Friday, December 31, 2010

Lipper and Mann Santa Instant Coffee Jar

Last but not least, the instant coffee jar.  As will most coffee jars of the period, this has a cork lining on the lid to keep it air tight (although the pixies use a rubber ring which tends to dry out and crumble away, the cork is better).  This one is cool because it has its original, incredibly flimsy spoon!

Lipper and Mann Santa and Mrs. Claus Creamer and Sugar

Two for one today, the Mrs. Claus creamer (she gets her very own solo gig!) and the Santa sugar jar.
 

Lipper and Mann Santa Jam Jar

"I forgot all about the jam" says the Mad Hatter, but fear not, L&M made a jam jar too.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Lipper and Mann Santa and Mrs. Claus Butter Dish

Another with the happy couple, and the only butter dish that I'm aware of in the pixie-like world.

Lipper and Mann Santa and Mrs. Claus Cheese Dish

Next up is Cheese Dish.  Not sure what kind of cheese was supposed to go in these, my assumption is some sort of grated Parmesan, but that is just a guess.
I like this one especially because we get to see Mrs. Claus too.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Lipper and Mann Santa Scotch Decanter

As December winds down to a close, I thought I'd post a few of my Santa ceramics from the 1950s.  I'll do another series next year.  For this year's installment, I'll do the Lipper and Mann Santa condiment jars, starting off with the Scotch decanter and cups.
Much like the Holt Howard pixieware, Lipper and Mann produced a set of tableware for the Christmas season.  This scotch decanter is the largest of the set, with its matching set of cups that spell out Noel.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas! A Vintage Foil Tree Photo

Merry Christmas to everyone!  I promise to start posting more in the new year to this blog, especially since our kitchen remodel was finally completed Wednesday!  Just in time for making a huge mess for Christmas dinner.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

1948 Golden Book Catalog

A couple of years ago I puchased a group of original catalogs issued by Simon and Schuster for their Golden Book line.  I plan to post complete catalogs here over the next several months.  First up is the 1948 catalog.  Full PDF download available here.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Whataburger

I recently took a trip to Texas to a concert where my wife was singing. While we were there I became reacquainted with a fantastic regional burger chain, Whataburger.

Man I love this place. I well remember the old drive-in buildings from when I was a kid visiting my Dad in Ft. Worth.

Things Whataburger has going for it:
  1. Shakes - these things are real shakes, not that congealed crap that McD's serves
  2. fries - you can actually get a true small order of fries, not a giant bucket.
  3. cheese - they use real cheese, another first
  4. jalapenos - you can get jalapenos on anything.
If you ever find yourself in Texas and get a craving for a decent burger, give this place a try.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Disneyland Armadillo Band Membership Card 1990

Man I loved these guys. It was the early 1990s and these 4 psychotics in band uniforms adorned with armadillo heads and claws would wander around the park making wisecracks and generally being dorks. Fantastic!

I particularly remember one day we were walking by Golden Horseshoe and the guys showed up. At the same time, four horseshoe girls in full regalia were headed back towards the Horseshoe, and the head armadillo said "Hey, look, Horseshoe girls!! Four of them, four of us", then much winking and nudging ensued, much to the total embarrassment of said horseshoe girls. Ah, memories.

Anyway, this is the card these bozos would hand out as they wandered through the park. I cherish mine.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Disneyland Mermaid Tryout Photos - Summer 1966

If there's one thing I'm a sucker for, it's pretty girls. Add to that pretty girls dressed as mermaids? Forget about it. Which is why I couldn't resist these photos taken during an audition for Disneyland Submarine Lagoon mermaids. Thanks to Don Ballard for identifying the season these photos were taken in (Summer 1966).

First up is a very nice group shot of 6 hopefuls, 5 sitting on the edge of the pool and one in it. I dig the oversized combs a couple of the girls are holding.

The photographer must have really liked this particular mermaid hopeful (who could blame him) as she is in 3 of 4 of these photos. I call her mermaid #1 since she is first on the left above.

Here we have another closeup of mermaid #1, this time she's looking more or less at the camera. Be still my heart.

And finally we have mermaid #3, sans tail. I you can drag your eyes away from her impressive cleavage, you will notice what looks like a nametag attached to her suit strap, probably her call number for auditioning in the pool.
These photos are very high quality, although these prints appear to be enlargements. For more pictures from this exact same day, you should head on over to Viewliner's blog, he has some color candid photos of this same group of girls. You can see mermaid #1 in photos two and three.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Countertops Being Installed Today

Our new countertops are being installed in our kitchen today. It is pretty much living hell right now, but it is going to look amazingly cool when complete if I do say so myself. Countertops are black with red and white boomerangs

with chrome metal edging.

Paired with our vintage hardware on the cabinets and drawers, it is going to be one bitchin' kitchen!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Mid Century Dining Room

Just a teaser for an upcoming series of posts on our home. Each room is a different period. Our Dining room is essentially mid century modern, but as with all our rooms, nothing is set in stone :)


I love bullet planters, and I found these cool ones with wooden legs to match our Heywood Wakefield furniture. And this cool Wall mounted bullet sconce.

Lampes Philips is the totem of the dining room, and also my alter ego (I used to buy a LOT of lamps, so much so that my wife dubbed me LampLad).

One of my last remaining MCM lamps is this cool Majestic table lamp. Also managed to find a vintage Nelson Ball clock with the natural wood finish again to match the furniture. More to come!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Goebel Wrap-Up

It has been nearly 7 months, but the Goebel posting is now complete. Here are the stats:
  • 206 DIS numbered items
  • 221 individual figures
  • 12 color variations
  • 205 items pictured
  • 1 missing
Character/film breakdown is as follows
  • 101 Dalmatians: 6
  • Alice in Wonderland: 26
  • Bambi: 67
  • Cinderella: 9
  • Davy Crockett: 4
  • Donald Duck: 10
  • Dumbo: 5
  • Jungle Book: 1
  • Lady and the Tramp: 16
  • Mickey Mouse: 4
  • Peter Pan: 9
  • Pinocchio: 9
  • Pluto: 4
  • Silly Symphonies: 19
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: 17
The following is the list of figures for which I have no images. If anyone has an image they could share with me, I'd be most appreciative.
  • DIS 185 - Bambi with Frog as Lamp
There is a series of vintage Bambi figures that were produced in terracotta, I have not listed them in my posting, but they are from the 1950s. I have a copy of a Goebel catalog page that lists 7 figures. Their numbers match their full color counterparts, pre-pended with the number 31. This list of figures with a terracotta version is:
  • DIS 011 (31011)
  • DIS 013 A&B (31013A&B)
  • DIS 021 (31021)
  • DIS 112 (31112)
  • DIS 116 (31116)
  • DIS 131 (31131)

Goebel also produced a series of rubber toys, known as Gummi figures. I have a copies of catalog pages that list a total of 23 of these rubber toys. These all appear to date from the 1960s, and some of them are pretty damn scary looking.




A kind reader Mario Dressler, who provided several of the images in these posts, recently sent me the following very interesting items. Thanks Mario!! First, yet more variations of Bambi

DIS 116 in black

DIS 021 in black

DIS 013A in original box



DIS 013A with butterfly
and a very old Goebel with Mickey.

RT 537

This depiction of Mickey is most likely unlicensed. The mark dates it from prior to 1937.

Another probably unlicensed item, with a mark I cannot date so probably prior to 1935 if legit.  This juicer/reamer is insanely cool.  Thanks to Bob Trask for the images.  This piece is not confirmed to be Goebel and is disputed, some reports date it very recently so act accordingly.




To see all the figures on one page, head over to the Visual Guide.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Disney Goebel DIS 205 - Dalmatian Chained Group

DIS 197, 200, 201 as a group.


Thanks again to Alfred for supplying this image from the Goebel Archive

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Disney Goebel DIS 204 - Thumper Shakers in Basket

Ok, I lied, one last Bambi piece. They must have been getting desperate at this point, repackaging some Thumper shakers in this little basket.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Disney Goebel DIS 203 - Donald Duck Wall Lamp

German Goebel book lists this as yet another Donald lamp.  Thanks to Dieter Weimann for sharing this photo of the insanely rare figure.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Disney Goebel DIS 196 - Two Bambis

Don't these people ever get tired of Bambi? This is listed as a pair consisting of DIS 111 and DIS 021

UPDATE:  Thanks again to Alfred for supplying this vintage catalog image until one surfaces.


Sunday, March 28, 2010

Disney Goebel DIS 195 - Two Bambis

Another pair, this time on a base, comprised of DIS 111 and DIS 116.
And as a blank.

Saturday, March 27, 2010