Old catalogue pages.

[George 1978]

I noticed that Postman Pat lamp with the post box base in Post 85 - I can remember going to a branch of Fine Fare in late 1985, on a Saturday morning just before Christmas, and seeing a similar lampon display and wanting one for Christmas. I did get a Postman Pat lamp (as well as a yellow Tom and Jerry alarm clock that year), but the lamp was a Postman Pat one with a blue base instead.

My parents had that Dusty Bin money box in Post 88 - I actually thought for some reason that it actually pre-dated the start of 3-2-1.

[George 1978]

Thanks for that close-up! You could almost get two Zippys for the price of one Bungle... but then I am partial to bears.

I think that one Bungle was the equivalent of five or six Zippys to be honest.

[davidthomas27]

Here it is - although the eyes are different from the one in the catalogue.

[davidthomas27]

[davidthomas27]

I actually have that Dusty Bin money box somewhere...

[davidthomas27]

More pages from the Ace/Studio-type catalogue...

[beccabear67]

Thanks for that close-up! You could almost get two Zippys for the price of one Bungle... but then I am partial to bears.

[George 1978]

That reminds me of that episode of Strike it Lucky where a contestant visited the Thames souvenir shop to buy a Zippy glove puppet before appearing on the show - Barrymore had a lot of fun with it in his "meet the contestants" part of the show. The contestant was a Geordie (i.e. lived in the Tyne Tees region) and tried to do Zippy's voice with his accent giving him a Geordie accent while hiding behind one of the monitors pretending to be a puppeteer - Challenge showed it in around 2000 when I first got ntl cable and I was in fits of laughter when it was on.

[George 1978]

The Rainbow George soft toy looks a bit wild - I am certain that the manufacturers who made the Rainbow soft toys didn't quite make them like that.

Interesting it says "Rainbow Brite" - I thought that was another programme entirely. I wonder what year that was - 1986, perhaps?

[davidthomas27]

I've zoomed in on the picture and can confirm the Zippy soft toy does indeed have a zip.

[beccabear67]

I remember the She-Ra (and He-Man) cartoon shows. I'd watch them even though I was a little old for them so they must have had something going for them. Never had any of the toys or remember seeing them though.

I'm wondering in the wider picture above why that Bungle bear would be 26.99! Did he talk or something? Seemsrather pricey otherwise. I like that one much better than the big one on the tv mind you!

Also, can't tell if Zippy has a zip on him.

I used to look through any and all catalogues many many times as a kid... starved for entertainment we were!

[davidthomas27]

And a closer look at the She-Ra figures.

[davidthomas27]

From the unknown mid-80s catalogue the Infaceables pic above is from (it has no front or back cover, but is very small like the catalogues you sometimes get in the weekend papers), here's the full two-page spread:

[George 1978]

Re: Old catalogue pages.

A lot of classrooms at school had Xpelair extractor fans above the front door - with the switches next to the light switches. They were so noisy when they were switched on!

[Richard1978]

Re: Old catalogue pages.

My parents had an Xpelair fitted into one of their kitchen windows for years, but went when they had double glazing fitted.