Vintage Space Toy Greeting Cards

I used to live around the corner from a wonderful store in New York City called Alphaville. They specialize in vintage toys, posters, and books, but also carry World's Fair memorabilia, old sunglasses, pins and buttons, modern tin robots, and all manner of wonderful items from the latter half of the century. Yes, living around the corner from them was dangerous.

Recently, the store's proprietors -- Steve and Gary -- designed and released a great line of greeting cards under the Space Age brand that feature a variety of vintage space toys.

Three different cards. Original images via Alphaville.

Each card features a high-resolution photo on the front, along with a salient quotation. For instance, the card with Yoshiya's Sparky Robot includes the line, "Hu-mans, listen to me. Due to an error in calculation, there are still a few of you left," from the 1953 cinema classic (ahem) Robot Monster. The Space Ship X5 (Masudaya, 1950s) card quotes Wernher von Braun: "Don't tell me that man doesn't belong out there. Man belongs wherever he wants to go -- and he'll do plenty well when he gets there." And the card with the Buck Rogers XZ-38 Disintegrator Pistol (Daisy, 1936) includes words from the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson: "For I dipped into the future, far as the human eye could see, saw the vision of the world and all the wonder that would be."

All the toys come from Steve's personal collection. I stopped by the shop one day and the Space Ship X5 was sitting by the counter; I begged a little and Steve let me take a closer look at it. (Okay, he's a really nice guy and didn't actually make me beg -- but I would have!)

The cards, along with cool science-fiction themed magnets (featuring rockets, bases, and busty space girls!), are all available at the Alphaville web site (www.alphavile.com or, more directly, www.alphaville.com/spaceage.html). You can also find them at the brick-and-mortar shop, which is located at 226 West Houston Street, New York, NY, 10014. If you're in the city, I suggest stopping by -- tell 'em Doc sent you... though they don't know me as Doc, so they'll probably look at you a little weirdly. The store is set up like a gallery and browsing is a thrill. And if you happen to find something to take home with you... all the better!

Video Game Featuring Vintage Toy Robots

A toy robot collector named Norbert Landsteiner created Lost In Maze, a web-based variation on Pac-Man that replaces the titular hero with Robby the Robot. The ghosts from the original game now resemble a rare toy called Cone Head Robot, though Landsteiner took a few liberties with their colors (it was only available in blue). Beyond that, the game is pretty much the way you remember it -- a terrific way to kill time!

Screen grab via Lost In Maze.

Space Toys Online: Robot Olé

Image courtesy of Robot Olé

Continuing the Spanish theme, I'd like to direct you all to the wonderful web site Spanish Olé (es.geocities.com/robot_ole/). It features toy robots only from Spain, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. Many are vintage and some of them are very, very rare.

The site, which is written in both Spanish and English, is broken down by country of origin, and each robot entry includes such information as the toy's name, material, date of manufacture, company and actions, as well as some random notes. Robot Olé also includes links to other robot sites, shops, and online museums.

A great site, and well worth the time it takes to explore it fully.

Space Toys Online: The Pat Karris Collection

There's just no understating the impact Robby the Robot, from the MGM science fiction classic Forbidden Planet, has had on the world of space toys. But in case you don't believe that one character could remain such a key part of the hobby's history, I direct you to Mechanized Robot (www.mechanizedrobot.com), the online home of Pat Karris' toy collection. 

In his time as a collector, Pat Karris has bought and sold more robots than I'll ever own. But he ultimately decided to focus his time and talents on amassing the biggest, best, most complete collection of Forbidden Planet related toys and ephemera in the world. Robots, space ships, posters, photos, books -- yep, they're all in the collection. New, old, common, rare -- he doesn't discriminate, everything's in the collection. His relentless pursuit of these toys, keen knowledge of the hobby, and pure, unadulterated passion for robots not only built the kind of collection most of us can only ever dream about, but turned him into a living legend within the hobby. Plus, he's a helluva nice guy.

I first met Pat a few years ago after buying a reproduction Mr. Atomic robot from him. We met in a Starbucks on Astor Place in New York City, just two guys drinking some Joe and talking robots. Little did I realize that we'd started a weekly -- at least! -- tradition that would last the next couple years, until Pat decided to move out of the city and into the great unknown. (Okay, he moved upstate, but I can't resist a little bit of drama).

Pat has had a profound effect on my development as a collector, offering endless advice and insight, regaling me with tales of the good old days when toy shows reigned supreme, and guiding me through more than a couple harrowing experiences involving extremely rare toys and obscene amounts of money. If anyone deserves a tip of the hat for making me the collector I am today, I'd say it's him.

...No, he's not dead. Sheesh, you people! I'm just taking an opportunity to give a shout out to a legendary collector and a top-notch friend. Now enough of the touchy-feely stuff, go check out his toys!

Space Toys Online: The Robot Hut

Collector John Rigg has done what most of us can only dream about: He built The Robot Hut, a special building to house his thousands of toy robots. And while it isn't open to the public -- this isn't a museum, it's one man's passion -- Rigg has posted photos and video of most of his collection online at the Robot Hut web site (www.robothut.robotnut.com) so that everyone can take a gander. (Once you get to the site, click the link "Robot Collections From Around the World" to find the link to John's collection.)

John Rigg also happens to be a certifiable genius, a man who likes to not only collect space toys, but also build his own toy robots and life size replicas of robots from film and television. Many of these amazing projects are on display at the Hut and on the web site.

And all that's just the tip of the iceberg -- you'll find photos of other people's collections, 3D images, old-time radio files, and much more. Trust me when I tell you not to visit the Robot Hut's site while at work. Once you start gawking at all the amazing toys, your day will be pretty much over... 

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Program: The Revenge!

I know, I know. I promised more pictures today. I apologize, my camera's still out of the house and my backup just doesn't take good enough photos. So instead, I'll tell you about two more excellent things on the web.

Review Du Jour (www.twitter.com/reviewdujour)

This clever little Twitter feed is run by science-fiction and pop-culture aficionado Jeff Berkwits. Using only 140 characters -- or less! including spaces! -- he reviews books, web sites, movies, and whatever else happens to catch his eye. Despite the character limit, Jeff manages to make his reviews insightful and fun. If you're on Twitter, I definitely suggest you "follow" his feed and get a brand spankin' new review every day. (See, I'd make a horrible Twitter-er... I'm lucky if I keep things under 140 words...)

Frankensteinia (frankensteinia.blogspot.com)

Monster Crazy (monstercrazy.tumblr.com)

If your classified ad reads something like: "You: Tall, green, flat-headed, with large bolts coming out of your neck. Me: Young, blond, don't know how to swim, but let's get together and pick flowers by the pond anyway!" then you really need to check out Frankensteinia. It's by far the most complete resource for all Frank-related ephemera, pictures, info, and trivia. Lots of fun and guaranteed to suck up all your time.

Monster Crazy is picture blog run by the guy who runs Frankensteinia. Nothing but images and links back to the original owners. Look closely and you might recognize one or two from a certain excellent space toy blog. Nice. 

Electro Art Works: hand-made robot figures

Andy Hill, working under the name Electro Art Works (www.electroartworks.com), is an artist and collector who has turned his considerable talents towards making vintage-style robots, ray guns, and flying saucers (the latter often being driven by robots, and armed with ray guns, natch). While so many people think "1950s" when they're designing vintage robots, Andy seems to have captures a much earlier, 1930s science-fiction aesthetic. These robots really look like they stepped out of a Frank R. Paul Amazing Stories cover painting. It's only one of the things that makes the Andy Bots stand out from the crowd. 

My two Andy Bots: Blasto (left) and Cosmo. Photos: Andy Hill

Andy's figures -- sculptures, toys, whatever you want to call them -- are full of personality, but without being hokey. (If they were animated movies, they'd be Wall-E, not Robots.) He uses found parts, but combines them so skillfully, and is such a wiz with fabrication, that you can't really tell where the bits and pieces come from. Andy once told me that he likes using found parts as a means of recycling. So on top of being completely cool, his figures are environmentally sound. Guilt-free fun! 

You can see all of the robots (and other sculptures, including dinosaurs) produced by Electro Art Works over the years by visiting the web site. Don't be put off by the "sold" signs on so many of the figures. Andy seems to work in waves, and there's never a long pause before new robots start popping up on his site. 

On a personal note, I've known Andy for a couple years. I own two of his robots, and will probably own more. He's a great gun, fun and friendly, and I consider him a real asset to the vintage robot community.

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Program

I'd like to mention some blogs and web sites that I really like, even though they have very little to do with vintage space toys. I find them endlessly fascinating, and I think some of my discerning and intelligent readers might find them fascinating, too. So don't skip this post just because it doesn't have any vintage toy porn in it. Follow the links and maybe, like poor ol' Doc, you'll develop yet another all-encompassing, time-devouring obsession. 

Propnomicon (propnomicon.blogspot.com)

 

If you like H.P. Lovecraft -- and who doesn't? -- and you're interested in the world his characters inhabit, this is the blog for you. Focusing on Lovecraftian props and art, it's a treasure trove of dark, and often whimsical, artifacts and collectibles. The writer also makes his own props, including some fantastic Arkham University Expedition Patches (based on the stories At the Mountains of Madness and Shadow Out of Time) that currently grace my own shelf of H.P.L. ephemera. 

Toybot Studios (toybotstudios.blogspot.com)

This is one of the best places to see photos of Japanese vinyl monster (or "kaiju") toys. Great photos, news, and commentary makes this site accessible to old-school collectors and newbies alike. Custom paint jobs are a big part of this scene, and the blog's author has produced some fantastic work in his own right. Take the time to go through the flikr pages of his work, you won't be disappointed. 

Max Toy Co (www.maxtoyco.com)

Toy Karma (toykarma.blogspot.com)

Mark Nagata is an artist, toy maker, ray gun collector, and owner of the largest collection of Ultraman toys and ephemera in the world. The first site, Max Toy Co., is home to his vinyl toy company. The second is his personal blog, an insightful look into the world of art, Japanese monsters, and anything else that crosses Mark's mind. I've known Mark for a while, I own some of his toys, and I never get tired of seeing what his fertile imagination comes up with next.

Dead Presidents Design (deadpresidentsdesigns.blogspot.com)

When it comes to customizing toys, Dead Presidents Designs' Matt Walker is tough to beat. He made his bones working on cars and motorcycles, and he brings his considerable chops and unique style to vinyl kaiju figures. Rumor has it he's also customizing some reproduction tin robots... I can't even begin to describe how that makes me feel. Not in a PG-13 blog, anyway.

That's all for now. More vintage robots coming up. And soon: I start digging into the Atomic Arsenal of vintage ray guns! Stay tuned, True Believer.