It’s Saturday and Saturdays just feel like a perfect day to enjoy a Disney Character or two! These 5″ funny friends of Snow White are actually ‘squeak toys’. They’re in excellent condition considering they’re from the 1960s! The dwarf in the back is from a different group and he’s 6″ tall.
Walk of Fame
Did you know that Snow White is one of a very view Disney Characters who was honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? It’s true.
The Queen and the Wicked Witch
Ever wonder about some of the voices behind the Disney Characters. Well, there’s a great fact regarding the voice behind the Queen and the Wicked Witch. CLICK HERE for the value of false teeth – or not!!!
VISIT THIS PAGE for more mind-blowing facts about Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs movie!
Then stop by the store to see what other wonderful treasures are awaiting your discovery. And yes – we’re watchin’ for ya!
People collect dolls for many reasons. Some collect them because of fond childhood memories, others for the artistry that goes into making them, others for historical value, and still others for their resale value. People collect what appeals to them and reflect their desires and values.
Here in our store, we have gathered quite a collection of dolls (and stuffed animals). Our “Barbie” collection is fairly extensive. But we’ve other delightful additions to consider whether it’s a gift for a young one to enjoy or to be added to a collection.
Shirley Temple Doll
This delightful doll can be purchased with 6 outfits, but we have a total of 16 if you’re interested!
Brief History of Dolls
Another excerpt:
Dolls in the Middle Ages were often made from clay, tin, or glass. Clay figures of horses and knights and figurines from glass and tin have been found. In addition, dolls made from bread representing various saints were eaten on religious feast days. Beginning in the 1400s, fashion dolls were created to display the latest Paris fashions to wealthy customers.
In America, one of the oldest dolls is the Kachina, made by the Hopi Indians in Arizona. Kachina dolls were hand carved from cactus root or cottonwood, painted with symbolic colors and designs, and dressed in traditional dresses. These dolls were intended as sacred objects for children to study, and were not used as toys. During religious ceremonies, Kachina dolls were given out by masked priests who dressed as ancestral spirits and offered petitionary prayers for the tribe.
Colonial Americans made dolls from whatever materials they had on hand, including corn husks, corn cobs, fruits, nuts, and gourds. Northern Indians and Eskimos fashioned their dolls from whalebone, walrus tusk, and mammoth teeth.
We’ve been posting about dolls over the years. CLICK HERE to see some of those older posts.
Wonder Why We Collect Dolls?
You’re in good company if you love to collect dolls of any kind. Some famous people, such as actress Demi Moore and actor Johnny Depp, collect dolls. Even British singer, Sophie Ellis Bextor, collects a variety of dolls because they’re full of personality and charm. You may collect dolls purely for investment purposes. After all, an original and mint condition G.I. Joe doll can fetch a pretty penny, as can a rare, vintage, or designer diamond-encrusted Barbie doll. But you likely already know that not all dolls are worth a fortune, so there may be another reason behind your habit.
Whether you’re looking for a Barbie to add to your collection, a Victorian doll, or a princess or baby doll, we may be able to help. So we encourage you to stop in soon. Yep, we’re always watchin’ for ya!
Gentle Reminder:
Might we add that 5 months from now will be the Christmas Holidays.
At Bahoukas we have a great assortment of Action Figures from movies and television shows including Star Wars to Star Trek, Sports with Starting LineUp and even bobbleheads!
Love Sports?
Along with a wide variety of action figures, we also have sportsbooks, bobbleheads, and more.
So if you enjoy Action Figures…
You’ll definitely want to stop by Bahoukas Antiquesand browse through our collections. Whether you’re looking for a special one for your own collection, helping someone start a collection, or just want to play with some, we have a nice variety – many more that what we show here.
So yes, we’ll be watchin’ for you and ready to show you our Action Figures Collections!
As we keep reminding you, we have something for each and every age, taste, and style! Now, we know there are adults that have Pez Collections (Just ask George about his!). But we’re sharing some fun items for kids this time.
PEZ
Kids-of-all-Ages
… love PEZ collectibles. And George is our expert on All-Things-PEZ.
Do your kids have favorite characters from movies, cartoons, etc?
Bring them in to see if there are some PEZ items they might enjoy collecting.
CLICK HERE for more PEZ related posts on our website.
books – Books – BOOKS!
From classics to Dr. Seuss and everything in between, our shelves of books for children are sure to make a perfect escape on a rainy (or simply ‘too hot’) day! Bring them in and give them the opportunity to discover something of interest: Hardy Boys, Bobbsey Twins, Donna Parker, the Classics, and a great variety of Golden Books.
Of course, we have comics and puzzles, and other fun items for kids.
And don’t forget, we also have a wonderful selection of books and magazines for adults including the complete Pulaski Seriesby Robert Lackey that are historical novels that center on Havre de Grace beginning with our canal and lockhouse time period. In fact, he visited with his latest book of the series, #10 Pulaski’s Redemption.
This #24 Jeff Gordon item is only one of scores of collectibles you may enjoy.
An Independence Day Celebration
Along with parades and fireworks, Nascar racing has also become an American tradition for July 4th. This year they’re back. CLICK HERE for this Sunday’s Nascar schedule.
In the meantime, stop in and browse our collection of NASCAR memorabilia. We have quite a few items from older NASCAR collections.
In the meantime, we’ll be watchin’ for ya at the store. And to help make your weekend special, we’ve included the activities happening over the Independence Weekend in Havre de Grace. CLICK HERE
Bahoukas Antiques continually delights our shoppers of all ages. Check out these amazing wooden doll house furnishings. You have to see them to appreciate them.
Did you know originally dollhouses were for adults?
Before they were toys, <they> were used to show off wealth and teach domestic roles.
TRIVIA QUESTION: Do you know names used for the early dollhouses of the 17th century? (answer at end of article)
Did you collect FAIRYKINS?
In 1962 the Louis Marx Toy Company introduced another line of miniature hand-painted figures based on characters made popular by nursery rhymes and fairytales, such as those by the Brothers Grimm. The 35 cute but generic Fairykins figures are often confused with Disneykins. They were packaged and sold in basically the same formats as Disneykins and were also miniature remakes of popular 1950s figures.
Lucy Ricardo is the wacky wife of Cuban bandleader Ricky Ricardo. Living in New York, Ricky tries to succeed in show business while Lucy — always trying to help — usually manages to get in some kind of trouble that drives Ricky crazy. Their best friends are Fred and Ethel Mertz, who are also their landlords. Usually, Ethel becomes Lucy’s less-than-willing partner in crime. Ricky and Lucy welcomed little Ricky in 1953, whose birth was a national TV event. Later in the show’s run, the Ricardos (and the Mertzes) moved to Hollywood, where Ricky tried to become a movie star.
from Google search
The I Love Lucy Show ran from 1951 to 1957. Do you have a favorite episode? Many remember this scene:
We have some new I Love Lucy items that arrived in our store. Stop by and check them out.
I Love Lucy Collectibles
A locking canister with different scenes on each side.
An I Love Lucy Sales Resistance Mattel Doll is straight from Season 2 Episode 45: “Sales Resistance” which aired January 26, 1953.
We just love the great items that cross our counter. Even better is when someone browses our shops and discovers the perfect item that they didn’t know they were looking for. Love it!
Stop in and visit. We’re here and ready to say, “Welcome to Bahoukas.” Havre de Grace offers so much for every interest. Need a bit of guidance, just “ask George” – he’ll point you to whatever it is you’re looking – inside the store or anywhere in Havre de Grace. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Beautiful vintage rocking horses will look amazing under the tree and most certainly will delight a little boy or girl. But also, check out the amazing wooden airplane!
The large stuffed doll and the jockey and red stuffed horse add another beautiful possibility for a very special child on your gift list.
Of course, there’s always a chance that these items would make a collector friend or family member very happy.
Stop in and talk to George at Bahoukas. He’ll consider lay-away if picked up BEFORE Christmas. And, of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Stereoscopes, Viewmasters, Nintendo, X-box and More…
Recently a young teen came into the shop sharing his love of playing albums on a record player vs mp3’s. We’re also seeing a re-birth of physical book stores. In that light, we thought we’d share these fun items that some of your kids (and adults) might enjoy and appreciate.
Of course, it’s not too early to think unusual gifts for the coming holidays!
Many of us have seen the original stereoscope, although it might have been in a museum. But it’s effect on entertainment, education, and even culture was definite. It’s amazing to think that Underwood & Underwood was producing over 25,000 images a day for the stereoscope. (See the quote below)
Claims that there was a stereoscope in every parlor in America came as early as the 1860s (Darrah, 2), but in their second wave of popularity in the 1880s-1910s, the availability of stereographs could be quantified: Underwood & Underwood, one of the three major stereographic companies in this period, produced over 25,000 images per day (Darrah, 47), and an estimated 300 million stereographs were issued between 1854 to 1920 (Wadja, 112). Selling at six for a dollar, most stereographs captured the interest of middle class consumers, but a few companies catered to the working class, providing similar views at 3 cents a piece or 85 cents per 100 (DeLeskie, 69). Found in drugstores, distributed through mail-order catalogs, given away as premiums by cereal and tea companies, and canvassed cross-country by college students (including a young Carl Sandburg), it is no wonder that many scholars consider the stereoscope as the first mass photographic medium prior to cinema or television (see Trachtenberg, Reading, 17). from xroads.Virginia.edu
Imagine learning about the wonders of the world, feeling like you were there, as you viewed the scenes in a stereoscope! There was a lot of promise. But, as you know, progress moves on and photographs, movies, and television replaced these viewers. But many saw great promise in connecting humanity at the time!
IN HIS WRITINGS ABOUT the stereoscope, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. was what we would now call a tech-utopian. He declared that the stereoscope would become “the card of introduction to make all mankind acquaintances.” from BostonGlobe.com
If you’re curious as to how 3D-glasses work today (and in the movies), you may want to check out THIS LINK.
Electronic and Computer Consoles/Games
Then we moved to the beginning of electronic games in the 1970s. Many will remember their first Atari or Nintendo video games. and Sega games. In the 1990s Playstation was introduced along with the original X-Box. These links are all courtesy of Wikipedia.
NOTE: If you saw our FB question, the answer to SEGA is that originally the company provided coin-operated slot machines to U.S. bases that were called “Service Games,” later becoming SEGA! Who knew?
At Bahoukas Antique Mall you’ll be able to find some of the games for the above game stations. Stop in and see if we have one you’ve been looking for.
Of course, if you’re a real techie, then you may want to visit the following article on CNET about Virtual Reality, 360 viewing, 3-D, augmented reality and more. ENJOY!
Biking, hiking, trail rides and hayrides beckon us!
Yes, the fall brings out that feeling of “We have to get outdoors before the snows come!” Now, we know you can’t ride these since they’re just models of motorcycles. But we also know they’d look great on your collection shelf or as a gift for someone special this holiday season.
Stop in soon and see what we have to offer. Pick one or two before they’re gone. Then keep on rollin’ down that highway, whether on a real bike – or in your mind. Safe travels! And yes, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Is there a doll you always wanted? We might have it!
Check our front window. There’s an amazing selection of dolls from small cloth dolls to beautiful baby dolls and everything in-between! They’re in excellent condition and will surely delight a collector, or a young one whose eyes would light up with one or two of these beautiful dolls.
Above are wives of former presidents (l to r): Mrs. Barbara Bush, Mrs. Pat Nixon, Mrs. Jackie Kennedy, Mrs. Nancy Reagan, and Mrs. Rosalyn Carter. These dolls are beautiful. In addition, there’s a lovely bride’s doll. And the beanie babies are only a few of the collection we have acquired.
Stop in soon and take a peek. Surely there’s a perfect doll for a very special person in your life! Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
No need to complain. No one wants to hear it. The heat has been … well … BEYOND HOT!
Do you wonder what George does when it’s so HOT?
Yep, he received a wonderful assortment of all things “Barbie” and just had to play. Here he is going through the cases and dressing the dolls.
Here’s a sampling of the latest arrivals that came during our sizzling heatwave. Stop by and check them out. Whether you’re a collector, or you just have a special young girl that you know would just LOVE these, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
See what you miss when you aren’t checking in on George!?!? Stop by soon. We are looking forward to a break in the temps this week. And yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Pressed Steel, Die-Cast, Matchbox, Hot Wheels, and Dinky
We have a wide variety of collectible cars, trucks, and more. Above is a wonderful collection of pressed steel and die-cast cars and trucks – with a few wood and plastic as well.
Is there anyone who didn’t have their own collection of MatchBox cars? Is there someone in your life who may want to actually start their own collection. We have an interesting varietly of collectibles including MatchBox, Hot Wheels and Dinky to name a few.
It’s to be a bit rainy today. Drop by and see for yourself what we have in the store. Maybe you’ll want to purchase a couple to add to that youngster’s Easter Basket!!! Just an idea!
The most famous use of prizes in the United States (and the word “prize” in this context) is Cracker Jack brand popcorn confection. Prizes have been inserted into every package of Cracker Jack continuously since 1912. A familiar jingle to people who watched television in the United States in the 1960s and ’70s goes “Candy-coated popcorn, peanuts and a prize. That’s what you get with Cracker Jack!” Cracker Jack sales are not what they used to be, with much more competition in the snack industry and less creative prizes. The most valuable prizes found in Cracker Jack are the baseball cards distributed in 1914 and 1915. Although most of the prizes recently are just printed paper, in 2004, a complete set of 1914 Cracker Jack baseball cards — including the highly sought after “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and Ty Cobb cards — was sold for a record $800,000.
Prizes in boxes, gum, cereals, machines – well, just about anything someone can tuck a tiny prize into – are always fun. Stop by and see our Wednesday Box Surprise – a huge case of charms.
Let us know how you use these tiny charms: jewelry, art, shadow boxes? Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya. After all, it’s the first day of Spring 2019!!
At Bahoukas Antique Mall & Beer MuZeum we have a wonderful variety of toy sets to play house, buy groceries, cook and bake in the kitchen, and more.
The following describes a bit of ‘toy history.’
A toy is an item that is used in play, especially one designed for such use. Playing with toys can be an enjoyable means of training young children for life in society. Different materials like wood, clay, paper, and plastic are used to make toys. Many items are designed to serve as toys, but goods produced for other purposes can also be used. For instance, a small child may fold an ordinary piece of paper into an airplane shape and “fly it”. Newer forms of toys include interactive digital entertainment. Some toys are produced primarily as collectors’ items and are intended for display only.
The origin of toys is prehistoric; dolls representing infants, animals, and soldiers, as well as representations of tools used by adults are readily found at archaeological sites. The origin of the word “toy” is unknown, but it is believed that it was first used in the 14th century. Toys are mainly made for children. The oldest known doll toy is thought to be 4,000 years old.
Playing with toys is considered to be important when it comes to growing up and learning about the world around us. Younger children use toys to discover their identity, help their bodies grow strong, learn cause and effect, explore relationships, and practice skills they will need as adults
Besides perfect toys for kids, it didn’t take long for marketers to realize the value of making kid-size representatives of their ‘brands.’ Who didn’t want a refrigerator “Just like mom’s.”
The following is a perfect example of this new marketing tactic that quickly built a huge toy market from the 1950s forward. (photo courtesy of Smithsonian Nat’l Museum of American History and Sears)
Pop into Bahoukas and see what fun items might be perfect for one of your youngsters. We really do have some great items. And yes, we’re watchin’ for ya!
By the fifties, America was moving firmly past the Second World War and into an era of unprecedented prosperity. More and more Americans felt they could afford some pleasant distractions. About this time Joseph and Gennaro Giammarino got together with John Cuomo and Abe Shikes to create a company that would become an icon of the American toy industry – Aurora Plastics Company. While you could fill a book with the history of this innovative business, we will focus on their contribution to slot cars and only briefly touch on some of their many accomplishments.
By the end of 1976, AFX sales hit their all-time high of about $45 million on the back of the stunning popularity of the new technology. Quite an increase from the roughly $15 million in sales for the line in 1970.
In doing a bit of research, we’ve been made aware that slot car racing is still alive and well in many countries. This interesting book, published in Dec. 2018, is an example of this interest.
Here at Bahoukas, we have a small collection of slot cars as well as a number of slot car tracks.
You can visit the Spanish site (also in English) SlotCar Today and discover how active the slot car hobby is today! It’s fascinating to realize how actively the concept of slot car racing is today.
Plus AFXRacing.com gives a great account of the many countries with a history of slot car racing.
Stop in and visit us. Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
SMURFS have been BIG business! Here’s a quote from Wikipedia:
The Smurfs is a Belgian comic book series created by Peyo in 1958. It became well-known worldwide with the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series in the 1980s. With the popularity of the Smurfs came a wide range of toys and spin-off products and use of the Smurfs in merchandising. Smurfs’ merchandising in 2008 generates about 5 to 12 million euro per year in Europe alone, while the total figure after fifty years worldwide is about $5 billion.
Do you know how many female Smurfs there are? Do you know their names? We’ll give the answer at the end of the post.
Are you familiar with FLIX?
No, we’re not talking about the soft fur of a beaver or software! We’re talking about the fun FLIX Candy Gumball Machines.
This recently acquired collection are in their original packaging and included Power Ranger Super Heroes and Flintstone Characters. These are another great way to start a youngster in the joy of collecting.
We invite you to bring your youngster in to browse the shop. Share your stories with them and encourage them if they show signs of wanting to ‘collect.’ We love meeting young collectors. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
The answer to the Female Smurfs: Smurfette , Sassette, and Nanny. When the movies came out, more were created.
Do you remember playing with Hot Wheels and other little cars and trucks as a kid? Do you share that fun with your own kids or grand kids?
At Bahoukas we have a wide variety of small metal and plastic mini-vehicles. From fire trucks to construction equipment, possibly your favorite car of your youth, we have scores to choose from.
These little cars have a long history… TootsieToy made die cast cars in the 50s. They were crude and not very detailed. Then MatchBox hit the market in the mid-50s. And Hot Wheels burst onto the scene in the 60s.
We have a variety of the scale model, mini-vehicles and believe it’s a great way to share your stories of playing with them (and, of course, sharing those favorite ‘car stories’) with the youngsters in your life. It’s also a great way to start the kids collecting. What a wonderful way to enjoy years gone by.
The following quote from an article at Hemmings.com shares the love of these mini-cars in those early years:
Before you could drive, there was the desire to drive. Before you could put your name on a pink slip, you could ask Grandpa for a dollar to buy something cool. The rip of the package, the smell of the fresh paint that escaped the blisterpack, the bounce of the suspension, the fast roll of your new ride. More than a few car junkies will have to admit that playing with (and collecting) Hot Wheels was their first step into loving cars.
Stop in at Bahoukas and see the variety of die-cast cars and more. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!