Toys of the Sixties A Pictorial Guide by Bill Bruegman

Toys of the Sixties A Pictorial Guide by Bill Bruegman

Bill Bruegman produced this guide to 60's toys originally in 1991 for Toy Scouts - my revised edition is from 1996. I'm not sure if the Matt Mason section was the same in the first edition or if it was edited/updated. The perfect-bound book is 8 1/2" x 11" with stiff cardboard color covers with interior glossy pages in black and white. As checklists go, the book really only summarizes various 60's era toylines. There's a 1/2 page of Major Matt Mason with the focus on the astronauts and aliens with some internal "SPA-XX" designation - not sure what those mean.

Toys of the Sixties A Pictorial Guide by Bill Bruegman Page 124

MAJOR MATT MASON (Mattel 1966-69) Mattel's "Man in Space" 6" bendable figure enjoyed enormous success for nearly five years. It also paved the way for other toy companies to switch to the production of space-related items at a time when the Viet Nam war made the previously briskly selling military toys wane in popularity. Mattel produced a long line of Matt Mason accessories, vehicles and equipment sold separately and together in deluxe sets. We list only the Matt Mason line of figures that Mattel made.

MAJOR MATT MASON DOLL (Mattel 1967)
10x13" display card holds Matt Mason, helmet, two-piece space sled and jet propulsion back pack. $75-125

SPA-17. CALISTO DOLL (Mattel 1968)
10x13" display card hold 6" bendable green alien figure and air-powered back pack with hose extender that shoots balls. $100-150

SPA-18, CAPTAIN LAZOR  (sic) DOLL (Mattel 1968) 12" hard-plastic doll with movable arms and legs molded in metallic blue space suit with painted features. There is a pistol molded in his hand that comes with three different attachments to fit on barrel. He also comes with space helmet and space boots. Box is 14x6x4" deep. $75-125

SPA-19. DOUG DAVIS DOLL (Mattel 1968)
6" bendable figure in yellow space suit with helmet and Cat Trac comes on 9x12" display card. $75-125

SPA-20. JEFF LONG DOLL (Mattel 1968)
5" bendable negro astronaut in blue space suit with helmet and Cat Trac comes on 9x12" display card. $175-250

SPA-21. SGT. STORM DOLL (Mattel 1968)
6" bendable figure in red space suit with helmet and Cat Trac comes on 9x12" display card. $75-125

SPA-22. SCORPIO DOLL (Mattel 1968)
9" pink and purple plastic bendable alien figure with metallic eyes that light up. Comes with winged back pack powered by air pump to shoot little balls. Box is 12x4x4". $500-750

John's Notes

• Bill Bruegman also published Toy and Model Collector Magazine (I own a couple issues, a bunch of other collector guides, and is acknowledged as a toy nerd.
• As usual, the pricing is all over the place and probably just copied from Toymarts
• I really dislike the "Doll" description which isn't found in any Mattel materials. Also by the 90's the term action figure was more appropriate.
  

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