Monday, July 23, 2012
Did You know? Teddy Bears
Did you know?
Do you have a Teddy Bear in your collection? It is
interesting how they became known as Teddy Bears. The name comes
from a cartoon in the Washington Post depicting a bear and then
President Theodore Roosevelt in the woods in hunting gear with a
large gun and a bear tied up. The president who was called
Teddy refused to shoot the bear. Clifford K. Berryman a political
cartoonist drew the cartoon and it was used as Roosevelt's
mascot in his next campaign for president. Because of the close association
of President Roosevelt (Teddy) to the bear, all toy bears were
there after called Teddy. The first toy bears were designed by Morris
Michtom who's business later became Ideal Novelty Toy Company.
About the same time in Germany the Steiff Company founder had her nephew
make a toy bear for the Leipiz Toy Fair. In just a few years that
company had made nearly one million bears. Bears even today remain
a very popular collectible with many selling for hundreds of dollars and
antique bears can sell for thousands.
Do you have a Teddy Bear in your collection? It is
interesting how they became known as Teddy Bears. The name comes
from a cartoon in the Washington Post depicting a bear and then
President Theodore Roosevelt in the woods in hunting gear with a
large gun and a bear tied up. The president who was called
Teddy refused to shoot the bear. Clifford K. Berryman a political
cartoonist drew the cartoon and it was used as Roosevelt's
mascot in his next campaign for president. Because of the close association
of President Roosevelt (Teddy) to the bear, all toy bears were
there after called Teddy. The first toy bears were designed by Morris
Michtom who's business later became Ideal Novelty Toy Company.
About the same time in Germany the Steiff Company founder had her nephew
make a toy bear for the Leipiz Toy Fair. In just a few years that
company had made nearly one million bears. Bears even today remain
a very popular collectible with many selling for hundreds of dollars and
antique bears can sell for thousands.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Sunshine Family by Mattel
The Sunshine Family.
The Sunshine Family of dolls was introduced by Mattel Inc. in 1973.
These dolls had hard plastic bodies and vinyl heads and arms. Their
knees were jointed which allowed them to sit. All members of the
Sunshine Family have rooted hair and inset eyes. The dolls were made
to reflect the back to the land way of life.
In 1973, three members of the family were introduced. All the dolls
introduced that year had paper wrist tags and pockets in their
clothing.
Steve. 9-1/2 inches tall. Father to the family. He has brown
rooted hair and brown inset eyes.
Stephanie. 9 inches tall. Mother to the family. She has blonde
rooted hair and blue inset eyes. She is wearing a short sleeved one-
piece dress with pockets and a white apron. She also has a paper
wrist tag.
Sweets The Baby. 3 inches tall. Sweets was made of vinyl and the
only joint is at the neck and head. The baby has blonde rooted hair
and blue inset eyes and is wearing a yellow one-piece romper.
Accessories offered were a Sunshine Family house with four rooms and
four kinds of craft kits. Dress up kits were also offered.
1975 Sunshine Grandparents were introduced. Also that year the Happy
Family was introduced that had three black members and a set of black
Happy Family grandparents. Accessories were a bicycle built for two
and a yellow pick-up with a camper on the back.
1977 A new Sunshine Family was introduced wearing new clothing.
There were no pockets in the clothes. Accessories for that year
included a family farm and a green produce truck.
1978 The Sunshine Fun Family and the Happy Fun Family was
introduced. Each family had four members.
There was one item included with each set of dolls. An Idea Book
that encouraged doll owners to be creative and use their imagination.
The Sunshine Family doll marks are:
Neck Mattel Inc Back 1973
Mattel Inc
Taiwan
The Sunshine Family of dolls was introduced by Mattel Inc. in 1973.
These dolls had hard plastic bodies and vinyl heads and arms. Their
knees were jointed which allowed them to sit. All members of the
Sunshine Family have rooted hair and inset eyes. The dolls were made
to reflect the back to the land way of life.
In 1973, three members of the family were introduced. All the dolls
introduced that year had paper wrist tags and pockets in their
clothing.
Steve. 9-1/2 inches tall. Father to the family. He has brown
rooted hair and brown inset eyes.
Stephanie. 9 inches tall. Mother to the family. She has blonde
rooted hair and blue inset eyes. She is wearing a short sleeved one-
piece dress with pockets and a white apron. She also has a paper
wrist tag.
Sweets The Baby. 3 inches tall. Sweets was made of vinyl and the
only joint is at the neck and head. The baby has blonde rooted hair
and blue inset eyes and is wearing a yellow one-piece romper.
Accessories offered were a Sunshine Family house with four rooms and
four kinds of craft kits. Dress up kits were also offered.
1975 Sunshine Grandparents were introduced. Also that year the Happy
Family was introduced that had three black members and a set of black
Happy Family grandparents. Accessories were a bicycle built for two
and a yellow pick-up with a camper on the back.
1977 A new Sunshine Family was introduced wearing new clothing.
There were no pockets in the clothes. Accessories for that year
included a family farm and a green produce truck.
1978 The Sunshine Fun Family and the Happy Fun Family was
introduced. Each family had four members.
There was one item included with each set of dolls. An Idea Book
that encouraged doll owners to be creative and use their imagination.
The Sunshine Family doll marks are:
Neck Mattel Inc Back 1973
Mattel Inc
Taiwan
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Chinese Folklore - The Eight Immortales
THE EIGHT IMMORTALS
ONCE upon a time there was a poor man, who at last had no roof to shelter him and not a bite to eat. So, weary and worn, he lay down beside a little temple of the field-god that stood by the roadside and fell asleep. And he dreamed that the old, whitebearded field-god came out of his little shrine and said to him: "I know of a means to help you! Tomorrow the Eight Immortals will pass along this road. Cast yourself down before them and plead to them!"
When the man awoke he seated himself beneath the great tree beside the field-god's little temple, and waited all day long for his dream to come true. At last, when the sun had nearly sunk, eight figures came down the road, which the begger clearly recognized as those of the Eight Immortals. Seven of them were hurrying as fast as they could, but one among them, who had a lame leg, limped along after the rest. Before him—it was Li Tia Guai—the man cast himself to earth. But the lame Immortal did not want to bother with him, and told him to go away. Yet the poor man would not give over pleading with him, begging that he might go with them and be one of the Immortals, too. That would be
impossible, said the cripple. Yet, as the poor man did not cease his prayers and would not leave him, he at last said: "Very well, then, take hold of my coat!" This the man did and off they went in flying haste over paths and fields, on and on, and even further on. Suddenly they stood together high up on the tower of Ponglai-schan, the ghost mountain by the Eastern Sea. And, lo, there stood the rest of the Immortals as well! But they were very discontented with the companion whom Li Tia Guai had brought along. Yet since the poor man pleaded so earnestly, they too allowed themselves to be moved, and said to him: "Very well! We will now leap down into the sea. If you follow us you may also become an Immortal!" And one after another the seven leaped down into the sea. But when it came to the man's turn he was frightened, and would not dare the leap. Then the cripple said to him: "If you are afraid, then you cannot become an Immortal!''
"But what shall I do now?" wailed the man, "I am far from my home and have no money!'' The cripple broke off a fragment of the battlement of the tower, and thrust it into the man's hand; then he also leaped from the tower and disappeared into the sea like his seven companions.
When the man examined the stone in his hand more closely, he saw that it was the purest silver. It provided him with traveling money during the many weeks it took him to reach his home. But by that time the silver was completely used up, and he found himself just as poor as he had been before.
ONCE upon a time there was a poor man, who at last had no roof to shelter him and not a bite to eat. So, weary and worn, he lay down beside a little temple of the field-god that stood by the roadside and fell asleep. And he dreamed that the old, whitebearded field-god came out of his little shrine and said to him: "I know of a means to help you! Tomorrow the Eight Immortals will pass along this road. Cast yourself down before them and plead to them!"
When the man awoke he seated himself beneath the great tree beside the field-god's little temple, and waited all day long for his dream to come true. At last, when the sun had nearly sunk, eight figures came down the road, which the begger clearly recognized as those of the Eight Immortals. Seven of them were hurrying as fast as they could, but one among them, who had a lame leg, limped along after the rest. Before him—it was Li Tia Guai—the man cast himself to earth. But the lame Immortal did not want to bother with him, and told him to go away. Yet the poor man would not give over pleading with him, begging that he might go with them and be one of the Immortals, too. That would be
impossible, said the cripple. Yet, as the poor man did not cease his prayers and would not leave him, he at last said: "Very well, then, take hold of my coat!" This the man did and off they went in flying haste over paths and fields, on and on, and even further on. Suddenly they stood together high up on the tower of Ponglai-schan, the ghost mountain by the Eastern Sea. And, lo, there stood the rest of the Immortals as well! But they were very discontented with the companion whom Li Tia Guai had brought along. Yet since the poor man pleaded so earnestly, they too allowed themselves to be moved, and said to him: "Very well! We will now leap down into the sea. If you follow us you may also become an Immortal!" And one after another the seven leaped down into the sea. But when it came to the man's turn he was frightened, and would not dare the leap. Then the cripple said to him: "If you are afraid, then you cannot become an Immortal!''
"But what shall I do now?" wailed the man, "I am far from my home and have no money!'' The cripple broke off a fragment of the battlement of the tower, and thrust it into the man's hand; then he also leaped from the tower and disappeared into the sea like his seven companions.
When the man examined the stone in his hand more closely, he saw that it was the purest silver. It provided him with traveling money during the many weeks it took him to reach his home. But by that time the silver was completely used up, and he found himself just as poor as he had been before.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)