THE GRAVEYARD OF VINTAGE MONSTER TOYS

Why are vintage toys so great? Why do otherwise normal adults fall all over each other to grab a toy that will likely never be played with? Because they are time machines. Much like music, they take us back to a specific moment in our past. When reacquiring a toy or (better yet) rediscovering our original one in a neglected niche of our house, you can feel the same feelings you had as a child. The same joys, fears, and long forgotten experiences rush through the soul again and leave you with a feeling of happiness and a dumb grin on your face. It's like getting to experience your childhood all over again (and boy, did I have a good childhood...never has ended, actually)! Being childlike is such a great feeling (and please note this is NOT the same as being CHILDISH, which many 'serious' adults do on a regular basis)-it can make a crummy day happy again and give you an eternal positive outlook on life. I hope some of these toys bring back memories for the rest of you middle aged kids, and for you younger ones, see, we had cool stuff too!

1963 Jaymar Dracula 'Vampire's Nest' Puzzle

One of the best horror images found anywhere! Swooping red eyed snarling vampire bats, a scuttling six legged spider, and a rabid bat-faced wolf watch as a classic Dracula prepares to feast on his scantily clad victim. A vampiric crone stands in front of a crate containing a comatose Frankenstein Monster. Gnarled tree limbs thrust through a barred window from a sky that seems to be aflame. The lone skull perched atop a chest in the corner bears witness to this incredibly cool puzzle!

1963 Jaymar Frankenstein 'Revenge' Puzzle

The series of early 1960's Universal Monster jigsaw puzzles put out by Jaymar (Frankenstein, Dracula, Mummy, and the tough to find Wolf Man) were pulled from circulation due to parental concern over the ghoulish images. 'Revenge' is one of the more mild ones, showing a bloody syringe next to a failed experiment, terrified onlookers, a leering skull, and a Wolf Man with bloodied fangs being strangled by the Monster!

1963 Jaymar Wolf Man 'Midnight Prowl' Puzzle

This is the aforementioned Wolf Man puzzle. Notice how the Wolf Man looks nothing like the Wolf Man in the previous puzzle. In fact, both Frankenstein and the Wolf Man look exactly like the box art for the Aurora kits. And poor Wolfie doesn't even rate center stage on his own puzzle!

1963 Jaymar The Mummy 'Cellar Tomb' Puzzle

Finally, we have The Mummy. It continues the themes brought up by the previous puzzles. The crying woman and the 'mummified' victim look like the same people used in the other puzzles (you'd think they'd learn after a while!). The tomb could be in the room next door to the Vampire's Nest, only painted in a nice orange rather than blue. A great looking shrouded corpse clambers out of a coffin as if to make room for the new arrival. And doesn't it look like that black cat and big lizard have laid Emmett Kelly low? Another great puzzle from when kid's toys didn't have to be pc!

Anchor Hocking 1960's Universal Monster Drinking Glass Set

Had one from my childhood, and the other three came from three different vendors!

Milton Bradley Monster Old Maid!

Many evenings in the mid 60's were spent at the picnic table under the old oak tree next to the swimming pool in our backyard battling it out with this card game!

American Telecard Monster Birthday Record/Card

My dad travelled a lot when I was a kid and missed being home on birthdays sometimes. He sent me this for my bday one of those years-guess he forgot we didn't have a record player! I brought it to school and comandeered the music department's phonograph. Best birthday card ever!

Wonder Books-MONSTERS!

When I wasn't reading Batman comics, Spider-Man comics, dinosaur books or nature books this is what was required reading!

Where Was This Lunchbox When I Went To School?

Food would've tasted a lot better coming out of here!

The Ideal Haunted House Game

Hard to tell in a photo, but this box is bigger than some children!

The Ideal Haunted House

Bats In Your Belfry-The Best Game Of The 1960's!

The castle alone is reason enough to get this game!

Mystic Skull-The Game Of Voodoo

Great Box Artwork!

The Family That Slays Together...

The forerunners to Little Big Heads-the Remco Herman, Lily, and Grandpa Munster figures by Remco! Hey, is that Spot? Nah, it's one of Hamilton's Invaders (also by Remco). The talking Herman Munster Hand Puppet by Mattel looks stoned!