Toys
The gun safe enough to use as a toy
There seem to be layers of meaning in this ad. On one level, it's just a girl playing with her toys (and her gun). On another level, the doll clearly seems posed in a way to represent a dead person, shot perhaps by the girl who's looking down at the gun in her hand with regret. What's the message here?
Incidentally, wikipedia tells us that Iver Johnson revolvers were used in the assassinations of William McKinley and Robert Kennedy (and the attempted assassination of FDR).
Source: The Canadian Magazine - April 1904
Posted By: Alex - Tue Apr 21, 2015 -
Comments (5)
Category: Guns, Toys, Advertising, 1900s
Miniature Menagerie
A portrait of the once-proud USA squeaky-toy industry in its glory days, before Asia kicked our squeaky butt.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 26, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Business, Technology, Toys, 1950s
Follies of the Madmen #243
Posted By: Paul - Tue Mar 10, 2015 -
Comments (3)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Music, Toys, 1960s
Tarco Space Pilot Helmet, 1952
The sound of whizzing in space.
[via bifurcated rivets]
Posted By: Alex - Tue Jan 13, 2015 -
Comments (6)
Category: Toys, Space Travel, Headgear, 1950s
Texaco Fire Chief Speaker Hat
I don't think the gal in the third video is wearing one....
Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 26, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Motor Vehicles, Toys, Headgear, 1960s
Barbie Head Shoes
More strange Barbie stuff. Included in footwear designer Jeffrey Campbell's summer 2013 collection are shoes that have clear, lucite heels filled with the heads of Barbie dolls. There's also a version filled with Ken heads. Of course, these shoes are now all the rage in Japan. [via RocketNews24]
Posted By: Alex - Sun Nov 23, 2014 -
Comments (6)
Category: Toys, Shoes
Barbie - now with acne!
Strange Barbie dolls have been a recurring theme here at WU. We've seen scaled-up Barbie, makeup-free Barbie, non-human Barbie, Ancient Minoan culture illustrated with Barbie, Virgin Mary Barbie doll, etc.So the latest strange Barbie in the news doesn't even seem all that strange, by comparison. It's "Normal Barbie." Created by artist Nickolay Lamm, this doll (which he's calling Lammily), is designed with measurements similar to those of an average 19-year old woman. Also, it comes with stickers allowing you to customize it with freckles, stretch marks, acne, moles, cellulite, and blushing cheeks.
Barbie has acne
Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 21, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Toys
The Atomiscope
Did this actually have radium inside it? How many cancers did this cause, carried about in Dennis the Menace's pockets?
Unfortunately, I've lost the source of this ad. Can anyone help?
Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 05, 2014 -
Comments (9)
Category: Death, Toys, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1940s
How to make a roller-skating witch
Instructions from Humpty Dumpty Magazine - Oct 1954. via And Everything Else Too (which has full-size scans).
Posted By: Alex - Fri Oct 31, 2014 -
Comments (6)
Category: Holidays, Toys
Loony Lids, 1951 toy
Sold by The Ideal Toy Corp: "Inflatable Vinylite headpieces for children, built in the shape of lions, elephants, horses, and roosters. A few puffs of air inflate each 'lid,' and a cord under the chin secures it."Insanity quickly follows.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Oct 26, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Toys, 1950s
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |