Ceci n'est pas une pipe...

Blow, and my hat will rise...

Smoking is fun for your health...

Clown pipe, ?, Portugal, 1960's

Asjemenou ?

 

Loeki the lion, Delacoste, 1977, France

Loeki the Lion was an animated puppet who appeared on Dutch public television from 1972 to 2004. He appeared in sketches that often lacked dialogue and was noted for his clumsiness and his catchphrase, "Asjemenou"... We got to know him in Belgium because he was ending the commercials...

We all live in a yellow...

The classic lines, the fenders that don't give up untill there is no car left... oh boy. Streamlined beauty. All plastic. All classic.

Limousine, Renwal, USA, 1950's

Flexibility and elasticity

Marc, Orli Jouet, France, 1979

This is one of the most common renditions of Marc (Ken / Ace Goodheart (USA)) the leader of Gatchaman / Bataille des Planètes.

He was sold like this and also on blister card.

Unfortunately, only four out of the five members were made this way (Tiny (USA) / Alumette (FR) / Ryû (JP) never made it as a bendable figurine... )

Hail to the King of Speed !

This plastic toy is based on the Auto Union Rekordwagen Typ B "Lucca" from 1935. It was made under different sizes, colours and numbers by the US toy company Renwal and renamed "Speed King" (Dinky toys UK also made a version but kept the original maker of the car on the box).

How can you not go fast in such a thing ? It's flying even standing still.

Speed King, Renwal, USA, 1950's

The real deal... (Audi Archive picture)

Save the universe - eat potato chips / crisps

Before the European Community went bezerk regarding toys in food packages, it was common to have a little surprise in potato chips packs. The Italians, well, they went premium with this figurine of Capitan Futuro. Assemble limbs to body and voilá... ready to play.

Capitan Futuro, Sorpresina Patatine PAI, Italy, 1980's

The nice thing is they respected the correct colors of the figurine (sorry Popy !) and the figurine has a lot of detailing for something that was given for free.

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