Category: vintage

Baby Laugh-A-Lot and Baby Alive

October 18th, 2008

Okay, we all know that THE original bad*ss doll was Talky Tina from the Twilight Zone.

I had Baby Alive, which was only slightly less terrifying because it didn’t possess the power to kill. I remember mixing the “food,” which came in three blindingly unnatural shades of red, yellow and green gel. After spoon feeding, the substance would drip through the doll and into the diaper. Even as a toddler, the sight of neon gel dripping from my doll’s nether regions was disturbing.

Do you dare to remember?

Now, Baby Alive is back, with a modern (though no less uncomfortable) twist on her appearance:

On a related note, I came across this commercial for Baby Laugh-a-Lot, whose frozen open mouthed grin and maniacal cackle put Talking Tina and Baby Alive to shame. Even the children in the ad look shocked and miserable as they whip their head around to see where the awful racket is coming from.

Anyone have a favorite old toy which is, in retrospect, absolutely unholy?
The Scientific Peep Show

October 14th, 2008

I’m quite entertained by the name of this exhibit. Especially given the classic connotations of the term.

View full size and more at Modern Mechanix.
Jay Walker Library

October 11th, 2008

American entrepreneur Jay Walker, founder of Priceline.com, has the library of my geeky dreams. This 3,600 square foot, three level wunderkammer is a treasure trove of artifacts.

If I am a good girl, maybe I’ll get to spend eternity here in the afterlife. I see the beauty of sparse, uncluttered spaces with perfect Feng Shui, but I tend to feel very comfortable in places that are cozy and thick with history. Every square inch of Walker’s library contains a story, literally or figuratively.

Walker’s home was actually built to accommodate this library (an idea I frequently daydream about). Rare historical artifacts line every shelf, wall and table. I can’t begin to cover the scope of it here, but all oddities lovers should check out Wired’s fantastic article.

Absolutely the most intriguing collection I’ve seen since my trip to the Mutter Museum. Too bad it’s not open to the public. Anyone want to petition Jay walker for a private tour with me?
Betty Boop for President

October 7th, 2008

I try to keep personal politics out of SheWalksSoftly. We’ll just say that posting the 1932 cartoon Betty Boop for President has to do with my interest in vintage animation (along with the atrocious “isms” we may or may not have overcome in the past century).

She sings “I’ll give you all a great big kiss when I am president” and states her groundbreaking worldview:

“What this country is in need of
Is a lot of hi-de-ho,
Boop-a-doop and chocolate ice cream.”

If you dare preview Boop’s proposed utopian society, let this play past the three minute mark. Proceed at your own risk.

As she strikes her cutesy poses and winks repeatedly at the audience causing a public sensation, I’m certainly not reminded of any current Vice Presidential candidate. At no point does Betty mention war, hockey or the word “maverick.”

I’m a HUGE fan of Mr. Nobody, Boop’s opponent.
Mighty Tiny and Pocket Rockers

October 7th, 2008

Lest some of us forget that our obsession with miniaturizing technology began long before the advent of the iPod Nano (or even the 90’s mini disc player that never quite caught on), I bring you the Mighty Tiny record player:

Source

I can’t imagine many tiny records were made for this device. Proud owners were probably stuck with the same few tunes, a limitation hopefully balanced out by the novelty factor.

This ad reminded me of the flash in the pan 80’s trend, Pocket Rockers; mini tape players designed to be used as a fashion accessory.

The song selection was limited to this short and painfully 80’s list.

If you really want to bring yourself back in time, watch the commercial:

That song will now be stuck in your head all day. I apologize.
Vintage Diving Suits

October 6th, 2008

Vintage diving suits blow my mind. Here we have an apparatus that probably weighs more than the average compact car, and people were somehow expected to maneuver themselves underwater in such a contraption.

From the Musee Marin in Paris:

From the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco:

Picture source
The Faith Tones

October 3rd, 2008

This has been posted on a number of blogs lately, but I hate to risk anyone missing it. The Faith Tones almost manage to top the Firm Believer Christian fitness record I posted previously.

A million thanks to LP Cover Lover.
Dehydrated Water

October 2nd, 2008

I absolutely love the fact that someone made this, decades ago.
Potion Week: Vintage Poison

October 2nd, 2008

I already did a post on antique poison bottles, and I figured a poison label post would be a nice addition to Potion Week.

There’s a nice little gallery here. These are going to be great in art/collage projects!
Unusual Births

September 29th, 2008

Where do you turn for reliable knowledge on genetic anomalies? Why, this 1961 issue of Sexology magazine, of course!

You can read the article on Modern Mechanix.

About Sexology magazine:

In the early 1930’s Hugo Gernsback introduced yet another magazine. This time the title and subject stunned the American reading public. SEXOLOGY, THE MAGAZINE OF SEX SCIENCE, sought to bring the results of modern science to a general public that had not yet crawled out from under the Victorian pseudo-moral posture of never speaking publicly about sex. A little implied prurience probably helped sell magazines, too.

If only they knew the extent of “prurience” the Internet (final wrecking ball to all things sacred) would bring.