Retro Musings includes magazine adverts and catalogue scans from 1930's to 1990's, plus anything else which takes my fancy (like LP covers and knitting patterns).
Go to Brands & Products to see a list of all the items I have added so far, or view by category or decade via the menus above and below.
Today’s musical delights are brought to you by Dick Schory and The Percussive Art Ensemble with Re-Percussion from 1957. It’s everything the cover implies it is!
“For me who have modern fashion ideas.” These adverts for Wembley’s bold patterned ties are from 1948-51.
As random toy finds go, this tickled all the right spots (a-hem)! Bum Bum Gang was a Russian Roulette balloon game by Giochi Preziosi, made in the late 1980s in Italy.
“Boys like girls who make Seven Up Floats!” These Seven-Up “Float” adverts date between 1952 and 1963. Yummy!
“So the harder a wife works, the cuter she looks!” These ads for Kellogg’s whole-wheat breakfast cereal Pep date from 1939.
“I never saw anyone hoot for an owl until Baker’s Coconut!” These wonderful wacky animal cakes are from Baker’s Coconut 1961-62 “I never saw” Angel Flakes advertising campaign. I’ll take the pink elephant one please!
In 1955, record company Columbia released a set of five LP’s featuring the instrumental stylings of Peter Barclay and his Orchestra. The technicolour cover photographs encapsulate the ideal American family in a wonderfully cheesy/creepy way, and the back covers were full of helpful hints and even recipes to help make every occasion perfect.
“America’s most-wanted gift tie!” These ads for Cutter Cravat “Artist Originals” ties date from 1951-53.
“Made just for girls!” These yummy pink ads for Lustre Creme shampoo date from 1967-68. They feature some very sixties geometrics!
In 1967-68, Jell-O (owned by General Food Corp.) created a series of adverts for their Pudding & Pie Fillings range. Each advert featured a different pudding with recipe.
This weeks Sunday lounge listening is “Pink Champagne for Dancing” (vol.2) by Lloyd Mumm and His Starlight Roof Orchestra [1962]. Enjoy!
“Now! You can change your skin tone to look lovely in any fashion colour.”Pond’s “Angel Face” adverts from 1960-61 featured striking double head shots of models wearing contrasting colours.
“Follow the trend to knitted underwear!” These ads for Munsingwear underwear for men date from 1939-45.
Twinkle was one of my favourite girls comics when I was little, I even named one my two childhood cats after her (the other cat was named “Tammy” after my other favourite comic). Here are all the annual covers from 1970 to 2003. I love the early cover designs best with the plain coloured backgrounds, white circle behind Twinkle and black text.
These fun Italian adverts for Texas Instruments are both from 1990. I don’t remember maths being so cool!
“I’d like to MEAT a Valentine. How about you?” Here’s a selection of meat themed Valentines cards.
“My heart I serve to you.” Here’s a mixed selection of vintage Valentines day cards, featuring romantic themes such as dentures, fire-eating, cannibalism, underwear and illness!
Some may consider these to be a selection of the worst Christmas LP covers you will ever clap sight of. Personally, I think many are inspired genius!
On looking into Labyrinth movie posters, I found there were several designs produced world-wide for its cinematic release in 1986. The Japanese versions are very sci-fi, and I love the Polish version featuring Ludo.
Here is a fine selection of images from the front of festive knitting patterns.I just can’t decide which one I love most! Not that I’d ever wear one…
This is a selection of some of my favourite vintage Halloween postcards I’ve gathered together on over the past few days (edited to bring their colours out). There are some right mad ones in there!
I’m a massive fan of exotica and lounge music and enjoy nothing better than scouring the charity shops for a new gem to add to my LP collection! Les Baxter is one my favourites, so I’ve collected together images of some of his LP covers, which are as weird and wonderful as his music.
“When they named a game after me, it had to be built!” Elvira And The Party Monsters pinball machine was produced in 1989.
“You’re on the road with Journey, one of the world’s hottest rock groups. A spectacular performance has just ended. Now it’s up to you to guide each Journey Band Member past hordes of Love-Crazed Groupies, Sneaky Photographers, and Shifty-Eyed Promoters to the safety of the Journey Escape Vehicle in time to make the next concert. Your mighty manager and loyal roadies are there to help, but the escape is up to you!”
I was quite a fan of Stock, Aitken & Waterman (SAW) back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, and am happy to admit I still am! An old school friend won some tickets on the radio to one of their live road shows in Bristol (1989 or 1990 I think). I know Sonia performed, but for the life of me can’t remember who else did!
Chewits, Black Jacks, Curly Wurly… I can feel my teeth disintegrating just thinking about all those lovely after school sweet treats! Here’s a selection of 1970’s & 1980’s original wrappers, from a time when penny sweets were still a penny.
