Well done

 No idea who the toy maker was, but I'd be well pleased to be perusing an antique store and find this tag on something I had made many years ago.

Sidecar Sunday

 

Cars in the 'hood, Datsun 280ZX

The early Datsun 260-280s were a nicely designed little sports car, by the early eighties I feel they had lost some of the charm with the heavier-looking body-colour bumpers and changed roof line.. This one recently appeared in the neighbourhood, looking a little shabby, when parked on a slanted driveway the owner chocks the wheels. Maybe not enough compression to hold it anymore, but I see they still command a reasonable price online... 

Original commercial here. 

 

Speed and power, 1927

" Bolide", A visionary cubist-inspired rendition of speed, power and mechanical movement by the Hungarian sculptor and painter Gustave Miklos, working in Paris at the time. 

Chrome-plated Bronze.

Coupe René Le Bègue

 A fanciful scene for a race poster by motoring artist Géo Ham- I don't think unmanned sidecars raced with solos! This was the first Grand Prix event held after the war, the course set up at St. Cloud in Paris for the event and never run again. This was a combination car and motorcycle event, Wikipedia has the car results. I was hoping to be able to put together the track route through the streets, and the  view below looks like a reasonable location for the scene on the poster.

Avon, the sixties were different

 

1928 Guzzi rear suspension

 Quite the innovative arrangement for an under-engine rear suspension. Especially for 1928 when most bikes had none at all!

Cromna self-adjusting wrenches

 This is a set of good, heavy, well made adjustable wrenches, made under the name Cromna, each specified in a range of metric sizes. Beautiful things, there doesn't seem to be much information that I can find online, other than the fact they are made in Denmark and licensed to manufacturers in several countries.  Danish patent 69670 is part of the forged-in text on the handle.

You've come a long way, baby

Remember this ad campaign from the 1970s? They had no idea.

Heather Robertson, Salt of the Earth, James Lorimer Pub., 1974

Doukhobor women plowing in Saskatchewan.

"We are now plowing with 24 women to a plow. The women tried the spades digging, but plowing was easier and quicker. They are plowing for the gardens. It is too late to sow grain this year. We have our faith in God. These trials will soon be over. But the worst is, not enough stock. Without animals nothing can be done. We are starting a new village over there. And so we must let those people for the new village have the horses to haul logs to build themselves human and animal shelter before winter comes again. And that means no rest for the animals- poor things. And to give them some rest, we humans hitch ourselves to the plows. All our men are busy; many are away to the towns and cities getting work on railway construction, to earn money for the community fund." 

More on the Doukhobors here. New Canadian Encyclopedia

Piper Super Cub, 1981

Developed from the Cub of the 1930s, the Super Cub was first flown in in 1949.  Its popularity continues to this day, more than 25 years after production ended.