Category:
Toys

Barbie - now with acne!

Strange Barbie dolls have been a recurring theme here at WU. We've seen scaled-up Barbie, makeup-free Barbie, non-human Barbie, Ancient Minoan culture illustrated with Barbie, Virgin Mary Barbie doll, etc.

So the latest strange Barbie in the news doesn't even seem all that strange, by comparison. It's "Normal Barbie." Created by artist Nickolay Lamm, this doll (which he's calling Lammily), is designed with measurements similar to those of an average 19-year old woman. Also, it comes with stickers allowing you to customize it with freckles, stretch marks, acne, moles, cellulite, and blushing cheeks.


Barbie has acne

Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 21, 2014 - Comments (8)
Category: Toys

The Atomiscope

image

Did this actually have radium inside it? How many cancers did this cause, carried about in Dennis the Menace's pockets?

Unfortunately, I've lost the source of this ad. Can anyone help?

Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 05, 2014 - Comments (9)
Category: Death, Toys, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1940s

How to make a roller-skating witch

Instructions from Humpty Dumpty Magazine - Oct 1954. via And Everything Else Too (which has full-size scans).





Posted By: Alex - Fri Oct 31, 2014 - Comments (6)
Category: Holidays, Toys

Loony Lids, 1951 toy

Sold by The Ideal Toy Corp: "Inflatable Vinylite headpieces for children, built in the shape of lions, elephants, horses, and roosters. A few puffs of air inflate each 'lid,' and a cord under the chin secures it."

Insanity quickly follows.



Posted By: Alex - Sun Oct 26, 2014 - Comments (8)
Category: Toys, 1950s

Hasbro’s Mr. Carrot Head



Is it just me, or was there more creativity in the old days, when you could use "any fruit or vegetable" with Mr. Potato Head, and arrange the features anyplace on the head, instead of in the pre-drilled slots?

I was also curious if "play doctor" sets were still made, and they certainly are, as you can see in the link below. Thank goodness children are still abetted in their, ahem, innocent early vocational explorations!

Posted By: Paul - Sun Oct 19, 2014 - Comments (5)
Category: Medicine, Toys, 1950s

Remco Land-Mine

Toy land-mines have definitely gone out of fashion. Hakes Collectibles explains that the toy was "designed with a trip wire which you were to attach to tree or other stationary object and when wire was bumped, grenade would shoot in the air and cap would fire on base." Also, the toy was "similar to actual weapons used in the Vietnam war."

Posted By: Alex - Wed Oct 08, 2014 - Comments (11)
Category: Toys, 1960s, Weapons

Virgin Mary Barbie Doll

Created by Argentinian artists Pool Paolini and Marianela Perelli as part of a "Barbie, The Plastic Religion" exhibit. Their idea was that, "If there’s a Barbie doctor, a teacher and a police officer, why shouldn’t there be a Virgin of Luján Barbie?” So they've created 33 different Barbie and Ken dolls portraying various religious figures from Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam. Obviously controversy has ensued. More info: patheos.com, metro.co.uk



Posted By: Alex - Wed Sep 24, 2014 - Comments (12)
Category: Religion, Toys

Honk-O-Bag

image

Please nominate a celebrity from 2014 that you would like to see modeled in punching-bag format.

Original ad here. (Page 13)

Posted By: Paul - Fri Sep 05, 2014 - Comments (8)
Category: Celebrities, Toys, Violence, 1950s

Simplex Typewriter



image

Original ad here.

From 1891 to at least 1948. Not a bad run for any toy.

More info here.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Jul 30, 2014 - Comments (9)
Category: Technology, Toys, Comics, 1940s, Nineteenth Century

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Who We Are
Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

Paul Di Filippo
Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

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