Looking for that special gift item for the vintage toy lover in your family?
Here are my suggestions for the best gift ideas this year.
Note that I don't own everything I'm recommending on this page but feel they are of sufficient quality,
value, and fun potential to warrant their mention. The toys mentioned here are the ones you're
not likely to find at your local store. Plenty of great toys will be available locally: Operation, Mouse
Trap, Lite Brite, Scrabble, etc. All toys were in stock as of the beginning of November, 2009.
If you've scoured my site you know that I'm also interested in vintage trailers, rollercoasters,
Lost in Space, personal growth/dating/relationships, and fun/wacky things in general. I've also included some suggestions in
these areas. Thanks for stopping by, Sam
Vintage toy re-issues and other cool toys similar to those in my collection
Armatron-clone Bio Arm , an excellent repro by Smithsonian or the more complex Robotic Arm Trainer are available.
Barrel of Monkeys by Milton Bradley: the game itself or even a way cool Belt Buckle (3x5 inch metal)
Booby Trap Game has been re-issued and available in wooden or plastic versions through Amazon.com
Buckaroo Game , similar in concept to my Last Straw , Rattle Me Bones , and Tiltin Milton games
Candy and bubble gum cigarettes and cigars - couldn't find any dispenser toys/banks (times have changed haven't they?)
Cootie , a perenial favorite now made by Milton Bradley
Creepy Crawlers , now by Jaaks Pacific/Flying Colors, oven sets and spare goop are available at Amazon.com
DetectoLab! is still produced and available through Amazon.com . Similar: CSI's Entomology and Facial Reconstruction lab kits.
Disc Shooter Guns are the safer, modern day equivalent to the Star Trek Tracer Gun
Easy Bake Oven , still by Hasbro: the oven and quite a few accessories are available at Amazon.com
Electric Ball Clock is now battery powered and called the Time Machine
Electronic Crane Games by various manufacturers are available on Amazon.com
Electronic Project kits , no longer by Radio Shack/Science Fair but still around in 75-in-one to 500-in-one sizes
Erector Sets are still being produced by Gilbert
Evel Knievel's Stunt Cycle has been re-issued, available through Amazon.com
Gross Soap - make your own bars of soap with bugs in them!
Hands Down Game has been re-issued by Milton Bradley
Jarts have been rereleased in a safer (sigh) version, get them through Amazon.com .
Mini Game Keychains - by Basic Fun. Keychain versions of many classic games: Perfection, Booby Trap, Scrabble...
Model kits , monster, cool vehicles, figures, Batman, Star Wars, cartoons, rockets... available at Amazon.com
Monopoly Game , by Parker Brothers/USAopoly: over 100 versions are in stock at Amazon.com
Paddle Pool has been reissued in a smaller version you have to assemble.
Plaster Casting Sets , monsters, dinosaurs, your own hand... available at Amazon.com
Play-Doh is always a good choice. More than 200 Play-Doh items are available at Amazon.
Radio Controlled Submarines , while not as cool as my Explorer 7, are available through Amazon.com
Rebound Game has been reproduced in a very cool wooden version
Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots have been re-issued by Mattel
Rock Tumblers & supplies by various companies and in various price ranges are available at Amazon.com
Shooting Gallery Toys are available in a few varieties including a re-issue of the Electro-Shot Shooting Gallery
Skittles Game - classic wooden top game is still produced by Carrom
Sno-Cone makers are available in both toy versions and professional versions
Spirograph , though not as cool as the 60s version, is still produced by Hasbro. Other spiral drawing toys:
Mystery Spin Doodles and
The Spiral Draw Book are like SpiroTot, and
Doodle Doug is very much like Mr. Rembrandt.
Spy Toys of all kind are available on Amazon.com
Stadium Checkers has been reproduced as a game named Roller Bowl
Stay Alive has also been reproduced in a slightly smaller version by Winning Moves
Stratego is now produced by Hasbro and a dozen or so different versions are available
Tip-It Game has been re-issued by Mattel in a version slightly harder than original
Vertibird clone - there are still a couple versions of the mini Chopper Patrol by Jasman available
Weather Station Toys are available from various manufacturers and price ranges
Books about toys and toy collecting - from Amazon.com
Toy Bop: Kid Classics of the 50's & 60's - Excellent hardcover book by Tom Frey, great color photos
The Playmakers: Amazing Origins of Timeless Toys - Stories behind some of your (and my) favorites, by Tim Walsh
The Game Makers: The Story of Parker Brothers, from Tiddledy Winks to Trivial Pursuit - hardcover book by Philip E. Orbanes
Guide to Vintage Trade Stimulators & Counter Games - not toys exactly, just cool stuff!
Collecting Monster Toys - by John Marshall
O'Brien's Collecting Toys: Identification and Value Guide - edited by Karen O'Brien
Toys & Prices 2010 (Toys and Prices) - by Justin Moen
Board Games of the 50s, 60s, & 70s - with prices (older book)
The Big Toy Box at Sears - Copies of all Boys Toys pages from the Sears Wishbook, 1951-1969
Toys of the Sixties: A Pictoral Price Guide - by William R. Bruegman
Boys' Toys of the 50s & 60s - Copies of selected Boys Toys pages from the Sears Wishbook, 1951-1969
More Boys' Toys of the 50s & 60s - Copies of selected Boys Toys pages from the Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalog, 1951-1969
Boys' Toys of the 70s & 80s - Copies of selected Boys Toys pages from the Sears Wishbook, 1970-1989
More Boys' Toys of the 70s & 80s - Copies of selected Boys Toys pages from the Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalog, 1970-1989
Collectors Guide to TV Toys and Memorabilia - Collectibles from over 50 shows from the 1960s & 1970s
Baby Boomer Toys & Collectibles - Over 500 color photos of 50s & 60s toys!
Trailer resources
Vintage trailer items from Amazon.com.
Coolest trailer/camping accessories ever:
Roller coasters/amusement parks
Lost in Space
Personal growth, relationships
Miscellaneous Fun Stuff
Travel books about wacky places:
Offbeat Museums ,
Roadside America ,
American Bizarro and
Eccentric America
Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation shows on DVD :
Thunderbirds ,
Stingray ,
Fireball XL5 ,
Captain Scarlet and
Supercar
Universal Monsters Legacy Collection DVDs :
Frankenstein ,
Dracula ,
The Wolf Man ,
The Mummy ,
The Invisible Man and
The Creature from the Black Lagoon
Monsters: A Celebration of the Classics from Universal Studios - Hardcover book
Ray Harryhausen items - Master of Stop-motion animation, here are books/DVDs honoring his body of work.
Three Stooges items - Apparel, Books, DVDs, Posters, Statues - everything you can imagine.
Monty Python items - DVDs, CDs, Posters, Apparel, Toys (plush Black Knights & Killer Rabbits), wow!
Riverdance items - DVDs/Videos/CDs - Coolest show ever!!! If you can't see it in person, see/hear it at home.
Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story - available in a
20" table top model ,
40" floor standing model ,
string of party lights ,
night light .
My refrigerator wouldn't be caught dead without its Gearation Refrigerator Magnets and its Frigits Marble Toy
Can Safes - protect your valuables in safes that look like food/drink/cleaner cans. I'm not saying which one I have in case you break into my RV!
Levitating Globes & Sports Balls - Very cool tech toy that looks great on anyone's desk
Wicked Witch Legs & Ruby Slippers door stop - what will they think of next?
Karaoke Machines and Discs - I love singing Karaoke and have two machines, 100+ discs. Fun for everyone.
Still don't know what to get your loved one? How about an Amazon.com Gift Card .
If you found this site useful or enjoyable perhaps you
would sign the guestbook.
Can't find it? Try searching the Toybox or the entire web with:
Contact me: Sam Cancilla, sam@samstoybox.com.
Last Modified: November 13, 2009
Copyright © 2005-2009 Sam Cancilla.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide.