Toy OTD: Fisher-Price Barky Pull Toy #462 (1960)

Here's another great old-school Fisher-Price toy! This type of toy construction was used a few times to create different characters (see Gran'pa Frog), but each of them is a clever variation on the same overall design.

It's hard to beat the killer combination of richly rendered labels, wooden construction, and the charm of a mechanical ratchet noisemaker. Even with the traditionally styled illustrations, the toy feels very stylized, but very appealing!

This is an older F-P toy, so it's a little more expensive than its later counterparts. I can't find it on eBay or anywhere else online, but some patient hunting should turn one up. I'd expect to pay between fifty and a hundred dollars for one, probably on the higher side. Good luck!

Toy OTD: Yoshitoku Peanuts Doll: Olaf

Here's a real curio that I found at the ice rink gift shop in Santa Rosa. It's unusual because the character is so obscure (he's one of Snoopy's brothers), and also because the combination of a plush body with vinyl extremities. I think it's a great solution - it maintains the crisp qualities of the design, but can be soft and cuddly too.

The proportions are off (he's actually even rounder), but Olaf makes the best candidate for a plush because of that. It's still very appealing and simple, with no branding to be seen anywhere. He also sits up well by himself, not necessarily a given with plushes.

They don't sell this toy at the ice rink any more, and it's nowhere to be seen online. I think it went for $15 or so originally, but you'll have to keep an eye on eBay to see if one surfaces. Good luck!

PS - Did anyone else read the tongue as buck teeth in the drawings? I thought that was the case for years.

Toy OTD: Dark Horse Deluxe Mutts Vinyl Figures

Dark Horse scores again with another pair of nifty toys! These Mutts figures are spot-on model and very appealing. There's not much in the way of paint apps here, but they're very well applied. The sculpts are nice too, though they're a little symmetrical.

Since the characters are so simple, special care has been applied to the details. Earl's fabric collar and license are nicely made, while Mooch has his pink sock, attached (to be removable) with a bit of Velcro. So cute!

The biggest minus - once again - is balance. While the poses help them to stand, it doesn't take much to tip them over. A pegged base would have made a big difference without significantly driving up the price point.

These figures are still quite easy to get, and very affordable. You can buy Earl at tfaw.com for $10.79 + shipping, and Mooch goes for $14.03 + shipping at superherogameland.com.