More Stuff From The Box
O yez, o yez! All rise for more STUFF FROM THE BOX! The honorable Judge Pepperidge is presiding. We're still enjoying (?) items from the tiny Westinghouse Automobile Lamp Kit box that you saw fairly recently.
Our first item is this cool lucky coin from Aku Aku - a Polynesian restaurant in the venerable Stardust Casino in Las Vegas. Aku Aku debuted in 1960, and was there all the way until 1980, so it had a good long run. This coin has an Easter Island moai on the obverse, and as the reverse tells us, rubbing his nose brings good luck. Always a desirable attribute in Sparkleberg. I have several of these, the others being silver in color.
Here's a beautiful vintage photo (scrounged from the interwebs) of the large moai in front of the Stardust Casino - he's wearing a Santa Hat, just like the moai on Easter Island originally wore (needs verification).
It's nice to meet the actual artist who carved that fairly authentic-looking moai - she isn't named, but clearly has much talent, as all of you can see.
I've mentioned my fondness for little employee pins before; it's actually been a while since I've bought any, but there was a time when I snatched up quite a few. They tend to be not much bigger than .5" or .75", and are sometimes made of 14 karat gold (I forgot to look to see if this was marked "14k"). This one belonged to a Phillips 66 Company employee (a multinational company headquartered in Houston Texas), given on the occasion of this person's 10th year with organization.
This next item is a vintage ID badge from the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Undated, but possibly from around WWII? The thing that gets me about this one is that photo. I'm sure the man was a fine, salt-of-the-earth fellow, but that picture is creepy. He looks like a ghost! Or maybe a zombie. Or a zombie ghost. "He's coming to get you, Barbara!".
This next tiny brass-and-enamel pins (about .5" in length) was a mystery to me, but it only cost $20,000, so I bought it just for fun. There are several radio stations that used the WEEI call letters (including one in Rhode Island), but the lightbulb shape was a helpful clue: The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston built and signed on this station as the first incarnation of WEEI, from which the call sign was derived. It was established... as a public relations vehicle... highlighting the usage of the latest and most advanced radio equipment. I am unsure of the "BEBBC" letters on this pin, perhaps one of you can figure that out. There's a lot more history than I can relate here, so click on THIS LINK if you are interested.
And lastly, here's a very nice little brass (or bronze) coin featuring the profile of Benjamin Franklin. It's a souvenir from the Benjamin Franklin Memorial (aka the "Franklin Institute") located in Philadelphia, which is one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States. While I have no date on this item, I would not be surprised if it was produced in the 1930s.
Stay tuned for more STUFF FROM THE BOX!
11 comments:
Major-
I was so enamored with the lucky coin from Aku Aku, I almost stopped there. It's soooo Vegas.
In June 1944, the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation was renamed Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. Disneyland fans will instantly recognize the Todd Shipyards (of San Pedro) as the steel 'hull builder' for the venerable Mark Twain Riverboat plying the Rivers of America.
As for the 'mystery letters' on the light bulb pin, BEBBC = Boston-Edison Boston Broadcasting Company.
You already know today's favorite for me is the lucky coin.
Thanks Major, for the wonderful trinkets this day.
The moai on the postcard looks like a perfect exemplar of a moai. The real ones all look uniquely different, but when I picture a moai in my mind, this is what it looks like.
The less said about the zombie ghost, the better. Although it IS an interesting item. (Just don't look at it before going to bed... like I just did.)
As far as my favorite today, I'm torn between the Aku Aku coin and the Phillips 66 badge. They're both gold. They're both shiny. But only one has a moai on it, and moai are cool. So I'll go with that one. (Even though the Phillips badge looks exceptionally shiny. So you may be right, Major. This could be real gold!)
Nice Stuff today, Major. Thanks.
My favorite today, is the Lucky Coin from the Stardust. But there is something to be said for the I.D. badge. How old is it? And who was this man, and what was his life like? Could the back of the photo possibly have the employee's name written on it?
He looks like a ghost! Or maybe a zombie. Or a zombie ghost.
Or even a SKELETON GHOST! ;-)
The Aku Aku coin is wonderful, but you must not need much extra luck, or his nose would be all worn. I went to the Franklin Institute when I visited Philadelphia. They have a giant model of a heart that you can climb through; I felt just like a blood cell. I wonder if the badge owner hated this photo or didn’t even care. I’ve had some not-so-great ID pics that I didn’t like having to show people. Thanks for the Stuff, Major.
That ship building ID pin reminds me of the enameled photographs they were popular to insert into tombstones in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s….. I saw a KPBS show that toured historic cemeteries in the USA, CANADA and a few in ENGLAND….. and photo historians do not know how the enameled photographs were done …. As they don’t fade much even at 150 years old…(??) another lost art. I don’t have any phobias … but if there is a “fear of forgetting knowledge how to make or create something that would be a phobia I would have…
TOKYO : this is a follow up to yesterdays post : the INTERNATIONAL STREET and LIBERTY STREET preview had “windows” or “peek-ins” like construction walls used to have …. The International Street peek-ins Displayed 3-D photo close ups of various views of the different international facades and streets - as if you were really viewing the new “land”. Liberty Street used the same peek-ins but allowed guests to view various concept art of the street views. A larger central window showed an overview concept of the entire Liberty Street. EDISON SQUARE preview featured windows under a tent structure …. The windows displayed framed exterior elevations of the facades and also an overview “map”. Today reproductions of some of the Edison Square elevations are framed at the entry of the MEN’s & WOMEN’s restrooms of WESTSIDE CENTER STREET on MAIN STREET USA. Inside the old Wurlitzer shop became WALT DISNEY A LEGACY OF FOR THE FUTURE which was mostly a preview of Cal Arts …. And a little bit about Walt Disney and Walt Disney World . This spured the idea of THE WALT DISNEY STORY. In 1973 the space became DISNEYLAND SHOWCASE to display future concepts for Disneyland … ironically the first exhibit there in 1973 was all about phase two of the new Walt Disney World … models of Thunder Mesa , Space Mountain and the Asian Resort were displayed along with artists concepts all for Florida … not Disneyland. In 1975 the exhibit previewed Florida attractions being considered for Disneyland including The Hall of Presidents , space mountain , Liberty Square , Thunder Mesa Runaway Railroad and even The Mickey Mouse Revue.
Major-
HERE"S where one of the tiki heads ended up.
Nanook, it’s pretty hard to resist the Aku Aku lucky coin! Thanks for the info about the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation, if nothing else it helps to date this item to pre-1944. I would have recognized the name “Todd Shipyards”, having read too much about Disneyland! I wish the BEBBC was called the BEBBCIB, Boston-Edison Boston Broadcasting Company In Boston.
JB, I do think they actually made a pretty good Moai… look up “Moai Sculpture” on eBay, and most of them are bad. Surprising for something so simple. The zombie ghost might have taken your soul, who am I to say? I put the Phillips66 badge away, but I would be money that it has a teensy “14k” on the back!
TokyoMagic!, that man’s name was 1-4523, and he was lucky he had ANY name. Just be thankful he wasn’t called 5-5299, how embarrassing would that be? “Skeleton Ghost”, that’s from a cartoon, but I can’t remember which one!
Kathy! maybe that Aku Aku coin was “new old stock”? Of the three or four of these that I own they are all shiny and nice. No wear! I feel like I’ve heard of that walk-through heart, but I thought it was at a different museum. I guess there could be more than one!
Mike Cozart, I feel like maybe I’ve heard of those enameled photographs, but maybe not? It seems strange that they don’t know how they were made, with all of our technology. I’ll be they used a special Polaroid camera (those were made entirely of wood back then). I’ve always wondered if the archives still has the 3-D photos that were used for International Street? How much of that stuff has been saved, and how much has been lost? I’m surprised that they used drawings of Edison Square in the restrooms on West Center Street, how many people would understand what they are and their significance? Unless there are little signs with descriptions (doubtful). Of all the many “blue sky” projects I’ve read about over the years, I wish that Thunder Mesa had been built. It looks so amazing! Yes it would have cost a fortune, but 50 years later it would still be incredibly popular.
Nanook, NICE! I’m so glad the moia was saved (was there more than one?)!
Major - I kinda think that the archives does not have those 3-D pictures of International street. If they do survive I have a feeling they don’t know what they are . The model still exists however and was displayed at D23 about 10 years ago. Disney has publish wrong information about International street in recent times including that no concept art was ever created - just the model . This is completely untrue : there is concept art as well as complete architectural drawings for International street . In fact about two years ago an auction house sold rough color elevations of some of the facades … the color applied directly onto prints of the architectural elevations. I think the Edison Square art elevations - are a WDI inside nod …. And probably not intended to be obvious to guests . Guests probably just “read” them as Victorian town homes . Currently the art is still on display today.
I too wish Thunder Mesa had been built …. I think it would have helped to save Walt Disney world’s Frontierland and its Rivers of America. I still think Disney has made a big mistake … one they will regret in coming years … it’s another one of several dreadful mistakes the company has committed recently …. Another was the paving over so much of the Plaza Gardens and hub …. They created viewing corrals and removed a majority of trees to allow for more viewing of castle projection light shows and fireworks … it looks like a drive - in movie theater in front of the castle!
Another BAD idea on its way is VILLIANS LAND . I know lots of D23 hordes are excited by this and low brain activity guests …. Years ago when Disney VILLIANS were very popular and the parks had VILLIANS MERCHANDISE shops … there was proposals of a VILLIANS attraction ……”VILLIANS mountain “ but original imagineers decided this was a terrible idea … as none of these characters would really be together … live together in one place and their importance was within the stories and time frames and locations they come from. Not in one big evil apartment retirement village - all dumped together. It’s like not getting an appetizer- a meal - then desert. It’s like being force fed dozens of deserts at once!!!
“Skeleton Ghost”, that’s from a cartoon, but I can’t remember which one!
Major, I was quoting Julie Reihm, when Walt asked her what she was seeing behind a curtain. She replied, "A ghost!" And when Walt asked her, what kind of ghost, she exclaimed, "A skeleton ghost!" I think it was from the "Disneyland Tencennial" episode of "The Wonderful World of Color."
I went to the Franklin Institute when I visited Philadelphia. They have a giant model of a heart that you can climb through; I felt just like a blood cell.
Kathy, I think they had something like that on the upper floor of Disneyland's Innoventions. If it wasn't a heart, I then it was some kind of human organ. Hopefully someone will chime in and confirm that. I know I have a picture of my brother standing inside of it, but I would have to go digging deep for that photo.
I’m all for the Moai coin, the artist’s talents are all on display.
Didn’t Ben Franklin start the Franklin Mint?
Thanks Major
JG
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