Beetlejuice, beetlejuice, beetlejuice...

How could anyone forget this classic ? 

Different faces (back)

Beetlejuice, Burger King, China, 1989

Tri-logo Jazz !

Sy Snootles and the Rebo Band, Palitoy, Hong Kong, 1983

He does have a diaper...

Saving lives ? Get diggin !

Even though this craft never appeared on TV, it was used by International Rescue (AKA Thunderbirds) in the comics. JR21 went at it and ... voilà, the Bandai version. 

Excavator, Bandai, Japan, 1960's

Next toyfair in Lisbon : 21 April

Will you all be there ?

Perpetual parking motion

Car elevator, Technofix (ref. 266), Germany, 1952

Some of the early mechanical toys are also fascinating. In this case, how to create a perpetual motion using the rotation to raise and lower the top lane and the gravity to roll the cars down. 

You can see this working here...

Burton's Bat ...

Batman, Bully (?), Germany, 1989

Square Wars...

There has been a large disturbance in the force at the check-out lines of the "Continente" (group Sonae) supermarkets here in Portugal lately. They got the Star Wars franchise to offer a number of freebees (Topps cards, pillows and more - see here) . My favorites ? These little Bustz figurines. (24 ones to collect). Which one is your favorite ? 

 

Colour variation on a pirate...

This figurine of Captain Harlock was found at the last "feira do brinquedo" here in Lisbon. Is it a one- off or another paintscheme used here in Portugal ? I don't recall having seen blue pants on any Italian Fabianplastica... (see the monochromatic version and the normal "paintscheme" here)

Captain Harlock, Fabianplastica Italy 1979 (painted in Portugal ?)

Colorful Lizards !

Godzilla, maker and date unknown, Peru

In my eternal search for the weird and ugly and kitsch, these ones I could not let pass... It kind of shows how a Japanese cultural icon is translated in South America. Blown plastic. Cheap. But really... who cannot enjoy a fluo Godzilla ?

Here in battle with its Japanese M1GO counterpart

Wilma Deering - Buck's sweety !

Wilma Deering, Knickerbocker, USA, 1950's 

Every sci-fi hero had to have a soulmate to travel through space. Flash Gordon had Dale Arden, and Buck Rogers had Wilma Deering. This one here has the design of the 1930's serials. Behold ! Armies of Killer Kane !

 

Spiderman

Spiderman, Gulliver, Brazil, 1970's

Got this Gulliver figurine at the toyfair. Doesn't it get your spider senses tingling ?

Cookie ? Jack is back !

Jack Skellington cookie jar, Disney, China, 2010's

The stormtrooper helmet.

Now I can start my Ewok music band !

Stormtrooper electronic voice changer helmet, Hasbro,
China, 2016

Next toyfair in Lisbon ? 3 Feb. 2018

Tell you a story I shall...

Just press my hands...
And answer your questions I shall...
Or a story you will get...

Call upon Yoda, Hasbro, China
2005

This is a great toy (thanks mam !) which was issued after episode 3. Animatronics in the face (eyes and mouth area) and arms.

You can start the desired options by pressing his left or right hand.

Vader on bricks !

 You don't need to be called emperor to build your own Sith Lord... Proof ? see below.

Darth Vader set #75111, Lego, Czech Republic, 2015

the big bad green lizard is back !

Godzilla, M1GO, Japan, 1997

Gerry Anderson's Portuguese STINGRAY submarine

Portugal did not make a lot of Sci-Fi based toys, but this one is a rare exception. It is listed in the book "O Brinquedo em Portugal" from Carlos Anjos and João Arbués Moreira (see bibliography) in the section of 1961/1970 toys - as "Carro Espacial - desconhecido" (Space Car - maker unknown). It is 22cm long and came in different color schemes (some with the top "cockpit" part in a different color of plastic - some with the torpedo tubes painted red instead of black etc.)

Was it a copy of another existing toy ? If you have some information on this please let me know.

A big thank you to the fellow toy-collector who helped me get this one into my collection !

No markings unfortunately...

Stingray, ?, Portugal, 1960's