keep me away from auctions

I was told there were a load of vinyl records going for auction last week at Darwin's Auction House in Bedale, and as l was off work, l thought l'd pop along and bid on a few.
Some of them went for silly prices, so l was outbid on a few lots, but still came away with a load of Rod Stewart and The Faces original albums (including on the original Vertigo!). However, being the impulsive kind of guy l am, l also came away with a microscope, binoculars, candlesticks and a camera.
I've said it before and l will say it again - l am going to need a bigger house at some stage.

toodle pip

the rather marvelous 4-2-4 football game

When l was young kiddiewinkle, l played Subbuteo now and again like every other sane friend of mine. Some of us dodgier lads even used to go into Wallingford when we were on Summer holidays and nick various boxes of teams to vary the games a bit (Security was pretty lax in the olden days). However, the game that l enjoyed playing most of all, and hardly anyone remembers, was TAF 4-2-4, which l used to play when l lived in Germany. I always thought that the game helped give me a better theoretical understanding of passing the ball into space and how to control and move a ball into space when l played football for real (I was obviously excellent at the real game).
I lost my original game (or my parents probably chucked it when we moved back to Blighty) but l purchased another a few years ago for that lovely Proustian rush, and just to see one again, as people l spoke to then had never even heard of it, and despite the drink and drugs over the years in between, l knew l wasn't imagining it.
When it arrived, I was pretty chuffed that it was in such good condition, and it immediately bought back many happy memories, but an added bonus was that it has been signed by  Tom Waterman, the creator of the game on the inside of the outer lid.
Hurrah!!! A reason for keeping it, as l can now class it as a collectors item / rarity.

toodle pip

I finally got rid of the settee in the spare room, as l am trying to declutter the place (well, tidy it up at least).
I had to drive down to Harrogate to pick up the shelving unit which l bought online, but it was well worth it, as it fits the gap perfectly.
Now l've got more room to fill with other stuff!!!

toodle pip

bob taylor 1981 testimonial programme

I know l've collected a lot of crap over the years, but sometimes l amaze myself.

Found this while sorting some old boxes out. A programme for Bob Taylor's 1981 testimonial year, signed by him on the front.

Two things about this. l don't like cricket at all, and l have no idea where l picked this up from.

I've also found  a signed snooker programme which l might put up later, and l also have no clue where that's from.

Methinks l may need some help.

toodle pip

my right wing fascist hitler collection

You always feel as though you are backing yourself into a corner if you start of a sentence with "I'm not a right wing Hitler supporting fascist", but......
As a collector / hoarder of all things interesting, l seem to have accumulated a fair amount of Hitler / pre World War 11 German stamps, plus a couple of postcards that have been checked by the Nazi censorship department.
None of it is really worth anything, and l am as left wing as you can possibly get, but l may have to keep tabs on some of the stuff l bid for in the future, or l will start to get a reputation that l don't want (the one l have already is bad enough).
Haven't got a clue what has been written in the postcards, but they are to and from the same people in Amsterdam and Zurich.

toodle pip

vinyl collectors are sad bastards - confirmed by ghost world

So this isn't exactly ground breaking news. Rather eloquently summed up by the video clip below from 'Ghost World', at just after 1.15m. 

Sadly, l can relate to it all.

toodle pip

robert crumb sums up record collecting

Robert Crumb nails what it's like to be a collector, in this case, of records.
I can relate to it sooo much.

toodle pip

jungle book lobby cards

More stuff that l would collect if l had unlimited funds - lobby cards from my favourite films.
Here's some from one of them - The Jungle Book (the original).
Don't get me started on the sacrilege that was Jungle Book 2).

And here's an early sketch of Baloo the bear, looking like a fatter version of Mr Parrot.

toodle pip

the bhutan postage sevice

When Burt Todd took control of the Bhutan postal service, who would have guessed that they would be the forerunners in innovative stamp designs?
I collected some foreign stamps when l was a kid, but Mr Todd has whetted my appetite again, making me hanker for a collection of these little beauties.
What's so special about them? Well, where do l start?
They are only issued in formats that where well ahead of their time.  Scented, silk, 3D, lenticular, metallic, and even little records that play the Bhutan national anthem, folk songs, and a recording of Burt Todd himself. Recent ones are even CD Rom.
Pure genius, and if l wore a hat, l would take it off to them.
There's a lot more information about the stamps, the country, and Burt Todd on this highly recommended site.

toodle pip

car boot sale heaven

I was on sleepover at work last night and finished at 8am this morning, (after staying up till 2.30am and getting up at 6.10am).  On a whim, while driving home, l decided to take a detour and have a look at a local car boot sale, a place l have only ever been to once before, but keep meaning to visit.  I was mighty pleased that l decided to do so, as l ended up buying a total of  23 albums (large CD's that scratch to you kids out there), for a total of  £35, and that was with a load of Beatles singles thrown in for good measure.  I was especially pleased with The Rolling Stones ones, as they are the original unboxed red Decca versions, all in great nick, but some of the LP's l bought are just to replace stuff l already have because they are miles better copies (yeeeeessssss...l know l am a sad bastard, and certainly don't need telling).
Originally, there was a slim chance l was going to do some painting today (as if!), but that went out of the window, and all l've been doing is reading and listening to records (and annoying Mr Parrot).  What bliss.
I've said it before and l'll say it again, l could easily fill a house with records, comics, DVD's etc, but at least l've sorted out some old LP's to give to my sister, so the actual amount of records in the house stays roughly the same.
Then there's the not so small problem of finding loads of spare time to read and listen to everything.  The books in the photograph are recent purchases l have yet to get through, l have another pile of unread ones that remain untouched, as well as the two books l have on the go at the moment (as well as TV shows and football to watch, and going out annoying people to fit in).
Multi tasking is the answer.  I'm currently listening to The Who's 'Quadrophenia' film soundtrack while updating this blog and drinking chilled white wine at the same time, with Mr Parrot sitting on my leg, getting the occasional stroke (me stroking him, not the other way round).
No wonder l fall asleep on trains.

toodle pip

the manchester united sun socercards

 

 

I've mentioned the Sun Soccercards before, because of their grotesque portrayal of the rather magnificent Willie Morgan (on the wing).
Now l am not in any way paranoid,imagining that the artist (or The Sun newspaper) had it in for the Manchester United players, as there were plenty of unflattering portraits amongst the series, but take a gander at a selection of some of the United players above.  Jimmy Rimmer looks like one of the undead, and Gorden McQueen looks like he is going to explode.  Compared to them, Denis Law (the King) and Willie Morgan didn't fare too badly. I could paint better pictures by dipping my hair in a paint pot and randomly flicking it at a canvas while blindfolded and hung upside down naked (don't ask me how l know).
That to me, screams that somebody had an agenda, and if not, why on earth did they think that kids (who the cards were aimed at) would love to own them?
Apart from me of course, but then again, l'm an idiot horder.

toodle pip