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. 😎 😎 😎
The ads suck in comics that old because it would take several years more for the golden age of mail order to start. The pages of comics golden age of novelties was from the late 1950’s to 1984....the 1970’s it hit it’s prime....
FINALLY!!! After being lost in the bowels of the House of the Unusual archives for months, Eddie finally re-found Igor the missing Hair-Raising Monster. Igor has now been happily reunited with his other Hair-Raising Monster friends.
THANK YOU, MR. GUEVARA!!!
(Here’s a little musical tribute to honor the happy occasion.)
Ha!!!!! Happy at last!