Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.
This is a vintage Zenith transistor radio. This particular style, called the Model 500D was manufactured in 1959. The Model D was the third generation of the 500 model Zenith radios that were first introduced in 1958. This model was only available in two other colors: tan and maroon. Weighing about a pound, this radio, when new, would have sold for $75.00. These 8-transistor radios were powered by 4-AA batteries. Originally about 250,000 of them were produced. These have been nicknamed the “owl eye” radio by many collectors, because of the shape and placement of the dials.

Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.

Pictured here are three Thermos brand vacuum bottles from the 1964. They were manufactured by the King-Seeley Thermos Division in Norwich, Connecticut. Invented in 1892 by Sir James Dewar, the Thermos was originally referred to as the “Dewar flask”. Dewar was a scientist at Oxford University who developed the invention while finding a way to store different gasses in his lab. In 1904 the vacuum flask was produced for commercial use and was used on some very notable expeditions, such as Shackleton’s exploration of the South Pole (1907) and by some of the greatest pioneers of flight, including the Wright Brothers, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and Count Zeppelin.

They made their way into everyday use, and have been an important item found at picnics and taken to school by every child since 1953. The first lunch box set manufactured by Thermos with a vacuum bottle was introduced that year. The steel lunchbox featured the likeness of the famous Western entertainer, Roy Rogers.

Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.

“The Lawrence Welk Show” is one of the longest running TV shows of all time. The show was hosted by the big band leader, Lawrence Welk, from 1955 until 1982. This tin serving tray was a promotional item, made in the 1950s. It has a decorative border painted with musical notes and bubbling glasses of champagne. There were several styles of Lawrence Welk trays produced over the years, and a variety of promotional items, ranging from books to spoons to puzzles. A repackaged version of the original show, called “Memories with Lawrence Welk” airs today on PBS Television. Due to the enduring popularity of “The Lawrence Welk Show”, items like these have become very desirable among collectors.

Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.

This is a pair of vintage ice hockey gloves for goalies. One glove is a CCM Super Pro Prolite glove called the “blocker” and the other is a CCM Super Pro 5112 called the “trapper” or “catcher”. They were made in Canada around the 1970s and are made of leather and felt. By the 1980s most goalie gloves were made of synthetic materials. This pair has never been used, so it’s in mint condition. There is a huge difference in the design of goalie gloves from the past, vs. gloves worn by goalies today. This is due to the many advances in the materials used and the fact that the game is played very differently today.

Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.

This lamp is an example of American folk art. The authentic bowling pin and ball have been assembled and repurposed as a kitschy-looking lamp. The bowling pin was made by Brunswick, and this Red Crown model is referred to as the “Mixer”. It was one of the last plastic dipped pins made by Brunswick in the late 1970s. The pin is accompanied by a bowling ball, and both have been placed onto a piece of wood that the crafter took the time to bevel, stain and lacquer. Wiring and the addition of a lampshade complete the look. This is a really fun idea for a lamp that would look great in a gameroom, den or office.

Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.

This is a vintage hot chocolate warmer that was most likely used in a diner or restaurant in the 1950s or 1960s. It has a Dutch theme throughout. There’s a boy with wooden shoes circling the pot and a windmill on the rear display panel that was electrically powered to turn, advertising the hot cocoa. The blue-and-white Dutch theme is very much in keeping with traditional china patterns from Holland. This is a neat little piece of retro Americana that we thought you would enjoy.

Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.

This is an eye-catching sign that would have been displayed in the produce department of a grocery store in the early 1960s. This fresh-faced kid is a great reminder to women shoppers to pick up some bananas with the rest of their items before they leave the store. Most likely, it would have been positioned close to the bananas in the produce department. It’s a great piece of vintage signage.

Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.

This photo is of a Coca-Cola bottle holder intended for use in a car. This was distributed by the Coca-Cola Company in the 1950s to promote sales of their bottled soft drink. The back of the cardboard holder has an advertisement that explains several ways to hang it within a car, including attaching it to the dashboard or placing it on a door lock. It’s an interesting item that must have been very useful in the days before cup holders were standard equipment in cars.

Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.

This is an interesting item. It’s a plastic Col. Sanders bank from 1972. These were promotional items distributed by Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises. The base reads. “Col. Sanders”. These banks were originally white, with just the colonel’s tie painted black. This one was painted at some point in it’s past. It measures about 9 inches tall and was made by the Margardt Corp. of Los Angeles, California.

Here at Retroplanet.com we are surrounded by all things retro. Not only the things we sell but original items and collections that decorate our offices. We thought it might be interesting each week to bring you a photo and information of an interesting, and maybe unusual, retro item we have kicking around. Please note these items are not for sale.

Starting in the late 1800s, carnivals gave out dolls like this as prizes to those who won at one of the shooting gallery or ball-throwing games. They were made of chalkware, and were first produced to look like the original Kewpie baby doll, created by Rose O’Neill. “Kewpie” eventually became the generic name for all chalkware prizes given out at carnivals, regardless of the actual character represented. Originally the chalk figures were handpainted. Beginning in the 1920s they were airbrushed, to be produced more quickly. This sailor doll was most likely made and given out as a prize during WWII. He measures about 9 inches tall.