Press Release: The Dogs Are Barking at Douglas

KEENE, NH March 2024

Press Release: KEENE, NH March 2024 The kennels are bursting with new puppies at Douglas Company this time of year. Lots of new breed specific pups are looking for a home, and they will be scooped up quickly, so don’t wait! There are 15 new Dogs in all. Click through for the full press release!  Read More
Posted by charlie on March 15th 2024, 05:04 PM
Share

Press Release: It’s Raining Minis at Douglas

KEENE, NH February 2024

Press Release: It's not quite spring, but it is raining Mini Cats and Dogs at Douglas Company. The plush toy maker and lifestyle gift creator has six all new Minis to introduce for 2024. There are three new kittens and three new dogs. Each stands 6" tall!  Read More
Posted by charlie on February 23rd 2024, 08:42 AM
Share

Toy & Hobby World Magazine March/April 1994

Do you know what is excellent? Toy & Hobby World magazine, that is what! I only recently became familiar with this informative publication, and encourage you to enjoy the March/April 1994 issue, while I search for additional copies to post!




Posted by charlie on July 22nd 2023, 06:15 PM
Share

Toy Fair Catalog - Tonka 1985, GoBots!

It was 1985, and according to Tonka, "The Magic is Here!"

A lot of people tend to make unfavorable comparisons between the Transformers and GoBots lines, but I find there is a place in my heart for them both, as I suspect is a common feeling for those who grew up at that time. In fact, my very first ever 'transforming toys' I ever saw or heard of were given to me by my dad. Seeing Pumper and Spay-C flipped a switch in my head..."you mean, they change from robot to vehicle, and back?!". And thus began a life long obsession.

This was not the first year for GoBots, so it's fun to see how they were expanding the product line in this 1985 catalog, and all of the 'later season' figures that are now a little harder to track down. Flip through the pages and enjoy!












Posted by charlie on January 24th 2023, 12:32 PM
Share

Mego 1976 Toy Fair Catalog

The Mego brand is a fan favorite if you grew up in the 1970s. With many popular licenses of the day, like Wizard of Oz, Star Trek and let's not forget Starsky & Hutch (!) there was a little something for everyone. Throw in consistently great cloth goods, and an incredible variety of playsets for nearly all lines and this was one highly productive company who knew their audience!

I was able to recently obtain the 1976 product catalog, and these old Mego catalogs are not easy to get a hold of. Please check out the excellent products it contains, and here is a sampling of the coolness!



Starsky & Hutch!

Fortress of Solitude!

Of Course Star Trek!


Posted by charlie on December 28th 2022, 05:41 PM
Share

1979 Schaper Toy Fair Catalog

Check out this spectacular 1979 Schaper catalog! This one is full of cool products that I admit I'm largely unfamiliar with, and had a great time learning about them through this book. That, of course, is the whole point of this project!



There really is something different about products from the mid '70s until about the early '80s. It feels like they had some truly cool technology that was a little earlier than it seems it should have been, then we sort of regress back into basic articulated figures for the '80s and beyond, as home video games took over. I like to attribute this to the huge group of Apollo engineers who left the program after the 1969 moon landing and the program ramped down, many of whom perhaps became designers at other companies, like our toy industry. It's a pet theory of mine, but might have some truth to it!

I mean, check out this black hole game

And how about this voice controlled Corvette?

And whatever is going on with this crazy bulldozer farm!

Lots more coolness to see here, be sure to have a look!


Posted by charlie on September 12th 2022, 08:18 PM
Share

Coleco 1980 Toy Fair Catalog

The 1980 Coleco Toy Fair catalog has joined the Preserve archive, and it really contains some fantastic products!



One of my favorites is the Star Trek game, in an Enterprise shaped case!



Also feast your eyes on a one-person football game, and an entry in their home unit pinball collection!



Be sure to see the full catalog for more excellent items!


Posted by charlie on September 1st 2022, 06:09 AM
Share

Cadaco Toy Fair Catalog 1997

The 1997 Cadaco Toy Fair catalog has perhaps the most gloriously 1990s cover artwork that I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. I am absolutely delighted to unearth this rare catalog and shine the digital light of day on it here at the Preserve, for that reason if nothing else.



But, in addition to that graphic design triumph, of course it's packed full of the usual Cadaco goodness, like Super Slam Soccer and Super Slap Hockey!




Posted by charlie on December 4th 2021, 12:13 PM
Share

New Catalogs: Irwin 1995, Irwin 1997, Invicta 1980

We are adding lots of catalogs to the Preserve catalog archive! In order to make it easy to see what's new, I'll do periodic update posts here with a sample of the new books. Here's the latest!

Irwin Toys 1995 (Spawn and Techno Zoids!)


Irwin Toys 1997 (check out that stencil cut!) (Reboot toys!)


Invicta 1980 (A wild German catalog)

Posted by charlie on September 10th 2021, 08:26 AM
Share

Play Meter Magazine - June 01, 1985

While I am busy building out the modest Play Meter magazine archive here at the Preserve, I am already finding the spectacular information that I had hoped to see in these important vintage artifacts. To see what I mean, have a look at the June 01, 1985 Spring Buyers' Guide!



What would be in a Buyer's Guide from 1985, you ask? Well, page after page of the 'new machines' that operators were being enticed to add to their routes and arcades, to get that quarter! Click the images below for larger views - spectacular.







And, if you wanted perhaps to see the prices that operators were paying for these machines, look no further than the classified section at the back of the book!




Posted by charlie on August 2nd 2021, 06:00 AM
Share