Fisher-Price Discovery Cottage Review

In the 1990s, when our children were young, they had a few very memorable toys and a few of them were by Fisher-Price. I remember a few in particular and one of the first ones was this Fisher-Price Discovery Cottage. 

This cottage was recommended for children aged 12 to 36 months and featured a house with a number of manually activated elements, two chunky Jumbo Little People figures, a person and a dog, and a tricycle. The figures were perfectly sized, bigger than other Little People, which allowed the youngest child to easily grasp them without the risk of choking. 

The house featured these interactive elements:

• A blue front door that opened with a clicking sound and has a hole to put a figure into.
• A rubber doorbell that rang when you pushed the red button. This button was the one part of the house that did not necessarily stand the test of time on a much loved house. Ours was broken from being depressed so many times.
• The opposite side had a garage door that flipped down to allow access for the tricycle to the parking area.
• Beside the garage door, was a butterfly that pushed up and down and made a clicking sound.
• One side of the roof lifted to reveal a bed and another hole, either of which that could hold a figure.
• The other, fixed side of the roof featured a chimney slide for your figure to slide through.
• The final side of the house had a roller that spun and displayed different images.
• Finally, the house had a handle so that your child could carry it around.

Our little ones played with this toy extensively, initially in a very basic way. I can picture my son putting the figure down the chimney over and over and over again. Eventually they played with it in a more imaginative way using the house as a home for the people.

Apparently, there were a few different versions of this house as is evidenced by a commercial that I viewed recently that shared how this toy had evolved in response to the play style of children. That video featured Fisher-Price's slogan that somehow seems very familiar to me, "Fisher-Price. Children taught us all we know."

Beyond the imaginative play, the Discovery Cottage helped my children learn about shapes and  develop hand-eye coordination. If the toy company still made it, I would buy one for baby gifts. Meanwhile, if you want one you will likely have to settle for a used one, which can be found here on eBay. Make sure to buy extra figures because this house could definitely hold more Jumbo Little People!

See you
at the toy store!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

Quick Link:

Check out the new, used and vintage Fisher-Price toys in my eBay store.

Springbok Will You Be Mine Sweethearts Vintage Jigsaw Puzzle

Here's a fun jigsaw puzzle for Valentine's Day or any day. It's the 1997 Springbok puzzle titled "Will you Be Mine." It is puzzle number VBO2066. It has 500 pieces and the finished puzzle will measure 18 by 23 1/5 inches. Definitely a fun one to work with your sweetheart.

It is retired now so the best place to find your Springbok Will You Be Mine jigsaw puzzle is here on eBay. Note that the fact that it is retired means you may or may not find one available when you look. However, there do seem to be a number of  copies of the Chocolate Sweethearts puzzle available, which would be a great alternative to this one.

Happy Puzzling!

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

See all of the jigsaw puzzles in my eBay store here.

Vintage Walt Disney Movie Poster Jigsaw Puzzles by Golden

In the 1990s, Walt Disney released a series of movie poster-themed jigsaw puzzles with the company Golden. Yes, that’s the same company that produced the Little Golden Books of days gone by. 

Each of these puzzles features an iconic animated Disney movie’s poster and, because each one is comprised of 300 big puzzle pieces, it comes together to make a fairly large puzzle of 2 by 3 feet.

These puzzles are a great addition to any Disney fan’s collection, whether you collect only items related to one movie or you collect items related to any Disney movie. The choice is yours. You can choose to display them once they are built or to build them time and time again. 

While intended for older children, they are also a fun puzzles to work as an adult. Honestly, when I am looking for an easier puzzle, I love working these puzzles.

My latest puzzle was the Beauty and the Beast one. It was a fun journey into the magic and romance of this classic story. I loved snapping into place all of the pieces with their iconic characters though to my chagrin, my puzzle was missing a piece!

There are quite a few of these puzzles available. I found thirteen. Here's my list:

101 Dalmatians – Mostly white with Cruella
101 Dalmatians – With Cruella, a car and a full moon
Aladdin
Beauty and the Beast
Cinderella
Jungle Book, The
Lion King, The
Little Mermaid, The
Pinocchio
Pocahontas
Rescuers Down Under
Rocketeer
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Please note that this list may not be complete. If you know of other puzzles in this series, be sure to let me know. Also, some of these puzzles are rarer than others. In particular, it might be harder to locate Cinderella, Rescuers Down Under and Rocketeer. In any case, you can look on eBay to see which of these Walt Disney Golden puzzles are available now by clicking right here.

Brenda
Happy Puzzling!

MORE PUZZLES:

Springbok's Dancing is a Ball Jigsaw Puzzle

Springbok's Little Red Riding Hood Puzzle

Springbok's Mickey Mouse Head Puzzle

Vintage Springbok's Christmastown, U.S.A. Jigsaw Puzzle Reviewed

My husband and I had fun working this vintage 1986 jigsaw puzzle from Springbok and Hallmark Cards though we struggled a bit with the edge pieces. Called Christmastown, U.S.A., it features artwork by Art Carlson and depicts a downtown scene with the main street dressed for Christmas and the townsfolk completing their holiday errands.  The scene is set in the 1980s but made more charming by the inclusion of vintage items like a couple of horse-drawn carriages and a trolley or street car.

The back of the box features a poem by Linda Elrod that starts, "When the Christmas crowds are heavy and the city moves too fast, I close my eyes and think about a Christmas of the past." It finishes with "Yes, I love these small-town memories, which time cannot erase. If Christmas joy is anywhere, it's in this special place." How lovely.

Marked puzzle number PZL9805, this puzzle has over 700 pieces and when assembled, will measure 13 inches by 40 inches.  

If you love Springbok puzzles as I do, you won't want to miss this one.  Search for Springbok's Christmastown, U.S.A. by clicking here to eBay.

Do you love working jigsaw puzzles? At Christmastime or all year long? Have you worked this puzzle?

Happy Puzzling and Merry Christmas to you!

Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

Quick Links:

Springbok puzzles in my eBay store.

Springbok Nutcracker-themed puzzles.

A Christmas jigsaw puzzle tradition.

Springbok's Book Shop puzzle, perfect for puzzlers who love to read!

Pyrex Passion: Comprehensive Guide Vintage Pyrex

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY POST 

I present Pyrex Passion: The Comprehensive Guide to Decorated Vintage Pyrex by Michael D. Barber. It is packed with information and photographs for Pyrex collectors and sellers.

Alright, this is really a nearly Wordless Wednesday Post.

Find your copy of Pyrex Passion here on Amazon.

You never know what

I might have in store for you!

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

Antique Gebruder Bing Teddy Bears

Meet my pretty little Gebruder Bing teddy bear. Alas, she was mine but for a short time. I am an eBay seller and cannot afford to keep many of the fabulous items that I find. Unfortunately, this sweet antique bear fell into that category. I loved her but could not keep her but nor could I sell her until I knew who she was. Here is what I discovered in my quest for knowledge.

According to Let's Talk Teddy Bears, the company Gebruder Bing was established in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1863 but they were not a teddy bear manufacturer until much later. In 1881, they started making metal toys and had grown to become the biggest toy maker by the early 1900s. In 1907, they stepped into the teddy bear craze of the day but not without some difficulties. 

Bing's bears, it is said, were much like those produced by the well-known toy manufacturer Steiff. They wore a metal 'button' on their ear in the same manner that Steiff plush toys did. Eventually, to appease Steiff, Bing was forced to move the metal tag from the ear to the left arm and then finally to the right arm. Bing also switched to calling the 'button' a 'tag.' They did not make bears for long. In 1932, the company folded.

My bear still had the little metal tag on her arm that represented Bing Werke. The tag was the key to identifying her though I will give credit to the bear collectors who shared that information with me. I do not have a photograph of the tag but it was on her right arm and it was a red round metal button with a B, W and Germany on it, which according to Minka's Bear Passion, dates her to between 1919 and 1927.  

Bing bears, as I quickly found out, are still hotly sought after in any condition. As is evidenced in the photograph, my bear was quite worn, obviously much beloved by a previous owner or perhaps a number of owners. Given that she could be a hundred years old, I think that was understandable. 

When I listed her, I corresponded with a number of collectors and potential buyers. Some of them felt that she needed restoration and I would not argue with them. However, others were prepared to love her as she was given that this is the authentic state of a bear who is antique and who proudly displays a century of life. 

The lady who eventually purchased my bear is a collector who was anxious to add a Bing bear to her collection and she was thrilled to acquire this one. In our discussions, we wondered if this bear started off with a German child or if she was exported from Germany right away. If she was, we wondered, where did she go? When and how did she arrive in Canada? There are so many unanswered questions. 

This bear and all bears should have passports or diaries to record their lives.  As one correspondent wrote, "if only she could talk."  Anyway, I was thrilled to have this bear go to a home where she would be treasured for this stage of her journey.  

You never know

what I might have

in store for you!

Brenda

QUICK LINKS:

Check out the Gebruder Bing bears currently listed on eBay.

Check out the Let's Talk Bears blog.

Vintage Springbok Mickey Mouse's Head Puzzle

Here is another fantastic but hard vintage Springbok jigsaw puzzle. This one features the iconic cartoon character, Mickey Mouse. Since it depicts Mickey's head in just four solid colors, it is difficult and in the end, I worked Mickey's head and my husband worked the mass of yellow around the outside. It took us awhile to finish but it felt great when Mickey's smiling face was finally complete.

WHAT ARE THE PUZZLE DETAILS?

Produced by Springbok in conjunction with Walt Disney Productions and marked puzzle number 2048 or PZL2048, this puzzle, titled Mickey Mouse, was created in 1972 and was sold as a 500-piece puzzle. The finished size is square and measures 20 inches by 20 inches.

WHO IS IT SUITED FOR?

This puzzle is suitable for older, avid jigsaw puzzle workers and for Disney collectors who fit that description. I would not recommend it for young fans because, as I mentioned above, all that solid color makes a puzzle harder rather than easier.

WHERE TO BUY IT?

This puzzle has been discontinued for more than 50 years but you can check on eBay to see if it is currently available by clicking right here. When I looked there were a number of them to choose from but no new ones. If a new one shows up, you can be sure it will be at a premium.

If you are buying a used puzzle, make sure you buy from a reputable seller who gives a good description of the condition of the box and pieces and maybe even a guarantee of completeness. When I buy puzzles, I definitely prefer to buy ones that are complete whenever I can. Since that is not always possible, take care to look at the pictures and read the seller's description carefully so that you know what you are buying. Also, be aware that a counted puzzle is not necessarily a complete puzzle since the number of pieces that a manufacturer quotes is often a rounded number. For instance, a 500-piece puzzle may actually have slightly more or less pieces than that figure. 

Are you a jigsaw puzzle fan or a Mickey Mouse fan or maybe a bit of both? Have you worked this puzzle?

Brenda
Treasures By Brenda
You Never Know What
I Might Have In Store For You!

MORE JIGSAW PUZZLE READING:

Find Springbok's Mickey Mouse puzzle on eBay.

Discover Springbok's difficult Little Red Riding Hood's Hood puzzle.

Love books? You'll love Springbok's Book Shop puzzle.

Love difficult puzzles? Ketchup? Check out the all red Heinz Ketchup puzzle here.

Check out all of the jigsaw puzzles new, used and vintage in my eBay store.

The Story of the Thrift Store Detective

I read an interesting story in yesterday morning's Ottawa Citizen about a woman named Chelsey Brown who is a 'Thrift Store Detective.' As an eBay seller, I often wonder who the people were that appear in the photographs that I find. How old were they when the photograph was taken? What was the occasion of the picture? Where did they live? What path did life take them down? 

Highlights of the items that Brown has found in her adventures include letters, photos, cards and even Second World War ration books. Instead of selling these items, however, she has instead undertaken the difficult job of attempting to return them to their original families. Once she was returned love letters written in the 1960s to the original recipient. Imagine that. I wonder how that woman felt when she received those letters back and what the rest of her love story would tell.

Anyway, Brown starts her process with items that have a clue of some sort like a name, a date, an address or some other helpful hint.  The Citizen says that her success rate is 80 percent. Pretty amazing and definitely very interesting for those items that return home.

I doubt that I would have the skills necessary to tackle such a job so I will stick with reselling the items that I have found that generally have no obvious link to the past. The vintage black and white photographs shown above are all without any identifiers. No names, no dates. 

I think there is a moral here and that is to cherish a few items from your past and to make sure that they are identified as such for the next generations. I do remember one elderly friend who did this and who put little notes on or with things so that in the future family members would know where they had come from and the importance or family connection of each item.

Do you have pieces of treasured ephemera that tell a story from your past? I would love to hear from you.

Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

MORE READING:

Discover these and other vintage B&W photographs in my eBay store.

Read the complete Thrift Store Detective story.

Woman returns Holocaust letter to family 75 years later. 

Follow Chelsey Brown on Instagram.

Vintage Patterson Candy Moonlight Mellos Advertising Tin

Canada’s Patterson Candy Company was opened on Yonge Street in Toronto in 1888 by John Patterson and Robert Wilson but was originally called the Boston Candy Company. In 1891, Wilson left the company and it became The Patterson Candy Company eventually expanding to Queen Street West. The company was famous for Full O’Cream and Wildfire bars and once had Canada’s largest soda fountain. I would love to have visited.

I learned about the Patterson Candy Company only after I found this large Moonlight Mellos tin, which reads “Fluffy Marshmallows That Melt in the Mouth” and “Good for Baking Topping Cakes, Eating and Toasting.” As I am writing this text, with the tin sitting on my desk beside me, I can almost smell the marshmallow scent. Do you think there could really be a remnant of the smell in the tin after what could be a hundred years or is it simply a figment of my imagination?

Anyway, the tin is fairly big, measuring 10 1/2 inches in diameter across the lid and 5 1/4 inches tall and would have held a lot of marshmallows! It is blue and features an art deco-style with a fairy swinging on a rope before a large yellow moon and red and yellow party decorations. This tin and pretty well all of the others that I see online that are probably a hundred years old, shows lots of wear and discoloration, even on the inside. I definitely would not store food in it anymore but I would consider it a great addition to a collection of antique tins. The one shown here was mine and is sold but you can click here to search for another Moonlight Mellos tin on eBay. With any luck there might be another one available today.

You never know
what treasures I might have

in store for you!

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

More Vintage Items:

Vintage in my eBay store.
Canadian Artist Elizabeth Hoey Owl Art Tile
The History of the Fanny Pack
The History of the Strawberry Shortcake Doll

Canadian Artist Elizabeth Hoey Art Pottery Tile

ELIZABETH WILKES HOEY (1915 – 2012) was a Canadian artist who graduated from the Ontario College of Art. 

She ran a textile printing facility and eventually was involved in the printing of fabric for various institutions like Thor Hanson, Westinghouse Canada, Bank of Nova Scotia, University College Women’s Residence in Toronto, Hart House and the Windsor Arms Hotel. 

She was a muralist who created a mural of old Toronto for the King Edward Hotel. 

With her daughter, she became a potter, producing art pottery pieces that included both plates and tiles like the fabulous owl-themed tile shown on this page. 

She painted with watercolor and her image, Wild Flowers of Canada, was distributed via the Toronto newspaper, the Globe and Mail. 

She illustrated books including Folk Songs of Canada and Chansons de Québec. 

Her works were shown at the Art Gallery of Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, Royal Botanical Gardens, Edwards Gardens, and MacDonald Art Gallery and the Textile Museum named her "a pioneer silkscreen printer and designer."

She was a talented artist who was creating art in her sketchbook until almost the very end of her life. 

As I write this, I can see a few samples of Elizabeth Hoey's art tiles including this owl on eBay.

You never know what 

I might have in store for you! 

Brenda

WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF THE FANNY PACK?

For those who don’t know, a fanny pack is, quite simply, a bag that originally was worn fastened around your waist but which can also be draped across your upper body. The bag is, however, known by many other names including waist pouch, hip pack, belt bag and bum bag. If I recall correctly, I reluctantly called mine a fanny pack so that is what I will call them here on this page.

According to The Globe and Mail, Adweek Magazine declared fanny packs as “the hottest product of the year” in 1988 and yes, I used one during their height of their popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. As a matter of fact, I still own my original fanny pack though I have not worn it in a long time because it is a bit big and was, for many years, out of style.

Mine original pack is blue, made by XYZ and of a rather simple design. It is not interesting at all like the vintage Jansport, Patagonia or Spyder waist pouches that were made in multiple color combinations and that are available now.

I think that these bags really are a great product keeping what you needed at hand and relieving your shoulders from having to carry a purse. It was interesting, therefore, when I discovered that they, in both new and vintage styles, have recently had a resurgence in popularity.

Vintage Jansport fanny pack shown above was

from the eBay store of 3r_esposa.

FAMOUS MOMENTS

Fanny packs have definitely had their share of moments in the limelight.   In the 1990s, on Seinfeld George said of a fanny pack that it "looks like your belt is digesting a small animal.” In 1996, Dwayne Johnson "The Rock" wore a fanny pack in a Vogue magazine article. That picture has never been forgotten. In 2015, actor Jared Leto was photographed wearing a fanny pack on the beach and went on to sell them on his brand’s website. In 2017, Leonardo DiCaprio wore one on his vacation in Thailand.

Vintage Spyder fanny pack shown above is

from the eBay store of reserve-76.

VINTAGE OR NEW

You can have your choice from eBay of a vintage fanny pack by clicking here or of a new fanny pack by clicking here. I was somewhat surprised that in line with the current popularity of everything 1990s, brands like Louis Vuitton, Versace, Burberry, Gucci, Nike and Saint Laurent have all issued waist pouches though I know Roots Canada has been producing simple, leather waist pouches for at least a decade because I carry one of them.

Do you wear a fanny pack and, if so, what do you call it?

Whatever it is, 

you can get it on eBay!

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

Quick Links:

Visit my eBay store, Treasures By Brenda.

The Story of Walt Disney World Book Review

Walt Disney World enthusiasts are always wanting to learn more about one of the world's most famous destinations.  The Story of Walt Disney World is a big square paperback book with 50 pages of information, pictures and illustrations from the park and bears the date of October 25, 1971 on the first page. I expect that it was released as a souvenir to celebrate the opening of the park, which occurred on October 1, 1971.

It opens with a dedication taken from the plaque in Town Square on Main Street at Walt Disney World from Roy Disney O. Disney that reads, "Walt Disney World is a tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney...and to the talents, the dedication and the loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney's dream come true. May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place...a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn together."  If you have experienced the park, you know that they Disney delivered.

Today, the book offers up lots of pictures, information and even a map of what the park looked like in 1971. It would make a wonderful gift idea for anyone who has fond memories of visiting the park or for someone who is interested in the park's history. You will find The Story of Walt Disney World on eBay by clicking right here.

See you

on eBay!

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

Quick Links:

See all of the new, used and vintage Disney items in my eBay store.

31 DAYS OF COFFEE MUGS (2020): Vintage McCoy Smiley Face Mug

Here is the mug that everyone needs this year, the year that challenged all of us to stay safe and be happy. It is a vintage 1971 McCoy coffee mug and unlike some vintage mugs, it is readily and affordably available from many resellers on eBay.

McCoy's line of pieces included mugs, planters, banks and cookie jars. It is sometimes referred to with the word ‘Smiley’ and other times with the word ‘Happy.’ Whichever way you care to call it, it was very popular in the 1970s, which may account for why it so easily found today.

These mugs measure approximately 4 inches tall and will hold 12 ounces of your favorite hot and steamy beverage. I think that they also make wonderful display pieces whether you want to put a plant in yours or use it as a flower vase or even as a pencil holder.  

The picture of the trio of smiling mugs shown below is used with permission from Corner Shop Collectors. The trio has been sold but you can find more vintage treasures in her eBay store by clicking right here.

I think that these mugs are guaranteed to make you smile and who doesn’t need every excuse they can find to smile these days!?! Discover all of the Smiley mugs that are available on eBay right now by clicking right here. 

Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

You never know what mugs

I might have in store for you!

Quick Links:

See all of the McCoy Smiley pieces on eBay. 

Discover my 31 Days of Coffee Mugs from 2016.

Read about vintage Taylor & Ng Mugs.

Bruce Degan's Jamberry Book Reviewed

“Rumble and ramble

In blackberry bramble.

Billions of berries

For blackberry jamble."

I am participating in Merle’s Vintage Challenge on Instagram and the prompt today is “Brambles” or “Blackberries” so I am pleased to share with you this vintage children’s book that my boys loved.

Jamberry is a rhyming board book that I think had even greater appeal to my children when they were young because we lived within walking distance of blackberry brambles. Heck those blackberries grew willy-nilly along the streets and roadsides around the town we lived in in British Columbia.

It did not matter the least to us that this was a bestselling classic book. More important was the berry-loving child and the rhyming bear, the wording and the fabulous illustrations. If you love berries just eating them or also picking them, you and the young child in your life will enjoy Bruce Degen’s Jamberry.

“Hatberry

Shoeberry

In my canoeberry

Under the bridge

And over the dam

Looking for berries...Berries for jam!”

Jamberry was originally published in 1982 and is available as a vintage or new book from an eBay seller by clicking right here or as a new book from Amazon by clicking right here. It’s suitable for pre-kindergarten through Grade 2 aged children and, of course, it can be enjoyed by anyone who loves berries, young or old.

See you
at the library!
Brenda

Quick Link:

Check out the vintage children's books in my eBay store.

King George VI Christmas Message from the Throne

Today I am sharing a little piece of normal, everyday history. That is, a one-of-a-kind handstitched copy of the message from the throne that King George VI delivered in his 1939 Christmas broadcast to the British Empire.

The text reads, "I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, 'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.' And he replied, 'Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be better than light, and safer than a known way."

This poem was written by Minnie Louise Haskins in 1908 but became known to the public in 1939 after King George VI quoted it. Princess Elizabeth, 13 at the time, discovered the poem and presented it to her father for his use. 

The poem went on to become inspirational and was widely circulated at the beginning of the Second World War. 

The poem was popular enough with the Queen Mother to have taken comfort from it throughout her life and she even had it engraved on stone plaques for the gates of the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The poem even appears in the final minutes of the 1940 MGM movie The Mortal Storm. 

The inspiration for this post is a framed cross stitch that was available in my eBay store. Unfortunately, it has been sold but you can check out some other great Royal Family-themed items by clicking right here. 

Please be sure to subscribe to my blog and come back soon because you never know what treasures I might have in store for you!

Brenda

Quick Links:

Discover the royal family themed collectibles in my eBay store.

Vintage Charles Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop Framed Print

Charles Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop is one of two stories that appeared as a series in a weekly periodical that Dickens published between 1840 and 1841. It is a Victorian story that is apparently still enjoyed today though I must admit I have not read it.

The main character, Nell, lives in a gloomy old curiosity shop with her elderly grandfather. When they cannot pay their bills to a nasty money lender, the shop is taken from them and they find themselves in a dark world with no safe place to go.

The story was a bestseller instantly despite being criticized as too sentimental. Queen Victoria read it and found it "very interesting and cleverly written." Indeed, it is said to have been so popular that fans in New York swarmed the wharf when the last installment of the story arrived.

Have you read The Old Curiosity Shop? Are you a Dickens fan? A traveler who loves England perhaps?

Shown here is the framed print by Cecil Forbes, which you can find in my eBay shop by clicking right here. 

See you

at the bookstore!

Brenda

Springbok Pass the Ketchup Hamburger Puzzle

 

Nothing ever beats a burger
When you’re feeling lean and mean,
And the only think you’re thinking of is food.
It’ll fill your empty tummy
With a flavor that’s so yummy,
It can brighten up the meanest, maddest mood. 

Those are just the opening lines from the Ode to a Hamburger poem that is printed on the back cover of Springbok's vintage 1978 Pass the Ketchup jigsaw puzzle. 

While I'd never even try to eat a burger the size of the one in the image, I do think it is a fun picture and I know that working this puzzle appeals to all of those members of my family who love, love, love a juicy, hot off the grill hamburger.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

In terms of technical details, Springbok's Pass the Ketchup puzzle is puzzle number PZL2073 and was manufactured in 1978. It has 550 pieces and the finished puzzle will measure 20 ¼ inches square when completed.

WHERE TO FIND THIS PUZZLE

Of course, this puzzle is now more than forty years old. You may be able to find a new, sealed copy or you may have to settle for a preowned puzzle. Whichever option you choose, you can see if Springbok's Pass the Ketchup hamburger puzzle is available on eBay by following this link. You will find when you click through that over the years Springbok has produced a few puzzles with hamburgers on them.  If you cannot find this one, you might see another one that you like.

Thanks for dropping in! You never know what puzzles I might have in store for you!

Brenda

Quick Links:

Find Springbok's Pass the Ketchup on eBay.

See all of the jigsaw puzzles in my eBay store.

 

 

Handsome Booths' Real Old Willow China

Reportedly, Booths' REAL OLD WILLOW is their most popular pattern. It features an eternally-popular blue and white color scheme with oriental pictures and a blue geometric rim and scalloped edge. 

The pattern was made for most of the 20th century, finally ceasing production in 1999. The pieces I have in my eBay store are as shown on this magnificent coffee pot. They are from the brown series as they do not have gilding on the rim and the inner band is done in brown only. 

Apparently, the first pieces with brown were made around the war years of 1939 to 1946 when gold was in short supply. Both the pattern number, A8025, and the patent mark indicate that this piece was likely made between 1944 and 1981. Previously owned by a friend of mine in her 70s and before that by her parents, I assume that these are earlier rather than later pieces.

There is apparently some confusion about the dates and the information on this page is offered for the sake of general interest and not because I am an expert in fine china. I always enjoy learning something new about a vintage item. 

Regardless of when it was made, this is a pretty blue and white china set. It is in my eBay store, looking for a new home. You will find my pieces of Old Blue Willow here.

You never know

what I might have in store 

for you!

Brenda

Quick Links:

Check out the Old Blue Willow pieces in my eBay store.

More about Booths' Real Old Willow pattern.

Whimsical Vintage Art by George Buckett

George Buckett was born in England in 1939. He studied Building Trades at East Cowles Technical College but did not finish instead he joined the British Merchant Navy. He travelled the world, then did odd jobs and in 1957 emmigrated to the United States where he took a job as an artist in an advertising agency for a few greeting card companies and eventually worked as a freelance artist.

I was unable to discover if he had any training as an artist or illustrator though he is apparently recorded as a children's book illustrator rather than as an artist. In my mind, the two are the same but I am not an expert.

Buckett illustrated Golden Books with the most known book perhaps being Never Talk to Strangers by Irma Joyce. He also created posters and the aforementioned greeting cards and is considered one of the ‘Big Eye’ artists. Finally, he is know for his whimsical 1960s animal pictures, which are shown here on this page. His illustrations were shown in the United Kingdom and in the United States.

Buckett's works are happy and they show much imagination and humor even though the internet tells us that he suffered with depression.

In any case, Buckett's illustrations are well known and there are many old prints of his work available. There are few originals, possibly because he was an illustrator rather than an artist, and this fact makes the mass produced prints popular. His prints are an affordable way to add a bit of vintage charm to your home. I have had them in my bathroom but they would also suit your baby nursery, children's rooms, etc.

You can find the three pictures shown on this page in my eBay store by clicking right here and you can see all of the George Buckett pieces available on eBay by clicking right here.

You never know
what I might have in store for you!
Brenda

Vintage Springbok Dancing is a Ball Jigsaw Puzzle

FOR INTERNATIONAL DANCING DAY

I went looking for a jigsaw puzzle to celebrate International Dance Day, which is celebrated every year on April 29. According to Wikipedia, the day was intended as a worldwide celebration of dance and was originally created by the Dance division of the International Theatre Institute, the branch of the performing arts of UNESCO. I love how this puzzle features so many different types of dance.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

This puzzle is a vintage 1986, 1000-piece Springbok jigsaw puzzle called Dancing is a Ball. When finished the puzzle will be rectangular and measure 24 inches by 30 inches. It is is Springbok's puzzle number PZL6121.

DANCES

The list is long and features 31 dances including but not limited to the waltz, fox trot, cha cha, polka, jive, jerk, twist, mashed potato, disco and slam dancing. Which one is your favorite?

WHERE TO BUY THIS PUZZLE

Because it is a vintage puzzle, you will have to search eBay to find it. You can do so by clicking right here. I recommend buying a new puzzle, if possible. If you have to buy a used puzzle because that is all that is available or because that is all that you can afford and if it matters to you, make sure that you find out if the seller guarantees the puzzle to be complete. Counting the pieces is not a good way to know if a puzzle is complete since the number of puzzle pieces as given on the outside of the puzzle box does not necessarily represent the exact number of pieces within the box. Unless a puzzle is new, working it is the only way to know it is complete. Of course, you may be content to work a puzzle that is missing a piece or two and, as long as you know that is a possibility, that is okay, too.

You never know what
puzzles I have in store for you!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Find Springbok's Dancing is a Ball jigsaw puzzle on eBay.
See all of the jigsaw puzzles in my eBay store.