Here’s a 1946 page from Popular Science spotlighting the Slinky toy. It’s always interesting to read vintage copy: Given an initial shove, “Slinky” eerily and deliberately flip-flops end over end down a flight of steps. It is simply a spring, but it does stunts that made R. P. James, Philadelphia engineer, think of converting it

From the Vintage Vending archives comes this 1953 brochure featuring Formica’s Sunrise Collection. The catalog features 14 new color blended patterns for the Sunrise line, including linens, skylarks, pearls, walnuts and milanos. The colors and patterns were used throughout the ’50s. From what we can tell the line wasn’t altered much again until 1960. >

Take a look at this December 28, 1954 cover of LOOK, featuring Lucy and Desi and their children. Also included in the issue: 5th Annual TV Awards Lucy shopping for a dollhouse with her children. Miss America Lee Meriwether Guy Lombardo Rocky Graziano Fashion wear by the Christmas fire Men’s white winder jackets 20,000 Leagues

A Nostalgic Look at the Sears Christmas Catalog I recall growing up in the 1960s when one of the most anticipated events in the Christmas season was the arrival of the Sears catalog at our home. My brothers and I would take turns (honestly!) going through the toy pages and making our lists for Santa

Whether the start of school fills you with great excitement and anticipation or with a profound sense of dread, each year we must start anew. With a new school year comes the inevitable shopping trips for new school clothing. Store circulars fill the mailbox and are stuffed into the daily newspapers – it would be

  Shown here is a 1950s Chromcraft brochure with sample chips of plastic laminates for dinette tabletops and plastic upholstery for the coordinating chairs. Very modern-looking, durable dinette sets were all the rage from the mid-1940s through the early 1960s. I recognize both the table and chair coverings that we had on our set when

The brochure pictured shows the Sunrise collection designed by Raymond Loewy Associates for Formica in 1953.

1940 to 1976 The Coca-Cola Archives issued this document in 1976. It illustrates the different can styles used from the very first can design to the can design used beginning in 1970. Coca-Cola was first introduced in cans in 1940. The original can design was a cone style can with a metal crown cap. Both

This Formica brochure is from 1951, when postwar residential construction was booming. Inside the brochure is a quaint little story called “Open Formica Inspection”.