In one box lot of toys we bought recently there was a coffee can full of what most would only call junk. A bunch of game pieces, toy parts, and bits & bobs, apparently saved by someone who either repaired such things — or just knew that someone would come looking for “it”, so it had better be saved.
I myself admit to such a philosophy. I’m continually saving things, grabbing them with a hearty, “Somebody wants that!”
I sorted through a number of old wooden bingo number chips, the springs from ballpoint pens, numerous sized wheels for toy cars, whistles, wooden Tinker Toy parts, little green plastic trees, and all sorts of dusty & dirty wooden, plastic and metal things. (Surprisingly, only one doll part — and arm, reaching impotently for help out of the old can.)
I have to say that this vintage wooden checker piece with it’s plastic bug gave me a good pause — who can tell for certain there wouldn’t be real bugs in this coffee can?
Many would have tossed it, or given up part way through searching. But not me. I’m insane like that.
I looked at each & every piece in that coffee can of junk, like some might investigate a pirate trunk. Even though I can barely snap a Barbie leg or truck wheel back into place, I knew there would be cool things inside…
These are a few of the treasures I’ve decided that somebody must want.
(If you see something you want, let me know!)
#1 A vintage Cootie head, with eyes. (There were a few Cootie legs in the can too… Eventually, I will piece together a whole Cootie — maybe even an entire vintage Cootie game this way!)
#2 Two teeny-tiny “Indians”. (The prongs stick into horse sides, so they can ride.)
#3 A metal Playskool wrench. (That seriously could come in handy!)
#4 A scary old clown head. (All clowns are scary to me.) This one looks a lot like Reddy Kilowatt… He’s got a hole at the bottom to stick onto a neck — maybe it was a plastic lightening bolt body? Hubby says, “No.” But I’ll be keeping my eyes open, just in case.
#5 Four matching vintage metal helicopter blades. You only had three on this model, anyway… But we’ve got four. Makes me wonder if they had more than one boy who played with (and broke) helicopter toys.
#6 Plastic Rat Fink charm. Very small, but it’s him.
#7 A retro made in Hong Kong Dume Buggy. Not, that’s not a typo — at least not my typo; it says “Dume-Buggy” on the bottom black plastic part. I’m still giggling about a vehicle to ride sand dumes.
#8 Cowboy & Indians sliding puzzle game pieces. This has got to be one of my favorite finds. You know I love a good puzzle, but how challenging to find the missing pieces and put it all together!
#9 Vintage plastic tire — with built-in flat? I have no idea what sort of toy car or truck would have a flat tire… There are no markings to help with this either. (Nearly 2 inches in diameter, if that helps anyone identify the toy vehicle.)
#10 A weird Asian face. I have no idea… It’s not a complete head. On the back is a prong, like on Mr. Potato Head parts, to stick it into something — or someone… He does look like he is wincing. Less than one inch tall. Ideas?
#11 Vintage red & green plastic covered wagon pieces. There’s enough here to put the cover on the wagon, and the two tiny pieces seem of the same hard plastic and matching color, perhaps to drive the horses? Wagon is just over an inch long.
#12 Blue plastic spacemen pieces. We figure these three go together, but have no idea what game or toy set they belong too. The two standing spacemen are not identical, and stand a bit over one inche tall.
#13 A very small cameraman piece. Lots of detail & painting on such a small piece. Again, no idea what set or game this belongs to; do you? And do you want it?
Somebody must want this stuff… If you do, or know someone who does, let me know!
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August 21st, 2008 at 10:03 AM
I love this kind of stuff. The wrench, blue spacemen, and camera man are all great. I’ll bet my dh would like the Indians. You scored.
August 21st, 2008 at 2:23 PM
In my opinion, you should keep all the items together. As individual items, they are cute trinkets, but as a group, they constitute a person museum of one child’s life.
August 21st, 2008 at 2:42 PM
Thanks for the comment, Alice
Dear Mark,
I understand how you feel — and believe me, this is why it hasn’t been tossed as some have recommended — but at the same time, as a collector, I know folks are always searching for a part or piece to make their own collection or personal history museum complete…
I’m not saying that we should sacrifice The One for the sake of Many, but given the combination of items (the coffee can was one of several containers in the box lot) this can appears to be from an adult who repaired toys (or was a Depression Era survivor who saved everything) — and in *that* context, sharing pieces so that another toy or game becomes complete seems the most genuine way to honor both the items and the former owner.
Anyway, as no one has pleaded for any parts, it likely shall remain as is… Until my kids inherit it all. Unless you’d like to become the custodian/curator?
August 21st, 2008 at 3:29 PM
I apologize for jumping to conclusions, Deanna. Please forgive me!
August 21st, 2008 at 5:33 PM
You needn’t apologize, Mark — and I’m serious about sending it, if you want it.
August 21st, 2008 at 9:04 PM
I’m fairly certain the “flat” tire is the spare tire to an old army jeep toy. It’s flat to set on the back on the vehicle. I played with those riding Indians as a kid. They were part of set that belonged originally to my mother. The little camera man is awesome. My father collects little toys like this and displays them throughout the house. He and I both went to film school so the TV thing just reminds me of him.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Hey , I would like that stuff! What would you take for the whole can? I am not a dealer just a guy who likes little junky items!
trilobite78@hotmail.com
September 28th, 2008 at 12:18 AM
Sorry, cephalopod78, it’s been sent to Mark, who promises it will remain a permanent part of the “museum collection” there.
November 28th, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Hi Deanna,
I am interested in a cameraman figuirine. Can you let me know how much it cost?
November 29th, 2008 at 10:23 PM
Sorry, Natasha — as I told cephalopod78, the can was sent to Mark at Dinosaursandrobots.com
March 18th, 2009 at 7:35 PM
[...] Continued here: Somebody Wants That: The Coffee Can Of Toy Parts Edition … [...]
March 22nd, 2009 at 11:17 AM
#10
It is the head of a papoose. you are missing the cradleboard the head attaches to.
Mine came from the St. Joseph Indian School in North Dakota. Hope this helps.
March 30th, 2009 at 2:06 PM
I SERIOUSLY want the Rat Fink charm
PLEASEEEE!!! i can send you a toy from here (mexico) or anything else
PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
July 11th, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Perhaps you can help me find the toy Plastic see thru head where all the inside parts can be taken apart…..this is from older times when my children learned the parts of the insides……the whole body was also sold….it was a toy tho….maybe you are from that same era or know where this can be found…would love it for my great grandchildren….my children had the body also and both are now in the medical field……I think this toy was the beginning//….thanx loads……kite
July 12th, 2009 at 11:50 PM
Hi, shir kite! Are you thinking of the Visible Human line of models? I don’t recall a head, but it’s certainly possible.
January 5th, 2010 at 10:44 AM
Have you done anything with the ratfink? I collect them?
March 6th, 2010 at 6:01 AM
For #9 the plastic flat tire may be part of a toy Auto Body Repair Shop from the late 1960's. My older brother had one that I played with constantly. From what I can remember, the shop was a two-bay cardboard structure that came with a plastic car lift, and various plastic props resembling garage parts, oil drums, etc. The interior and exterior walls displayed typical graphics that mimicked an auto body shop. There were two plastic late 1960's cars that came with the Shop, each having two sets of removable body panels. One set was to mimick damaged panels (fenders, quarters, hood, etc.), the other set were the 'repaired' panels. The cars resembled a Jaguar Coupe (XK-E?) in blue plastic, and a Pontiac LeMans (GTO?) convertible in red plastic. There were no plastic windshields or windows, just the body panels. I think the flat tire went with the 'damaged' driver-side fender on the Pontiac. The size of the tire would correlate with the car's overall length of about 12-14 inches. Unfortunately I do not remember what the name of this toy Auto Repair Shop. I hope this helps, and would love to find one of these again. lol
April 25th, 2010 at 3:12 PM
Those blue spacemen came Quaker Quisp TM cereal in the ’60s. Pretty sure.
CB