359. HEY! HEY! IT'S THE MONKEES WALLET

I had no idea what this Monkees memento was---I have seen Monkees comic books, vinyl boxes, Monkeemobile cars---but a Monkees wallet? It certainly was my first time to see one--and it was being offered by a collectibles shop on facebook! I googled for more information, and sure enough, my search led me to an auction site with a similar example. Turns out that this is a very rare 1966 wallet made by Mattel  (c) Raybert Productions Inc. It measures 3.5 x 4.25 inches, folded. The purse has a ball chain attached to a zipper. It has plastic sleeves for photos, slots for a comb and emory board and an insert for a small mirror, and even plastic change counter to hold loose coins.

The wallet is wildly illustrated with the caricatures of the 4 Monkees, with facsimile signatures--Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jones--surfing and playing their instruments. The Monkees Guitar logo appears at the top.The TV-manufactured band rose to prominence thru their hit series, "The Monkees", which found fame from 1965-1971. A pristine example offered by Hake's Americana Auctions was sold for $261 in 2005. This does not even come close to how much I paid for this wallet--true, it was missing the clasp (I had a replacement done at a shoe repair shop), but the graphics are complete and the rest of the parts intact. This rare Monkees collectible is proof that you can still find the proverbial needle in the haystack, so now I have become--what else-- a Daydream Believer!

212. FROM A THAI STORE MANNEQUIN TO A DALAGANG FILIPINA

One of my most fascinating finds during my Bangkok years was this plaster cast mannikin figure of a Thai woman for some defunct department store in Thailand. This must have stood on a countertop, perhaps promoting the fashions of the day. I have seen similar countertop mannequin displays of U.S. make, but this one definitely is a local creation, with distinct Malay features that could very well pass for a Filipina beauty.

The figure stands 24 inches tall and stands on a base with a Thai script that I can't decipher. A Thai friend said it reads "THAI PHAIRAT", but is not sure if that's the name of a shop. There are holes on her heels that you can slip through metal pegs attached firmly to the base. The only individual parts are the arms, which were connected by inserting the metal strips at the shoulder of the figure. One metal strip has been lost, so when I got this, the lady figure was armless. Some fingers have also been chipped off her hands and there were broken or cracked parts of her arms and body that have been glued back securely.

Despite these imperfections, I found the Thai "puying" (lady) really pretty--her hair was styled in a neat bun, and her morena complexion only gave her lots of Pinay appeal. For years, I kept her, as is, with a wrap-around skirt and draped in lace on one shoulder, simulating a Thai costume. She used to wear a strand of pearls, which I have since misplaced.

One day, an idea just occurred to me to dress her up--not in chic clothes that she probably once wore--but in a Filipiniana costume. I visualized her in a checkered patadyong, with a kimona top, with a wrap-around tapiz and a panuelo.

I took my Thai mannikin to a restorer of religious figures who willingly took on my unusual project. He fashioned the kimona top using a scrap of embroidered fabric from an old Filipiniana dress. A suitable checkered cloth became her skirt and the panyo. A few weeks after, my Thai miss mutated into a Pinay dalagang bukid! Here are the amazing results of that transformation.

From Khun Porntip to Bb. Perla--what a refreshingly, beautiful change!

137. Hand Carry: BAKELITE BAG

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.