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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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10th Nov 2022, 6:43 pm | #1 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Stafford, Staffs. UK.
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1950s 'cute poodle'
A childhood toy, that was about to be thrown away, it was brought for me to look at.
Battery holder had clearly had a leak, and the switch seemed stuck. Closer examination and dissasembly of the switch, showed the plastic part had actually melted. So I powered it up from my bench PSU. I bet the thing ate batteries, seems to draw at least 1A at 3v. The mechanicals are not 100% as I can hear gears jumping at some points. But thought you might like to see it anyway. Unfortunatley I can't show the videoas I took. |
10th Nov 2022, 7:51 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
Unless you can embed your video in a ZIP file of an acceptable size.
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10th Nov 2022, 8:07 pm | #3 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Stafford, Staffs. UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
I'll give it a try:
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15th Nov 2022, 9:41 am | #4 |
Octode
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,227
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
That gave a whole new meaning to taking the dog out for a walk! Maybe removing one eye would save the battery.
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15th Nov 2022, 12:56 pm | #5 |
Dekatron
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Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
I am pretty sure that those toys were on sale much later than the 1950s.
If yours is anything like the ones that were on sale in flea markets in the 1980s the gearing was noisy from new. |
15th Nov 2022, 2:23 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
It may be cute but is it as cute as my childhood clockwork dog shown below? You wind it up and it walks along yapping!
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15th Nov 2022, 2:26 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
A clockwork one is more likely to be 1950s to 1960s.
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15th Nov 2022, 2:37 pm | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
It's certainly 50s and has been around as long as I can remember. I've got no memory of who would have originally bought it for me and there's no one left around to ask. It could have even been passed down from an older cousin. The only battery operated toys that I can think of that I had and have amazingly survived is a train set and a boat, the batteries of which are of a type now long obsolete.
Another clockwork toy that survives from my childhood is a clockwork writhing snake, depicting killing and eating a mouse alive - just imagine being able to buy something like that for a small child these days! |
15th Nov 2022, 8:03 pm | #9 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Stafford, Staffs. UK.
Posts: 2,532
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
Regarding the date. I got 1950s from others of the same model on the internet. I can't see it being that much later given the age of the 'children' who own it and are very much not children, but pensioners.
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15th Nov 2022, 10:16 pm | #10 |
Dekatron
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Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
You don't say what the construction material is or even what battery type would have been used, so not a lot to go on regarding dating.
My dog is made of typical 50s tin plate with a covering of fur. The battery powered boat I mentioned that used now obsolete batteries would have used a couple of 3 volt number 8 types. |
16th Nov 2022, 10:06 am | #11 | |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Stafford, Staffs. UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
Quote:
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16th Nov 2022, 10:52 am | #12 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
That might be UM1 which I seem to recall was a far-eastern name of the D cell
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18th Nov 2022, 1:29 am | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
It certainly sounds like it could be 50s, particularly by what you say regarding its owners. I think it's just due to its colour and condition that make it look possibly newer. I don't think we can argue regarding its 'cuteness'!
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18th Nov 2022, 9:34 pm | #14 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Stafford, Staffs. UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
Update, on the date. I've been discussing it more with one of the owners, the middle of the three sisters who was born in 1955. It was actually given to the three sisters, the youngest of whom is only 62, so it seems actually early 1960s rather than 50s.
Now a question. The switch is a VERY crude rocker switch. Basically depending on the polarity fed to the dog itself, depends on which function it does. But the plastic part has melted, presumably from having both switches pressed and the batteries being shorted out. Do I try to fashion a replacement from a piece of plastic, or just find a couple of standard switches to adapt into it? Or something else? |
18th Nov 2022, 9:58 pm | #15 |
Dekatron
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
If you do end up adapting the switches, might it be advisable to modify the switching so that it can't short out the batteries?
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20th Nov 2022, 12:03 am | #16 |
Dekatron
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Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
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Re: 1950s 'cute poodle'
You might be able to source a DPDT centre off 3-position rocker switch which should do it!
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