L is for Lithesome Luminous LED Lurker!

Picked this up the other day, it was greenhouse plant ties which kick-started the wider, more regular coverage of the almost timeless bendy-toy novelties here at Snall Scale World a few years ago, something which has lead to mini-micro bendies from Chris, and the discovery of possibly the first bendy on the back of the paperwork from the archive, so it's fitting that the latest instalment is back to gardens, or at least, a garden centre!

 

There was another in a sort of aqua/turquoise, but I thought the Purple People Eater ("But now he only eats guitars" Beeeoooowwh!) was the better of the two! The head is a rigid polymer, probably 'propylene, but the body is in the standard bendy-toy construction; a stable PVC-like material, with internal soft-wiring and the little air-holes, a central ball-joint then locates in a socket under the torch-head.

 

Illumination is bright-enough, modern consumer products tend not to disappoint in the way they could back in the day, how many cycle torches did we get through, it's like they were incapable of lasting five-minutes, whether 'Eveready', Pifco or Lucas - The Prince of Darkness!

 

The legs are long and flexible, and the torch can therefore be set-up to illuminate anything from a very specific angle, and I feel that, while I bought it as a novelty, figural item, with the Blog in mind, I will actually get use out of it, going forwards!

 

Manufactured by IF LLC of the USA, it might soon be hard to get, as I think the USA just shot itself in both feet after nailing them to the MAGA floorboards, but coming from Brwreakshiteer Britain, it's hard to feel superior at the stupidity of fellow citizens, failed by an education system only interested in churning out consumer/workers, who can just-about tie their own shoelaces.

 

Lurking lurker lurks!

I is for In The Works

I picked-up a couple of bits last time I visited The Works, and we're looking at them here. 'Big Head' astronauts, as I've mentioned already, are definitely a thing at the moment, with another design here, and the other item we have looked at before, but I opened this one, as it turned-out it was a duplicate.

 

Pen[cil]-top astronauts. These come with an added novelty gimmick, and can be removed to enhance the feature's usefulness, there were three colourways of figurine, but only two pens, metallic pink or silver.

 

The three 'star-men', love 'em or leave 'em, they are figures, and of a vaguely alien or otherworldly stature, so in the stash they've gone! Orange, blue or grey highlights, but all three backpacks have the same red/blue elements, and the reflections on the visors are white on all three, more over-moulding, too!

 

The novelty gimmick is an LED torch, they get everywhere these days! While it shines through them, it can be made more useful/powerful, by losing the astronaut all together! Might prove an aid to finding dropped items in my dotage, but with Lego figures, Guardsmen, monkeys, tank key-rings (and a bendy alien), I have more LED novelty torches than is reasonably excusable, now!

 

I couldn't remember if we'd seen this when I got the others and Blogged them around Christmastime, so bought it, as it was the last, reduced, and when I got it home, checked the Tag, to find I had one in storage, so opened this one.

 

A count of thirteen seems as unlikely as duplicate Polar Bears, so I suspect a packing failure has left me with an extra bear? Although, "bear" is a very specific term for the skinny, dog-like creature here! Other sculpts in the set are a little better, and it's another box ticked!

I is for Illumin' . . . with a Moomin!

I shouldn't be allowed, I know! Just a quickie here, I grabbed this in Waterstone's back in August as it was the last one, and went back a few times hoping they'd get a re-stock, and I could get others, but when eventually they did get some more, it was just a bunch of these, so generic early 'book' Moomin rather than later colour-coded TV character Moomin!

 

 

 

More of a nightlight than a torch, it would help you find key-holes in the dark!

Labelled Temptation Gifts

D is for Duracell Durabeam

Another in the occasional series of nostalgic posts, and a funny one as I found the add' while scanning other stuff from the colour supplements going to recycling, when clearing the house out, back in '22, and doing so while sitting on the end of my bed nearest the scanner, with the actual torch, still working (not switched-on!), on the mantle-shelf behind, less than an arms reach away!

I don't remember many adverts for torches when I was a kid, this would have been from 1982, or thereabouts, I can't remember the date now, but there's chapter and verse on them, here. I do vaguely remember their being a larger one, but this little one was the classic, most UK homes in the 1980's had one tucked away somewhere!

 

The iconic black/yellow-highlighted design launched a thousand copycats and a - continuing - generation of like-designed Duracell's, with several of these being so-branded, the rubber one lying on the left, obviously, but a couple of the others, too, I think, they've gone off to storage with everything else! I think the one with a grey seal is none-Duracell, and the squared-end one is an Eveready?

 

And, believe me, this is about a third of the torches I've ended-up with, having now, the accrued torches of two lifetimes, my late Mother's and mine! All torches used to become temperamental, either because the tensioned copper or brass conductor plate/s at the switch, or between batteries would lose their springiness and not make good connections, or because acid-damage, from an old, dead-battery would kill the conductivity altogether!

I think my Durabeam (centre) was a Christmas stocking present, and one of the last crimbo-stockings I ever got, probably that 1982 xmas? And it still works, with quite a decent light, it has facilitated many Blog Posts, finding stuff in the attic!

 

Now, I have two pen torches, both LED, both still only two AA-batteries (same as the Durabeam), one a mini Maglite (about 2.5 inches long) which I keep in my driver's bag to find door numbers from the comfort of my cab, the other a cheapo' lookie-likie which I keep in the car, mostly to help fill my vape, or change its battery in dark lay-byes! And either of them produce a better light than all the above would, if used together!

Oh, and Energiser are a bunch of phuqing wankers! My own personal opinion, of course!

N is for Novelty . . . Guards - Larger

Well, Nutcracker Suites are being cancelled left, right and centre, Sugar Plum Fairies are on furlough, Babes aren't  marching in the woods; 2020's turned out to be such a shitter, I thought we'd have a few novelty guards to brighten things up, and because I threatened to do so, around this time, when Peter Evans sent some earlier in the year!

So these are the medium-sized chaps, all about 45-60-odd millimeters. We have seen some before as they came in, but here they all are together. From the left;

• ·         Probably actually a circus ringmaster/compare he's resin - mostly!
• ·         PVC or even silicon-rubber key-ring
• ·         LED Torch in mixed materials
• ·         Resin guardsman who was probably a fridge-magnet once?
• ·         Silicon rubber key ring who was designed as a pencil-top first
• ·         Key-ring or Christmas tree hanging-decoration/figural bauble in chromium-plated polystyrene.

You can see how the left-hand key-ring began life as or intended for pencil-topping, or - indeed - pens; all writing instruments matter! And the material is a soft, squidgy silicon-rubber, against the stiffer rubber of the chap on the right.

The new one (who came from Chris Smith or Peter Evans earlier in the year I think) in the middle has the remains of a sting/ribbon loop, but whether it was for keys or Christmas trees only god knows . . . have you got one coming out of the attic any-day now loyal readers, or are you carrying one around with your keys?

I think both of these (lower pair) were new this year (same likely contributors) and while the one on the left does stand-up, some damage to the small of his back points to the careful removal of a magnet and hot-wax [glue-gun] glue I think?

The one on the right seems to be resin, but he has peculiar soft areas on his feet, almost as if someone had rebuilt the soles with Blue-Tac and painted over it, so he may have been removed from a larger vignette, maybe he's a band-master in one of those 'Christmas Village' band-stands, or something like that?

I nearly left him in the Guards, but after umming-&-arring for a while I put him with the circus stuff for now, although as well as Victorian bandstands, he might fit the bill of a foreign nations' police/traffic-police force uniform, making him more of a tourist-memento piece?

Seen before and I can't remember the branding (Puckator - I looked it up!), but it was looked at better then I think. There is a little pull-out tab at his waist-rear, to prevent the battery being in contact and running down, while he plays a bloody annoying little tune every time you press the button!

Largest were posted earlier this year!

S is for Spidey Light

. . . ♫ ♬♪♩ Spiderlight! Spiderlight! . . . it can do any'thing a real-light might . . . ♬♩

♬ . . . . Spiderlight! Spiderlight! . . . dada-dada-dada-dada daar da-daaar! . . . ♬♩

♬ . . . Spiderlight! Spiderlight! . . . fighting-crime at-night with a tooor-che's light . . . ♬♩

♬ . . . . Spiderlight! Spiderlight! . . . dada-dada-dada-dada daar da-daaar! ♪♪♫♩ . . .

This came in with the three flashing key-ring toys we looked at earlier this morning, whether someone was starting a nascent key-ring / mini-torch collection, or not I don't know as Dave pointed out a while ago, the ladies probably save this stuff out t'back until they have enough for a bagful to go out-front or 'shop-side' . . . retail-side? They'll have their own volunteer-ladies jargon, I'm sure!

Spidertorch! Similarities with the other lot include LED fitted as a light source, a flush, sliding switch and key-ring function, albeit as a key-chain not the proper rings of the others.

Differences include shape - obviously, design aspects of the sliding switch and the fact that it's screwed-together not sealed . . . oh, I'm just waffling now, there's little to add to the photographs and I just want to get to the last shot, because when I put it down on the bed I noticed . . .

. . . it was a coloured light? A bi-coloured red / blue light to boot, and while they seemed to be side-by side you can't see anything by looking down the lens, whether while it's witched-off, or switched-on which just blinds you temporarily!

In the end I did manage to see it by shining another pen-torch through the thin casing, it was possible to see the little artwork and even get a fuzzy picture of it . . .

. . . but pointing it into the dark recess of the chimney-breast revealed . . .

..."Agonised Arachnids! Batman - it's the Spidey-signal!"

It is of course the same image as is presented on the side of the torch, although, why it's the shape it is, is anyone's guess, a sort of three-fingered knuckle-duster effect?

"This Spider light is dirty Soldier!"

The rather fuzzy look down the barrel reveals a little transparency set above the LED which produces the 'Spidey-signal' when it's switched-on, without a near target-surface and near dark conditions, it just acts like a slightly weak pen-torch.

Marvel though - bunch of twerps . . . is 'twerps' acceptable or is it unprofessional? TJF'll know, he knows everything; he has a little black book with his legend in!

LED is for Light Tanks

No, not a new line in Tron merchandise (mores' the pity!), nor a new range of aluminium-hulled reconnaissance vehicles for the British Army (who - god knows; need them) but rather; a couple of novelty tanks with lights!

There's not often an excuse for a video in the output or subject matter of Small Scale World, but when there is, it is now taken with glee, the opportunity that is, the actual videoing is still poorly lit and a bit amateurish, but . . . I'm an amateur!

In my little universe a novelty tank is a 'tank', but a novelty car is a 'novelty', so let's get this out of the way; first-up, it's a car! It's about the same size as those die-cast Burago key-rings, so HO/1:87th'ish and looks a bit Citroën-like with the aerodynamic wheel-arch fairings, but having the 'jelly-mould' lines of a 1990's saloon.

We saw it in the video . . . &etc.

But these! These are mini-tanks, with flashing lights, too cool for Panzer Schule! I know we've had that gag before, but it's my Blog and if I want to be repetitive - I will be!

Turret and upper hull have all the hallmarks of the T54/55 or T62 families, but - given its likely origin (it's unmarked) - probably an Type 59/69 or something - i.e. the Chinese copy! But from the waist down, it's a Tetrach! Was someone using the old small-scale, rack-toy, generic tank as shipped-in by Speedwell (among others) as a basis for the running gear? Nahh! Just coincidence - four-wheels fit!

Close-ups and stuff, the two positions on the turrets in the right-hand shot are the maximum extents of the traverse. The whole thing is a heat/pressure sealed 'sealed-unit' so once the batteries run out, it's basically recyce-fodder!

Has anyone else encountered these? They look to be 'brannies', so may be findable and it'd be nice to A) put a brand or a couple of importers' names to them and B) know what other colours are available . . . or - for that matter - C) are/were there slightly more military-looking (green or camo') versions?

T is for Two - Novelty Figures

Picked-up one of these on my recent trip up to The Smoke, picked the other one up a couple of days later in a charity shop!

And so to Lan'dan Tar'n! Filthy, noisy, place, full of selfish, self-absorbed, shoulder-bargers, glued to their dumb-phones and apparently playing Russian roulette with what appears to be half the vehicular traffic in Western Europe - as it happens, but full of little touristy nick-knack kiosks.

One of which was purveying this little LE'delight and I had to have it! It's too cool for luminary school, and it's a guardsman, so will join the toast-mould cutters & egg-cup, knitted-woolen egg-cosy, bog-brush, clockwork walker, nutcracker et al!

It's by Puckator, who did those nearly-impossible to get out undamaged, resin pirates in plaster blocks, Peter Evans let me have a few years ago!

The downside is that when you press the button you don't just get light in the darkness, you get a tinny rendition of half-a-verse of the Rule Britannia. It sounds like someone coerced a grasshopper to play it on some frayed fishing line, in a biscuit-tin! Still - it could be worse; it could have been the national Anthem!

I don't know about you, whoever you are or wherever you are, but most National Anthems are pretty tedious affairs, one tries to hear as infrequently as possible, especially if one - having been in the forces - has already overdosed on the bloody thing.

It's the one thing I feel sorry for the Royal family about, they get to listen to the same, slow dirge, umpteen times a day, played by amateur bands, rappers, junior-school recorder and triangle 'orchestras', steel bands and foreigners who saw the music for the first time two days previously, or who possess un-tuned instruments (it's on the Internet somewhere!), they get it played on spoons, wash-boards, tea-chest cellos, coloured-water filled milk-bottles, flower-pots and probably - at least once - Imperial Stormtrooper's helmets! They get it acapella from groups of poets, school-dinner ladies, Uncle Tom Cobly an'all.

They must all have been driven slightly insane, or borderline suicidal, by the dreadful tune?

I intend to try disabling that relevant part of the PCB!

This was a nice find, I remember seeing them a couple of Christmases ago in one of those gadget-gift round-up's in the national press, I think they were about £12 plus postage, so finding one for four-quid in a charity shop was a bargain. I think I said a while ago when discussing the dongle-upgrade - I don't mind paying a pound a gigabyte, but more than that - when corporate PR exercises give away 4 or 8Gb data-sticks these days - is madness.

And who can say no to a naughty monkey in a green T-shirt (don't go there; I think I might have, but I think I got away with it! And a jungle hasn't been mentioned . . . Doh!). I like the fact that there's a rubber tag (with a tight-fit) you can slot in the USB hole to keep the two halves together while you're using it.

I scanned the can's wrap-around before it went in the recycling. Imported by Satsuma, and as I said above, was retailing a couple of years ago. I'm after a flash-drive robot I saw a while ago too, I don't know if it's also Satsuma or someone else, but I can see a collection of novelty memory sticks in my future!

Whoops - T is for THREE - Novelty Figures! The Darth Vader LED has been seen here before, but they are now a group, along with the coffin data-stick we've also looked-at previously.