Lustrex Styrene Plastic from Monsanto

[Joe K.]

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Here's a two page ad from the December 1953 issue of Good Housekeeping showing some of the toys made from Lustrex Styrene Plastic from Monsanto.

Of special interest: Irwin's Man From Mars and Banner's Space Helmet and Goggles.

Check out those original retail prices!

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[dratomic]

That's... odd. I wonder if only parts of the toys are styrene. The Banner goggles are mostly made of a softer plastic than styrene -- maybe just the top piece? And the Irwin Shooting Man from Mars is made of a weird, fibrous plastic that looks nothing like styrene. The material could have been used for the helmet, though.

It's also weird how the store gives a shout out to the plastic company, not the toy company. I don't understand that one at all.

All in all, a cool ad if only for the weird mystery. :)

[kennetzel]

I wonder what plastic Robert was molded from...for repairs, would model cement fix it. One I have has a hairline crack in it...I could line it with model cement provided it is styrene plastic. Styrene, when it gets old, tends to get brittle.

[Joe K.]

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Only the "first version" 1954 box IDs the plastic as Styron 475. Later boxes were reprinted and simply calls it hi-impact plastic.

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[plasticaugie]

I never knew a company as evil as monsanto, that is behind all kinds of clandestine population reduction scams with gmo crops, was at it so early. You know just by looking at the irwin moonman that it must be leaking bpa which triggers estrogen production.

[David Kirk]

Yes, they seem to have few peers in the evil corporation sweepstakes, though I'd say Dow might be close on their heels. Come to think of it, I can think of plenty more in the competition. Anyway, I wouldn't doubt those toys poisoned the kids that played with them and may still be poisoning us!