Singin' In The Rain

The forecast for the Gold Coast tomorrow is for rain over most of the weekend, so this week's Friday pin-up is dedicated to summer showers.

Which is just as well because our lovely lass (looking a little like a young Geena Davis) has discovered it's not a good idea to take off one's wet clothes until after one is indoors.

Unless what's falling in this picture is the fallout after an early experimental version of the nude bomb.

Feared By The Bad, Loved By The Good

If you haven't been over to Archive.org, then we strongly encourage you to do so.

Nicky and I have been enjoying the highly entertaining 1950s TV series The Adventures of Robin Hood.

The series strong narrative holds up well, even today, and what is pleasing is all of the major characters are well-rounded and given plenty to do.

While Richard Greene's Robin Hood is always the hero, one never left with the impression that other characters are merely supporting fodder, an feeling that one very much gets from series such as the original Star Trek series in which every other episode is some exotic femme falling in love with Captain Kirk.

What seems odd to viewers today is that the series has a high number of contract players and it's not unusual to see the likes of stalwart TV star Paul Eddington play a villain in one ep and the dashing Will Scarlet in another.

Completing the hat trick of enjoyment is the star spotting throughout the series (especially for those familiar with English film and television).

Passing through Sherwood forest are Dr Who (Patrick Trouton), Leo McKern, Richard O'Sullivan, Donald Pleasance, Jane Asher, Joan Sims and Edward Mulhare.

Don't just take our word for it, watch part of the debut ep below:

Life's A Beach

Couldn't resist this Crown Devon dish from a series called The Beach, bought from an antique store in Esk (which, ironically is no where near a beach).

It's 30cm in length with a smooth red back and a stucco face with hand painted beach balls, bucket and spade, a deck chair and bathing machine popular during the time when beach belles didn't stroll nonchalantly half-naked to the water to take a dip.

Crown Devon started in 1870 and its life came to an end in 1982 with the last 60 years of its work more producing novelty and souvenir pieces. More history is here.

According to an eBay listing, a Crown Devon jug from the same collection, Antigua Stucco, dates to the 1950s, so it's reasonable to assume that this dish is about the same age.

Cute - but it's the closest I've been to the beach all summer!

"I Need the Old Blade Runner"

Nicky is much better qualified to comment upon this rare beast - the original theatrical release of Blade Runner... on Beta.
It's one of his favourite films.

Sure, you can get Blade Runner, arguably one of Ridley Scott's best films, on DVD, but you'll be suffering through the interminable director's cut.

Sure, you can still get the original theatrical release, but it means having to purchase a DVD box set with 578,204,000 different versions before you get to the one people paid good money to see at the cinema.

Nicky says there is a very good reason producers make directors edit and chase films.

Scott has enjoyed aftermarket DVD success with the directors' only because of the cult following the original version enjoyed.

Being the early adopter he was, Nicky still has his original Beta video recorder and a heap of tapes that we're now recording onto a digital format.

Not seen Blade Runner? Don't know what the fuss is about?

Take a look at Rutger Hauer's moving performance as Replicant Roy Batty:

Looking Smart In Tweed

Nifty Knick Knacks are back!

It has been a very long hiatus from sifting through all things nifty and from blogging in general - but that's life - it happens when you least expect it.

While the updates have dried up, the collecting hasn't. While Nifty Knick Knack postings will be a little less frequent than before, there will be at least two updates a week.

One thing which has been lovely is discovering that we have no where near exhausted the supply of Gold Coast souvenirs. There's at least another four in the collection and they'll be profiled over the next few weeks.

This one is the most recent in our collection thanks to a last minute eBay bid.
It's a candy dish with what seems to be a 1930s view looking north-east along Wharf Street across the New South Wales border town of Tweed Heads to its adjoining 'twin', Coolangatta in Queensland.

From the Gold Coast City Council's local studies library is the photograph on which this transfer print is based.



Of course, none of the buildings found in this picture exist any more but that's just par for the course on the Coast.

Here is a Google map reference for that street.

There used to be a Myer store on that street, just on the New South Wales side of the border but that closed down in the late 1970s when Tweed Mall, now Centro Tweed was opened.

That Myer was the only one for 120km and in the days before Pacific Fair Brisbane or Tweed were your only choices for upmarket furniture and household items not quite as upmarket or as old money as David Jones mind, but very flash for a working class family all the same.

My mother bought this in the mid 1970s from that very Myer. Here's some info on it from one of our links, Retro Select.



I don't recall the occasion, except as a child a trip aaalllll the way into NSW was a day-long adventure.

I do remember is being fascinated by fabulous coin operated carousel dappled horse that sat outside the store.

According to the pillar box red coin box was sixpence a ride, even though pounds, shilling and pence had gone a decade earlier.

What a bargain I thought, it used to be sixpence now it's five cents!

No Fault

The Australian summer tennis season has started with the opening new Brisbane tennis centre at Tennyson.

Well, it was an excuse to use this pic.

Cute huh?

Good Thing It Was A British Explorer

Australia Day isn't until three and a bit weeks but one couldn't resist the temptation to go with this image early.

It is the third plate in the lovely Ladybird book series Flight One Australia.

The image is supposed to depict Captain James Cook landing at Botany Bay in 1770 but in fact it bares more resemblance to the portrait of Captain Phillip Arthur who settled at Sydney Cove on January 26 1788.

Note the difference between the naval ensign and the Union Jack in each of the portraits and this image.

Here's some text from the facing page in the book:

"They had an idea there was land here," said Mrs Spencer. "The old maps only had vague lines drawn on this part of the world and it was called the 'Unknown Land'. Three of four hundred years ago seamen from England, Portugal, Holland and France discovered the other side, but it was such a barren land they they didn't bother about it."

"Captain Cook came the other way," said Mike. "He sailed around South American and across the Pacific and landing in this bay. He was so excited about all the new plants he found that he called it Botany Bay."

"What a good thing it was a British explorer," said John.

Yes.

Yes indeed it is, John.