Lego's first "Man on the Moon"

Astronaut, Lego, Denmark, 1979

This is one of the little astronauts that came with the first LEGO space sets (set 928 - Galaxy Explorer / European box). A milestone away of all the STAR WARS and other Harry Potter sets available today. I did play so much with these little guys that it is a wonder they are still in such a condition 30 years later...

Definitely one of my classics...

Yes, it's a futuristic bike... but the driver is much nicer looking than Akira's

SoltyRei Rose Anderson (detail),
 Vice, Japan,  2010's

 

SoltyRei Rose Anderson (on bike),
 Vice, Japan,  2010's

Futuristic Bike, Vice, Japan, 2010's

I have not yet seen the OAV "SOLTYREI", but this bike has a certain art deco meet future design that is gorgeous. Where do I buy the real one ?

OK, the fake horse's ... goes up and the ramp goes down and...

Octopussy set (James Bond), Corgi, Britain, 1980's

The name is Bond. The gadgets are from the Q division. And the toy is from Corgi. The mini plane with folding wings goes out of the horse's trailer, just like in the movie. And James (Roger Moore) escapes unharmed... again, without a scratch... again... and right into a story full of Fabergé eggs, spies and more.

The green mean machine !

Thunderbird 2, Bandai, Japan, 1992

Extra Pod and vehicles, Bandai, Japan, 1993

The Japanese kids were hooked on Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds serie back in the 60ies - with fabulous toys being made.And when in the 1990's the series aired again, both in Europe and in Japan, they were not going to import the Matchbox from that period, but were going to make their own version of these toys. 

The result is this big green T-2, maybe not as fine as its British counterpart, but definitely in sinc with the big models of that spacecraft that were seen on TV. And as an extra bonus, they could order the pod separately with not one little Thunderbird 4, but with ALL the vehicles of the serie. (firefly, mole, excavator etc.) They even have the small FAB 1 that could fit inside. 

Off you go, Parker ! And don't scratch the paint...

Leji Matsumoto's KIKI's (Monchichi) - how cute can you get ?

Maettel, Sekiguchi, China, 2010

Captain Harlock, Sekiguchi, China, 2010

Driver of 999, Sekiguchi, China, 2010

Tochiro Oyama, Sekiguchi, China, 2010

Albator bagatelle

Albator flipper (bagatelle) game, Ceji ?,
France, 1978

A number of smaller toys have been produced in France on Albator (Captain Harlock), the space pirate. This little flipper game is one of them. I am not sure of the maker.

Car dealership of the future...

Gobot Combiner Puzzler, Tonka/Bandai, 

Japan, 1980's

Lamborgini, check ! Porsche, check ! Mercedes, check...

For me, this robot represents the end of the golden age for robot toys. Sure, it was still diecast (well, part) and it had a nice concept, but it is clearly missing the missiles and sprung laden features of Popy toys 10 years earlier...

It was one of 3 "put them together" toys of the Gobots line, a Bandai/Tonka attempt to cash into the Transformers craze of the 1980'ies. Did it succeed ? nope. (but it's a nice spinoff nevertheless.)

Lack of flexibility - parts that did not hold well together just from the start, much les after 10 hours of playtime.

Going around the world in circles and circles...

Around the World, Schopfer, Germany, 1950's

Who said world travel could be boring ? Here you get all the fun without jet lag... Made in Germany - this little toy has some nice litho, but why would they still use the Japanese WW2 flag ? Lack of updated sources ?

At your launching stations, and quickly !

Space Satellites with launching site, Luois Marx & Co., USA,
1953

One of my son's (David) favorite toys, this one is quite old but works as it did in the 50's. Put the flying discs/saucers on the top of the tinplate base, crank the wooden handle and zwooooooof - there goes the paint of our living room's ceiling.

Very effective - and definitely made before any "don't get my kid into hospital" protectionistic movements that made contemporary toys oh soo dull. (oh yes, because I forgot to tell you - at the left of the toy (blue disc with 3 pins) came a spring-loaded missile - and yes, sharp it was - and even more soo powerfull !) If you weren't that lucky, you could easily loose an eye on that one.

Dr. WHAT ? no no no... Dr. WHO !

Giant Robot (Dr. WHO), Denys Fisher (MEGO),
Hong Kong, 1977

Daleks were not the only robotized foes in the Dr. Who series. There was this guy also - meet Giant Robot. The beard is from King Tut - the rest is pure robotic evilness.

I am still looking for the 2 missing shoulder pads on this one. If anyone has some or even good repro's let me know.