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Marx Toys: Invasion Day Play Set (1964)
Do war toys glorify war? I think so, but the president of Toy Manufacturers of U.S.A. makes a savvy point in this 1966 Gettysburg Times article: “Unless you eliminate the adult activity, you can’t...
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Miner Industries: Dragon Crest (1983) and Mysterious Castle (1982) Playsets
I ran across the Dragon Crest playset at toyranch’s Flickr. I found nearly the same set, renamed Mysterious Castle, in the 1982 Sears Christmas Catalog. The date on the Dragon Crest set is a guess. At...
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Christmas Morning, 1980: Lego Space and The Green Machine
That’s the Galaxy Explorer, the centerpiece of the 1979 Lego Space line. (For stacks of Lego Space in a toy store in 1981, go here.) Marx Toys released the Big Wheel in 1969 and the Green Machine—“a...
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Marx Toys: Godzilla Bicycle License Plate (1967)
Incredible find by The Sphinx. Marx produced many plates in the 1960s featuring Spider-Man, Batman, Disney characters, and so on, but I had no idea they licensed and distributed one featuring the big...
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Medieval Castle Fort and Prince Valiant Castle Fort Play Sets (Marx, Circa 1955)
Two variations of a popular castle and knight set from the ’50s. There were many such sets, including one featuring Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Prince Valiant is an Arthurian adventure comic...
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Kids Riding Big Wheels, 1973
They’re getting ready to hit the gas at a motocross event in Mission Viejo, California. I would much rather watch this than the motocross. (Photo via Calisphere)
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Sands of Iwo Jima Miniature Playset (Marx, Circa 1963)
See also Marx’s Invasion Day Playset from the same period.
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Christmas Morning, 1962: Marx’s Operation Moon Base
Found photos of a very influential Marx set I talked about in a different Christmas morning shot. There were space exploration-themed playsets before Operation Moon Base, but this is the one that...
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Sir Gordon the Gold Knight (Marx Toys, 1970)
There were two knights and two vikings in the series, and each figure came with a horse (sold separately). The second knight was Sir Stuart the Silver Knight. The Vikings were Odin the Viking...
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