Alternate reality dime-store toys with frank labels

Etsy seller NickelandDimeStore produces "concept art" in the form of junky-looking toys packaged with frank labels ("choking hazard," "boring game," etc). The seller says, "Handmade toy from an alternate 1950's universe. A world where the packaging told you exactly what you were getting. Yes, the toy is handmade by me along with the package design. It's meant to be concept art, but you can gag gift it to a friend."

NickelandDimeStore (Thanks, joedwards!)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: etsy • happy mutants • submitterator • toys • Weird

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Preston Sturges

What were those toys Dan Akroyd sold? Bag O’ Glass and the Human Torch and Invisible Pedestrian Halloween costumes.
- http://twitter.com/digitalArtform Joseph Francis
  
  Johnny Switchblade: Adventure Punk
- jimh
  
  Johnny Bag-O-Glass was my favorite.
- mccrum
  
  I particularly always enjoyed Johnny Spaceman.
  
  “This consists entirely of a rubber band in a plastic bag .”
  “Yeah, you put that bag over your head and the rubber band keeps it tight against your neck like a collar. Lookatme, I’m Johnny Spaceman!”
  - Preston Sturges
    
    “You know, for kids!”
    
    http://youtu.be/Ng3XHPdexNM
http://twitter.com/digitalArtform Joseph Francis

‘Gag gift?’ I see what you did there.
Brainspore

The seller says, “Handmade toy from an alternate 1950′s universe. A world where the packaging told you exactly what you were getting.”

Also a world where the Heimlich maneuver was in widespread use before the 1970s.
- Preston Sturges
  
  That does raise all sorts of questions about what’s going on in that cartoon.
  - Ultan
    
    Well, as far as I can tell, Lil’Hitler hugs make the alien monkey girl salivate.
    Edit: or something?
jayson

Perhaps the seller has been to the Sausalito Ferry Company Gift Store, which for many years has had a fun little bin of tiny toys in the front with various labels, the most fun of which has always been simply “Choking Hazards.”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixel_revolution/3454301090/
Preston Sturges

When we were kids, we didn’t have all these fancy video games. But if you gave us a book of matches and a watering can full of gasoline, we’d play in the alley for hours.
penguinchris

Is there some reason there’s so much watermarking? I understand people on ebay watermarking their images for common collectibles (other people with the same item can use someone else’s photos), but what is the justification for the watermarking here? They’re unique items, and not exactly great photos of them.
http://hgomersall.wordpress.com/ heng

This reminds me of Tim Hunkin’s masterpiece: http://www.seriouslysolutions.com/