These are Crescent for Kellogg's and depict Noddy, Big Ears, PC Plod, Golly (who in these PC times has been airbrushed out of the re-issued books!), Mr Tubby Bear and Miss Fluffy Cat (who was actually 'Pink Cat'in the books, but Crescent weren't set up for a small production run of pink!).Issued with Ricicles twice; in 1962 and 1967 the PC plod and Big ears are the later colours. Mr Bear is from the earlier set as is Noddy while Miss Cat (orange) could be from either issue. These used to catalogue at around £5 each, but these days there are some on eBay nearly every day and you can pick them up for 99p.
Equally easy to obtain now are the Sooty set which came with Cocco Crispies or Puffa Puffa Rice, and were a set of 5 - I haven't tracked down a Sue yet. The 1973 issue my Brother and I collected were issued in red, orange, yellow or blue, however other colours point to either a second issue, or other commercial availability, most likely - Tom Smith Christmas crackers. These are unlikely to be Crescent, the colours and plastic type are slightly different from anything Crescent did.Characters are L-R; Sooty, Butch, Kipper and Sweep. Be aware when buying - Sooty needs a wand, if that's missing he's just a stuffed bear with a man's hand up his....errr....trouser-leg!
Those Noddy figures were first issued in October 1958. I have not come across the 1967 rerelease though - this is exciting news, so would you tell me your source for this date, please?
ReplyDeleteThe Sooty figures first appeared in Coco Krispies in January 1971. On the back of the packets was a cut-out model of Sooty's Music Shop.
The Noddy figures were first announced in 'Swift' comic (and presumably - other publications?) in April '62 and then the 2nd issue in 'TV Comic' 22nd April '67 (and others?). This from the old 'Cluck Cereal Suprises' which was a private publication, by a guy in Bracknell who's details I've lost, but they will turn up as I have an original somewhere, but was useing my photocopies, which I broke down alphabetically to put in the referance files. Illustrations of both adverts are reproduced so it's pretty definate, what's the source of the Oct. 58 dateline?
ReplyDeleteRe. Sooty, it would cirtainly explain the colour variations, and he does suggest a previous/subsquent issue himself. The '73 issue was flagged in 'Playhour and Robin comic 17th March '73, and the packets had one each of the characters as a cut-out (presuming - figures were put in batches of boxes, making sure you didn't get the same figure in the box in 3D plastic as was on the box in 2D card? - Pure conjecture on my part!).
And it would have been the '73 set I remember, as I was only 7 in '71 and not really ready for little figures!!
Thanks for those comic dates, Maverick. I am familiar with CLUCK, and suspected that might be your source.
ReplyDeleteSource for the 1958 Noddy figures is TV Comic, 11th October 1958, checked by my own sweet self. That for the 1971 Sooty figures is TV Comic 30th January 1971.
Well, that means the Noddy figures must have been issued 3 times? I guess - along with Andy Pandy, Trumpton/CG and The Magic Roundabout - it was very popular in an era of only 2 TV stations? (it's roughly every 4 years, or primary school to secondary intake sequence! New Blood!).
ReplyDeleteIt also calls into question his 'definative' guide to the colour distribution?
And it's nice to confirm the second (1st!) issue date for the Sooty set.
His guide is dated now, and while I've linked to some cereal premium sites and bookmarked others, I don't pay them so much attention, as I'm supposed to be researching Toy Soldiers!
CLUCK is an extremely useful publication, but it needs to be used with care. Some of the entries are misremembered, anecdotal and unconfirmed ... at least one entry that I know of is a completely wild stab in the dark (ie, guessing). For later premium issues it it fine, but some of the earlier ones need to be read with that in mind.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity the owner isn't still producing it, as it was a superb effort, which would be even better now that more research has been done.
I've got the first issue, the second was better but is hard to get hold of, I did speak to him on the 'phone but he was very much retired from the field, and I later heard why, so it's unlikely He'll be doing more on the subject.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, there's a really good book on the French end (Figurines Publicitairs) and several good guides to the German 'Margerine' flats and one on the various incarnations of Jean figures with Linde, Nigrin and other basemarks, but the UK and US markets are not well reseached yet, nor are the Spanish/Portugese ends, where there is a lot of crossover.
Reference the Noddy figures, the only ones I remember came out in Ricicles in the late 60s. Ricicles were an expensive cereal so we didn't get many packets, and never got a complete set because we were always getting 'doubles' (no way of knowing what was in packet!) On the back was a rather simple Toyland Scene to cut out and display your model on. I know this because though I long ago lost the model I still have the remains of the box! The only clue to date is Kelloggs trademark 1966. The models are illustrated on the side of the box. Noddy and Big Ears in red. Tubby Bear and Fluffy Cat in brown. Golly and Mr Plod in blue. regards, Allan.
ReplyDeleteAllan, I wold love to see the remains of the box you have - I've never seen one. Would you mind posting photos, please?
ReplyDeleteI was going to suggest that if the box needs a home....? Thanks for posting the memory; that's why we do all this really!
ReplyDelete'66 would tie in with the second issue, as they would have printed-up the boxes at the end of the year (or 'cleared' the artwork), for an issue announced in April of the following year?
I think '66 was the third issue of the figures. The second issue was in April 1962, according to CLUCK.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I MEANT 1967 was the third issue ... not 1966. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter (who is more computer literate) may be able to send photos of the remains of Ricicles box advertising figures, but where should I send them to? Allan.
ReplyDeleteThanks you Allen - my eMail is;
ReplyDeletemaverickatlarge@hotmail.com
When photographing boxes, it's often easier to switch the flash off and shoot them in direct sun/daylight as it cuts down on 'shine' or white spots of reflected flash.
I use picase to edit images so can take scans also/instead-of?