Space Rocket Whistle Mug (Unknown, 1950s)

Space is dark, space is cold, space is lonely. Nothing helps pass the time on patrol like a nice, steaming cup of Joe. Keep your ray guns and Space-O-Phones. Times like these, you need a space mug!

The graphics set the mood, of course, with an astronaut floating above an old-school space station and, in the distance, the planet Earth. Flip the mug around and you get another shot of the home world.

But what really designates this mug as a device from some long, lost future-that-never-came-to-be is the amazing, rocket-shaped whistle! Is it a tool for signaling the waitress at an all night, orbital diner? Is it pitched at just the right frequency to scare off an angry Neptunian? I don't know, and I don't care! It's great!

I like that there's a spot on the bottom of the mug to write your name. And yes, I've been tempted to put mine there... But the collector in me keeps twitching at the idea of marking it up. I'm not too much of a freak about sealing up my toys and collectibles in airtight containers, but even I draw the line at drawing a line on my stuff. For now, anyway... The five-year-old in me might win out one of these days!

The mug was made in Japan, but beyond that, I don't know anything about it. Manufacturer? No clue. Year? Nope. Even the name remains steeped in mystery -- I decided to call it "Space Rocket Whistle Mug," but for all I know, the company that produced it called it something simple like... well... mug. If anyone knows anything about this piece, please drop me a line. I'd love to learn more about it.