Vintage Australian Toys & Ephemera
Being the consummate promoters that Toltoys were in the 70’s, it should be no surprise that Lee Majors and his glamorous wife of the time Farrah Fawcett-Majors were bought out to Australia for the launch of his Col. Steve Austin character action figures. There must be some images or video of their visit floating around, … Read More “Toltoys Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman Action Figures” »
A nice ebay find from a couple of years ago was this packaged Toltoys Frisbee. Another product of the Wham-O / Toltoys partnership, Frisbees were heavily promoted by Toltoys in Australia in the early days, as this article on the AFDA website discusses. How many of these were lost over the back fence or in … Read More “Toltoys 1973 Frisbee Mint in Pack” »
The 5c price point on this Australian Milk Bar store display for Streets Mountie ice creams suggests it is from the early 70’s. That also happens to be when I remember watching a lot of Rocky & Bullwinkle on Saturday morning TV. A Canadian moose in a Mountie uniform – what a coincidence! Anyone remember … Read More “Streets Mountie Ice Creams – Bullwinkle the Moose?” »
Last Friday I was lucky enough to attend the opening of our latest pop culture destination, All Star Comics Melbourne. The brainchild of a couple of old mates of mine – Mitch and Troy – ASCM has been lovingly crafted using the combined wisdom of 28 years in the comics-trade. Ascending in an ultra-modern lift … Read More “Australia’s Newest Comic Store Experience – All Star Comics Melbourne” »
Here’s a ripping piece that escaped my clutches on Aussie Ebay a few years ago, an early 80’s Milk Bar Store Display for Pauls Donkey Kong Icey Poles (Orange and Pineapple Treats). It features a competition for Futuretronics (The Australian Nintendo distributor) Game and Watch electronic hand helds. Did they come in take home packs I … Read More “Donkey Kong Icey Poles and Futuretronics G&W” »
And finally we have the Toltoys pages from the Toyworld 1975 Christmas Sale catalogue! The 6 Million Dollar Man heralded the arrival of Kenner as a licensing force in toys, cemented a couple of years later by their securing of the Star Wars license. Toltoys would come to profit greatly by this relationship, coming under … Read More “Toltoys in the 1975 Toyworld Catalogue” »
A few more pages from the 1975 Toyworld Christmas catalogue… Croner Toys had an eclectic mix of international brands including the popular Janex talking alarm clocks, I’m still looking for a mint boxed Batman version! The Holly Hobbie sewing machines seemed to grace every girl’s dresser for a time, including my sister’s. I can’t … Read More “More from the Toyworld 1975 Catalogue” »
I remember Toyworld stores of the 70’s as the quintessential local toy destination, a medium sized store on the local strip, jam packed with toys of all descriptions. They had the latest TV backed hits, along with the wonderful cheapie rack-toys for the after-school run. This great catalogue showcases the range available for Christmas 1975, … Read More “1975 Toyworld Catalogue” »
The iconic Speederbike was one of the most loved toys from the Kenner USA Star Wars range, and they were also sold here in Australia in Kenner boxes during the ROTJ era. Recently though the keen eyes of Aussie super-collector Pat O’Brien noticed that some local versions were issued in a slightly larger box than … Read More “Toltoys Return of the Jedi Speederbike” »