born Margarita Romualdez) was intriduced in 1956 in the film, "Vacacionista". is Filipino actress. She is sister of Blanca Gomez and are both of Spanish blood. She married former basketball star Manny Paner and has two daughters, singers Danita and Kristina Paner. Blanca Gomez was enlisted by Sampaguita Pictures to be part of the very popular Stars '66. After her star waned, she also married a basketball player of Crispa, Danny Pecache. After her separation, she married businessman Richard Yang and is now settled in San Bernardion, California with her 4 children. Daisy appears every now and then on telenovelas while Blanca is happily retired from showbiz.

161. JORGE PINEDA POSTCARDS

2011-01-23T02:30:00.001-08:00

Now here are my latest jackpots—illustrated Filipiniana postcards drawn by the award-winning artist and a peer of Amorsolo and De La Rosa---Jorge Pineda (b.26 July 1879-d.12 Sept 1946) . I found them while rummaging at my usual Quezon City thrift shop haunts—in fact, they were just the tip of the iceberg, part of an album that belonged to Jorge Pineda himself. Some postcards from the said album were addressed to the artist himself, sent to his Quiapo address. But that’s another story.

Jorge Pineda, acknowledged as the first art director of the Philippines, was an occasional painter but a prolific illustrator. He drew for the covers for El Renacimiento, and was a resident cartoonist for The Philippine Free Press. He also contributed to Lipang Kalabaw, The Independent and Telembang—all Philippine publications. He designed sweepstakes tickets, postage stamps, and the prewar 20-peso bill showing the Mayon Volcano. Aside from being a painter he also made commercial cartoon advertisements for various consumer products such as Katialis and Milkmaid.

He was also an avid postcard collector. He corresponded with his friends around the world just to collect postcards. In return, he sent out holiday postcards that he illustrated with charming genre scenes, romanticized landscapes and beautiful portraits of Filipinas. These are a few examples of his Christmas and New Year postcards which he sent out to his international circle of friends (earliest is for New Year 1911) with Filipino, Spanish, English and even French greetings.

There were also two all-occasion cards which did not carry any greeting, but still beautifully illustrated. Some of the postcards were delicately handtinted. Jorge Pineda’s artworks are very rare, and even postcards like these are hard to come by in the market. As these items come from the artist’s own estate, they have unquestionable provenance and are thus more valuable.

160. JOCKO

2011-01-23T02:29:00.001-08:00

I was rummaging at a recently-discovered thrift shop in Quezon City when I chanced upon this handheld pinball game with a great clown graphics (which reminds me eerily like that clown in that TV horror flick by Stephen King, "IT"). Made in the 1970s by Wolverine Toy (Booneville Arkansas) , the bagatelle game is made of plastic & metal it measures approx. 13" x 7" . I checked ebay, and the cheapest Jocko game (used, of course) is being offered at 4$, while the most expensive is $24.99. I paid Php300 for it--which I think was a bit too much, even if it's a working example. Sometimes, I just go too loco in my jocko.

159. Boxed: THE OSMONDS

2011-01-18T15:27:00.000-08:00

Take your lunch with Donny. Or Jay. Or Merrill. Or Alan. Or with the whole toothy Osmonds Bunch. This is a 1973 tin lunchbox made to honor the Osmond teen throbs that gave the Jacksons a run for their money. Still in good shape, despite some nicks and dings. The thermo is missing though. There's a rarer vinyl version featuring Donny and Marie, but this one looks better. In pristine condition, this lunchbox is worth about $75. Who cares if you have only a "One Bad Apple"? Take it to school in this spiffy lunchbox made by Aladdin Industries!

158. RHYTHM TOTE

2011-01-09T02:36:00.001-08:00

A must-have music accessory for the 50s teen is this vinyl record carrier to store and tote 45 rpm records from one shindig to the next. The "Rhythm Tote" comes with 12 brown paper sleeves where one can slip in his precious discs of Frankie Avalon, Elvis Presley, Sandra Dee, Buddy Holly (..and don't forget those of our very own Diomedes Maturan and Bobby Gonzales!). Many of these cheap plastic teen stuffs were made in Hong Kong--I even remember a vinyl wallet version of this, complete with a mirror! American Bandstand and Dance-o-Rama--here we come!

157. RADIO STARS FROM PURICO RADIO SHOW

2010-12-25T03:52:00.001-08:00

Purico, a brand of shortening, was introduced in 1919 by the Philippine Manufacturing Corporation (PMC). It was sold in carton blocks with the familiar yellow label. The products of PMC were promoted over the radio, then the leading mass medium before the advent of television. Purico sponsored "The Purico Amateur Hour" (It was later renamed Tawag ng Tanghalan/Call of the Stage for which the first TV advertising contract is signed, after PMC was bought by Procter & Gamble.)

The Purico Amateur Hour featured the brightest stars of the radio, dishing out songs and skits and what-have you--from Tolinday and Chichay, annoucers Ira Davis and Conde Ubaldo, actresses Rebecca Gonzales, Lily Miraflor and singing discoveries like Milagros Bernardo.

The radio program attracted bigtime stars (Rogelio de la Rosa, Rosa Rosal, among others) and gained a nationwide following. Fan photos of the performers and stars were issued for adoring fans to collect in albums. An example is shown above, made perhaps, by an ardent follower of the radio show. About 20 photos of from the radio program were assembled on a home made album of Manila paper, dating back to the 190s, the golden age of Philippine radio broadcasting.

156. I'M A JESUS FAN

2010-12-23T23:32:00.001-08:00

An advertising paper premium fan given by C.O. Del Rosario Inc., a beauty supply store along Azcarraga (now C.M.Recto St.) cor. Misericordia St. The shop sold everything from cold wave lotion, hair colors, setting lotions and salon essentials like scissors and curlers.

The cardboard , when pulled, reveals a full religious scene featuring Jesus Christ with a group of children and the biblical quote "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not..". A rather profound message for beauticians--recipients of this vintage folding fan.

155. BATMAN PINBACK

2010-12-13T16:24:00.001-08:00

A 1960s tin pinback of the famous crimebusting duo. I remember Batman was shown on Channel 7 back in the late '60s and I followed every Zap! Kapoww! and Ka-Blamm! episode of the cape crusader and his young sidekick in green tights. Adam West portrayed Batman while Burt Ward played the boy wonder, Robin. They live in a mansion with their loyal butler, Alfred in Gotham City, which was forever being besieged by anti-heroes like the Penguin, Catwoman, King Tut, Mr. Freeze and the dastardly Joker. Batman clubs were formed overnight and members got to receive cheap premiums such as fan photos and cheap thin lithographed buttons such as this, which dates from 1966.

154. Music & Memories: JINGLE SONGBOOK MAGAZINE

2010-12-11T16:07:00.000-08:00

The Philippine music scene of the 1970s was not just defined by moptop artists, British bands and folksinging groups—but also by a revolutionary songbook that became a byword in its heyday: JINGLE Songbook Magazine—or just plain JINGLE, to a horde of guitar-strumming, music-loving young people, myself included. Before JINGLE, we only had squeaky-clean songhits with predictable titles like “Hit Parade” and “Song Cavalcade”. But the launching of JINGLE changed all that: it was fun, it was attuned to the times, it was irreverent and wacky, it poked fun at the establishment, and it answered young people’s clamor for better entertainment.

First published in 1970 by Jingle Clan Publications, the first issue had the Beatles on the cover and featured 90 pages of songs—around 120 of them, 100 of which came complete with guitar chords. JINGLE was a staple in many high schools and colleges in the country, as it made singing and playing guitar so easy (the magazine had a pull-out guitar chord guide)—all for jut P2.50. JINGLE music had it all-- from Jack Jones to Tom Jones, Beatles to Monkees, Motown to Soul, Platters to Peter, Paul and Mary, James Taylor to Carole King, Pilita Corrales to Nora Aunor, ballads, folk songs, standards, songs from rock musicals (“Tommy”, “Jesus Christ Superstar” and more.

The articles too, were hip and cool, dished by a stable of writers that included Juaniyo Arcellana, Vicar Rosales, Pennie Azarcon and Ces Rodriguez. Emil Davocol and Dani Tagbo did very “in” illustrations that found their way on mod T-Shirts. I remember one beautifully-illlustrated poster that came free with an issue of JINGLE, a Pilipino translation of “Desiderata” done in calligraphy. I remember framing that poster for my room! Of course, JINGLE also gave other assorted freebies with every issue—like a Beatles’ bookmark, a David Cassidy poster , frameable quotations.

A lot of risqué things could be found on every page—from green songs and jokes (I even won First Prize in their regular send-a-joke contest, with my entry featured prominently on “The Grin Page”), protest songs and Anti-Marcos establishment commentaries. It ‘s no wonder JINGLE was one of the publications that incurred the ire of authorities and was targeted for closure during the Martial Law days. But so popular was JINGLE that it was soon made available again, spawning imitation songbook magazines like MopTop, Burgis (which became BM after Martial Law), He & She. It even raised its prizes to Php 4.75 in 1077, and two years later, an issue cost Php6.00. Re-issues that came out in 2009 cost a whopping Php80.00.

JINGLE was line-extended with the coming of JINGLE Extra Hot Magazine that was a showbiz tabloid of some sort, but as they say—the original (concept) is still the best. Today, re-issues of past JINGLE editions are still available, reproduced to the last detail—including pull-outs—by Jackpot Publications.

Shown above are two original issues from 1977 and 1979, found at last year’s Greenhills Antique Fair, in good condition, priced at Php each. A cheap price to pay to reclaim a portion of my 70s youth. Err, what page again is that Jim Croce song?

153. SANTA CLAUS COKE ADS

2010-12-05T16:16:00.001-08:00

The first image we have of Santa Claus or St. Nicholas, shows the saint dressed in a bishop's miter and robe, with a kindly, bearded face. The Dutch portrayed their Sinterklaas, the giver of gifts, as a tall and reedy person in a red coat. It took the illustrator Thomas Nast to give St. Nick a rounder frame and a cheerier expression. He made St. Nick even more believable by giving him a workshop and the task of keeping an eye on children's behavior. He also gave him a permanent address: the North Pole!

America further built on this image in the 19th century by picturing him as a jolly gentleman, with white hair, a moustache and a long beard.He acquired a chubbier face and a ruddier complexion. The final milepost in the development of his image came from The Coca Cola Bottling Company when they used Santa for their ad campaign. Their artist, Haddon Sundblom, created an adult who ehshrined Nast's Santa's face and costume. The 1950s campaign continued for more than 40 years and this archetypal Santa image has been perpetuated and recognized as the universally accepted image of Santa Claus.

These two full-color Christmas Coca-Cola ads are from the back pages of National Geographic Magazine from the 1950s, found locally.

152. JOHNNY HERO

2010-11-23T17:07:00.001-08:00

Johnny Hero is a 13 inch figure made by Rosko Industries for Sears in 1965 as an alternative to GI Joe. He disappeared a few years after as apparently an alternative was not required. He was repackaged briefly (probably to dump unsold stock) as an Olympic Hero. Johnny came with a red number 16 shirt, gold shorts, socks and white tennis shoes. His body was a heavy foam with plastic hands and head. He had a metal prong in his hand that helped him hold a baseball or football.

Once you bought your basic Johnny you could then buy accessory sets from your favorite baseball and football teams. It is not unusual to find later sets with mixed accessories. You may find a Vikings helmet with Redskins pants and an Eagles jersey.

One of the problems with this line was getting the helmets and clothes off on and off of the figures. The foam rubber would tear easily and the helmet was nearly impossible to get on without cracking it or scraping Johnny's ears. That short production run also means that these figures are hard to find. Just a few years ago, you could find Johnny Hero MIB for under $50 and equipment sets for under $10. Now boxed figures regularly sell for $75-$125 and equipment sets for $25+. Well, I find mine in a local city thrift shop for just a hundred pesos! That's a heroic feat!

151. Busted: JOSE RIZAL by Guilermo Tolentino

2010-11-23T17:00:00.001-08:00

A small cast cement bust of our national hero, Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal, cast from an old mold made by National Artist for Sculpture, Guillermo EstrellaTolentino. Tolentino was a product of Philippine art’s Revival period, and studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. In 1925, he joined the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts as a professor and later became its fourth director (1952-55). Some of his well-known works include: The Bonifacio Monument, in Caloocan City (1933), The UP Oblation, at the University of the Philippines (1935), Venus, and the Alma Mater statue of the University of the East (1957).

This particular Rizal bust, which is only about 7 inches high, is numbered at the nape, and possibly dates back to the 1950s. It was offered on ebay but was unsold. The bust is bare cement, without paint, and was made to decorate a desk or a shelf.

150. Gameboard : OUR LADY OF BARANGAY

2010-11-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

The devotion to the Birheng Sang Barangay (Our Lady of Barangay) had its beginnings in 1954, when a Filipinized image of the Virgin was painted by a former leprosarium inmate, Crisogono Domingo for the Catholic action group, Barangay Sang Birhen Association in Cadiz City. From a local devotion, the following spread nationwide, and this rare gameboard--found in Cubao X--was made in 1958 by the Catholic Trade Center to further encourage Filipinos to "find your way to Mary". The game pieces are long gone, but one could easily figure out the objective of the game--which is a race to the shrine of our Lady of Barangay, with stopovers at various churches in the country.

Today, the Shrine of Our Lady of Barangay can be found in Tagbilaran City in Bohol, which is known as "Simbahan Lingin" or the Cogon Shrine where the image is now housed.

149. STARSKY & HUTCH: TV's Streetwise Cops

2010-11-11T15:18:00.001-08:00

One of my fave cop-and-criminal TV series in 70s was "Starsky & Hutch", produced by Spelling-Goldberg Productions, and aired by ABC from 1975-79. Army veteran David Michael Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) and the blond former Marine Kenneth 'Hutch' Hutchinson (David Soul), were the California cops who prowled the streets of Bay City in theirred and white Ford Gran Torino, looking to chase some criminals on the loose. The two were a study in contrast--one intense and aggressive, the other, cool and reserved.

Starsky & Hutch were ably supported by their underground informant, the jive-talking Huggy Bear (Antonio Fargas) and their non-nonsense boss, Capt. Dobey (Bernie Hamilton). The unforgettable theme music was composed by Lalo Schifrin.

For 4 years, Starsky & Hutch thrilled its worldwide audience with their action-packed adventures, but the level of violence had TV network officials worried. Over time, Paul Michael Glaser lost interest in the show while David Soul pursued his other passion--music--making a #1 hit out of the song, "Don't Give Up On Us".

After the 4th season, the ratings declined and Glaser quit, thus releagting the two cop icons to TVland Heaven. The characters were briefly resurrected in 2004, with a film version entitled "Starsky & Hutch: They're the Man" starring Ben Stiller (as Starsky) and Owen Wilson (Hutch).

This hardbound, "The Starsky & Hutch Story", an authorized edition based on the TV series was released in 1977, for David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser fans who can't get enough of these two cute Southern California cops!

148. PINBACK: Saturday Night Fever

2010-11-11T15:15:00.001-08:00

Saturday Night Fever, the movie that popularized Disco and catapulted John Travolta to international stardom was a global blockbuster hit of 1977 and 1978. As Tony Manero, the dashing Italian-American who ruled the Brooklyn disco scene with girlfriend Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney). This pinback button is a memento from those heady disco days when people bumped, grind and hustled their way to the music beat of the Village People, Sylvester, Donna Summer, Cerrone, Van McCoy, Hues Corporation, Chaka Khan--and of course, the Bee Gees. The long-haired Australian band with their highstrung falsetto voices thrilled us no end with songs from the Saturday Night Fever album that became a hot blockbuster hit worldwide, giving disco fanatics night fever, night fever, night fever...

147. Building Creative Minds with TINKERTOY

2010-10-17T01:56:00.001-07:00

One of the earliest--and best--Christmas presents I received from my parents as a kid was a canister of Tinkertoy-ordered from the commissary of Clark Field, no less! I got this special gift in 1964, at age 7, and I was delighted no end, keeping me occupied for hours constructing figures, pinwheels, watchtowers, vehicles, animated ferris wheels and robots from colored sticks and spools, supplemented with cardboard cut-outs. All I had to do was follow the instruction guide that came with the set. I played with the set until it literally fell apart and until now, I could visualize the fantastic things I could create with this unique toy created in 1914 by Charles H. Pajeau and Robert Pettit of Illinois. Pajeau designed the toy after seeing children play with pencils and empty spools of thread--and thus Tinkertoy was born. Today, Hasbro still makes Tinkertoy, in both plastic and classic wood. This complete and unused example of a Junior Tinkertoy was purchased for a few dollars at the famous Antiques Garage Flea Market in New York.

146. CAMAY ALBUM OF MOVIE STARS

2010-10-17T01:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a great example of an advertising premium from the popular soap, Camay, made by then Philippine Manufacturing Corporation (PMC), the future Procter & Gamble.

It is an album of beauteous Filipina movie stars of the 50s, with detachable color photos and biographical sketches of famous actresses of the day like Carmen Rosales, Tessie Agana, Linda Estrella, Rosa Rosal, Norma Vales and Nida Blanca.

It is often hard to find an album with all the pictures intact, but this example has them all. Camay has since undergone many relaunches--at one point, even the pronunciation changed into a more Americanized --Cah-mey!

But its association with stars and beautiful women remained. In fact. Camay Girls were some of the most recognizable women on TV in the 60s thru the 80s, a list that includes Pacita Goyena, Tina Artillaga, Maritess Revilla, Cita Revilla, Claudia Bermudez and Zsa-Zsa Padilla. In the 90s, Camay had all but disappeared from the product shelf, but the images of the legendary beauties who promoted the soap lingerin our memoroies--and in albums such as this!

145. The Green and the Amber: 7-UP BOTTLES

2010-09-12T01:59:00.001-07:00

One American soft drink brand that reached the Philippines in the 40s was 7-UP, that fizzly bubbly drink created by Charles Leiper Grigg in 1929. Originally, 7-UP was named "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda", because it contained lithium citrate, a mood-stabilizing drug used to cure hangovers. But it proved popular to the mainstream soda market, and soon, millions 7-UP in green bottles were staples ion picnics, parties and the homes, providing a refreshing aletrnative to cola drinks.

Its signature green bottles showing a woman in swimsuit with 8 bubbles in the front lable came out first in 1937. The design was kept the same till the 50s, although the bubbles were reduce to 7, in keeping with the 7-UP name. An interesting and rare Philippine 7-UP bottle is of amber and was used in the mid 50s and 60s. This bottle followed the 'non-swim' design produced until 1953. 7-UP's popularity has waned considerably with the introduction of Sprite, but there was a time when everyone was "'un for all, all for 'un, 7-UP the UnCola!".

144. Hello, Dolly: COMPOSITION DOLL

2010-09-12T01:57:00.001-07:00

I have forgotten where I found this old composition doll, which is typical of those made in the 50s. Composition is sort of like compressed paper mulch, sawdust and glue but much more durable than paper mache. Its head, arms and legs are made of composition material, the body is made of stuffed cloth. Though it has some crazing, dings and paint loss, this doll with close-open glass eyes is complete right down to its satin-and-tulle baby clothes. It's been sitting on a baby chair in my room for quite some time now and perhaps, it's time to take it out when I go trick-or-treating this Halloween. With all the crazing that has started defacing its face, this once-cute doll is beginning to look like Chucky's bride, you know, that movie monster doll who goes around with a baseball bat screaming---"I wants YOU for a best friend!" Nyahahahaa!

143. Prescription for a Collectible : LAXONAL PURGATIVE POSTER

2010-09-12T01:50:00.001-07:00

A paper handbill I got from an old defunct printing shop in Malolos touted the merits of a local purgative from the 50s--Laxonal--prepared by Angeles's Laboratory of Pulilan, Bulacan. "Hindi Delicado, Ipinagbibibile sa Lahat ng Botica" (Safe, Sold by All Drugstores), says the leaflet. Worm infestation was a primary health concern for Filipino children so much so that regular intake of de-worming medicines was recommended. Oftentimes, purgatives left children cold and weak, such that they had to stay at home during treatment. Of course, now we have more effective, safer medicines that you can take discreetly, without the needless stigma--and just one dose does it! One latigo, all bulate-goooooo!!!

142. Drinking Vitality: CHOCO-VIM

2010-09-12T01:48:00.001-07:00

Choco-Vim was my idea of chocolate heaven back when I was a kid in the 60s. Dairy giant Magnolia concocted the chocolate drinks, and came in straight-sided bottles such as this, and also in shorter, squatter bottles. When the family would go visit my aunt in Manila, she would welcome us with servings of Choco-Vim, picked out from her freezer (she ran Herran Kiosk). Choco-Vim would be reincarnated as Magnolia Chocolait in the 70s, and this time, it was made to appeal to the young go-go crowd. Remember that ad featuring young people cavorting on a beach as the jingle "Superdelicious Chocolait, Supernutritious Chocolait.." played on and on?

In the early 80s, Chocolait was assigned to ad agency Ace Compton and, in a twist of fate, I found myself writing the ads for it! I guess my love and affinity for the product showed as the Magnolia Chocolait Ad won creative awards! Anyway, Chocolait--now in tetra packs--is still being sold today, but even if I know it's the reincarnation of Choco-Vim, I still long for the day for the brand to return--original name, bottle, flavor and all. People from my generation still pine for the nourishing, revitalizing Choco-Vim--so much so that there's even a facebook group devoted to this bottled chocolate goodness!

141. Boxed: NANCY DREW

2010-09-12T01:44:00.001-07:00

If The Hardy Boys had a box, why not Nancy Drew? This 1977 lunchbox is based on the popular TV series starring Pamela Sue Martin. The character Nancy Drew is a creation of Edward Stratemeyer in 1930, which traces the adventures of a girl detective. First appearing in 1930, the detective stories made for juveniles were written under the pseudonym, Carolyn Keene. This particular box (copyright 1977 by Universal Studios) was one of the merchandise spawned by the hit, Nancy Drew Mysteries that ran from 1977 to 1979 on ABC. Initial episodes featuring Nancy alternated with episodes with the Hardy Boys. Martin left the series midway through the second season--and posed for Playboy Magazine-- and was replaced by Janet Louise Johnson until Nancy Drew was dropped completely in the final episodes.

Pamela Sue Martin however, may have the last laugh as her Nancy Drew lunchbox with its plastic thermos intact is worth more than that of the Hardy Boys. It has a value of about 50$ in good condition ($100, if in mint condition) vs. about 30$ for a used Hardy Boys box.

140. Retro-Plastic: CELEBRITY DESK CALENDAR

2010-09-12T01:41:00.000-07:00

A cheap plastic 'perpetual' desk calendar with date, day and month adjustments at the back. Just a turn of the plastic knob will make you up to date for your daily appointments! The featured celebrity is the iconic Audrey Hepburn, who was all the rage in the 50s and 60s ("Sabrina", "Roman Holiday", "Wait Until Dark"). Some may call this too kitschy, but I think it's better than some of the griahsly-designed desk calendars that I receive every New Year!

139. Flavor in a Bottle: RUFINA PATIS

2010-09-12T01:27:00.000-07:00

A true Filipino icon brand--that's Rufina Patis, perhaps the most well-known name in the local seasoning industry-- a notch higher than Tentay, Dalisay and Lorenzana patis. This flavorful fish sauce was first concocted by Lucio Lucas and Rufina Salao in 1900, an enterprising couple from the fishing town of Malabon. By the 1930s, the product was so in demand, such that in 1935, the brand name "Rufina Patis" was patented. In 1935, the demand for this product had grown so high that its makers decided to patent its brand name. Rufina Patis went international in the 50s when it was exported to Filipino communities in Hawaii and Guam. I still remember the catchy jingle that played over and over again on the radio "Rufina Patis! Rufina Patis! Ang patis Rufina...ay malinamnam!". Rufina Patis was first packed in bottled with paper labels. This 1950s-60s bottle has an applied color label with the signature Rufina font on top of a green circle. Other kinds of bottles were used, but the logo remained the same.

Though not as high profile and as visible in the marketing scene, the Rufina Patis Factory is still in operations today in Malabon, still churning out the flavor that first captivated Pinoy taste over a century ago.

138. SCOTTIE FIGURINES: Collecting Goes to the Dogs

2010-07-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

I've had this pair of black and white Scottie figurines forever! They are made of bakelite and I suppose they are from the 50s or even earlier. Every one seems to love these perky mutts; scottie terrier collectibles are dime a dozen. There's even a famous Scottie in the movie, "The Lady and the Tramp"--Jock, in an important supporting role. Black and White Whisky features a pair of Scottie as their mascots as well. I don't think I'll ever separate these two mutts--they have rested on this dusty shelf for, like 20 years? And if you think I am going to sell these soon, you're barking at the wrong dog!

137. Hand Carry: BAKELITE BAG

2010-07-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

A mid-century bag with a clear lucite handle, an octagonal bakelite top and a body made with woven metallic strips makes a glamorour, shimmering statement when carried in public. A brass clasp keeps the contents of the bag in place--maybe a Max Factor pan cake, rhinestone-decorated glasses, a red Revlon lipstick. Found this in a makati thrift shop, possibly a discard of a once young and svelte high society girl who once dreamt she was Grace Kelly. What a lovely thought. Maybe I'd tote this along in the office one day as my lunchbox.

136. Boxed: FANTASTIC FOUR

2010-07-25T07:35:00.001-07:00

Stan Lee created this team of heroes for Marvel Comics in 1961 and the adventures of the Fantastic Four were lapped up by comic fans the world over. The group included Mr. Fantastic, the Human Torch, the Invisible Woman and the Thing. They have been adapted into other media--appearing as a TV cartoon series in 1970, as characters in video games and in a number of feature films. The 2005 movie version grossed $329 million worldwide. This vintage 1976 Aladdin tin lunchbox is yet another one of the group's incarnation. The other panel shows other Marvel superheroes like Mighty Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Wasp, Falcon and Ironman. A A box in pristine condition was valued at 80$ in 2001, but this one I picked up for 50 bucks in some local variety store.

135. Mug Shot: QUEEN ELIZABETH CUP

2010-07-25T07:31:00.001-07:00

The Lady who would be Queen--Elizabeth Alexandra, age 25--finally assumed the throne as the Queen of the British Empire on 2 June 1953--after a year after his father, King George VI, passed away due to lung cancer. Hers was the first televised coronation in TV history, with stately ceremonies held at the Westminster Abbey. Many commemorative items were made as souvenirs of the historic event, and mass produced items included plates, books, figurines, household wares such as this now 50-year-old-plus mug. Made of ironstone, it bears the profile of the new monarch, who continues to reign today with her royal family that includes Prince Charles, the heir apparent, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Let's drink to Queen Liz's long and royal reign!

134. Jeepney Pop: HORSE HOOD ORNAMENT

2010-07-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

You don't see them a lot these days--these shiny metal horses atop jeepney hoods, often alone but sometimes in groups of three's or even more. If Rolls Royces have the Winged Lady as a signature hood ornament, our local honk-tonk jeeps have these equine fixtures, standing in attention amidst the clutter of color and plastic decor that define our national vehicle. Nowadays, you see these chrome-plated horses in antique shops, sort of folk art examples, priced anywhere from Php 200 and up. Aye, I tell you, Saraos aren't Saraos without these metal horses. Do I hear a neigh?

133. Time to Retire: GOOD YEAR TIRE SIGN

2010-07-25T07:24:00.001-07:00

This metal sign was salvaged from our Shell Gas Station which my father used to operate in front of the Calrk Air Base gate in Angeles, in the 1970s (it was previously managed by his younger brother for many years). I remember spending time at that gas station after school, its most prominent feature was a big billboard showing a gyrating dancer with the headline "Zoom, zoom, super Shell!". This particular sign used to hang in the service bay of the station, next to Goodyear tires that were available for sale in case someone got a busted tire. There were so many of these signs, I can't believe I only have one left. Eventually, the gas station business floundered and closed. Today, the space where Shell used to stand is a jumble of crowded commercial stalls. Indeed, the Goodyears are gone.

132. PEPSYCHEDELIA! Pepsi Advertising Posters

2010-07-05T15:59:00.002-07:00

Various psychedelic posters from the 1970s singing praises to Pepsi Cola, which, in those turbulent decades was the no. 1 cola in the country, outselling Coke by a mile. Remember "Have a Pepsi Day"? Or the "Pepsi Generation"? The posters are sooo Peter Max, relying on design more than the concept. Note the 'sarimanok' motif on the 3rd poster. Minnesotan John Clarkin is credited with bringing Pepsi to the Philippines at the close of World War II, becoming the 1st country manager of the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company. Advertising was handled by Ace-Compton Advertising in the 70s, but too bad I didn't get a chance to work on the account--it lost it in 1978. These are my only Pepsi mementos at a time when the so-called Cola Wars were at its peak.

131. THE OSMONDS YEARBOOK

2010-07-05T15:59:00.001-07:00

Back in the 70s, nobody can talk about the Jackson 5 without referring to the Osmonds. They arrived in the entertainment scene almost the same time, with the same "singing brothers" concept. Clearly, the Jacksons, led by Michael Jackson, became bigger stars, but the Osmonds too had their share of worldwide fan following. The boy band started in 1958 as a barbershop group featuring Alan, Wayne and Jay. They became Disneyland fixtures until Andy Williams spotted them and gave them a break on his popular show. Soon, the toothy Osmonds--which now included Merrill and Danny started making waves with "One Bad Apple", "Crazy Horses" and the now-classic "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". Osmondmania was on!! Danny emerged as the lead star, and the '1ts family of entertainment' expanded to include Jimmy and Marie osmond who also found fame as a solo artist (remember, "Paper Roses"). Why, the Osmonds even visited the Philippines and perfomed at the Araneta Coliseum at the height of their careers!

As usual, lots of merchandise--from dolls, posters, coloring books and 'annuals' such as the ones pictured above, were produced to satisfy obsessed fans. Donny and Marie went on to have a successful TV show as well which ran thru the 80s. Post-Osmond fame, the family suffered financial setbacks but recovered. Donny became a Broadway hit with "Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". Marie became a businesswoman, designing dolls. Jimmy opened the Osmond Family Theater in Missouri, while the rest of his brothers formed a much in-demand country group. Recently, Donny and Marie were seen on "Dancing with the Stars", where Danny emerged as the grand winner. Today, the Osmonds continue to perform as individual artists and as a group, bringing back their music to their baby boomer fans in the U.S. and around the world.

130. DR. JOSE P. RIZAL PORTRAIT

2010-07-05T01:23:00.001-07:00

I was walking along Arquiza St., in Manila one day, and I chanced upon this vintage portrait of our national hero, Jose P. Rizal. It was well-painted and signed, albeit, illegibly and had paint losses, but the face remain unscathed, fortunately (this shows the painting restored already). Time was when every elementary school library or classroom in the country had a painting of a hero--usually that of Rizal and Bonifacio. Aguinaldo and Del Pilar were other favorites too, and I have seen at least one of Juan Luna. This Rizal painting could have come from one such elementary school. Rizal's 150th birth anniversary is coming up next year, so I thought I'd rescue our hero from antique shop oblivion, before it goes the way of "mi ultimo adios'.

129. ROOSTER TAKAAN, Paper Mache Mold

2010-05-17T01:21:00.000-07:00

Papier mache art is synonymous with the town of Paete, Laguna which has been churning out colorful papier mache figures of all shapes and sizes for many decades now. The industry peaked in the 1970s, when Manila antiques and art shops included these colorful, folksy figures to supplement their dwindling supply of genuine antiques. The horses were painted in red lacquer then the body was further decorated with folksy patterns.

Along Mabini, the place to go for these decorative figures was Junque, whose proprietor was no less than writer-culturati-book publisher Gilda Cordero-Fernando. Silahis Arts and Crafts in Intramuros not only carried these painted paper equines, but also other figures, like roosters, rabbits and later, women in Philippine costumes, angels and Santa Claus. In due time, even the solid wood molds on which newspaper strips were glued became hot collectibles. The example shown above shows a mold for a seldom-seen rooster figure. This "takaan", as they are called, was collected from Paete and found its way to a Mabini shop, and then to a shop in Angeles. where I found it. It is too plain and heavy to become a "manok ni San Pedro", but it does make a nice doorstop!

128. WEAPONS OF MOROLAND

2010-05-17T01:19:00.001-07:00

Aside from the giant Rosary and the Spoon & Fork woodcarving, one other house decor that defines Philippine interior design is the "Weapons of Moroland" wall plaque. In the post-War years all the way to the 50s and 70s, this decorative plaque that features miniature weapons from the Muslim South was a staple in many Philippine homes, as well as a popular souvenir item among visiting tourists. This example is the harder-to-find smaller version, measuring only about 6 inches tall, is an example from the 1950s. It is of cheap plywood and painted aluminum and features the Philippine seal as well as a Moro shield in the middle of the wooden panel. The blades are made from cut aluminum. Some of the names of the weapons are kaus, kampilan, barong, laring, pira, panabas and many more (the larger version of this plaque features 22 weapons in all.)However, this plaque is missing three weapons: the Puñal, Kris and Bangkon. The "Weapons of Moroland" are still being made in fewer quantities today as their appeal has largely diminished brought about by more enduring souvenirs like giant folding fans, man-in-a-barrel, and yes--woodcarved Spoons and Fork, which continues to find favor in the homes of the nouveau rich and famous.

127. Coloring Book: BEN CASEY

2010-05-03T17:49:00.001-07:00

Before Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, there's Ben Casey--a medical drama series on TV that ran from 1961-66. Its main star, the heartthrob Vince Edwards played the role of the young, hunky doctor Ben Casey, a surgeon at County General Hospital. He was mentored by Dr. David Zorba (played by Sam Jaffe). The show found stiff competition from Dr. Kildare, also a medical drama series from NBC, which starred the equally cool and handsome Richard Chamberlain as the intern James Kildare. Both Ben Casey and Dr. Kildare even hit the airwaves on the same year. The audience was divided between the suave Dr. Kildare and the smoldering Dr. Casey, who was more intense, more brooding, more gritty--and more hairy! (blame it on Vince Edwards' Italian genes) . And, in the early ratings game, Ben Casey dominated its time slot. Both shows however generated a lot of merchandise like comic books, dolls, game boards, LP records and authorized edition coloring books--one example of which is shown above. The book, published in 1963, had pages to color of the doctor in action at the hospital.

Eventually, after 5 years, both shows were cancelled. Vince Edwards continued to act in Film and on TV (he made a TV movie in 1988, The Return of Ben Casey) until he died of cancer in 1996.

126. CHILDREN'S PLATE

2010-05-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

This antique ironstone baby plate made by HoldFast, a popular maker of plates and other houseware based in East Liverpool. I found this in Bangkal, and it was obvious the dealer recognized it as an antique, as it was hanging on a wall as a decorative plate. The central illustration shows a little boy and girl on a see-saw, who reminded me briefly of the Campbell Kids. HoldFast made many children's dishes, bowls and alphabet plates which featured letters of the alphabet written on the rim of the plate. HoldFast plates and dishes are noted for their durability and for their charming designs which often feature characters from Nursery Rhymes like "Bye, Baby Bunting" and "Pussy Cat, Where Have You Been?". This example is heavy and deep, and dates back from the early 20th century or even earlier. The best thing about it is, it still is serviceable, so now I use it as my breakfast plate!

125. CINDERELLA: A POP OUT BOOK

2010-05-03T16:06:00.000-07:00

There's a growing legion of pop-out book collectors today, first introduced to the world by Edward Nister and Lothar Meggendorfer in Germany and Britain in the 19th century. They charmed kids with their 3-dimensional structure and their all-action features that moved and transform elements on the page.

I remember buying this fairy tale pop-out book for five pesos from a local grocery store in Balibago, Angeles City that had all sorts of things to sell, other than canned foods and drinks. On the second floor, Johnny's Grocery had a sort of a department store with a mini-book and stationary section. This is where I found this 1971 "Made in Czechoslovakia" Cinderella, illustrated by Czech artist, Voitech Kubaska.

These collectible books were originally printed in the Polish language but the American versions were carried by Brown-Watson. The elaborate pop-out pages were retained, with surprising action scenes on every page, like this ballroom party scene--Cinderella and the Prince were revealed by pulling a tab that raises the curtains, with a retinue of guests standing in welcome to honor the pair. Alas, my "Jack & the Beanstalk" pop-out books has been lost, but I hope I can find a similar one on ebay which occasionally lists these books--at prices that will make your eyes, well, pop-out.

124. COOKIE JAR HEAD

2010-05-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

Vintage cookie jars enjoyed a brief surge in popularity in the late '80s when they were rediscovered by nostalgia fans who appreciated them more for their decorative and creative design, shape and form than their utilitarian value. These new collectibles got a boost when Andy Warhol's collection of period cookie jars were sold in an auction in 1987, for a staggering $250,000! There were character jars, advertising jars, animal-shaped jars, jars inspired by nursery rhymes, storybooks, pop culture icons and even everyday objects. form than their utilitarian value. Cookie jars were made by a variety of ceramic firms, the most popular of which were the McCoy, Metlock, Red Wing, Shawnee and Brush Pottery--all from the U.S. But Japanese firms also produced unusual hand-painted cookie jars like this one, in the shape of a boy's head, with his hat as the jar lid, complete with a rattan handle. Bangkal in Makati, that happy hunting ground of second-hand flotsam and jetsam, yielded this, err, kooky find!

123. Whitman Book: GILLIGAN'S ISLAND

2010-05-03T16:03:00.001-07:00

Collectible Whitman Books were published by Western Publishing, founded in 1910, and which became well-known for the Little Golden Books of our childhood--those thin, hardbound books with golden spines that carried titled from Sesame Street stories to children's classics. The company also came up with a book series for older children and teens from the 1940s-1980s. The series from the 1950s-1970s included titles licensed from popular movies and TV shows, and this "Gilligan's Island" authorized edition is one of them. Gilligan's Island followed the comic adventures of 7 castaways as they attempted to survive and ultimately escape from the island where they were shipwrecked. It aired from 1964-67 on CBS and was seen on Philippine TV (Ch. 7) as well as the Far East TV (Clark Field, included). The "Ballad of Gilligan's Isle", the TV theme song, even became a minor hit. I used to have a coloring book as well, but only this Whitman book survived to tell the "tale of a fateful trip that started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship. The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle. With Gilligan, The Skipper too, the millionaire and his wife, the movie star, the professor and Mary Ann...Here on Gilligans Isle!".

122. CAFE PURO FOLK-DANCE GLASSES

2010-05-03T16:00:00.001-07:00

Back in 1967, Cafe Puro, a local coffee brand--offered these glasses with folk-dance inspired designs. Native dances, from Singkil, Itik-Itik to Pandanggo sa Ilaw and Tinikling, were immortalized on these glasses which became popular collectibles. Consumers tried their best to complete a set, but I think we only managed to get 3 glasses. The colored promo ads are featured below, from a 1967 issue of The Sunday Times Magazine.

These Instant Cafe Puro glasses were made really well, and a lot survived to this day. My glass was found in a Cubao thrift shop--I found two, but only this one now survived, featuring a dance called "Kalapati", an Ilocano folk dance that mimicked the movements of doves. Cafe Puro as a brand still exists today, made by Commonwealth Foods Inc. Cafe Puro comes in foil packs now, no longer in pretty glasses such as these ones. They make better freeboes than those pricey mugs that today's brewed coffee shops sell--all you get is their company logo. In 1967, you get to drink and dance with Cafe Puro!

121. GOLLY, IT'S A GOLLIWOG!

2010-04-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

The "Golliwog" is a character of children's literature created by Florence Kate Upton in the late 19th century. The writer had been inspired by a blackface minstrel doll. The Golliwog was depicted in the book, "The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwog", as a type of rag doll. Subsequently, a doll was made based on this character which enjoyed great popularity in North America, Europe and Australia The doll has black skin, eyes rimmed in white, clown lips, and kinky hair, and it has been described as the least known of the major anti-black caricatures in the United States. The Golliwog doll has become the subject of heated debate. Some argue that it should be looked at as a cherished cultural childhood artifact, while opponents argue it should be retired as a relic of racism. My well-preserved Golliwog doll with its nice red suit and bowtie intact, was bought at the famous Portobello Road in northern London.

120. CAMEL CIGARETTE ADVERTISING POSTER

2010-04-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

A colorful Camel cigarette poster from the early 50s! Before the advent of photography, advertising graphics were hand-illustrated, but photography changed all that--making posters, billboards, handbills and point-of-sale materials more attractive and more cost-efficient to produce. Visual appeal is even heightened in this poster with the use of a glamorous model in a swimsuit! By the way, Camel cigarettes were introduced way back in 1913 by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. It was so named because the Turkish cigaratte paper used was an Egyptian imitation. In 9187, a "Joe Camel" mascot was designed, becoming another instant advertising icon.

119. THE LADY IS A LAMP!

2010-04-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

Now here's an interesting boudoir lamp that's sure to lighten up any young woman's room. A similar lamp was featured in a 1950s retro book, so when this was found at a garage sale, I just had to bring it home. This American-made lamp is of thin, molded plastic, shaped like a camisoled lady in a strange pose that reminds me of a body builder, no? The skirt is a half-globe with leafy and branch relief--what was the designer thinking? The effect is like a man-eating tree about to swallow a human being. Thankfully, the "ruffle" shade and the base were meant to be covered with fabric to simulate a skirt. This Lady Lamp still works although I dare not use it for fear it would melt if I leave the light on.

118. CAMEL PUSH TOY

2010-04-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

Now here's an old children's push toy that I only see in vintage photos-- a slightly dishevelled stuffed mohair camel that still moves back and forth when pushed. I think this playful Bactrian was dressed up once as a circus camel--it still has remnant of felt cloth that was onec part of its "saddle". While the camel is bald in some parts, it still retains its glass button eyes and the wheel mechanism still works excellently. This must have been European made and dates back to the 50s, as the metal parts are made of aluminum and rather elaborately put-together. I found this children's toy in Chatuchak, Bangkok's oasis of collectibles, pardon the pun, and now it reposes in tropical weather amidst my junkpile of vintage kiddie toy collectibles.

117. RONALD MCDONALD PREMIUM DOLL

2010-04-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

I thought I had lost Ronald McDonald, until I found him in a wicker basket atop an old book cabinet--still in its orginal plastic wrap. I remember getting this stuffed cloth-and-plastic doll from a McDonald's store in Hong Kong in the mid 1990s. You don't exactly get it as a freebie--you had to buy one Happy Meal, add a few HK dollars to take this home. Ronald McDonald first appeared as the mascot of the famous fastfood in 1963 where he lived out his adventures in McDonaldland, together with Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and The Fry Kids.

Over the years, may Ronald McDonald premium dolls were given away, with the first doll made entirely of cloth. Remco made a mixed plastic and cloth doll in 1976. This mid 1980s version is just your basic Ronald doll that doesn't talk, doesn't roll its eyes or doesn't laugh the way that evil Chuckie doll chuckles. So, for the moment, it just sits on a chair in my bedroom, doing nothing. Now, that's my idea of a perfect collectible! Indeed, it's a good time, for a great toy..at McDonald's! So, send in the clowns!

116. HEAD OF THE CLASS

2010-04-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

Now this this blonde lady made it to her graduation! Again another head vase from Japan dressed in a rare graduation toga outft. It is pretty obvious that this was meant to be a gift idea for would-be graduates and honor students..but what's with the red toga matched with a spangled tie? Made in the 1950s, it's another kitsch-y find from my favorite Makati Cinema Square dealer--where the only thing less is the price!

115. PEPSI GLASSES FOR YOUR PEPSI DAYS!

2010-04-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

Good old Pepsi Cola ahve always given Coke a run for ts money. At one point, it was the no. 1 selling softdrink brand in the Philippines, endorsed by the country's top stars like Nora Aunor and Torso Cruz (Remember, 'Have a Pepsi Day!'). Coke countered with its "Coke Is It!" campaign, and Pepsi answered back with "The Pepsi Generation". Like Coke, Pepsi offered an oddball assortment of advertising premiums--but these glasses, stamped with the graceful Pepsi Cola script, were common functional giveaways. They were collected through crown or 'tansan' redemptions, and were favored premiums for canteens, restaurants and carinderias. I found a whole set of 12 glasses at my favorite antique dealer--and now these pop-art Pepsi glasses repose in my old cabinet, ready to be used in case I feel like having a 'Pepsi Day'!

114. Holy Batmania! A BATMAN & ROBIN CLOCK

2010-03-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

Even the Caped Crusaders have to be reminded of their bat appointments and rescue mission schedules--hence, this bedside plastic clock. I don't even know where I got this, maybe from a downtown surplus store. A quick google search says that that this is actually a Talking Alarm Clock manufactured in 1976. (There's a Snoopy and Raggedy Anne version too, sold at JC Penney's). So is this a toy that tells time? Or is this a clock that one can play? How do I know? Ask the Riddler!

113. MERRYTHOUGHT PUPPY TAKES A BOW-WOW

2010-03-14T16:46:00.000-07:00

Merrythought is one of the oldest and most prestigious of England's toy manufacturers established exactly 80 years ago in 1930. In fact, Merrythought remains now as England’s sole remaining toy manufacturer. It is most famous for its hand-made classic teddy bears and soft toys that are highly prized today by collectors. This early Merrythought straw-stuffed dog is made from cream colored mohair, and is outfitted with glass eyes and laced with a red ribbon, maybe dating back from the 40s. The pup still has its original Merrythought label, and is in unplayed-with condition. I found this cute puppy in one of the stalls of Portobello over 20 years ago--and its homespun charm, to this day, continues to generate--what else--merry thoughts!

112. STINGRAY SUBMARINE

2010-03-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

I hated this show when it aired on Philippine TV in the 1960s. I thought the characters look so fake and so dead. Of course, I didn't know that at that time, Stingray was a breakthrough marionnet show, the first 'supermarionation' series to be filmed in color. Scrpted by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, the series ran from 1964-65 which was first screened in the UK before going on syndication in the USA. Stingray was known for its special effects, its haunting music and its submarine scenes that were actually filmed on dry land. But special lighting effects gave the illusion of being underwater, and for two years, Stingray and its crew, headed by the handosme Troy Tempest, enthralled kids as they battled the Titan forces of the deep. This floating propelled model of Stingray comes in its original box and dates to the '60s-- a great find after diving into a heap of junk in a local thrift shop.

111. ROY ROGER CUP

2010-03-14T16:43:00.001-07:00

Remember the King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers who rode to fame astride his horse Trigger and his partner Dale Evans? Back in the 1950s, Roy was a hot, hot star of film, radio and Tv that Quaker Oats Cereal used his likeness for the product premiums that they gave away to loyal customers. This plastic "toby mug", made by Marx in the 1950s, was a popular giveaway and is avidly collected today by Western and toy collectors. I checekd prices on the net and one example showed a similar cup with a SALE price of $22! I paid exactly 2 dollars for this cup in a Piscataway, NJ flea market. Happy trails to your hunt!

110. FARRAH FAWCETT DOLL

2010-03-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

One of the most glamorous pin-up stars to ever emerge from the 70s is the late Farrah Fawcett (February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009). She rose to international prominence as the diva dtective Jill Munroe in the hit TV series, "Charlie's Angels", first seen in 1976. Farrah, with her trademark bouncy curls, became a sex symbol and her iconic poster, released the same year her that Charlie's Angel was premiered, broke sales records and established her as a pop culture icon. She went on to marry Lee Majors, who was also a superstar on TV at about the same time as the " 6 Million Dollar Man".

A leading toy manufacturer, Mego Corp., capitalized on Farrah's popularity by coming out with a 12 and a quarter in. celebrity doll with washable hair. This 33 year old example, released in 1977, is missing its original clothes (halter jumpsuit) and its cut-out accessories (skateboard, skis and golf bag), but it still is good enough to collect. The world lost Farrah to cancer in 2009, but her memory lives on in this doll that has uncannily captured her likeness--and her inimitable Farrah hair.

109. BATMOBILE

2010-03-14T16:41:00.001-07:00

A BAT-tery powered BAT-mobile from the 60s! Holy mackerel---and it still runs!
Only a BAT-geek could have save this fine made-in-Japan BAT-meMOBILE-ia that comes complete with vinyl heads of the Dynamic Duo ensconced in the front seats. And take note of the neon green colored front windshield! This super vehicle bumps 'n go at a flick of a switch, with amazing lighting effects! There's a blue colored version of this toy, based on the TV action series, but this red is a classic! Now back to the Batcave!!