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Monday, January 30, 2012

Treasure Hunting for Vintage Toys

Now that I'm an official junker, it is part of my job description to go out and find new things to sell at the swap meet.  It has given me the opportunity to buy things that I think are really cool but would not buy for myself otherwise.  Like toys for boys! 

I found this amazing hand made balsa wood glider plane at a sale last weekend.  I got to talk with the older gentleman who made it.  He said that he used to make lots of them when he was younger. It is made from the thinnest wood and paper and is very detailed, right down to the pilot & cockpit!




 Cleared for take off!



Have you ever noticed how themes develop when you are out junking?  I found more airplanes at another sale the next day!

I found this box full of great vintage boys toys.  Being a tomboy as a kid (and still today)  I was really attracted to this box.  I purchased it without going through it first.  I really wanted to take it home and sift through it, like a big grab bag!




I was sold on the airplanes and robots alone!  When I got it home and spread it out on the coffee table, there were treasures galore!




















The planes are all die cast metal.  Everything in this box has been well loved and played with.  I especially like the Automatic Adding Machine (pre battery powered calulator?) and the wind up robot dog (what movie is he from?) and the Diving Suit Figurine.  This box reminds me of the toy & trinket treasure box from the French movie Amalie.  The main character finds a similar box hidden behind a tile in her bathroom and sets out to find it's original owner.  It is such a feel good movie! 


Hitting the sales on the weekends makes me feel good.  I always take the time to chat with the people having the sales.  Especially if it is an estate sale.  You will get neat stories about the previous owners and the objects you have selected.  It makes them even more special!
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5 comments:

  1. Uncle AtomJanuary 30, 2012 at 1:08 PM

    Cool stuff. I'll bet if you can't sell some of this stuff that you can figure out some kind of art project to use it for. It's great to get a story with your purchase. I'll bet if you blog about the stories before you know it you'll have enough to fill a book.

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    1. Amber Von FeltsJanuary 30, 2012 at 11:04 PM

      Thanks Uncle Atom! I have hung the balsa wood plane in my room and may need to look at it for another week or so before I take it off to the swap. As for the little planes, I think that they would make great mobiles. So many projects so little time!

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  2. beetreeFebruary 1, 2012 at 12:28 PM

    What an amazing box of treasures! Those little cap guns reminded me of a really cool pirate cap gun I found on my way to elementary school. I had it for a long time, then lost it. :( You have some cool stuff in there!

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  3. Mr. KarswellFebruary 1, 2012 at 3:54 PM

    I had that same exact oldtime underwater diving dude in my fishtank as a kid! Neat finds!

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  4. LisaFebruary 3, 2012 at 7:08 AM

    I love how detailed the balsa wood flyer is...to the extent of having a pilot! And that box of treasures is just exactly that, treasurific. I love the idea of a dogfight airplane hanging mobile!

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