ANZinSpace Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 Today I received a space costume made in Australia by a company in Sydney. I believe it dates to the mid-fifties. Essentially they're a poncho which goes over the head and then the long pieces tie around the legs like a pair of chaps. There doesn't appear to be ties on the sides so possibly it came with a belt or children needed to supply their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANZinSpace Posted January 2, 2018 Author Share Posted January 2, 2018 Well it turns out you shouldn't trust the look of spaceships and look of age to say when something was made. According to this museum site - https://collection.maas.museum/object/136462?utm_source=api&utm_medium=api&utm_campaign=828f4d948d537cf - it was made in the 80s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyman Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 That doesn't look at all in the style of the 80s. Maybe that's a typo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian.. Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 It looks pure 1950s, but I guess it's a retro design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyman Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 16 minutes ago, Brian.. said: It looks pure 1950s, but I guess it's a retro design. Still, what demographic would that appeal to? Kids wouldn't like it because it is too crude. Not sure an adult collector would be interested in a reproduction of something like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANZinSpace Posted January 2, 2018 Author Share Posted January 2, 2018 If it is 80s the spaceship images look to me like could have been based on some of the ships in Blake's 7 and the UFOs from the British TV series UFO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6Stelab9 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 I think Brian is right, it is a retro design for a costume that 1980's parents buy for their 5 ou 6 years old boy. So nostalgic retro design makes sense (just like 1980 Flash Gordon film). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyman Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 1 hour ago, ANZinSpace said: If it is 80s the spaceship images look to me like could have been based on some of the ships in Blake's 7 and the UFOs from the British TV series UFO. Is there anything on the packaging that gives a clue? Upon rethinking this, was "Space Invader" a term used in the 50s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe K. Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 5 hours ago, Andyman said: Is there anything on the packaging that gives a clue? I think there is, Andy. Here's ANZ's header card: Note the child's face on the packaging. Here's the Museum's header card: A Spider-Man-like face there now. I suspect it was originally made in the 1950s and re-released in the 1980s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANZinSpace Posted January 2, 2018 Author Share Posted January 2, 2018 Nice bit of spotting. I hadn't even thought to look at the header card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyman Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Nice police work there, Joe! So ANZ's artifact is legit then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANZinSpace Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 I did a search of the MAAS site and found these SciFi costumes with the same header card as mine. https://collection.maas.museum/object/136463 https://collection.maas.museum/object/136455 There was also this cowboy outfit https://collection.maas.museum/object/136456 In all they have quite few different costumes with varying header cards - https://collection.maas.museum/search?q=Lindsay AND costume&size=72 Unfortunately this collection includes brochures but none appear to be online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANZinSpace Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 I was doing more checking on the MAAS site and found this Space helmet description at https://ma.as/136458 -2 Helmet: separate, silver painted straw, close fitting helmet style with clear plastic visor, red leather chin strap and fitted with moulded red plastic space ship on the crown and red "jewelled" pressed tin badge at the centre front. Size H 240 x W 220 x D 330 It's listed as being from the 60s to 70s yet my research on Trove show newspapers in Australia only referring to Straw Space helmets in the mid-50s. So possibly Andyman is correct and some have been mislabeled, possibly because other "space" costumes are for things like the moon landing, Planet of the Apes and Buck Rogers. Definitely need to find brochures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian.. Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 I wouldn't be surprised. Museums are good at dating Ming vases but they're hopeless with recent collectables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANZinSpace Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 I found a Lindsay catalogue which based on its advertising Captain Scarlet and Shintaro date it to the late 60s - early 70s. It shows straw hats and helmets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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