If it weren’t for the fact that I remember William Shatner’s character from Boston Legal, I don’t think I would have recognized this figure to be the bobble headed likeness of the former Captain Kirk. Push the button on top of the base to hear Shatner identify himself as the enigmatic…Denny Crane!
The wording on the underside of the base indicates him to have been a 1978 promotional item for Great American Male Cologne. Wonder what fragrance would have been appropriate for a man with his obvious attributes? “Odd Spice” perhaps? Whatever it was, I am guessing it would have been sold by the six-pack.
Hate to tell you, yes he is, if someone is asking you whether or not he is collectible. I picked him up at a yard sale for 50 cents from a woman who was glad to see the gruesome guy go, and didn’t care that he was handmade in Norway. It didn’t take me long to find an on-line buyer who was more than happy to pay his $25 adoption fee.
Believe it or not, vintage trophies can be worth a lot of money. Some can sell in the hundreds of dollars, depending on the subject matter. Fishing, unfortunately, is not one of those subjects; so if you had something like this, and you tossed it out, you can be pretty sure it is not “the one that got away.”
The beauty of art is that it is completely open to interpretation. I am sure someone out there loves this figurine for the universal theme it represents, albeit in a fashion that is obviously a bit rough in presentation.
Gustav Klimt opted for a different and slightly more refined approach when his most famous work debuted in 1908.
To the untrained yard sale eye, this just looks like a large ceramic cat figurine. In truth, these soulful-looking cats are Maneki-neko. (Japanese for “beckoning cat”). In Japan, these “lucky” cats, with their upraised welcoming paws, are believed to bring good fortune to the owner. There must be something to it. I purchased this piece at a yard sale for 50 cents, and sold it on-line for $90.
(Hmm. After watching the video, I am wondering if I would have been better off keeping them?)
🙂
That’s not my mantra as a collector, but it certainly is as a seller. Anyone who buys and sells as a hobby learns fairly quickly that there is ALWAYS someone out there looking for the odd and unusual.
This rather gruesome looking little figurine was hiding on the top shelf of a local thrift store, and I almost did not see him, until I heard a small voice scream out “buy me!” So of course I had to.
14-year-old singer Laurie London holds the distinction of having recorded the most successful single in the US by a British male during the 1950s. His recording of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” reached #2 on Billboard’s Pop Charts in April, 1958, and stayed there for 4 weeks. Sadly, London never had another hit record, and his musical career faded into oblivion.
Perhaps this unique Leaning Tower of Pisa piece was inspired by the Laurie London hit record?
Okay, I am pretty sure it was not, but at least it gave me the opportunity to share an obscure probably-forgotten tidbit of musical history, and who doesn’t love one of those? 🙂
The makers of this portly ceramic piggy must have gotten the message.
Odd Yard Sale Finds 