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...

Bomber X

Bomber X, Takatoku Toys, 1980, Japan

With the success of the British supermarionation shows in Japan like Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, Go Nagai (yes, the creator of Mazinger and Grandizer/Goldorak !) went for his own "puppet" show. This is how Bomber X came to the air - from 1980 to 1981 - with a total of 26 episodes. It was renamed Star Fleet for the English market.

Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future...

If the USA had Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, then this was their UK doppelganger. Dan Dare is a British science fiction comic hero, created in 1950 by illustrator Frank Hampson. Learn more here.

Dan Dare, Kentoys, Hong Kong, 1950's

Davy, Davy Crockett...

Trapper, Herald, Hong Kong, 1970's

This one is for nostalgic purpose... since I used to watch the Disney series when I was a kid. In true life, this 19th century American folk hero was a congressman and a big opositor to president Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act. He took part in the Texas Revolution and died at the famous battle of the Alamo.

He could shoot at 40 yards of the target, and killed a bear with his bare hands... (according to legend)

The fun of Picassa...

Take a common object in the collection - a Raygun fo exemple (one of those with a big fin - I love fins...) and start messing up the colors ! Toys become art... Or maybe they were Art already, and no one noticed...

Rocket Jet gun, U.S. Plastics Co., USA, 1950's