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Those of a certain age (as in decrepit old farts like me) may well remember the above ad (drawn by Ron Embleton) for the Stingray inflatable which appeared in TV Century 21 - and maybe even other comics as well, back in the '60s. I always assumed it was a buoyancy aid to help keep kids afloat in the swimming pool or the sea, but there's actually no mention of that in the ad, so perhaps it was simply intended as a 'toy' so that kids could play at being Stingray. Will we ever know? Do we even care?
Anyway, subconsciously, I guess I fancied this piece of merchandise in my youth, so when the chance to obtain one recently presented itself, I took the plunge (figuratively speaking - no jumping off diving boards for me) and bought it. I haven't inflated it and may never do, but there it is below laid out on my carpet for your perusal, followed by some of the seller's pics of the item in its inflated state.
Completely useless to me of course as I'd never fit in it, and it'll probably live in a box somewhere for the rest of it days. However, considering I never owned one way back when, it's strangely still nice to have after all this time. Anything you ever wanted (or wouldn't have minded) but never had when you were much younger, Crivvies, that you'd love to own today? The comments section awaits your valued contributions so kindly get typing!
24 comments:
It would be no use to me as I can't swim lol. I never bought TV21 at this time ( only when it became a "normal" comic) so don't recall the ad. I had forgotten all about the wee Golden Wonder man so it was nice to see him again.
Can I ask do you ever get buyers remorse ?
I can't swim either, so I suppose it was for non-swimming toddlers who went in to the water waist-high. I also enjoyed seeing the wee Golden Wonder man - looks Scottish, doesn't he? Buyer's remorse? Never!
Cool item Kid, just for the heck of it! Run a bath, throw it in and sit in there eating Golden Wonder crisps and drinking Iron Bru, dreaming of Marina....
Can't for two reasons. First, I'm too big for it. Second, I don't like Irn Bru. (Barr's do Irn Bru, rivals do Iron Brew.)
Well just a cheeky suggestion, it would make an excellent loo seat cushion with some maneuvering. Iron or Irn, both lack the flavour now the sugar has been removed, but I am supprised a Scotsman like your good self, doesn't like it, especially after all these years of BS marketing, stating it's officially Scotlands national drink? 'Ruddy little liars!' I'm shocked....but I cannot blame you. (Can be an aquired taste, just like Whisky).
Nah, it'd be like trying to straddle a canoe and I wouldn't want it reeking of schect. I'm also a lifelong teetotaller, something else that many Sassenachs find difficult to believe about a Scotsman. And I hate kilts.
Never judge a book, eh? I personally don't drink or smoke, never had the compulsion. I occasionally ride my bike, watch the night sky and draw pictures, that's enough for me. 'Have a peaceful night', time to do some serious snoozing'.
I was already doing some, but got up for a wee and checked the blog on the way back from the loo, hence the reply. ZzZzZzZz...
Great Stingray find! Speaking of great wants, I finally found a Lotus Super 7 model, 1/43 scale, for my car collection, with the same paint job as seen in The Prisoner. I've wanted one forever, and ordered one from Japan of all places. Now to get the Dinky Anderson vehicles, and look for a Mini Moke Prisoner taxi. Would also like to get some of the Prisoner action figures, if I could figure out where to put them. I feel like I'm currently trapped in the Village, fighting with insurance companies and Hospitals, and need a distraction. Ah, for a cup of tea like they gave to poor old Number 6.
Hey! I just bought a Dinky Secret Service Gabriel, sadly without Unwin. Where is a good place to get a reproduction box? Or is there a site where I can just download one for myself? I think if I can guess the scale of the Model T, I could buy a driver and paint it up like Unwin. Good lord, Im getting goofy in my old age!
I didn't know there were any Prisoner action figures, LM. Sounds like you've been ill, so I hope you'll make a full recovery before too much longer. I'm trying to remember how many Dinky TV toys I have, let's see now: TB2, FAB 1, SPV, SPC (or SSC as it's called now), MSV, Pink Panther car - and a handful of ordinary Dinky cars. I don't have the Joe 90 car, but the Vivid Imaginations version is very much like it.
As for reproduction boxes, go on to eBay and type Corgi & Dinky reproduction boxes into its search box and that should give you a selection.
I am amazed it is still in one piece over time. Years and years and years ago I bought a Frankenstein monster mask off the back of a Gold Key ( I think ) comic, and a few years ago I found it still in its box but alas, just dissolved goo. The Frankenstein monster basically finished up looking like Dracula after a stake went through him.
I remember you mentioning it when I showed my official Universal Studios Frankie mask on the blog, LH. These masks are usually latex, but I think the Stingray Inflatable is some kind of vinyl material. Might perhaps still deteriorate in the future after being blown into for years, as accumulated moisture could dry out and the material stick together and decay. Time will tell. Perhaps I should inflate it and leave it for a while to help prevent the material from 'melting'.
Kid, I think Lord Mikolaj mentioned having been ill last year but I'm sorry to hear he's been "fighting with insurance companies and hospitals" - let's be thankful for our wonderful NHS in the UK rather than the horrible American model of healthcare.
Actually, I remembered him mentioning being ill before, CJ, but it seemed quite some time ago so I thought his recent troubles might be newer ones. The idea behind the NHS is wonderful, but I'm not sure everyone who has experience of it nowadays is similarly impressed. Tried getting a doctor's appointment recently?
I think the government is introducing online bookings or something to make things easier.
That'll probably be in the same way as having to navigate multiple options is meant to be 'easier' than just talking to someone answering the 'phone.
Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with two very aggressive cancers, one bowel and the other prostate. It took the doctors over 8 months to decide what to do, but surgeries have hopefully fixed the cancer parts, maybe. Still have to have further tests. Unbeknownst to me, there was a massive cock up with my insurance, and now both the hospital and the insurers are after me, when it would be so simple of them to just enter the insurance codes correctly. And to top it off, this has been going on for over 5 months, without me knowing a thing about it. I had a phone conversation with both of the knuckleheads for two hours on Friday, resulting in goodness knows what as I dont trust any of them anymore. Its not enough surviving cancer, you have to raise your stress levels to an Olympian level and face financial ruin. I live in a small town, and to speak face to face with these idiots will take me an hour and a half, and even then I dobt anything will be accomplished. Yargh. So, to make myself happy, I bought a Lotus Super 7 painted as in The Prisoner, a couple of Dinky Gabriels from Secret Service, and a Joe90 car from the 90s. At least if they ship me off to the poor farm, my wife and I can have some fun racing my new toys. Be glad you have a decent health service over there that wont drive you batty!
Incidentally, sorry for speaking of my medical woes! In other news, Wandering Plant Toys is behind The Prisoner action figure line, with new figures coming out in September. The Sixofone Prisoner Appreciation Society has the first wave of these for sale. I would love to be in Portmeirion for their convention this year, as Annette Andre will be there. I thought she was wonderful in A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum. Anyway, good health to all Crives, and Be Seeing You!
Sorry to hear about your woes, which there is absolutely no need to apologise for mentioning, and hope everything works out to your satisfaction, LM. I know the sort of stress that the incompetence of others can cause, as I am having an ongoing battle with a care home (allegedly) in the way they are 'caring' for a relative. Unfortunately, there are aspects of the NHS which will drive you batty.
An OAP tried to book an emergency online appointment, but then they realised? They had no clue what the 'Intathet' thing was, so died instead, so to not be a nuisance on the NHS system. It's the future....
That's probably happened a few times. I know I've given up trying to get an appointment after waiting half-an-hour on the 'phone, then being told that all appointments have been allocated and to 'phone back tomorrow.
National insurance well spent...they say the NHS is a institution, 'correct!' We must be insane to rely on it. You can have the nicest, most expensive car, but if you don't drive it correctly, then it will aways be wrecked and cost you more to keep it running, also people along the way, may start getting hurt? The current NHS model. "Wish all of you chaps, long lives".
And I should've revealed that the same thing happens every time I 'phone back in the morning. If I go in in person, I'm told that no appointments are available and to 'phone at 8:30 next morning. Though having had my moan, the NHS is still probably better than the options that some other countries have. Could still be better than it is, so they need to cut the high-paid bureaucratic pen-pushers and spend the dosh on more nurses and medical equipment.
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