New Year More New Old Finds...

 Hey guys! Some amazing finds arrived this month...

Lots of plushies too! I found this adorable Cuddle Plush Girl doll by Rushton and she's already in my Etsy shop!! She was all original, only thing I added was the pink satin bow on her neck. The bow on her hat is all original too! Love her chubby hands!! She's looking for a new Mommy!

I also found this adorable giraffe by Lovable Toys. As soon as I listed him in my shop. He sold fast!! Has similar fur print like that of Daisy May cow by Rushton. Definitely a unique cutie. I restored this lovely Knickerbocker Pinocchio for myself. I have seen him before and just love his face and style. He is like Pinocchio as a human boy! It was fun to try to bring him back to life!

I also restored this adorable My Toy Lion plush. He was filthy and needed a major washing, actually several washes to be exact. I removed his stuffing and gave him cotton batting. Now he is good as new and ready to be loved again! Below, I snagged this adorable Rushton blue pup from Kaylasunshine's live sale! Cleaned him up and now he is ready to be loved as well. So far, I have found a total of 3 laughing pups in my lifetime! Haha!

This rare sleep eyed cute is also by Rushton but and earlier release perhaps around the early 50s. Sadly, he has the dreaded "Plastic Degradation" on his face, but I think he is still cute. I also did a video on Tiktok talking about the issue once again. I don't believe the disease carries over to other plushies unless you place him into a container and close it with other normal rubber face plushies.

@ggsdolls_vtg My lastest Rushton find w plastic degradation 🥹 But i still love him😍🩵🩷🎀 #ggsdolls_vtg #ggsdolls #plasticdisease #plasticdegradation #rushton #rubberface #plush #vintage #kitsch ♬ Mariposa - Sam Miller

 

Some goodies from Japan as well. I love these anime ladies above. I believe they are game pieces to a dating game from the 1950s or 60s. They remind me of the Lotte Gum paper dolls. I also found another Shoujo manga encyclopedia and this one is from 1975. I have it listed in my shop already too!

This cutie had a buy it now option and I snagged her. I've seen her before, but just can't place where. I believe on instagram, and from another fellow collector's page. She is the sweetest! I have always wanted a Kubrick Blythe doll pink haired figure. They are often very hard to find and can be quite expensive. So I found this one on an online shop and it was cheap!! Yay me. She is definitely a keeper! Haha!

This lovely Chalkware bear wall plaque and mod lady coin bank below are already listed in my shop. Just love finding things that may be something others are searching for!! Both in lovely condition too!

This adorable doll looks like a larger version of Takara's Chichan friends or Chika chan dolls. Her name is Ichigo chan and comes in her original box. I've already listed her as well in my shop. Below, my lovely huge posedoll was taken out of storage and I found out that I could redress her in other dolly fashions!! Yay! So here she is in a lovely Premier Doll 1950s pink dress. Just right for the Valentine Holiday season!!

I also found another Nottingham lace dresser box set, this time in white that I will use on my mid century dresser unit. I just love the style and nostalgic vibes it gives...

Thanks for stopping by and reading my little blog. Happy treasure hunting guys!! ~ ggsdolls
 

On a Treasure Hunt...

 

@ggsdolls_vtg Thrifting w my daughters… I never thought I’d see some really cool vintage at our local thrift shop, but I was wrong!! 😱😂 Guam does have some surprisingly!! 😍💘🫶🏼🌺 it was a fun day!! Thx to my fellow thrifter Tabytha for joining us😘 #ggsdolls #ggsdollsshop #thrifting #vintage #kitsch #guam #thriftshop ♬ Classic Jazz Piano - Relaxed and bright(1016589) - Ponetto

Thoughts on Barbie Movie 2023!!

 

This won't be about a critique on the movie and I won't be giving out any spoilers, hopefully, but more so about my thoughts on what the movie represented to me and growing up playing with Barbie dolls as a child of the 70s. 

My daughters and I went to see Barbie the movie, 2023 at our local Regal Theaters yesterday. When, I first heard there was a movie coming out, I was like "Oh boy, great another Barbie movie!" So Yeah, I had little to no interest in seeing it. Then I heard that Margot Robbie was in it, and thought "Hmmm, really?" Well, in the end, after hearing from fellow collector friends on Instagram posting they saw it and that it was funny and a tear-jerker... I was like, "Okay, I will go see it." We did!

After seeing the movie, Taby, Sara and I had a discussion on it. We loved how funny it was and also the truth behind a lot of what a 'mans world' is like. Not to get political or anything. But our world is what it is sadly. I'll stop there. Taby remembers playing with her Barbies, and the memories of the toys shown in the movie. Sara on the other hand never played with Barbie. I remember some of the vintage Barbie's shown and talked about. 'Growing Up Skipper' being one I had as a little girl in the 70s. My mom bought her even though I always asked for a Barbie. She said it was because Skipper is a little sister, and I was a little sister was her explanation for me getting her instead. Ugh, was my thoughts, but I did love my Skipper doll. Just glad my sister gave me her Barbies to play with. Ha!

I was telling Sara on the ride home afterwards, that I noticed that Taby played with her Barbies and she didn't get any type of complex or worry about body shaming from playing with them, at least I thought. Instead it was quite the opposite effect, Tabytha is very proud of her body and dresses the way she wants and is very independent and has a drive or passion for what she does at work and as an adult. Sara played with cars and the only doll she really had was "Jessie" from "Toy Story". So even with Sara, she doesn't have any issues with body image or felt less as a person. In fact, she has her own sense of style and is very proud of what she can accomplish when she sets her mind to it.

So what am I talking about? Well, I grew up with Barbies and the stereotype that came with her. I wanted to look like my doll growing up, and noticed what men expected us women to look like. My sister and I had those dreaded complexes that psychiatrist talked about when you allowed a girl or boy to play with Barbie. We had the body shaming complex, and what we thought an ideal woman was supposed to be or look like in a mans world. 

What is difference here... 

Well, my guess is that Mothers of the later generations of the 90s and so on, allowed their daughters or sons play with Barbie, but told them the positive aspects of playing with them and not the old adage of the some 50s Moms, where you had to be or look like this when you grew up. Later generation Moms allowed their children to imagine and take from Barbie what they wanted to become versus them being forced to become this ideal image of a woman.

Barbie dolls can be what you want them to be, not what we expect little girls or boys to become. So I guess it just depends on the Moms or Dads who get them for their children and what they instill in their child from the dolls. Either way, it is just plain dolly fun and maybe I am being to critical of Barbie and children. Haha!

If you haven't seen Barbie 2023 Movie, go see it and let me know what you think?

I loved this song most from the movie!!

Thank you for stopping by! ~ ggsdolls

Interview with Petit__Museum

 Interview with a Collector - A ggsdolls blog Series

    A monthly series on my blog where I feature some of the most amazing collectors, sellers, and content creators that have become really good friends of mine and what they collect and why? Read on to learn more...

    For the month of June, my blog interview is with a lovely collector of Alice in Wonderland Disney merch and vintage rubber face stuffed animals, petit__museum or Alicexmarket before on Instagram!

    Hello my name is Cheryl, but I have never publicly shared my real name as I don't hintk it's important. Haha! One very few collectors know my name, some of them call me Alice as my Instagram's name was "alicexmarket" (I used to collect Alice in Wonderland collectibles so crazily just like how I am collecting Rushtons now.) But, I never correct them anyway. I would also like to explain a bit on my new account's name... It's called, "Petit Museum", as I have been dreaming of having a small museum to display my toys. If I had a museum, it didn't have to be a grand place, but a cozy and friendly place full of treasures.

I come from Macau, which is a special administration area in China, just like Hong Kong. It is a small city with a lot of casinos and resorts and I am still living there.

I am mainly and mostly an English teacher, but I also have other jobs. I work seven days a week, and I work hard for my dolls.

I mainly use my Instagram "petit__museum" to share my collection. I am quite lazy... and busy...

The first time when I encountered a Rushton, was when I saw a seller selling Rushton plushies on a Chinese online secondhand market. I was surprised the plush was quite expensive and went to eBay to do some research on the pricing. It was not that pricey on eBay, and so I actually got my first Rushton, "Artist Bunny" at around 80 US dollars that time around 2019. I bought it just for fun. I didn't really like it very much and I just left it in the cabinet for two years!!! LOL

Rushton is somehow my current favorite. I also collect Disney collectibles. Mainly the ones made in the 90s and early 2000s. My favorite is Alice in Wonderland. I have a HUGE collection of it. I also collect other characters like the Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Cinderella... Besides Disney, I also collect Madame Alexander dolls. I started to collect them as they have the Alice in Wonderland ones. But then you know... collectors will just buy more and more! Another collection of mine, will be the hand-painted dolls from a Japanese artist, Miyuki Odani. The brand of the dolls is called, "Be My Baby Cherry". Probably they are the only non-vintage ones. They are very expensive though, so I am not always buying new ones.

My collection is my life. It just makes me smile to look at them, to display them... It's satisfying... But, I will get mad easily if I see them being messed up by my cats! I love vintage stuff as their quality is very good compared to the products nowadays. Most importantly, I love the designs. I actually find modern styled things quite disgusting in terms of the design. I have an old woman soul... And for vintage toys like Rushtons, each of them are so unique, even for the same kind. They still look different like different plushies. So it's their uniqueness and aesthetics that make me keen on collecting. 

The Rushton rubber faces were so well-designed. They just have the cutest facial expression! And their color combination, body shape, materials, and also their unique hand-painted face! They are just the perfect rubber faces to collect!

I have counted the number of Rushton back in April, and so far I have got more than 222 Rushtons!!! My first one is the Artist Bunny as mentioned, and I actually only started to collect after buying the Artist Bunny two years ago. I just somehow suddenly realized that Rushtons were so beautiful. I didn't collect all of the Ruhstons at the beginning, as I found that some of them were ugly. Like the octopus, but slowly after looking at them every day, I started to like every one of them. I believe I have the biggest collection of Rushtons on Earth... I almost buy every Rushton, and I am always looking for the ones in good condition as I am no expert in repairing them.

I didn't really ask or care what my family or friends think of my collection! I don't care what they think to be honest, and I seldom share my collection on my private account. But my sister, who has a great sense of taste, said that the Rushtons look good (except the octopus LOL).

I don't really have a favorite one. I can't choose... But, I still remember the moment I received the big bear, Bob, that Gigi repaired for me, as it's the first time for me to get such a huge Rushton!

If we are talking about rare Rushtons only, I'd probably say that the Rushton penguin which I got, I have never seen another collector having him and never seen a picture of him online.

A favorite in my collection? If it has to be a Rushton, then I will choose a Rushton lamb! It's my dream Rushton! There are so many Rushtons on my wish list, but the lamb is a dream to have!

I have noticed that their popularity is probably because of Melanie Martinez. But for me, I only knew that she collected them after I had started collecting them.

I have missed a perfect Rushton pink reindeer before as I was not familiar with Rushtons at the time. I wish I knew better and I wouldn't have missed it! Also, talking about buying and collecting stuff, I actually got all of my collection from other places, online and overseas. I am quite jealous to see US collectors finding cheap Rushtons or other vintage stuff in the wild as I don't have such an opportunity... And I usually need to buy them at high prices. So, I always need to act fast and frequently check the websites.

Thank you dear Cheryl for allowing us to take a peek into your huge collection and share your story with us. It was a joy to learn more about you!

Until next month guys! Happy Collecting!!

Thank you for stopping by! ~ ggsdolls

February Finds...

 Oh my goodness, I can't believe how fast February has gone, before you know it, it will be March!! Here are some of the finds for February thus far...

I bought this adorable Ado M. lady vase via Japan. She is actually an incense vase, I believe. she has a short type vase area on the right side of her head. She reminds me of the movie "Boxing Helena". I've never watched it myself though. I also received a lovely gift of treats from a dear friend for my birthday too! Alvina in Canada, thank you dear for the yummies!! We are enjoying them!

Below some celluloid dollies I got from KitschandKawaii shop on IG. She had a box full of them and I was able to snag two!! Yay! This adorable Humpty Dumpty ceramic ornament, I found while searching felt ornaments. I love his retro look and style. A sweet cutie to decorate my dresser with!

Next, I preordered the new Ken Elephant roly poly dolls above and Sanrio cases below. They are new colors for the dolls above. I definitely wanted a blue one and also the green one, but it is not in the photo. The Sanrio case are similar to the Rune Naito ones, but in Sanrio characters instead. How cute! I have both sets available in my shop now!!

This adorable baby duck, I won with a Lot of 8 plushies and dolls. I fixed her up first and will work on the rest this week. Now, that she is done, I'm having a hard time letting her go. Oh boy! Haha! Just too cute for words and I'm not sure the brand, perhaps My Toy Co.?

Got another adorable pink telephone above, and it doubles as a coin bank too! Purchased from the amazing shop LepetitCherie on Etsy. Always love vintage finds by Alvina!! Be sure to check out her shop for awesome ceramics too!! Below, I found this lovely vintage Rushton Diaper baby as well, and she needed major cleaning. I didn't do too much and she still has her original stuffing, diaper, and bonnet. She will stay with me for a bit...

Last, some adorable tan girls, the large one above has already been adopted and is on its way to her new owner. She is definitely too cute and so big too! The ones below, I adopted for a fellow collector. The different styles that came from Japan are just too cute not to want them!! LOL

Well, I hope you have a wonderful rest of your February and happy hunting!!

Thank you for looking! ~ ggsdolls

Interview with OldSoulVintageCA!

 Interview with a Collector - A ggsdolls blog Series

A monthly series on my blog where I feature some of the most amazing collectors, sellers, and content creators that have become really good friends of mine and what they collect and why?

    For the month of January, my blog interview is with a Canadian beauty with an eye for vintage, mentor and restorer, Savannah of OldSoulVintageCA on Instagram!

    Savannah is from Ontario, Canada and is 26 years old. She sells vintage toys on Etsy and vintage patchwork quilt blankets locally for a living. Now, onto my questions for Savannah! When was the first time you encountered vintage rubber faces? Hmm... I think the first time I had seen lots of vintage rubber face toys was on the website Flickr. Back in my early days of toy collecting when Instagram wasn’t really a thing, and a few Canadian Regal brand rubber faced toys locally at antique stores and such. I've always thought they were interesting and have never found them or any of my toys creepy. The knock off Rushton Brand Santas' can be found in almost every antique store nearby so I had seen those a lot.

 How do you describe your relationship with your collection, and what is the magical thing that keep you interested in it? I am extremely attached to my toys and also collecting and selling as a lifestyle in general. It does not feel like a job for me. Like other collectors, toys are really an escape for me! They are what keeps me going a lot of times. Throughout my life I have always felt like sort of an oddball with my obsession revolving around vintage toys and antiques! Since I can remember I always been obsessed with toys and completing the play sets I had among toy lines. They have always been a big part of my life and will continue to be. What keeps me interested in these magical toys is the unique personalities and energy each one brings. I believe they are a deep expression of who I am. I also feel like some of my older toys have personalities within them. Haha, this is why I get passionate about where they end up sometimes. I like that collecting them is endless, I am able to collect different types of toys from all eras without any limitations. Lastly, there is a lot of mystery surrounding them and their history. I’m always curious about the previous lives they have lived and enjoy talking with my friends doing toy detective work…trying to figure out the origins of how these toys came to be. Especially, Mary Rushton's creations. I’m constantly reading and learning new things about them in my spare time.

What is it about vintage kitsch aesthetic that makes it different from others? I would say the vintage kitsch aesthetic is different than other eras as it was really the staple and beginning of mass produced toys. Kitsch era heavily influenced toys throughout the following decades and even today that are being sold in stores. There is something so sweet and cute about the expressions, colors, and big eyes of the kitschy era. My collection originally started when I was younger. I used to go to yard sales with my grandpa as a child, he taught me how to be a finder. Once I grew out of the typical age where children stop playing with toys I was still very much obsessed with them. Mostly dolls! I started searching eBay and collector blogs, Flickr and became extremely influenced by Blythe dolls, Strawberry shortcake, Holly Hobby and rag dolls. They really took over my entire brain. My parents would find me lots of these toys locally and surprise me with them for Christmas! 

Okay, my collection now is honestly quite large, but I try to part with some items in order to acquire more without feeling too crowded. I have learned to get a bit picky with my collection and don’t normally share toys I am after or actively trying to collect on social media. I am always looking for unique toys that I don’t see much of and lately I am rekindling the flame with my collecting roots and love for antique and vintage rag dolls that are one of a kind!

What has been the reaction of your family, friends or colleagues about your hobby? My partner lets me take over rooms in our house and fill them with toys. So I thank him for that freedom and always supporting my collecting (ha ha). My parents have always been extremely supportive of my collecting. They even get so excited when I have new toy arrivals! We go out antique hunting quite often as a family as they are into this type of thing too. I am also extremely lucky to have a cousin who shares a passion of vintage and antique toys as well.  I have had boyfriends and friends in the past that would make fun of my collecting and really misunderstood it. So I kind of kept my toy collecting a big secret for a large portion of my life. (It’s not fun). I think a lot of people who know about my collecting in real life now don’t really get it and might find my toys unsettling. They cannot see the artistic side to them which is hard for me to understand. As I have grown older I embrace my collecting and now I don’t mind sharing it with new people regardless of their reactions or judgement. Some think it is a very unique hobby and are shocked at the craziness of the toy collecting world. Especially the value of some items.

Tell me about your favorite item in your collection and why it is so special to you? I have a LOT of favorite toys so this question is extremely hard for me…but I would say that my primitive rag doll cat and also this large mask face cat are in my top favorites. They are just so special to me…worn and played with kitties with character that hit every checkbox for me. I instantly feel happy when I look at them.  

As a seller, when did you start selling, what has been your experience and is it easy to find things to sell for your shop? I sold my first item on eBay when I was 13 years old! I found a vintage 'Jammie Pies' doll locally for 3 dollars and I think I sold her for 130 dollars! Which was a lot at the time. But my Etsy shop actually started when I was in college and pulling some of my collection out of storage and decided to part with some of my toy hoard. I posted them online locally and was shocked that the value had tripled since the time I had them packed away. I decided to start my shop and sell off my extra strawberry shortcake dolls that I had doubles of, but then started grabbing vintage toys while I was out thrifting as I sell patchwork quilt blankets and used to sell vintage novelty and band shirts or old clothing. I was able to turn this into a full time income and eventually quit my retail job. It took a lot of work to get my Etsy shop going with traction. There has been many times where I part with an item from my collection and feel extremely sad about it. But I always remind myself that better toys eventually come along with patience.

How would you describe your shop? I would describe the items I sell as vintage kitsch 80s and 90s girl toys but I also occasionally sell kitschy decor items if I come across them. How do you source the items you sell in your shop? Now I source the items I sell from a good friend of mine that lives nearby and treasure hunts all day. I normally pick up toys from him every week, clean them up and post them. My favorite thing is to clean 80s and 90s toys and fix them as close to original as possible. It is so rewarding to save toys and it is a whole other passion within collecting and selling. Cleaning toys is so therapeutic and I love being able to reunite people with their childhood memories. I also buy lots of my toys online, I search selling sites daily. Sometimes I buy things and they don’t sell. It takes a lot of time, energy and money to figure out what sells and what doesn’t. I have donated lots of toys back after spending time cleaning them etc because of this reason! The types of items I mainly look for are nostalgic toys, the more obscure the better. The best toys to sell are ones that other thrifters wouldn’t consider grabbing. But ultimately I just sell things that grab my eye.

What are some of the best selling items in your shop? The things that sell the best in my shop are Polly Pockets, Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, vintage Fisher Price and Playskool plush toys. I am frequently restocking these items. What is the most unique or unusual item you have come across? The most unique item I have come across are my vintage oil cloth carnival prize plush and also some antique cloth dolls I have. I truly cherish them and don’t think I can ever part with them. 

If there was any item that was given to you or found for free, what would it be and why? If any item was given to me for free of charge I would have to say I would choose some early Rushtons. Mary’s earliest work really interests me. There has been a huge increase in demand for rubber faced toys in the past years. I think most of it is attributed to social media and the pandemic but also because toys have evolved into somewhat of an *aesthetic* as well…As soon as Covid started I noticed I had a lot more sales on my Etsy shop, more people interested in their childhood toys but also people have had a lot more time to get heavily influenced by Instagram collectors and discover rubber faced toys. 

I also think that new collectors are drawn to “fixing“ these old toys as a hobby. Which can end up being very unfortunate to witness if they don’t know what they are doing. But overall I think that Rushton's in general are extremely enticing and interesting. Once you have one they kind of become an addiction. Their quality and craftsmanship is truly unmatched. Right now the market is so competitive and these toys are becoming more and more rare. Especially hard to find in original untouched condition. It seems that younger generations of teenagers are very into rubber faced toys and squeaks which I find interesting!

Thank you again so much to Savannah with sharing her story, collection, and shop! Be sure to visit OldSoulVintageCA on Etsy, and Instagram for Savannah's amazing restorations and treasures up for sale!!

Until next month, when we meet another collector for the Month of February!! Happy Finds Y'all!!

Thank you for stopping by! ~ ggsdolls

Interview with Lovelyposey!!

 Interview with a Collector - ggsdolls blog Series

Here's my monthly series on my blog where I share some of the most amazing collectors, sellers, and creatives, that have become friends of mine and what they collect and why?

    For the month of September, my blog interview is with the beautiful, kind and one of the sweetest persons I know,  Lovelyposey on Instagram or Isabella.

    Isabella was born and raised and currently lives in Queensland, Australia. She just recently celebrated her 22nd birthday this month and works as a TV News Editor for a popular news program in her state. I asked her when did she first encounter vintage rubber face plushies and if she collected anything else? 

    "As a child I took interest to things people would consider 'weird' I would say I've been drawn to things that are bizarre looking and not mainstream per say. I don't remember the exact moment I saw my very first Rushton toy but I do have a memory of coming across another fellow collector's Instagram by pure accident and recall just being in absolute awe of how wonderful her collection was, this person was bluusqueaks on Instagram!

    After seeing her wonderful collection I wanted to know more about the toys she owned and from there I recall searching for 'Rushton Toy' on Google and the first picture I saw was of the toy 'Queenie Quack'! I immediately fell in love with everything about that toy, from the details in her face to the detail of her accessories. I adored everything about how she looked and she looked so fragile! I never would have even imagined a child playing with a toy like her. Because she just looked like a decorative piece someone would have in their house. My mind couldn't fathom that toys like Rushton or rubber faced dolls even existed. They looked nothing like the typical toys that I grew up with & instantly I wanted to collect every single one I saw! The uniqueness of the toys designs was something that really drew me. Aside from rubber face dolls I also collect the rubber squeaky toys from the same 50s/60s era, and recently I branched out into the 1980s and took a liking into collecting My Little Ponies. Growing up, I had MLP of my own, but knew nothing of the first generation of ponies. I was drawn to the packaging of MLP at first. It gave off a very retro vibe. Which I liked a lot and from there I took an interest in collecting the ponies themselves too."

    How do you describe your relationship with your collection and what would you say is the magical thing that attracts you to it and keeps you interested? - "I adore them as decorative items. I can not wait for the day when I have my own apartment or house and display them in. However, I've recently in the last year or so really enjoyed taking them out places to be photographed. The magical aspect that draws me to them is just their uniqueness, but also the story behind each one. Each toy has already had a journey and although we may not know the history behind every single one of our collection pieces, sometimes it's just nice to look at them and just imagine what life they've had before they've come into our possession. It's also nice to give them a second chance at life instead of being thrown away or kept in a box forever. With my ponies I love to take ones that have been heavily played with and restore them to their former glory. A Rushton toy I recently purchased had been kept in a box all of its life and I can not wait to be able to take her places."

     What is it about the vintage cute aesthetic that distinguishes it from other toys/novelties of the same era? - "I'll skip this for now, because I'd really have to sit down and think about it." What was your first item in your collection? - "My very first item in my collection was this wonderful bunny right here!"

    I saw her on Ebay, and what drew me to her was she looked like the larger version of Molly rabbit who is all white and wears a cute little bonnet. I thought to myself I couldn't pass her up right? I'd never seen anyone else with this bunny before and she was in perfect condition. For a long time I thought I was the only one with her until earlier this year I did actually meet someone on Instagram who had the same bunny. There are quite a few of her out there but what makes her unique is her outfit. Not many bunnies have this outfit. In fact, I can't even find a picture her online! She was quite a lot of money to buy back then but it actually turned out to be a good deal in the end. Because, since then the prices have sky-rocketed again & if she were listed today she would probably sell for a lot more money than what I had paid. I still remember pulling her out of the box and seeing her for the first time. I was overwhelmed because it was much different than looking at the picture one. Personally I find that they are much larger in person than you originally imagine and it can really be overwhelming because you are trying to take in every detail all at once.

    Overall my bunny been there since the beginning and watched my collection grow and I don't think I could ever possibly part with her because of that sentimental value. My collection has grown quite a bit since my first bunny, I have quite a large collection of rubber faces and some I've not even shared on social media like 'Ricky Racoon', he doesn't make an appearance very often. I'm unsure about the exact number of rubber faces I own. I did attempt to count them once, but I received a few more since then. 

    I admire quite a bit of 50s and 60s kitsch, like ceramic planters and wall decals. However, I have opted not to collect them until I can move into my own apartment where I'll have space to display them. I am however always on the lookout for new Rushtons to add to my collection. They don't come around too often especially the rarer ones. You may only see a certain one appear once or twice in a year! So you always have to be on your A-game when it comes to collecting those. One toy I am always on the lookout for is 'Goldie Fish' he would complete my aquatic Rushton collection! But there is also a rubber faced pig out there that isn't made by Rushton Company who has a rubber tummy and I'm drawn to him because of his uniqueness of course.
 

    But he also reminds me of The Pig and Whistle Cafe that we would always pass by whenever my Mum would take me into the city when I was little.  There are other branded rubber faced pigs out there, but this one in particular looks exactly like the mascot and that's why I'm drawn to him in particular. He's quite common and can sell for a lot of money which is why I haven't been able to get him yet."

    What has been the reaction of your family, friends and coworkers, about your passion for collecting? - "I'm very grateful that my family are extremely supportive of my hobby/passion. They even help me to win auctions very occasionally and even get excited when one arrives. Several of my coworkers have taken an interest in my passion as well and follow my Instagram. I've brought two of my rubber faces into my workplace. One of my coworkers saying, 'I wish I had a unique hobby like yours.' It is very rewarding to be able to share these wonderful vintage toys with people." Tell me about your favorite item and why is it so special? - "It is difficult to pick a favorite, it would be like picking your favorite child. However, I do have my favorites. I recently acquired my dream toy and I would totally talk about her here but since she's not arrived yet and technically not in my collection just yet, I'll talk about my favorite toy that's in my collection... Which is...drumroll... 'Billy Butts the Goat'!

     "The reason why he's my favorite is simple, goats or specifically pygmy goats are my animals! Because they are such derpy animals! You look one in the eye and there wouldn't be a single thought behind those eyes. Not a care in the world! Just derp! Which is why I love the way Billy Butts the rubber faced toy is designed! Because he gives off those exact vibes! He originally belonged to a collector on Instagram. Who had sold it to someone on Ebay and I was very disappointed, but not more than a few months later that very same person has decided they didn't want it anymore and put it back on Ebay and I got my chance! Now, Billy Butts has a forever home, and he's quite unique because most of the Rushton goats have blue eyes yet mine has grey eyes and I'm yet to come across another one with this trait."

    Tell me about some of the unique items you may have come across? - "I can easily say that almost every vintage item I come across is very unique. But if I had to choose one thing I've come across that has stood out for me, the most is the chalkware pig owned by smug_pig_vintage. I cannot say exactly what aspect of this chalkware that makes it so unique to me. It could be its enormous size but also the 'smug' expression to me is just so unique. I've seen many other chalkware pigs before and none have quite the detailed expression as this one. Chloe the owner of smug_pig_vintage, informed me that she has never come across another. So the 'smug pig' could very well be one of a kind, making it even more special and unique. Gosh! I just love it!"

If any item could just land on your lap for free, what would it be and why? - "I would have answered Queenie Quack for this, but I will keep her secret for now!" Note: Isabella wrote this and a month later won her dream Queenie Quack!"

Have you noticed the increased popularity in rubber faces in the last few years, and why do you think that is so? - "Yes, I definitely have. I read an article on rubber faced toys online recently that was published in 2012 and the article featured screenshots of completed Rushton auctions and the prices were a lot cheaper but still in the hundred dollar zone, whereas today it's more common for these toys high hundred to thousand dollar range depending on the quality and type of the toy."

    "The toys definitely increased in popularity for a number of reasons, the most common reason I believe is because of exposure. These toys are being shown more and more in music videos, NFTs other kinds of media and photographs on all platforms on the internet. But why? I believe for the same reason I was drawn to them, because they are so unique. Pastel colors of some of the toys, the detailed facial expressions to the hand painted faces... what was originally just an American children's toy in the 1950s - 80s is now recognized by so many people around the world and I believe it's because the original creator, the woman behind it all, Mary Rushton was above it all an artist and she made something that was different and special to her.

    These toys were her vision and that's why I believe they are so appealing to a lot of us now. Because they don't blend in with other plush toys and you could easily pick them out from the crowd & and I truly believe they will be very well known and iconic children's toys from the 1950s and 60s in the future. (More than they are now)."

Thank you so much to Isabella for sharing her amazing collection and story with us! Until next month, be sure to check out my blog then. We head back to the States to meet a true Mary Rushton advocate!!

Thank you for reading! ~ ggsdolls