jimmiesparks Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 That SPACE CRUISER is too cool! If only I could commute to work in that!!!Anyone know what's up with this rocket shaped remote ROBERT has in the 1956 Sears Catalog? I've owned one other toy, a plastic car, that had the same remote, but it was permanently attached and not removable as Robert's always is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe K. Posted January 6, 2007 Author Share Posted January 6, 2007 A nearly identical illustration for Robert can be found in the 1954 Sears Christmas Book. It, too, shows this rocket shaped controller. 1954 was the year Robert was first introduced.In the 1953 Sears catalog, there's an ad for a "NEW" toy called the Remote Control Sabre Car. It's described as being 11" long and costing $2.99. The same rocket shaped controller is pictured with this car. I suspect that Ideal may have released some "hurried" promotional prototype photos of Robert before the final (rectangular) design of the controller was determined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe K. Posted February 10, 2007 Author Share Posted February 10, 2007 This was a first for me, too, Larry. I don't think this was ever produced. Perhaps it was an attempt to "punch up" the photo by the art director of the catalog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry seven Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 :) Are the colored eyes also probably in the artwork? I just love the colored eyes variation in the Advance Mr. Atom, if I knew that Robert also had them I'd want one! -Larry7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe K. Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 To the best of my knowledge, the "other than clear plastic eyes" were only on the prototype Robert's displayed at Toy Fair, probably in 1953. I keep hoping that sometime, somehow one of these "prototype" Roberts will turn up on eBay. Then, it'll be time to "sell the farm" to be the "high bidder" on that one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe K. Posted August 2, 2007 Author Share Posted August 2, 2007 The seller claims this catalog is from 1953, but I don't see the date on the cover:http://i11.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/ag/a2/87f6_12.JPGThis page shows that the Space Cruiser wasn't just for little boys:http://i9.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/ag/a2/bb32_12.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fineas J. Whoopie Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 The seller claims this catalog is from 1953, but I don't see the date on the cover:This page shows that the Space Cruiser wasn't just for little boys: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe K. Posted October 22, 2007 Author Share Posted October 22, 2007 Robert I - 1954Robert II - 1955Robert III - 1956 through 1958Make that "1956 through 1959".Here's a Niresk 1959 Book of Gifts to prove it:http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Niresk-1959-To...1QQcmdZViewItemThe dated cover:http://i9.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/be/a6/f58d_1.JPGThis, specifically:http://i13.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/be/a6/f615_1.JPG(that's Robert in the lower right hand corner)My own records indicate that he was still available in the Alden's 1959 Christmas Book and the Spiegel 1959 Christmas book. A six year production run! Not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fineas J. Whoopie Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 Make that "1956 through 1959".Here's a Niresk 1959 Book of Gifts to prove it:http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Niresk-1959-To...1QQcmdZViewItemThe dated cover:This, specifically:(that's Robert in the lower right hand corner)My own records indicate that he was still available in the Alden's 1959 Christmas Book and the Spiegel 1959 Christmas book. A six year production run! Not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe K. Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 This thread has emerged as the primer for Robert the Robot, so this sighting will fit in nicely here.This is a 1956 Ideal Toy Catalog showing the third version of Robert. The dated cover:http://i22.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/36/9a/b858_12.JPGThis page, specifically:http://i22.ebayimg.com/02/i/001/36/c3/9563_12.JPGOther pages of interest...Robert the Robot Bulldozer, wind-up version (also TIMELINE dated to 1956):http://i1.ebayimg.com/08/i/001/36/9a/d4e1_12.JPGAnd this one showing the Turbo Jet Car (previously Timeline dated to 1955):http://i12.ebayimg.com/05/i/001/36/9a/c2cc_12.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fineas J. Whoopie Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 This thread has emerged as the primer for Robert the Robot, so this sighting will fit in nicely here.This is a 1956 Ideal Toy Catalog showing the third version of Robert. The dated cover:This page, specifically:Other pages of interest...Robert the Robot Bulldozer, wind-up version (also TIMELINE dated to 1956):And this one showing the Turbo Jet Car (previously Timeline dated to 1955): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANZinSpace Posted May 4, 2010 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Here are a few newspaper adds which date Robert the Robot to 1954. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe K. Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 Robert The Robot prototype in action: and a couple screen grabs from that film: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe K. Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 Note the (usually omitted) tools that came with this 1954 version of Robert: The actual tools themselves: This set includes the "full-bodied" wrench as seen in the ad above. There is also a simple, flat style wrench that came with some Roberts. And, this nicely detailed image of the "salesman sample": Note the other-than-red color remote control knobs and the knob on the end of the remote's crank handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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