O Canada ! Our home and native land !

Spaceships, Reliable, Canada, 1950's

Sometimes the "less is better" can apply directly to the toy-design world. This is definitely one example.. These 2 rather flimsy space toys were made by the Reliable company in Canada and ooze classic Sci-Fi design. Fins ? Check ! - Curves ? Check ! - and look at all these windows ! They seem to be cruise ships on the sea of stars...

Strangely, they have different coloured wheels and axles between front and back.

Matsumoto Cels

Cell, Galaxy Express 999

Cel collecting is a fun way to have something unique from your favorite cartoons. A cel is a sheet of transparent cellulose acetate used as a medium for painting animation, well, at least until the 1990's (computers are taking over the whole process now...). It was transparent so it could be used over painted backgrounds, then photographed. Basic TV animation needs about 15 frames per second for flowing movements (Disney went sometimes as far as 24 cartoons per second).

Cell, (doctor) Endless road SSX

Cell, Maetel, Galaxy Express 999

Colour chart on cellulose acetate, Space Pirate Captain Harlock

Je suis sans famille, je m'appelle Rémi...

Rémi (wind-up toy), MI, Spain, 1980's

Another classic TV series of my youth, based on the novel of Hector Mallot : Sans Famille (Engl. Nobody's Boy). One of the saddest cartoons ever made, and really in par with the book. But even so, a whole generation watched this on a weekly basis !

Sacrebleu ! French spaceman ?

Spaceman, Cyrnos, France, 1970's

A number of soldiers are always kind of obscure to track - and even harder to pinpoint to a specific manufacturer. This one is no exception. A lot of companies made spacemen in France, like Clairet or Starlux. This one comes from Cyrnos ? Can anyone provide extra information ?

Guess he had a helmet to protect his brains

Baby Astro needs a nap !

... 'cause if he doesn't sleep he'll be cranky all day long. And like this he won't be able to save the world... So ? Siesta time :)

Astro piggybanks, ZCWO, China, 2014

pictures of yesterday's toy fair in Lisbon

Lot's of afluence yesterday...

Lot of blue MUPI tapes with projector

Can you spot Heidi ? and Prof. Calculus / Tournessol ?

Tin toys

... and lots of plastic

The one I had to let go...

More tin

One of the 2 (!) RAJA space ships on the fair. This one orange

... and here the blue

Not sure what make ? looks like a mixture of a Ford and a Buick.

Charlie, Reliable toys Canada

Boats and bees

... and beetles too !

Plastic busses - Portuguese

my booth

Ford cars transporter

Live long, and prosper... wherever you are now.

1951-2015

Sono pazzi questi Romani (SPQR...For the Senate and the People of Rome)

Obelix, Delacoste, France, 1967

Gros ? tout juste un peu enveloppé

If there is a character that represents all the "joie de vivre" of the French, this is definitely it. Big mouth, big heart and big muscles. Does not like Ceasar's soldiers very much (and they don't like him either, since they run like crazy away from them).

Dropped inside the cauldron of magic potion when he was a kid.

Sometimes wished I had that chance !

(on right) Asterix, Delacoste, France, 1967

Now the two best friends are together again

Nunc est bibendum !

Bibendum figurine, Michelin (?), 1960's France 

No, this is not an alien. This is the Michelin Bibendum figurine. Why bring this guy up ? Well, the Space Shuttles had Michelin tires...

So yes, went to space - check. (and yes, he left his cigar back home...)

See more here : Michelin website

And another Robotan...

Robotan, ?, Japan, 1970's

Robot with a medal. Sweet ! And it has a propelor on the head ! Even sweeter ! This little bot oozes nostalgia.

Around the world in 80 days ?

Phileas Fogg, ?, Spain ?, 1980's

Ahhhh. another one of the toons I watched when I was a kid. Thanks Jules ! (Verne, that is... not Ceasar !)

Do you remember ? Where is Passepartout ?

Astronaut meets tinman...

Space Man, Schylling, China, 2000

This astronaut is a copy of a Nomura toy of the 50ies (he was called "Earth Man" by the Japanese at that time). I wonder if the first astronauts really did go to space with guns of some sort. One would believe it to be futile, since any damage to the capsule would mean a death sentence for its occupants.

The fact is, during the cold war, space had to be "conquered" - instead of "discovered".

Maetel, the eternal traveller...

Maetel, Aruze ? China, 2000's

It is cold in space... need to get dressed warm and cosy ! Now I just need to find my suitcase and triple nine...

Höfler astronauts

Höffler Astronauts, Germany, 1970's

This group of Astronauts were sold together with PLONG Chewing-Gum... Making bubbles on the moon. Way to go ! And especially difficult in a helmet !

Don Diego de la Vega

Zorro, Caramelle SPERLARI, Italy, 1960

how kitch can you get ? 

Another of the great TV heroes of the 70ies... Every boy wanted to be Zorro... and no one wanted to play Sgt. Garcia...

The Empire wishes you a Happy New Year...

My Lord... Stormtrooper... My Lord... Stormtrooper...

Stormtrooper, Jakks Pacific, USA, 2014

Bigger is better, right ? This one makes a 12 inch blush...