This Battle is Tops!

 Literally!

In 1969 Ideal came out with a game that was a huge hit with the kid sports world! Battling Tops made any afternoon into a grand tournanent full of epic battles, heros and crushed dreams. It was a game so epic that it was re-released many times over the next couple of decades (including a space themed version to loosly tie in with Star Wars in 1977). I happened to find a copy at a thrift store a few years back. Let's take a look!

My copy, (an original 1969 version) while priced very well at just two bucks, has some obvious box integrity issues.

Upon opening the box, we find that the contents are a little light as well. We have five out of the eight tops, and only one puller. That's going to make "battling" a little difficult.

But here are the instructions on the inside of the lid anyway. The beauty of this game is that it's very simple. You pretty much just launch your top and hope it wins! Now, there are some techniques you can use, like how you aim your launcher, or how hard to pull the string, but no one has ever proven that those things change matters much.

Here are the tops I have. Note that "Fighting Frank" has lost the top of his spindle. This really doesn't slow him down much. He spins with the best of 'em! No word on if "Dizzy Dan" is actually dizzy 

..."Super Sam"...

..."Smarty Smitty" and "Rocky Rocko." I'm missing "Hurricane Hank," "Tricky Nicky," and "Twirling Tim." As a kid, I usually used "Tricky Nicky." It's funny what you remember fifty years later.. 

Here we have my one launcher and one score peg. I really need at least one more launcher...

Now this is just an interesting picture that I found on the internet, showing the insert that came in the box. I just thought it was neat, so I included it. 

Do you wanna see a top go? Do ya? Do ya???

Well, here you go!

Battling Top!

Wasn't that thrilling?

How about a vintage commercial?

Battling Tops Commercial 

Ok, that was just about as thrilling as my video. But the point is that this game kept us occupied for hours, and that's really what our parents wanted...

Battling Tops was invented by Eddie Goldfarb who's other big invention was those wind up chattering teeth. For real. Then again, with a name like Eddie Goldfarb, he was probably destined to invent those.

Anyway, if you want to pick up a copy of this game, they go from around 30 to 50 bucks on eBay. I think I'll go there now and see if I can find some replacement parts.. 

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Mementos From Other Disney Trips

 Well since I shared a couple of pins last week, i decided to share more this week. Let's jump right in, shall we?

The first pin is one I purchased on the Retirement Trip that Jess and I went on. I bought it simply because I liked it!

...as I did with this next one! Since I hadn't been to Disneyland since June, 1973, I absolutely wanted to get a Disneyland pin!

Now this next one, I already had. I don't go on many roller coasters, but I do enjoy Space Mountain. This was purchased at Walt Disney World.

As was this giant Epcot pin! I really don't remember picking this one up...

The next Epcot pin (also obviously purchased at Walt Disney World) is special because Jess gave it to me on our trip in 2015.

I think I picked this Haunted Mansion pin up the trip before that one, in 2010, with just my wife, Laurie.

Now this next one is very special! Jess made sure that we got to go inside Walt's apartment on my Retirement Trip! This was my ID badge/ pass...

And our room key from that same trip! I had always wanted to stay in the Disneyland Hotel and it was great!

And here is the lanyard we got "free" with our trip! This is what I wore the whole time I was there and it reminds me of what a fantastic time we really had!

I haven't decided exactly when and to which resort we're going next. But I'm thinking....I'm thinking...

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Mementos From WDW's 50th

 As Disneyland is in full celebratory swing over their 70th anniversary, I am reminded that I have a few items from Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary! Now, I didn't get to attend the celebration, but my lovely daughter and her lovely family did, and they brought back these items for me! So let's dive in, shall we?

First we have a pin from my favorite attraction, The Haunted Mansion! It's large and heavy. So heavy that it has two pins on the back to keep it in place! The pin itself shows our favorite hitchhikers in a fancy picture frame. Now, Disney was a little sneaky on this one. If you look closely, you can spot a "Disneyland" on here. Yep, they reused their Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary stuff for Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary! There is only a year difference, after all, and it's a completely cool pin, so we'll forgive them!

Next, we have the classiest pin I own. The understated, very elegant "golden ears" pin! This pin really shines in person and while I may put it on a lanyard one day, I doubt it. It's just too nice to risk losing.

Finally, the best tasting item of the bunch (not that I've tasted all of them), the 50th Anniversary peppermints! You can get these all the time, of course, but not in this nifty 50th Anniversary tin! I don't know what it is about these mints, but somehow they taste better being shaped like the "Fab Five." I think I need a refill...

And there you have it! These items were not brought to me without a certain amount of risk, as hurricane Elsa forced the fam into hunker down mode at the resort.  However, Jessica (my daughter) said that the day after the storm passed was fantastic, with walk ons to all the rides ans no crowds!

And as for me, Jess took me on my retirement trip to Disneyland just three years later! Maybe there will be a little more on that some time...

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Water Water Everywhere...

 This week we continue on with our theme of "Water Towers On The Layout." Our item this week is NOT a Tyco item, but rather comes from Lifelike. I've always found the Lifelike products slightly less detailed and realistic than their Tyco counterparts, which I suppose is ironic, given the brand name. Still, let me introduce you to the Lifelike Flashing Light Storage Tank! (Insert fanfare here)

I found a little information about it online. If I were to guess (which I am) I'd say this is the 1975 version. Even though the colors are actually the same on all of them (the drawing not withstanding) the 1981 versiin has graffiti stickers which are nowhere to be seen here. Of course they might have just left them off, so there's no way of really knowing.

Here is the light lighted. It really doesn't shine through the roof so much, but the longer exposure on my camera makes it look like it does. Mine also doesn't flash. Why? Well, let's take a look!

Ah, there we go! The bulb is a simple Christmas tree light bulb! And apparently someone along the way replaced it with a "non-blinky" variety! (Sorry for the technical jargon, but I'm sure you can figure it out)

So there you have it! I would say that overall this accessory is slightly less dull than last week's in that it lights up, but not quite as interesting in that it doesn't have any packaging. Final score: toss up. 

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

A Simple Kit

 Hello Attic lovers! 

This week we're going to look at an item that at first blush seems a little dull, but that I still think is fun. Here it is!

Yes, this is the Tyco brown box Water Tower kit! The interesting thing about this kit is that it's on almost every train layout in the known world! (Ok, maybe not, but  pretty close). Now, let's open it up, shall we?

Now this IS interesting! The kit is untouched. The parts are even still on the spurs! There are supposed to be 16 parts. Can you find them all? The only thing that seems to be missing is the instruction sheet. But, really, if you can't figure this kit out, you may need to go back to working those big wooden toddler puzzles...

The bottom of the roof piece shows us an interesting fact. Tyco didn't make these kits! They were made by Pola in Germany! West Germany to be exact. 

Here are some of the other Tyco/ Pola kits on the back. One caught my eye right away because I've featured it in this blog before!

The Grusom Casket Company! Here is that ealier post...

Grusom Post!

So there you have it! A kit that's kind of dull but kind of interesting at the same time!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Kreskin Speaks!

 A while back I featured an unusual "board game" that really isn't a game at all. It's the 1967 game, Kreskins's ESP, by Milton Bradley. The game is actually a series of tests you can do to test your ESP abilities. As such, it's an interesting look at culture in the late 1960s.

While doing research on it, I discovered that there was an LP record released at the same time as the game (or very soon after). Apparently the game was such a hit, Kreskin decided he could cash in a bit more, so he recorded it as an add on of sorts to the board game. You didn't need one to use the other, but it seems like they were meant to be enjoyed together.

The game is fairly easy to find but the record isn't.  However, I put a search on eBay and just last week I got a hit! A sealed unused copy was up for grabs! Here it is!

As you can see, it features the same artwork as the Milton Bradley game. Here's the back...

That "yes/no" chart is more than just decoration, as you can use the album cover in your own "experiments."

Here are sides one and two. Yes, I opened it.

And here it is with the "game!" 

I tried to find as much info as I could on it, and I stumbled across this review from Billboard - January 20, 1968: 

"SSS International tries to capture the success of Kreskin's "ESP" party game on the recorded disk. There are 10 tests here, along with an introduction and instruction band. Depending on the amount of exposure on radio and television and transcendental waves messages emitted, this album could catch many people's fancy."

...and that's it. 

As it turns out, the idea of the record is probably more interesting than the record itself. The record features Kreskin droning on in his sleep inducing voice about quasi-scientific theories and simple "tests" to release the powers of your mind. Most involve the pendulum. The weirdest one doesn't, however. It's the seance "table tipping" grand finale. Since nothing really happens on the record (he's just telling you what to do) it's fairly dull.

But why take my word for it? I found the whole album on you tube so you can listen for yourself!

Kreskin's ESP

An interesting thing about this album is that although it's fairly rare, it's really not worth much. I paid a little over twenty bucks for my mint copy, shipping included, and that was a full retail price. Why is it so cheap? Well, first of all, just listen to it. Secondly, the only person that would really want it would be some weird collector guy who wanted it to go with his Milton Bradley game.  

In other words, I'm happy!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Of Creepy Old Houses and Surprises

 Hello, Attic lovers! This week I'm featuring something that I featured before, but I'm going to go into more depth on it today. Plus, I found out something about it when I was researching it, which is kind of fun!

When I was a kid in the 1970's, another kid at school mentioned that our local hobby shop (yes, those really did exist) had gotten in some HO scale Haunted House kits. I, of course, had to check that out as quickly as possible, having a train layout AND liking haunted-type stuff! In due time, I was the owner of an Alexander Models Haunted House kit!

Building this kit was different from the other kits that I had built because it was made out of balsa wood with cardstock and cast metal doors and windows! It was just the right amount of challenging and cool, so it ended up being a pretty good model.

Unfortunately, it was lost through several moves and adulthood. So, I went to find a replacement, only to find that they were out of production. Turning to eBay, I actually found a bairly started kit!  I snatched it up and started building again! Here she is!

Let's walk right up to the front. All of the roofs are embossed card stock cut to shape. Lead wire runs along the ridges. The lightning rod is tilted on purpose...

We approach the side and see the bay window. The roof to the bay window is a solid hunk of balsa, carved to shape, as is the chimney

Speaking of the chimney, here you go! Whoever had started the kit actually carved the chimney. It's about all that was done but I appreciate it!

The other side is fairly plain... By the way, windows were left out of this kit by the previous owner, so I used scotch tape.

The bottom of the house shows the balsa construction.

The whole house was painted with a gray wash...

I actually kept the box! It was in rough shape when I got it, and it hasn't gotten any better...

True 1970s hobby vibe!

If you wonder where the prototype is, it isn't anywhere! They made it up!

Here's the stuff still in the box...

The plastic fencing didn't come with it. I'm planning on using it one day when I put it on my future layout...

Yes, I kept all of the little leftover bits and pieces...

Here are the instructions! Have fun reading! They really do have some good tips, though...

This sheet was much more useful to me. Pictures! Yay!

So that's how I got my haunted house back!

I mentioned that there was a surprise to this post, and here it is. When I was researching the kit, I found out that they've rereleased it! Now if you want to build this kit you can buy a whole new one! Yay!!!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!