Q: What do you do with nineteen Bburago adverts from 1988?

Posted on September 29, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

A: Post them up at The Vintage Toy Advertiser!

Bburago was founded by brothers Mario, Ugo, and Martino Besana in 1976. Hailing from the town of Burago in their native Italy, they combined the letter “B” of Burago with the initial “B” of their family surname to create Bburago. You can see my original post for Bburago here In the meantime, here are nineteen brand new ads fresh from 1988 editions of French Pif Gadget, including two special ads showing what the store display boxes would have looked like back in the day.

France. Pif Gadget. 1988.

France. Pif Gadget. 1988.

Manta Force

Posted on September 23, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Manta Force was a toy line based on the theme of futuristic space battle. In the UK the line was produced by Bluebird PLC from 1987. The British comic Eagle ran a regular storyline based on the MANTA characters and settings. Manta is the acronym for Multiple-Air-Naval-Terrain-Assault Force.

This 1988 French advert by Habourdin International features the awesome gigantic Manta Force space ship that included 20 space soldiers and 10 vehicles.

France. Pif Gadget. 1988.

The Dukes of Hazzard

Posted on September 17, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

The Dukes of Hazzard is a popular American television series that ran from 1979 to 1985. The show centred around the ‘Duke Boys’ – cousins Bo and Luke Duke – who drove around Hazzard County in their iconic customised car known as the General Lee. Other Dukes included female cousin Daisy and family patriarch Uncle Jesse. Opposing the Dukes were County Commissioner Boss Hogg and his Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. Almost 150 episodes were broadcast during its original run as well as spin-offs, films, toys, video games and a wide range of other merchandise.

UK. Hamleys Christmas Book. 1983

The Dukes of Hazzard Challenge. Ertl. UK advert, 1983. Note the artist’s impression of the General Lee.

UK. Eagle. 1983. This advert appears to show an actual model of the General Lee and is a variant of the one above which shows an artist's impression.

The Dukes of Hazzard Challenge. Ertl. UK. Eagle. 1983. This advert appears to show an actual model of the General Lee and is a variant of the one above which shows an artist’s impression.

Airfix catalogue page 1983

Dukes of Hazzard Snapfix kits by Airfix from the French edition Airfix catalogue 1983.

TV thrills! Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider and The Fall Guy sets. Airfix. 1984.

Corgi TV, Film & Cartoon Catalogue, 2004

Corgi TV, Film & Cartoon Catalogue. 2004. UK.

Action Force figures from the 1980s

Posted on September 13, 2016 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Action Force was a line of 3 3/4 inch action figures produced by the UK Palitoy company. The figures followed on from Palitoy’s success with their Action Man 12 inch line and were sold throughout Europe during the early 1980s.

UK. Eagle. 1983.

UK. Eagle. 1984.

Battle Action Force. Eagle N°156. 1985.

UK. Eagle. 1984.

Battle Action Force. Eagle N°155. 1985.

Battle Action Force. Eagle and Scream! N°138. 1984.

Action Force mini comic. Eagle N°23 July 1983.

UK. Hamleys Christmas Book. 1983.

Denmark. 1988.

Action Force stickers. Denmark.

French Action Force figures by Miro-Meccano

The advert below is for a 1984 Miro-Meccano competition to win a trip to a real submarine!

France. Pif Gadget. 1984.

Miro-Meccano held the French license for Action Force toys. Below are three more French ads, the first a ‘breakfast scene’ in which an imaginative schoolchild thinks Action Force figures are ‘attacking’ breakfast – the miniature troops even going so far as to believe that the cup of hot chocolate is a flying saucer! Check out that barricade of sugar cubes! This is followed by two adverts with promotional offers for Milky Way chocolate.