Vintage 50s | re:retro

Aster Cash Register tin plate toy
made in Japan, 1950s

How crazy are tin plate toys now? The world of vintage is replete with fake and newly repro tin plate toys [in nice new boxes, with nice new graphics.] Only – really- how very neat, and how very nice.

Here is a lovely authentic tin plate toy from the 50s. A cash register. Who didn’t want their own cash register growing up? I know I did.

It’s authentic because: it is missing the top 4 knobs [for L1, 10s, 5s, 2s]- one pound, and 2 – 10 shillings. You can still use the keys to ring up a sale: it’s just the green knobs are missing.

And the register box is missing a corner- but the bell still rings when you hit ‘Push’. How satisfying. Ring up a sale, and push ‘Push’. If only there was real [fake] money in the two drawers.

The cash register is for sale: $AU95

Buy Now

Martin Boyd pottery
made in Sydney, Australia c.1950s

This collection of Martin Boyd showcases some of the pottery’s other well-known designs: to date on this blog I’ve only included the two-toned pottery pieces.

The two creamers that bookend the image illustrate the handpainted ‘Australiana’ themes that Boyd is famous for. The jug to the left sports a grass tree, and the jug on the extreme right shows a worker in a field of bamboo. Both jugs have the powder pink background which is so associated with Boyd pottery.

In the middle of the image is a crimson double cruet set with bamboo handle; the mustard pot is lidded. To the rear and front of the group are pieces with a ‘dot’ design – another classic popular in the 50s. The jug is the same pink colour as the other jugs, and the salt and pepper shakers are the same crimson as the cruet set.

All the pieces are in excellent condition, with the exception of the grass tree jug which has a small chip on the pouring lip. I debated whether to buy and show this piece, but the beautiful rendering of the grass tree won me over.

For sale: $AU150