Colorforms Castle Dracula Fun House Playset

It's taken me 30 years, but I've just finally replaced one of my all-time favorite childhood toys: the Colorforms Castle Dracula Fun House Playset. Considered by Colorforms aficionados to be one of the best sets ever created, it's also sought by vintage monster toy collectors, which tends to drive its price to truly horrific levels.

After several years of lost auctions, I broke down and bought this from a dealer who sells all of her sets in individual lots. That is, she sells every single piece in a set separately. The intent is to enable collectors who are missing a few bits to buy just the pieces they need, instead of another whole set. In my case though, this led to 20 minutes of frantic clicking and buying, particularly as this set has characters with separate tops and bottoms. I bought the Frankenstein monster's head and torso; would I manage to complete the purchase of his bottom half before someone else beat me to it? And the Wolfman was even worse: he had a top, bottom, and frequently-lost separate arm. The tension was unbearable as I raced to complete his three separate purchases, worrying that I would end up spending a small fortune only to have an incomplete set, full of monsters missing vital body parts.

Fortunately there were no other missing parts monster collectors looking at the same time, and I managed to get everything I needed. And the lucky dealer got enough from me to make her car payment, I would guess...but hey, I got my monster Colorforms back!

Vintage Weebles Haunted House Playset

Ah, Weebles, a favorite toy of my 1970s childhood. Seemed like we always had a weeble or two in our pockets back then. Remember their ad jingle: "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down!"?

Here's one of the most-sought Weeble sets, the Haunted House, just in time for Halloween. It originally came with a boy and girl with "scared" faces, a glow-in-the-dark ghost (still glows 40 years later!), and a witch with a removeable hat (usually lost and now very hard-to-find).

















Another great Halloweeny Weebles item was the purple Weebles Ghost Van. It's unclear whether it's a van for catching ghosts, or if it's a vehicle meant for ghosts to drive. The marketing storyline on this one was vague.

Speaking of marketing, though, I'll finish this post with a vintage ad for the Weebles Haunted House. Enjoy!

Vintage Fisher Price Haunted House Puzzle

Great graphics on this 1980s Fisher Price haunted house puzzle. For a haunted house, it looks very inviting!

Vintage Monster Magazine

Here's one of my favorite issues of Famous Monsters Of Filmland, from April 1977, featuring Robby the Robot. Just a fab cover!

1950s Space Themed Dexterity Puzzles

Here's a fun trio of games from my collection, all dating from 1957 and made by Comon Tatar, Inc. The first one is called "Stop the Martians!" and features a classic flying saucer buzzing a city. The second is "Trip to the Moon", and the last is my favorite: "Space Gallery," with fantastic graphics of a spaceman, ray gun, Sputnik-style satellite, and a monstrous, many-tentacled alien.

Vintage Gumball Machine Monster Toys

These little 2 inch tall Frankenstein Monsters are 1960s gumball machine prizes. They came folded in half inside their plastic capsules (the line visible across their midsection is actually a hinge). They're a great size to carry around in your pocket and have handy in case you ever need a monster while you're out and about.

1964 MAD Magazine: Monster Edition

I love MAD magazine and monsters, so this is, naturally, one of my most favorite issues ever. From 1964, during the height of the "monster modeling" craze...

Vintage Comic Book Ads

I love looking at the old ads in vintage comics and monster magazines. So many treasures to be had for such small amounts of money...Why, you could order your own live squirrel monkey from Monster World magazine in 1966! The ad claims the monkey will be "almost a member of the family soon after you get" it. (Hmmm. Wonder how many 1960s moms felt that way when their son's monkey arrived with the daily mail?) If a live critter was too much, other ads offered 10 foot rubber snakes for only $1.98, and promised that "people will admire your courage" when they see it wrapped around you. If crafts were more to your taste, a mere .98 would get you "Madame Tussaud's Chamber of Horrors Guillotine" model which, in a seemingly incompatible pair of testimonials, claimed both to "really work" and provide "harmless fun!"

Click on the pictures for more details. I don't recommend trying to order the squirrel monkey, though. I think we have laws about that sort of thing now...

1966 Monster Magazine: The Addams Family

I have a small collection of vintage "monster magazines" from the 1960s and 1970s. They're loads of fun to read, especially the old ads. Here's one of my favorites: the July 1966 issue of Monster World, with a feature article about the Addams Family tv show. The back cover has a fabulous ad for the Addams Family model house that you could order for only $1.98!

Vintage Disney Haunted Mansion Game

If I had to choose one vintage board game as my most favorite of all time, this would be it: the classic Disney Haunted Mansion Game made by Lakeside in the 1970s. Based on the beloved attraction at Walt Disney World, the game beautifully recreated its scenes and specters.

I had this game as a child, and my sister, cousins, and I played it over and over, until the game literally disintegrated. Last year, I finally decided my nostalgic yearning was strong enough to justify paying the steep asking price for a decent example. Now, we play it again, but very, very carefully!

Vintage King Kong Toy Ring

I felt I had found a treasure with this great vintage 1960s King Kong ring in its original packaging.
The front of the package reads, "10 cents: GENUINE KING KONG RING. Feel like the King!" (I'm not sure what a non-genuine King Kong ring would be like, but at least we're assured that this one is the real thing...)
The back of the package features a cut-out membership certificate for the official King Kong Klub, with the club's creed, which reads: "I am entitled to membership because I like King Kong and my Aunt looks a lot like him!"

Vintage Monster Gumball Machine Toys

Probably from the early 1960s, this vintage vending machine display card is one of my favorites. It reads: "Monsters...HEADS. GHOSTLY! HEY KIDS: They stick on your head!" And indeed they do: the tiny monster heads are still sticky after all these years. Or, you can string them on a necklace for a fabulously ghoulish fashion accessory.

Vintage Addams Family Colorforms

Here's one of my favorite vintage Colorforms sets: The Addams Family, from the 1960s. This was a super hard set to find, so even though it's missing a few bits, I don't mind too much. I just pretend Lurch has his arms tucked behind his back...

Voodoo Doll Game

One of the most longed-for games on my wish list was this, the Voodoo Doll Game made by Schaper in the 1960s.

The box alone is fantastic, with great graphics. The voodoo doll offers you handfuls of pins, while a ghoulish witch doctor lurks in the background. The game itself resembles a playset: there's a 3-D jungle hut, a witch doctor figure, and a giant voodoo doll.

The game is really fun to play: you and your opponent take turns putting pins in the voodoo doll. If the witch doctor jumps out of his hut at you, you lose! (I always lose, and it's really quite startling when the little figure comes hurtling out of the hut...)

Vintage Addams Family Games

Over the summer, I was really lucky and found both vintage 1960s Addams Family board games at yard sale prices, and have been saving them for an October post.

The boxes aren't the best, but the games inside are great, with really colorful, fun graphics.

1970s Ghostland Lunch Box

I love lunchboxes, board games, and spooky things, so this 1970s haunted house lunchbox with a game on the back is about as good as it gets for me! I remember wanting this as a child, but either it wasn't available in my area, or it was too expensive. When I finally found one last year, I felt like I was 8 years old again...

Here are the side views: 

And closeups of the  spinner and directions:

Addams Family Card Game

Just found this vintage Addams Family game at my local antique mall. I was trying to save it to post around Halloween-time, but I just couldn't wait that long! I'm a big Addams aficionado, so there'll be more of their stuff coming later, including my favorite piece: an original Colorforms set...