Vintage Twinkie the Kid & Wonder Bread Premium Rings

These two Hostess items are late entries into the premium ring category, dating to my own childhood in the 1970s. I can remember spotting the Wonder bread rings inside the packages, and eagerly squeezing our forearms down into the bags, trying to get them out. Wonder bread squishes very easily, we found. After a few smushed loaves, the adults started putting the bread up out of our reach, and dispensed the rings themselves.

Anthropomorphic Valentines

I love anthropomorphic toys and images (vintage Mr. Potato Heads are one of my favorite things to collect). Every January, I start trolling the local antique shops and online dealers looking for vintage valentines, and I'm always especially excited to find an anthropomorphic one. I don't know why they appeal to me so much; maybe because they just look so friendly, like little friends in unexpected places. Here's a sampling from my collection, mostly dating to the 1950s.

Valentine Veggies

I love old postcards, vintage valentines, and anthropomorphic objects, so this fantastic item was a perfect find: a 1900s Raphael Tuck valentine postcard featuring "Mr. Carrot" and "Miss Bean". If you look closely, you'll see that the "fourteen carat gold" engagement ring is, in fact, made of carrot.

Candy Kid Valentine

Here's one of the most unusual valentines in my collection.

Dating from the 1930s, it features an actual candy (Necco wafer-type) in a lithographed wrapper as the head of the figure. It's amazing to me that this survived so long without being eaten by either the original recipient or a little mousie.

Bone Button Valentine

Here's a really unusual valentine I found this year. Dating to the 1920s, it features a bone button made into a little happy face...actually, the more I look at it, the less "happy" it appears, verging instead on "creepy," but still, a unique valentine!

Pooped Postcard

I haven't been able to post much so far this month: been too busy (undecorating from Christmas) and sick (a wicked cold) and tired (from both). On my first antiquing foray of the new year, I found this vintage postcard titled "BOY! AM I POOPED!" that seemed a fortuitous find. Dating from 1957, it was sent by a couple of soldiers to a friend back home.

The message reads: "Hi Kilo. Curly + I went to the races Sunday. Had a big time. Got loaded as usual. Hope you are O.K. Will be down to see you one of these days. Your old pals (illegible name) + Curly."

I've said it before in my old postcard posts, but I have to say it again: everyone seems to have had such colorful names back in "the old days." I wonder what Kilo, Curly, and their illegibly named friend are up to these days...

Antique Postcard: Lemon Lady

I'm nearly as fond of old postcards as I am of old toys. This is one of my favorites, because of its anthropomorphic subject (see earlier entries on Mr. Potato Head, one of my most loved playthings).

This card features a fantastic character on the front: a lemon lady with a gentle, bemused smile, wearing a lovely green ensemble. The caption reads: "I'M LOOKING FOR A LEMON SQUEEZER."

Many postcard collectors seem to prefer their cards unused, but I enjoy seeing the messages penned on the back by the original senders.
As best I can make out, this one was sent to a "Miss Leafa Fuller, State Sanatorium, Howell, Michigan," on November 18, 1912.
It reads: "I received your card all O.K. Was glad to hear from you. How are you any way. I am O.K. Harley helped thresh here the 12 of Nov. I joined the M.E. Church Sunday. I am not going to school any more. I will be 16 the 19 of this month. So I won't go any more. Georgia Bowen and Miss Slater sang in the choir Sunday. Lavern + Beulah went over with me Sun. Hoping to hear from you soon. I remain your friend Lucilla," and a circled p.s. relates that "Clara Cooper has got a boy baby."

Fascinating stuff! First of all, what fabulous names: Lucilla, Harley, Lavern, Beulah, Leafa, Clara. You just don't see names like those anymore. Reading this, I wonder: why was Leafa in the sanatorium? Did she get better? Did Lucilla grow up and find true love? How did Clara's baby boy turn out? What was the M.E. Church? Did Harley like threshing on the farm, or did he really want to run away to the city and become an accountant? It's like a little soap opera on the back of this card, and we've come to it halfway through the season, unfamiliar with the plot lines...

Mr. Potato Head Picnic Pals

From the 1960s, the Mr. Potato Head Picnic Pals! Mr. Potato Head has led a very sociable lifestyle. Besides the Mrs. and the tots, he's had a lot of friends. These are some of the hardest to find. They were typically sold in sets of 3 consisting of Mr. Potato Head, a "main character" Picnic Pal, and a condiment or side. From left to right: Frankie Frank, Mr. Mustard Head, Mrs. Ketchup Head, Frenchy Fry, and Mr. Soda Pop Head. Sadly, I am still looking for the final Picnic Pal: Willy Burger.

To learn more about Mr. Potato Head's history, click here: http://www.mrpotatohead.net/