Another Classic LEGO Sticker

A while ago I showcased a very cool vintage Lego Classic Space promotional item, a large sticker with a couple of space mini-figs and a great space scene. It seems there was a sister piece to that item, a large Legoland Town sticker promoting the various Lego Collector Packs available at the time, 1978 judging by the Shell Gas Pump and Rally Repair Crew sets featured.

The stickers are all individually cut and are close to actual size, they would no doubt have graced the bunk beds, desks and school bags of thousands of Aussie kids obsessed with the recently launched 'movable' minifigures.

Were these stickers unique to Australia? Hopefully one of our international readers can enlighten me.

While we are on Lego I'd like to give a plug to Brickvention 2010, the national Lego convention and exhibition for adult fans of Lego in Australia, to be held over January 23 and 24 in Melbourne.

I literally stumbled upon Brickvention One back in 2006, it was held in my office building and I just happened to walk into the main display room before I left for the day. I was blown away by the creations I saw, including a diorama of Swanston St that had to be seen to be believed. Nice bunch of people too, serious about their Lego mind you, but possessing the regular number of heads and happy to answer inane questions from less expereinced AFOLs like your author.

Cheers!

Will

Kenbrite Playmobil / Pocket People Update

I've been remiss in not posting about the wonderful new third edition of Axel Hennel's Playmobil Collector book. This great book is an extraordinarily comprehensive reference guide to Playmobil worldwide, containing 4500 images over 650 pages. This edition has an expanded Australian Kenbrite section, as well as increased coverage of promotional items and catalogs from all eras and locations. There is even a nifty limited edition available with an exclusive Klicky (single figure)!

Indispensible to any Playmobil collector, order one today!

I posted a scan some time ago of a 1977 promotional tie-in between Kellogg's and Kenbrite, the Australian distributor of Pocket People / Playmobil. At the time I speculated whether it had actually occurred, since an example of the box or other supporting material had not surfaced.

I'm delighted to report the recent appearance of the back and side panel of this box, finally proving that the promotion did indeed go ahead. By sending away a 50c money-order (!) and nominating your choice of theme (Cowboy, Knight, Workman or Nurse) you could receive one Klicky (with accessories) from Kenbrite. I was more of a Coco Pops kid so I guess that's why this one passed me by! The expiry date on the order form is December 31, 1977.

It's pretty cool to know that stuff like this is still popping up more than 30 years after the fact! I presume the figures were sent bagged, I'd love to hear from anyone who might have sent away for this offer.

Cheers!

Will

More Ice-Creams!

Long time readers of this blog will know that licenced ice-cream items, and Star Wars in particular, are my favourite vintage items. So imagine the smile when the images below came down the line from Queensland, a few guerilla "on-the-run" snap-shots of a collection of original art-work and related items that remains for the time being anonymous...

The translite above shows a great set-up of the four Star Wars Popsicle wrapper flavours. Han does not look pleased about being Raspberry....

The next image is another translite of the original art used on the front of the Peters / Pauls infamous Jedi Jelly ice-creams.

Followed by a hurried :-) shot of another major element of the box art, the actual ice-cream!

And a translite of the completed product and wrapper!

The final translite above is one I knew I'd seen many times, and after a quick search I found its final resting place (flipped) on the side panel of the Star Wars Popsicle box, see below...

The last two items are a real treat, a very tough poster and the complete sticker set of New Zealand Tip-Top Star Wars R2-D2 Space Ices...

And the complete run of 16 sticker premiums...

I'm indebted to a very special Toltoys.com contributor from Queensland (who knows who he is!) for all of these great images, thanks mate!

Cheers,

Will

"I found my thrills..."

When Happy Days burst on to Australian TV screens in 1975 nobody could resist the lovable geekiness of Richie, the wisecracking mouth of Ralph or pure dumb nerdiness of Potsie. Everything 50's was cool again; the cars, the clothes and of course the tunes.

Standing above all though was one Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli, AKA The Fonz, AKA Fonzie. This James Dean / Marlon Brando 'Rebel above the Garage' superstar of the show could clear a stall with a look, start a tune with a fist, and defeat aliens with a single thumb and an "Aaaayyyyyyy".

Fonzie rode a motorbike and had a way with the ladies, a jacket that meant business and hair that had its own management. Little Aussie kids couldn't get enough of the show and the Fonz in particular, so of course he was afforded the greatest honour this country could bestow upon foreigners in the 70's, an eponymous snack food. As if that wasn't enough, the show itself was canonised antipodean style with it's own ice cream.

I remember Fonzies as a cheesy snack similar to Cheetos, complete with all that great yellow snack-dust that clings to jumpers, fingers and mum's back seat. The Streets Happy Days Ice Cream I can't specifically recall, so one of you guys will have to help me out with memories of that. The sticker above was a Milk Bar premium, I'm not sure if Happy Days were ever sold in multi-packs. The Fonzies stickers were most likely given away the same way, there are a number of others out there, I'll add a third example soon.

Henry Winkler (who played the Fonz) continues to appear in film and television to this day, while Ron Howard (Richie Cunningham) never really kicked on as far as I know...

Cheers!

Will

Classic LEGO Space promotional sticker

I stuck my fair share of these stickers on school books in 1979, so finding a mint unused one on ebay recently was a real joy. I have foggy memories of stacks of these sitting on the counter at Griselda's toy store in Brighton, or at the annual LEGO display at MYER Melbourne's Bourke St store. They are quite large, around A4 size, and are a wonderful item from LEGO's golden years. 

Check out that cheesy explosion graphic! 

Will 

 

Kellogg's Corn Flakes Playmobil Promotion

I found an interesting photo showing a 1977 box of Kellogg's Australia Corn Flakes, with a Kenbrite Pocket People (Playmobil) mail-in offer. It appears that you could send in the coupon (and 50c) to receive a Playmobil figure. 

Does anyone have an example of this box? I know there are some hardcore cereal collectors out there who must have seen it in their travels, I'd love to present a colour picture here on Toltoys.com!

You can get me on email will(at)toltoys(dot)com anytime...

Cheers!

Will  

Indy Coco-Pops Premiums

A few weeks ago I featured the Indiana Jones Coco Pops box from the Temple of Doom tie-in. 

Inside each box was a card premium which broke apart to reveal two picture cards from the movie, one photo and one sketch jigsaw piece. 

The same design was used for the Kellogs Ewok Adventure cards which I'll feature in a future post. 

Will