Elwar Button Mystery

[Mike Scott]

You would think we would know nearly all of this stuff after accumulating info on UMA for a few years but not so.

Unfortunately, you can't just go down to the hall of records and look up this kind of info. Much of what we know is from anecdotal evidence dependent on 40-50 year old memories.

[horrorhunter]

Unfortunately, you can't just go down to the hall of records and look up this kind of info. Much of what we know is from anecdotal evidence dependent on 40-50 year old memories.

Very true.

The fact that most of the things we collect were widely considered junk items for kids just makes the info all the more obscure. For years nobody thought this stuff was worth researching or keeping records on except kids who were in no position to do so. By the time the stuff started attaining enough monetary value to make it seem "important" enough to compile info on so much time had gone by that much of the facts were lost due to many of the people responsible for these items passing away or surrendering their mental faculties to the ravages of time. Also, the very fact that they were originally cheap junk meant that makers often had little or no quality control so chaos ensued regarding manufacturing methods and quality which resulted in much randomness.

Our print collectibles like comics and monster mags are much better known because of the medium which supplied facts like dates and creators. The toys not so much. Toy packaging was usually discarded and even when it turns up it offers limited information. Gumball charms and the like are really in the dark much of the time regarding the history of such items.

Looks like we'll have many Monsterkid item mysteries for years to come, some forever.

[Mike Scott]

Our print collectibles like comics and monster mags are much better known because of the medium which supplied facts like dates and creators. The toys not so much.

When doing my monster mags blog I was frustrated at not having a few dates and cover artist names, but there is like an encyclopedia of knowledge on that subject, compared to vintage toys!

[Mike Scott]

We know much more about the Aurora models which are pretty well documented, but most cheap monster toys...forget it.

And the Aurora box artists are well known, but what about the Hasbro monster art and the SPP art and Castle Films boxes and many, many more. All lost to history!

"One of the human mind's integral characteristics is what psychologists call "closure" — our desire to find definite, clear answers to questions, and our corresponding discomfort with the unknown and the ambiguous."

[Hepcat]

Okay! I take it that the small buttons in the bottom row are the unlicenced knockoffs issued by Ray Ferry.

Are the buttons with the small print from the top row the original Elwar buttons from the mid-sixties? Are the buttons in the middle row then the ones sold in the seventies by Captain Company through ads in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine?

[Mike Scott]

Okay! I take it that the small buttons in the bottom row are the unlicenced knockoffs issued by Ray Ferry.

I think those were some ebay entrepreneur buttons, sold as a set.

Are the buttons with the small print from the top row the original Elwar buttons from the mid-sixties? Are the buttons in the middle row then the ones sold in the seventies by Captain Company through ads in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine?

Correct and ditto.

[horrorhunter]

Are the buttons with the small print from the top row the original Elwar buttons from the mid-sixties? Are the buttons in the middle row then the ones sold in the seventies by Captain Company through ads in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine?

The Creature button on the second row is like the one I have that I remember buying in the '60s. Those buttons on the second row are the ones that we are unsure about if they first came out in the '60s or '70s. A lot of people remember buying them in the '60s (including me) but we have no hard evidence, just memories. The top row buttons I don't own or know anything about except what I've read on UMA.

The third row buttons look like fan-made ones. Fan-made buttons are all over eBay. People can make buttons from any photo and monster pinbacks are very popular.

[Wolfman]

Okay! I take it that the small buttons in the bottom row are the unlicenced knockoffs issued by Ray Ferry.

Are the buttons with the small print from the top row the original Elwar buttons from the mid-sixties? Are the buttons in the middle row then the ones sold in the seventies by Captain Company through ads in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine?

The buttons in the middle row with the large print, are the ones I purchased in the mid 60's. I never owned the ones with the smaller print. Of this I am 100% certain.

JP

[Wolfman]

The Creature button on the second row is like the one I have that I remember buying in the '60s. Those buttons on the second row are the ones that we are unsure about if they first came out in the '60s or '70s. A lot of people remember buying them in the '60s (including me) but we have no hard evidence, just memories. The top row buttons I don't own or know anything about except what I've read on UMA.

The third row buttons look like fan-made ones. Fan-made buttons are all over eBay. People can make buttons from any photo and monster pinbacks are very popular.

Since I only owned the buttons in the 2nd row, and bought them in the mid 60's, that is when they were available. I can't speak of the top row, because I never owned them. They could have been early 60's or even late 60's/early 70's. I am only sure about the 2nd row. By '68 or '69, I was completely out of collecting monster stuff.

JP

[horrorhunter]

Since I only owned the buttons in the 2nd row, and bought them in the mid 60's, that is when they were available. I can't speak of the top row, because I never owned them. They could have been early 60's or even late 60's/early 70's. I am only sure about the 2nd row. By '68 or '69, I was completely out of collecting monster stuff.

JP

That's my situation pretty much. I bought the 2nd row Creature in the mid '60s. I never had the ones on the top row. By the time '68 rolled around I was still buying monster mags and comics but toywise I was buying Hot Wheels and G.I. Joes among other toys but no monster buttons or figures. A lot of people remember buying them in the '60s that I've found through Google searches.

[Count Zero]

might as well toss these in here too...
here is a photograph of the back of some of my "MPC" gumball charms...
reaper, franky, & wolfman.. no holes in the back of the heads - just circles where you would think the ring base would go for the Henal header card rings.



another "MPC" mystery

[Mike Scott]

another "MPC" mystery

That Elwar card isn't real. The real ones are like 4 inches.

[horrorhunter]

might as well toss these in here too...
here is a photograph of the back of some of my "MPC" gumball charms...
reaper, franky, & wolfman.. no holes in the back of the heads - just circles where you would think the ring base would go for the Henal header card rings.



another "MPC" mystery

Henal probably had the same manufacturer make the holeless charms for them that made the monster head rings but I have no idea who. The sculpts are really good, as good as the original MPC Pop-Top heads. Heck, maybe they actually got MPC to make them. Yep, you're right, more monster toy mystery. We're up to our necks in it. 

?

[Count Zero]

i picked up that bag from another collector in a trade along with some of the loot that came with it. sorry i can't be of more help in that department.





sorry about the glare off the glass on these

as far as the cards go, they are legit
i have a ton of this gumball carp

[Mike Scott]

Damn! That must be a tiny gumball machine!