MAIL CALL:
Call to all Members to Show and Tell:
Since “House of the Unusual” largely focuses on old mail-order novelties, vintage toys, horror films and general “cool stuff” and collectibles, here’s a thread where we can “show and tell” items we’ve recently received in the mail.
Let’s see what goodies you’ve unearthed and added to your collections.
Happy collecting, everyone!
Gullibly yours, — TRM 😎 😎 😎
TRM: What a great idea! Well, let me get things going here with a semi-recent pre-covid thrift store find.
Below is the famous Bleeding Skull Candle with accompanying comic book ad. He was poking his head out of a box of mid-century Christmas decorations when he was saved. I’m pretty sure Santa was happy to see him go. Rumors are he was trying to get the elves to join a union.
Great thrift shop find, Dr. Sab. And coming from a thrift shop, I know the price was right. Plus, no one bidding against you and no shipping charges. Agree. I'm sure the Christmas decorations were happy to see this scary guy go bye-bye. HA! -- TRM 💀 💀 💀
This is really cool....time to start Ebay hunting....
This weekend’s mailman delivered this odd selection of items; yet another pair of HTI “X-Ray Spex” (seems you, or at least I, can never have too many), an original red Wham-o “It’s Willie” (check out the post in Gullible’s Babbles for more info. on Willie and Squirmles) and a 1949 issue of “Dick Cole Comics” with the most awesome illustration of Dick in western ware on a bucking bronco (just because it’s so dang cool). All in all, an eclectic fun inexpensive mail day! — TRM
Gullible’s Babbles
Can it be a recent Sea Monkey find?
No. Knowing TRM is the expert in the Sea Cercopithecidae area I thought the background would catch his interest. The actual item is a pair of Real Leather Miniature Boxing Gloves as sold in the 1973 Johnson Smith Catalog. Let’s see if Eddie has these. These were in a recent Junk Drawer purchase or if you are from North Jersey, Junk Draw purchase. They are actually made pretty well albeit a little big for the pint sized Sea Monkeys to wear although he does seem to be trying them on. Are you ready to Rumble!!!!
No I don't have them. I grew up watching wrestling with my grandfather so I hated boxing. I don't own much in that field..You won this time...HAHA!
OK, Dr. Sab: I've never seen this product before or even the ad. I'm going to have to dig out my Johnson Smith catalogs and give them a more thorough look. Usually, when I get a new one, I skim the pages for anything that Mr. Von Braunhut created and that's it. But cool little item. No mail for me today. Well ... a pair of gray sweatpants but I'll spare you all. -- TRM
@TRM It's always rewarding for me when I purchase a junk drawer for a single item and find a hidden treasure in the bottom of the box. It's like the "Surprise Box" in the comic book ads.
@Eddie I thought for sure you had every single item ever offered by Johnson Smith 🙂.
This week’s incoming mail produced the following eclectic assortment of coolness:
A 70s black light poster that reminds me of my childhood ... catching bullfrogs on the banks of a pond and the orphaned baby wild rabbit I raised named Speedy.
“Secret Identity, The Fetish Art of Superman’s Co-Creator Joe Shuster” — parental supervision is strongly advised. OH, SNAP!
This contemporary comic book spoof on Sea-Monkeys® ... “A Bowlful of Happiness” from “Broken Fender” comics.
And finally ...
A Sunblest Tea trading card on Wilhelm Roentgen, the man who invented the x-ray machine in 1895. (The “real” x-ray device.)
This just in ... a 1946 issue of “Super Magician” comics.
I don’t collect comic books and I’m not a big fan of magic ... so this is a little on the fringe of my collecting interests. But I do collect on the inventions of Harold von Braunhut and, for that reason, this title appealed to me.
During the mid-40s, Harold performed magic under the moniker of “The Great Telepo.” Decades later, comic books became the primary advertising vehicle for his mail-order novelty inventions. And, for those of you who are aware of Harold’s later unsavory affiliations, the cloaked figure on the covers far right is also inappropriately appropriate.
SIDE NOTE: This is also the first encapsulated comic book I’ve ever purchased. I’m not a fan of encapsulated comics. I mean, I get it ... for collectors it is condition, condition, condition. But I like the ads in comic books and the feel and smell of the pulp paper and the poor coarsely halftone print quality. I guess I just prefer a lesser grade copy that is not “precious” (and not obnoxiously priced) where I can flip through the pages without fear of devaluing the item.
For this reason, I also bought a low grade un-encapsulated copy of “Super Magician” that I can peruse, fondle and enjoy.
What did the mailman bring YOU recently?
Nice find TRM! Besides building stuff, I find magic and gags appealing. As a kid it was the contents of the package but now it's more the graphics on the package.
I hope the Super Magician comic has some great mail-order ads inside.
@drsab Unfortunately, the ads mostly suck in this issue; a full page ad for Dance Lessons and another for Polk's Model Craft and Hobbies. But the back cover ad is for a "Free 150 Power Microscope" which speaks to my interest in old bio-grow-toys. 😎 😎 😎