My sister and I just recently were reminiscing about this drawing tool we had used when we were kids--but we couldn't remember what it was called! When I visited my parents for Christmas this year (2011) I described it in surprisingly accurate detail, now that I've seen pictures. Right away he was able to come up with the name Spirograph! I am so excited to get one for her, but I am hoping to get one more similar to the one we had.
Christa <christa.graber@gmail.com>
Goshen, IN USA - Friday, December 30, 2011 at 16:14:02 (MST)
I had the wing it game (disc shooting game) when I was a kid and I had years of fun with it. I was trying to show my own grown kids what it was and thanks to you was able to find it even though I couldn't remember its name. I wish manufactuers would bring more of these toys back and make them available for this new generation. They were tons of fun!! Do you know if this toy was ever made again?
Tammy Duncan <duncan4family@aol.com>
lakeville, ohio USA - Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 06:02:15 (MST)
Wow, what a flash from the past. Thank you so much for posting such memorable drawings.
Theresa
USA - Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 20:49:17 (MST)
Thank you so much for posting photos of the Optics Lab Kit. This was probably my single favorite toy from my childhood. It brought back a lot of memories. I only wish I could find something similar for my own kids.
Robert Carter
USA - Monday, November 21, 2011 at 07:06:31 (MST)
Thank you so much. My mom has had this puzzle for so long and my son ripped open the box 2 days ago and we couldn't remember how to put it back together. We have a similar puzzle, Boxed In, and my oldest son did the same thing to it over 25 years ago, I sat down last year and finally figured that one out. Needless to say 1 25 year old puzzle is enough for the joke around our house. Thank you again.
Lisa Groover <lisagroover@hotmail.com>
Glennville, GA USA - Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 12:02:03 (MST)
Wow! I have several toys from my past, including Major Matt Mason and many others. I remembered the Sticky Finger game. We used to play a treasure hunt game around the neighborhood, and the green sticky finger and white ball was a prize that I won. The first time I looked for it, I found your site. It was great to see. I just purchased both fingers and the white ball on e-bay. I'm on the road, but the package is in. I can't wait to get home and display it. When I look at toys like these the memories of my youth come flooding back. It's been a blast finding and collecting these toys and the old ads. Thanks for the Website - it's great!
Dave <daveclm@yahoo.com>
Burkburnett, TX USA - Monday, October 31, 2011 at 19:22:12 (MDT)
I love this website. I love seeing some of my old toys and remembering how much enjoyment they brought.
Jill <jillyle@yahoo.com>
Sascramento, CA USA - Monday, October 17, 2011 at 17:08:55 (MDT)
Just telling my niece about Incredible Edible's toy. My late brother (her dad) and I wanted this toy so badly in the 1960's. We never got it. I don't know why our parents thought it would be a bad idea to give an electrical toy with screaming hot metal plates and God knows what kind of "goop" to a 7 and 5 year old......whoa, how long was I gone.
Laurie
Houston, TX USA - Saturday, October 15, 2011 at 10:52:33 (MDT)
We were the original Tell Chocolate Novelties Inc. My father started the business with two other gentlemen. I purchased the business and have memorabila and sale sheets advertising the vendomatic. We are no longer in business, but thought this would be of some interest. Seeing this just brought back old memories. Thanks
Robert Ricci <barnegatbuz@comcast.net>
Barnegat, NJ USA - Friday, October 14, 2011 at 08:01:08 (MDT)
Fantastic website! Those were such great toys. I still have just the flywheel portion from my V-RROOM Booster Engine. I remember removing it when I "outgrew" the noise maker portion (and unfortunately threw that portion away). I sure wish I still had my Vac-u-form! And that Coney Island Penny Bank was one of my fondest toys as a very young kid. I lusted after the Pepsi dispenser, but never had one. I remember watching NYC local TV shows like The Sandy Becker Show on WNEW and the one on WPIX with the guy dressed up as a policeman where a lot of these toys were advertised. Talk about great marketing. Thanks Sam for putting such a complete website together.
Neal
USA - Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 12:50:57 (MDT)
Just acquired the power shop to practice some model wood turning. The unit is all there except for the #1 drill and one of the clips that hold the contour shapes. I really don't need them but would like to have a complete unit. It also was minus the instruction booklet. I found it on your site, thanks so much for being a great person and for sharing it. Hope I can find the 2 pcs. that I am missing, if not, oh well.
Ron Smith <ronaldsmith74@comcast.net>
Sykesville, Md USA - Sunday, October 02, 2011 at 12:20:34 (MDT)
Got the Green Ghost game for Christmas in the '60s. Had more fun with it. It was scarey and exciting to play a game in the dark making ghost noises and scaring all the players.
Rosemary Muffley <taffygirl@tampabay.rr.com>
Brooksville, Fl USA - Thursday, September 08, 2011 at 11:46:46 (MDT)
just viewed your page on mattel vacuform toy. A real shame we can't have toys like that today. Something to show kids that they can create things, and aren't just at the mercy of what the Chinese want to ship to Walmart. I have felt that the threat of lawsuits made us safer, but they also make us more stupid and less creative.
richard tuhro <rtuhro@lighthouse.net>
sault sainte marie, mi USA - Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 16:16:45 (MDT)
Just left a comment about a game and realized I forgot to mention the name. It was the Tiger Island game.
Craig Bogue <bogiehead1@yahoo.com>
Schoolcraft, MI USA - Sunday, August 14, 2011 at 14:28:08 (MDT)
Apparently, I got this game for my 4th birthday in 1966. My nephew posted a pic on his Facebook page of me receiving the game with a 4th birthday card sitting next to it. Do not, however, remember this game. I do, however, remember having a talking Herman Munster doll and a Lost in Space Robot that took batteries. Thanks for the info on this game.
Craig Bogue <bogiehead1@yahoo.com>
Schoolcraft, MI USA - Sunday, August 14, 2011 at 14:22:14 (MDT)
just missed the table saw but got a drill press today, had wanted the saw since i was a child now 60 still achild i suppose
malcolm carruthers <dc002i7804@blueyonder.co.uk>
south shields, uk - Monday, August 01, 2011 at 09:10:53 (MDT)
Hi Sam. Thanks for the instruction booklet for the game Magnetel. I found this game at my mom's house and remembered fondly all the hours spent playing. But the white cue piece and instructions were gone! Now that I have the directions, I need to find someone with the white piece! My children are playing as I write this.
Debby <debbyjlarson@gmail.com>
USA - Friday, July 08, 2011 at 15:41:28 (MDT)
I built and treasured all of the ABS kits and still remember building a Wilson Cloud Chamber, a Stobe Light , Radio and many other things. I became an Aerospace Engineer and I know ABS Club gave me a good start and satisfied my eagerness to learn and do, I am now 83 yrs. and wish my Grandchildren could avail themsilves of somethng akin to the ABS series. If anyone knows of such let me know please... Regards, CWW
Charles Welcome <rinpop@aol.com>
Tavares, FL USA - Thursday, July 07, 2011 at 20:14:33 (MDT)
Today I just found two unopened boxes I purchased in 2000 from Target. When I saw these Chopper Commands for sale during Christmas, immediately I thought of the Vertibird. For such a great buy, I bought four of them. I was not disappointed. I went back the following years, but they were no longer on the shelves. Are they still available? Do you remember the Hot Wheels Sizzlers, with the battery powered gas pump? Around the same year 2000, I found some similar cars. I dont remember who made them or what I did with them. any suggestions?
James D. <primary5kv@aol.com>
Huntington Beach, Ca USA - Saturday, June 18, 2011 at 20:06:25 (MDT)
At the World Steam Expo 2011 in Dearborn, MI Memorial Day Weekend, a vendor had a collection of wooden gears he made for sale for the Steampunk enthusiasts in attendance. It reminded me of a game I played in the 1960's - and I found it on your site! Mattel's "High Gear" from 1962 was the game - glad to see it here, along with a lot of others from my childhood.
Tom Pellitieri <santa@toledosanta.com>
Toledo, OH USA - Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 11:40:56 (MDT)
Love the site! Puzzles, board games, I love 'em all. My friends laugh because I am a 40 year old woman with an entire room full of games,..nary a battery in sight! I just wish more friends would come over to play.
Betsy C <betsycech@gmail.com>
Grand Haven, mi USA - Friday, June 03, 2011 at 13:58:23 (MDT)
Thank You for this lovely site. I currently live in Germany, where they have MANY board games, and recycling centers. I have game tokens- but didn't save the game!- in the shape of little 1950's rockets. Would you know what these might be?
Huey P Anderson <rottendirndle@yahoo.com>
heidelberg de, BW Germany - Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 00:25:06 (MDT)(The toy in question might be Astro Launch by Ohio Arts. - Sam)
I have many wonderful memories that are attached to all my toys from the past but BIG BURGER GRILL was precious!I looked for the original commercial on you-tube but all that was offered was BIG MAC,BURGER KING etc!!! NO CLUE!! Thank you for this as i scrolled down & saw the picture it brought back so many visions of my mom & dad watching over me in our kitchen as the light bulb heated up inside the grill(it plugged in but wasn't there a light bulb??? Or was that only with my SUZY HOMEACRE OVEN?? Either way I remember how small the burgers were but I thought it was such a big deal! It was part of my presents I asked Santa for one Christmas! It was as if "HE" (my parents) gave me gold!!Can you imagine compared with what kids today get??? I would not trade those gifts,that time of my life or growing up in the 60s & 70s for anything in the world! If I could have one more day as a child to have both my precious parents(My "Daddy" & "Mommy") again, I would give up my life! Nothing can ever compare to the simplicity of that period of time & the safety that I felt as a child living in our wonderful cozy home, with my brother,sisters, parents & my beautiful doggie "MICKEY"!!! Nothing will ever take that place in my heart...EVER!SO VERY SPECIAL TO ME & I am wiping away tears as I type! Thank God I have such beautiful memories of such a beautiful childhood! Someday we will all be together again(all my animals too!!) Its my Catholic faith & as much as I used to be annoyed that I went to Catholic school 12yrs & had nuns,priests, & uniforms(not to mention Church ALL THE TIME wth envelopes)I am so glad about it now! That was also something I cherish because there arent any schools like that of "The trouble with Angels" type any longer!! It was just like that movie for me & we had fun because we were kept pretty strict & tried over & over to get away with stuff! What fun we had stuffing the toilets with toilet paper than flushing & flooding! Setting all the fire alarms off in the middle of exams, to get out of school (& ask for answeres)!1 It was not what todays kids would think funny but it was precious! We suffered detentions, wrote 1,000 xs WHY WE WOULD NEVER DO IT AGAIN & HOW SORRY WE WERE TO GOD(on paper) as our punishment, but our parents never went against the rules(like today) & the school was not afraid of being called racist ot getting sued! That was a time when that crap did not exist! WHY CAN'T I GO BACK??? Life changed because of the influx of uncultured people from other countries coming, not respecting what came before & NOT SPEAKING ENGLISH & we CAVED!!! IT IS NOT AMERICA ANYMORE & SIMPLY,IT SUCKS!!
Johnine <jcimb@optonline.net>
nutley, NJ USA - Monday, May 23, 2011 at 02:52:42 (MDT)
We stopped as a church yard sale today. I came across a puzzle like my mom tree to keep lying around for us to play. This one was called the disappearing square. I had to have it. Now my husband and 7 yeas old have taken over. This is so fun watching them argue over which piece goes where. Some things never get old thanks for the solution I can share when they are tired of trying.
Rhonda <atmbailey@yahoo.com>
Decatur, MS USA - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 20:37:28 (MDT)
Had all of my old toys stored in the garage (and I mean everything-Erector sets,chemistry sets,etc. Drives my wife nuts :)) When we went to move a few years ago, I found that squirrels had gotten to my Mickey Mouse Drawing set from 1962 and eaten the sheets plus doing a few other things to them. Seeing that you had downloadable sheets made me very happy. Granted, their not my original articles, but I'll have something stored away to share with my grandson. Thanks.
Charlie <cgvande55@yahoo.com>
Rock Island, IL USA - Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 10:30:28 (MDT)
I was researching a toy from my childhood when I came upon your site. Thank you for the copious information on Electronic Detective. I remember that game fondly.
Antonio R.
San Antonio, TX USA - Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 20:54:40 (MDT)
Just happened to stumble onto your site. I just spent an hour remembering favorite childhood toys. This is a great site and you have an awsome collection! A few of my favorites were: Vac-u-Form, Creepy Crawlers/Incredible Edibles, Hands Down & Barrel of Monkeys (I was a 60's kid). Thanks for the work you put into this site. I will be back...lots of fun.....Chris
Chris Wills <cwills7@gmail.com>
Baltimore, MD USA - Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 07:28:00 (MDT)
Thanks for producing such a great site.I loved the Aurora kits when I was a kid,still do at 64 years old(started modelling at 8 years). Thanks once again All the best Bob
ROBERT JOHN TUCKER <rt007e4909@blueyonder.co.uk>
BRISTOL, AVON ENGLAND - Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 20:07:42 (MDT)
Great site! How fun! Some of my favorites: Mystery Space Ship: a gyroscope w/ a hand crank in a flying saucer case. Great sound when you cranked it up, spin on the floor for about 5 minutes! Mr. Kelly's Car Wash: see through, battery powered, pulled cars through the little sponge rollers and a tank on top that put on a couple drops of water. I had this submarine that was about 3 feet long, battery powered, ran across the floor shooting missiles every so often. Clear top and a complement of submariners in various poses. No idea who made it.
paul danner <psdbrn2cam@aol.com>
FT. Collins, CO USA - Thursday, March 03, 2011 at 16:00:44 (MST)
Singer-songwriter. When I was a kid I would walk to the Fountain and by AMT, SMP, or Johan model kits (1/25). The one I liked the best was Johan's 1959 Plymouth Fury HT (beautiful car). I went back to the Fountain last July. It is an abandoned building all boarded up. My grade school down the street is now a public library. Richumond Beach was purchased by millionaires to build 3-5 million dollar homes on. Sad, sad, sad. That was 1959-60 and my dad owned a 60' Falcon (got 24-29 per gallon). I should have never gone back.
Rick Curtis <rickkingmusic@juno.com>
Yakima, WA USA - Tuesday, March 01, 2011 at 15:28:02 (MST)
I was talking about old toys I had with my younger brother and his family. I'm 46 and my brother is almost 39. He mostly remembered anything that was my old "hand-me-downs", toys I was done with, or were broken. I remembered having a plastic injecting/molding Hot Wheels toy- one of the coolest things ever! He never got this one- I think our mom though it got too hot, and when I ran out of the plastic it became garage-sale fodder. He found youe site and sent me the images- very cool trip down memory mane. Thanks much!!
Steve <cas93cas@sbcglobal.net>
lakewood, oh USA - Monday, February 28, 2011 at 06:00:53 (MST)
In regards to ur smoking monkey. Its made by mechanical servants inc chicago il. I have an original one with original smokes.. Just thought I'd add this :) thanks for the bit of info I found.
Jason Kennedy <grand_hustle420@hotmail.com>
mississauga, on canada - Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 18:17:51 (MST)
THANK YOU for posting pictures of MB's One Way puzzle. It was frustrating me to no end trying to figure out how to put all of the pieces in the holder! haha! :)
Jenyoseph <dirtytweedjacket@hotmail.com>
Ashland, OR USA - Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 17:28:11 (MST)
I have the Knapp Electronic Questioner that is pictured in the first illustration and presumably the oldest one. It was my Dad's. He would have been the right age for it between 1915 and 1925 if that helps you date it.
Midge <marino48@bellsouth.net>
Jacksonville Beach, FL USA - Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 19:17:51 (MST)
Hi, I've just bought Electronic Detective from ebay, and don't know if all the bits are there yet, now I've found your site, I don't need to worry! Thankyou! I played this game many years ago as a child and loved it, so happy I'm going to be its proud owner again! See ya!
Allison <allison19691@aol.com>
Glasgow, Scotland - Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 11:08:16 (MST)
hello, my grandfather, zelman levine owned the company lakeside toys. he sold it quite a while ago. he made the original gumby and pokey toys. he also brought barrel of monkeys back from china. he owns the company jax. they make board games like the sequence games and doddle dice. i stumbles across this site and i thought someone might be intrested. great site!!
ike levine <blackice6911@yahoo.com>
shorewood, mn USA - Saturday, February 05, 2011 at 16:36:28 (MST)
Snap Bowling, Ricochet Racers, Power Mites, they're all here. I've had a few of these toys and completely forgotten about them. Seeing these makes me wish I still had them. Great site!
Robert <robert.pettigrew@comcast.net>
Ambridge, PA USA - Saturday, February 05, 2011 at 02:42:30 (MST)
Sam, I have an incomplete set of Spirograph and extra parts of Spirotot. Am wondering what I can get for them. I have the red box lid, blue plastic base frame and the Spirogram drawing baseboard. Also 2 good red Spirotot frames. More stuff than I can list. I bought this stuff for my children in the '60's and perhaps early '70's.
Virginia Allison <virginia@desertinet.com>
Scottsdale, AZ USA - Thursday, February 03, 2011 at 11:37:00 (MST)
OK, I found Astrolite AND Ka-bala! I remember the commercials ... "Only Ka-bala knows for sure!" ... hours of fun in the dark closet listening to that marble roll around the board and spooking the heck out of ourselves. Great fun!
Sally <swood2010@att.net>
USA - Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 09:52:43 (MST)
Thanks for putting this up Sam. It's great to see it again. I still have my old spirograph and super spirograph sets (both red), which I would never sell either! I used them well and have ink marks on some of my favorite holes. Do you, or does anyone remember ASTROLITE? I always wanted that for Christmas and I never got it (got a typewriter instead). But it looked so cool - you could plug plastic forms into a board which would light up in neon colors and create a city of light! Thanks again!
Sally <swood2010@att.net>
USA - Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 09:34:35 (MST)
Sam, I love the site – it brings back a lot of memories. I play Frustration Ball all the time; I just call it golf.
Bill
USA - Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 17:08:26 (MST)
I once got a toy on Christmas that was a electric molding toy (best to discribe it). It made small army men,small tanks and military tanks. It came with molds thst snapped together, slid into a slot on the side of the electric unit, and you poured soft slastic bits into the top to melt down. Then with a special plunger you would push the down to inject plastic into the mold. Once mold cooled down you could take out the army men or tanks and have fun. I built an impressive army. I have no idea what the name or who there maker of that toy was. It came out sometime during the 1960's. If someone have information please let me know.
Reginald Robbins <reginaldrobbins@bellsouth.net>
Decatur, GA USA - Thursday, January 06, 2011 at 18:45:43 (MST)(The toy in question was called the Kenner Electric Mold Master and came in both the combat group set and a road builder set. Here is an eBay search for the toy. - Sam)
Contact me: Sam Cancilla, sam@samstoybox.com.
