Sansui Complete!

 A few years ago (more than I'd like to admit, actually) I decided that I wanted a stereo system that could play pretty much anything that had ever been recorded. I started with some components that I had left over from 40 years ago, or so and then just kept building. 

This wasn't a focused, determined build, mind you. I would simply pick up something here and something else there and kept adding. Sometimes (pretty often) the things I bought at estate sales and garage sales ended up not working, but since I only spent a couple bucks on them, it was no big deal. 

Tape decks (reel to reel and 8 tracks) seemed to be a particular problem. They have so many moving parts and belts, heads, etc that have to be in perfect working order that it's almost impossible to find a working unit "in the wild." I got several of each, with no luck.

I finally decided about 10 years ago that I would get a professionally restored reel to reel, and so I made a visit to Dallas Vintage Audio. They had a Sansui QD-5500 machine that they assured me was a good deal. I have since learned that this is a rare quad deck, and they are highly regarded in vintage audio circles, but at the time I was looking at the price tag, which was many times what I had ever spent for a reel to reel. Still, with the encouragement of a supportive Mrs. Stu, I went for it. 

And thus was the Sansui rabbit hole opened. Sansui was a Japanese company that made  some top of the line stereo equipment in the late 60s and early 70s. A few years later, I decided that I needed a quad receiver to go with my tape deck, and found, at the same store, a Sansui QRX-7500A. 

Slowly, over the years, I added a turntable and speakers. All Sansui, to keep the system as compatable as possible. Finally all I needed were a set of SP-2000 speakers, for the "rears" of the quad system. I had already found SP-3000s for my "mains." 

Ladies and gentlemen. This past week, after literally months long negotiations, I got my SP-2000s! I now have the complete system! Here is everything...

My Sansui QRX-7500A receaver with a Technics cassette tape deck, and EQ, and a (working) Panasonic 8 track on top!

One of my SP-3000 speakers. These are huge and heavy, but sound great!

The QD-5500 reel to reel that started the craziness...

My Sansui SR-1500C turntable that I found on Marketplace. By the way, it's sitting on a Sony 200 CD changer...also found on Marketplace.

And finally, the SP-2000s!

I still have to hook up the SP-2000s, but I tested them before I bought them and they work great! So, now that the system is complete, I guess I'll have to find another white whale to chase. Such is the life of a collector!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Disney Pins!

 Hey Attic Folks!

Today I have a couple of pins to share with you. The first I got as a "freebee" from someone on eBay years ago when I bought....uh....something. Ok, I can't actually remember, but I'm sure it was a Disney item. Anyway, they stuck this pin in (pun unintended, for once) just to be kind.

Yep it's a "Farewell Season" pin from the Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland! As you see, it's dated 1996. It's better if you just assume that was 20 years ago and go with it. 

The Main Street Electrical Parade was inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant at Walt Disney World, which is STILL running after it's start in 1971! It was replaced by Light Magic (Light Tragic?) which is better left forgotten. 

These next pins are a couple of cleaner examples of a pin I already shared. Here ya go!

Yep, the Breakfast A La Disney pins from the Empress Lilly!

Let's see what the ol' interwebs can tell us about the Empress Lilly, shall we?

"The Empress Lilly was a riverboat-themed restaurant complex (not a functioning boat, but a static building designed to resemble a 19th-century paddle steamer) located at what is now Disney Springs (formerly known as Walt Disney World Village, Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, etc.). It was named after Lillian Disney, Walt Disney's wife, who christened it.

It officially opened on May 1, 1977. Multiple reliable sources, including Disney's official D23 encyclopedia, historical accounts from MousePlanet, Disney Avenue, and Wikipedia, confirm this date, noting the ceremonial opening with Lillian Disney present.

It operated as the Empress Lilly under Disney until it closed on April 22, 1995 (some sources note April 23 in announcements, but the final day of operation was April 22). The interior was then remodeled, exterior elements like the smokestacks and paddlewheel were removed, and it reopened in 1996 as Fulton's Crab House (later becoming Paddlefish in 2017)."

Wow, that was a lot! These pins are from 1995, right before she closed. And these adorable pictures are my daughter, Jessica, basking in Disney character glory!

Again, I've already run a couple of these. So why am I running them again? Because it's Jessica's birthday month! Happy birthday, Kid! I love you!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

This Is Just Wacky!

 Hello Atticites!

This week I'm featuring something that I've had for about 25 years and still haven't done what I was going to do. Here it is!

Ok, there really wasn't a good way to get a decent picture of this, but what it is is a 28 3/8 inch by 42 and a half inch uncut sheet of Wacky Packages!

You remember Wacky Packages, don't you? In the early 70s they were packaged with gum (I think) like baseball cards. There were 66 in the first series and they made fun of all sorts of products. In addition, they were stickers! So, you could paste these little suckers all over town if you wanted to, just to show your raw, untaimed, rebel kid self! Most people either collected them or stuck them on book covers or notebooks. 

This sheet isn't from the early 70s, though. It's from 1979 when they were rereleased. For some reason, a lot of these uncut sticker sheets got out to the general public. So many, in fact, that you may still be able to pick one up for fairly cheap. I think I paid less that 20 bucks for this one, but that was 25 years ago. 

Now for the problem. The sheet is so cheap that paying to get a custom frame for it seems silly. The frame would be several times what the sheet cost! Still, it needs to be done, and I (maybe not so much Mrs. Stu) think it would look great on the wall!

So, I might check into it again. Until then, it's gently stored away.

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Teaing Up a New Post

 Hello Attic Folks!

Today I have a little item that I didn't even know what it was when I picked it up at a flea market. All I knew was that it was marked "Walt Disney World" so I figured, "What the heck. Why not?" Here it is...

And here's the back...

As it turns out, it's a spoon rest! It could also be a tea bag holder.  Either way, the teapot shape makes sense. It turns out it's from the mid 1970s, which is (shockingly) about 50 years ago!

I don't use it as a tea related item, I just put misc. small items in it. It seems to work well for that.

Umtil next time, keep searching for treasure!

Ornaments in 3D

 Sorry for the delay, but the week got away from me!

Today we'll look at a couple of cardboard box ornaments that I picked up at an antique mall years ago. Here ya go!

These are foldable cardboard box buildings that were sold flat and then folded into shape by the purchaser. There were a variety of buildings, but these are the only ones I have

These could be used as either a "snow village" or hung on the tree as ornaments. I don't use thread with mine, I just put them in the branches. 

These were made in the 1940s and early 1950s. They were popular in a post war America that was still gearing up civilian production for goods such as ornaments. I have them next to my Hallmark Nostalgic Homes and Shops ornaments, which stylistically is totally wrong, but thematically works!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

The Happiest Book on Earth

 Today we'll take a look at the book my daughter got me for Christmas this year. Now I know that a lot of folks already got this one, but I put it off until asking for it for it for Christmas made sense. Here it is!

Yep, the new Disneyland coffee table book, written for Disneyland's 70th Anniversary! 

Here is a look at the book without the dust cover, because you never really see that view...

I will say that this is a very high quality, highly interesting book. Even the end pages are fun!

And here is a look at the contents. Now I've only read a couple of chapters so far, but I can say that it is definitely a good read for Disneyland lovers of all knowledge levels. I consider myself fairly knowledgable in the subject, but there are a lot of details in the book that I wasn't aware of. But, it's also an easy read that doesn't get lost in the weeds (too often). The hundreds of pictures help with this, of course.

Speaking of those pictures, if you take a look at the image credits, you can find a few names that you may know! Some of whom actually read this blog as well!

Here is a page that features photos fro. Lou Perry, whose daughter we all know!

So I'd say this book is a definite winner; well written and very well illustrated. I think it was well worth the wait until Christmas!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!

 Greetings from the Attic!

Today I'm going to feature a cool little item that a friend gave me years ago, not as a Christmas present, but more as a "here, you want this?" kind of thing. When people know you collect things, sometimes they like to help! 

Anyway, the "this" in question is a late 1960s/ early 1970s Cosman M1 Carbine! Although Crosman started making these rifles in 1966, this particular gun was produced sometime between 1968 and 1976. You can tell because it has the molded plastic stock that places it no earlier. The earliest models had a wooden stock.

Here we see why these guns were so popular with kids- the detailing! These really were made to mimic a real M1 Carbine, unlike most bb guns of the time (and earlier) that really didn't look like real guns. 

And here is the little item that makes this particular gun worth a bit more; the removable magazine bb storage box! The gun can hold about 20 bbs, but this box can hold many more for quick reloading. The thing is that, being removable and not really needed for the gun to function, many of these are missing from the guns now. In fact, an original box can fetch $75.00 to $150.00 by itself!

Another look at the detailed "bolt" area. In reality, you pull the bolt leaver back to open the loading hole in the forward stock...

...which is the top hole here. You pour in about 20 bbs from your magazine box (watching while they spill all over the place) and then push the lever back to close it.

To cock the gun, you push the barrel back into the stock (you can see where the blueing is worn on the barrel) and pull it back out. This isn't the easiest thing to do, as it takes about 35 lbs of pressure! To fire it, you simply pull the trigger. The safety seen next to the trigger is a non-functional detail. 

For a spring activated gun, it's decently powerful, firing at about 300- 390 fps, but modern Co2 guns are more than twice as powerful. This gun can put a dent in soft wood, while a modern air rifle can easily imbed a bb in harder wood. Still, you do need to watch out for your eyes!

Let's take a look at the stats on this gun, shall we?

*Caliber: .177 (shoots steel BBs only).

*Powerplant: Spring-piston, cocked by pushing the barrel forward (push-barrel cocking)—requires significant effort, around 38+ lbs.

*Action: Semi-automatic repeater with gravity-fed internal magazine (holds ~20 BBs for shooting).

*Reservoir: Detachable fake magazine ("clip") that holds extra BBs (original metal ones held ~180 BBs; many now have reproductions or none).

*Velocity: Around 300–390 fps (powerful for a vintage BB gun; can embed BBs in soft wood).

*Sights: Adjustable rear peep sight (windage and elevation), fixed front.

*Length/Weight: ~35–36 inches long, about 5–5.5 lbs (close to the real M1 Carbine's feel).

*Other notes: Smoothbore barrel. The "magazine" and some controls (like the safety) are non-functional replicas for looks.

This was one of the most iconic and desired BB guns of the 1960s–1970s era—many kids' dream gun due to its realistic military styling and power compared to basic Daisys.

It's a collectible now, especially with an original magazine. Plastic-stock versions are more common and affordable than rare wood ones. So how "affordable?" Well, around $200 to $275. Not bad for a freebee! And it's fun for some harmless plunking around (I may or may not have fired it inside the house).

So there you have it! Ralphie, eat your heart out!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!