Retro stationery

Novelty pencil sharpeners,
made in Hong Kong 1970s

I LOVE retro stationery [because I used it as a youngster, you understand. This explains everything.]

So – here we have a world globe pencil sharpener [which rotates on it’s axis] but it’s kinda inaccurate when you look at- you know- the world…but what do you want from a 70s pencil sharpener? Geographic accuracy? It’s a pencil sharpener!

Next up a pair of swan sharpeners. The pencil goes in where the sun don’t shine. Enough said.

And my favourite- a perpetual calendar- with three moveable wheels for the day, date and month. I’ve set it for my actual birth date- as you do.

The globe comes in it’s original box [no 7204] and the date indicator also [MW, no 153]- whereas the swans do not.

And in the background – a Globite square school case, which is rusted and old and creaky and half broken. I love it. I have been instructed to lose it- but – it’s square, and rusted and half broken. I can’t.

The swan sharpeners and the perpetual calendar sharpener are for sale: $AUD20 each

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60s party ware

Retro drinks tray and fondue forks
made in Hong Kong 1960s

This lovely timber drinks tray- with recipe for a Manhattan –has had a long life and a few too many drink spills. I don’t normally collect things that have suffered through use- but in this case I think the wear and tear adds to the charm of the piece. The tray itself is in good condition, with its reinforced steel corners and laminated timber construction.

The fondue forks on the other hand- have never been out of the box and are ready for fondue use. The timber handles make them a good match for the Manhattan tray – as does the stainless steel. Today it’s all about timber and steel- and 60s Hong Kong.

The fondue forks have different coloured ends so you can always find your fork in the fondue pot. This set is a must for your next drinks/fondue party!

For sale: $AUD45

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Retro picnic cups [sold]

Anodised harlequin beakers
made in Australia and Hong Kong, c.1950s

The six cups on the left- from the vinyl maroon case- have never been used. Each cup is wrapped in its original tissue paper, and there is a bottle-opener installed in the cap. Research leads me to believe that this set was made in Australia.

Harlequin is a catch-all phrase for multi-coloured items- many of my 50-60s collections are ‘harlequin’.

The five cups on the right where manufactured in Hong Kong [it’s stamped on the base] –and in deference to its age/Asian origin, it is a set of only 5 cups. The bottle opener is housed on the outside of the vinyl case.

Both sets have the obligatory incised rings – these are machine-turned and date the cups to the 50s- a little bit of modernist styling.

All the beakers are in fine fettle, ~ still shiny and colourful aluminium despite their age ~ I suspect they have never been near a picnic. This set is for sale: $AUD75