299. Classic Ghostbusters Find: STAY PUFT MARSHMALLOW MAN

One of the most sought after collectibe figure from the 1984 movie Ghostbusters,  is Mr. Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (doesn't he look like a close cousin of the Michelin Man?). I found this sealed toy by Kenner in an Angeles City shop back in 1995, which still had old stocks of Ghostbusters toys, many in boxes. So what do you expect? I bought them all, of course. But this one is my favorite--dating from 1987.

Mr. Stay Puft, in his trademark sailor suit, was the final enemy of the first Ghostbuster, the chosen Destructor Form of Gozer, when Ray let the idea of a company logo "just pop in there". Out of the package, he sells for about $45 in great condition, but I've seen mint examples in their original packaging go for $200 or more! So sorry for the bad photo, I'm not about to tear Mr. Stay Puft out of his plastic cocoon; I ain't afraid of no ghost, I'm afraid it will decrease in value!

266. Sulit Kitsch: 50s LADY HEAD BUSTS

Don't you just love sulit.com.ph? The country's biggest online sell-trade-buy marketplace has the widest, weirdest, funkiest assortment of goodies any collector would go crazy for. One of my most recent unexpected finds is this pair of small busts, made of plaster, representing 2 fashionable ladies from the 50s. All of 6 inches tall, they realistically represent the midecentury look gal--from the puffed hairdo, to their mod, stylish clothes.

The first lady head bust looks almost Oriental, with rosy cheeks, red lips and puffed up hair held with a green bandanna tied in a knot under her chin. She wears a green blazer with padded shoulders, over a cream colored blouse, a style so much in vogue in the war and early post-war years.

The second lady wears a more daring outfit, with a plunging neckline, accessorized by a flower on her puff-swept hair. With her heavy make up, she looks like she's ready to paint the town red!

The back of the plaster busts are incised with what looked like scripts in gibberish, but upon closer examination, I recognized them as Burmese letters--which I can't read anyway. Maybe these ladies represent important women from Burma--actresses maybe, but Ican't be sure. What I am certain is that this kitschy pair are worthy collectibles, flash from the 50s golden period of Hollywood glamor and style.

259. Boxed: BATMAN AND ROBIN

The Caped Crusader and his young  buddy in tights team up to beat up a dastardly criminal in this 1966 tin lunchbox from Aladdin. Capitalizing on the popularity of the TV series "Batman and Robin", this lunchbox has a few dents and scruffs, but is still in a serviceable, displayable shape--sans the thermos. Batman lunchboxes have always been desirable and even in this state, this lunchbox is worth about $25-$40. (A mint example would go for over $500!). I can't even remember where and how much I paid for this lunchbox, now 47 years old--but I do know it's worth keeping, to remind me of my 'kaboom, ka-poww, holy mackerel" days!

242. A Case in Point: 50s COKE ALUMINUM CASE

One of my earliest Coca Cola collectibles is this stamped aluminum carrying case that can hold 24 bottles. I remember picking this up from good old Makati Cinema Square, which, back in the '80s , was  a favorite hunting ground for all things old, vintage and collectible. I've seen a few aluminum cases here in the Philippines; I don't think these were produced locally--local crates were of wood until the 70s, when plastic replaced them. The crate is divided into niches by means of metal rods that are covered in rubber. I just checked ebay and currently there's one similar to this priced at $96.00--with an hour to go before the end of the auction. Past examples were sold for $70 plus. As you can see, this aluminum crate is a nifty way to display my collection of vintage Coke bottles. What a way to "open happiness!"

228. Holy Wheels! A BLUE BATMOBILE!

 Holy Baloney! Another Japan-made Batmobile from the 60s! And this time, it's the rarer blue model variety.  This battery-powered super car comes with the vinyl caped crusaders, ready to take them to the scene of the crime, complete with light and bump and go action!

This Batmobile was inspired by the campy 1967 TV series, "Batman", starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as the Boy Wonder. There was also a black version of the Batmobile--and I am determined to find that one too.

As you can see, this Batmobile is a bit scruffy with dings and dents and some rusting all over. But that doesn't detract much from the kitschy appeal of this toy, which harkens back to the days when everything was over-the-top, with everyone screaming "Kapowww!! Kablammm! Holy Cowww!" every time Good triumphed over Evil.

225. Advertique: COKE "LEYTE" WARTIME AD

I found this full page, full color ad of Coca-Cola with a WWII theme in a U.S. flea market. It's a fascinating piece of ephemera, blending product sell with a bit of world history. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that depicts a Philippine scene---with reference to MacArthur's place of return, hence the headline: .."Yank friendliness comes back to Leyte".

This particular ad was part of a post-War advertising campaign mounted by Coke in 1945, as the world prepared to put the war behind and move forward. Similar ads--both in color and black and white--featured scenes from countries such as Brussels, France and Admiralty Island.

The artwork for the Philippine realistically depicts a village with nipa huts, with two Pinoy husband-and-wife vendors giving out Coke to their amiable "amigos'. "Ice-cold Coca-Cola has become a symbol of goodwill--and everyday example of how Yankee friendliness follows the flag around the globe"--so goes the copy. Wartime Coke ads are very collectible, redefining the brand role in difficult, critical times by associating the product beyond refreshment, in this case, elevating the soda as a symbol of patriotism and American international goodwill.

197. SMILEY MUG

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'.

179. Dollified: JORDAN OF NKOTB

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!

177. Boxed: SPACE 1999

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.

174. Seeing Stars: 1951 SONG-MOVIE MAGS

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.

169. PAT BOONE PAPER DOLLS

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!

166. COKE COOLER RADIO is it!

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"?

159. Boxed: THE OSMONDS

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

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!

155. BATMAN PINBACK

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.

139. Flavor in a Bottle: RUFINA PATIS

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.

132. PEPSYCHEDELIA! Pepsi Advertising Posters

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

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.

83. THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY GAME

I never get tired of this singing bunch--I just ordered the Season 3 of the Partridge Family TV series released in DVD! The hits series of the 70s inspired many merchandise like this boardgame made by Milton Bradley in 1971. It's your typical race-to-the-finish board game using cut-out Partridge Family members as play pieces. There's Keith and Danny, Laurie and Shirley, Tracy and Chris that you stand on blue and red plastic bases. It also comes with 2 dice, 24 cards and game inserts. This Partridge Family Game was in an unplayed-with condition when I got it from Hake's Americana & Collectibles. I paid $15 for this, which I haven't actually used for fear that I might reduce its value. Imperfect and used examples on ebay carry a price tag from 10-20$, while one in good condition sold for 50$! Pssheww! I wonder what budget-conscious Mrs. Shirley Patridge would think of that...

82. POODLE TV LAMP

Here goes another poodle collectible, this time, a TV lamp in the favorite 50s colors--pink and black! The twin poodles flanking the fiberglass shade sport yarn hair. This ceramic lamp horror was meant to be place on top of a TV to provide mood lighting, in case the light from the TV screen is not good enough. These were so popular in the 1950s that almost every home had them. I found this lamp in great working condition from a dealer who was downsizing his merchandise upon the closure of his shop in a mall. So he gave it to me for a bark, err, a song.