The kitchen dresser

In the 1960s, confiscated toys went to the very top of our kitchen dresser.

My younger brother was notorious for coming home from school with small toys obtained by curious means. There was a set of styrofoam toy aeroplane models, "Flying Things", sold at the corner shop. (Probably by Scanlens in Australia, not Topps USA.) Today's equivalent would be "Kinder Surprise" eggs. One didn't know what toy you had until you opened it up after paying for it. My mother took the slim envelope from my brother - and put it up onto the dresser. We never found out what plane he had! It was up there for five years!

Another time, my brother came home with the first "Bendy" toy I ever saw. They were all the rage at school for a few weeks, and he tried bringing one home. The Bendy was called "Mr Zebra", I think, but I don't know why. I've never seen one again and he fails to show up in Google searches. So far. I think this character had a bowler hat and the typical skinny limbs with wire inside.

I also remember the day my mother put both of these confiscated items out with the old toys being sent off to The Smith Family appeal when we were getting ready to move house in 1971. ("Can we just see what plane is in the envelope?" "NO.")

The top of the dresser was also where the plastic kazoo lived. Only ever lasted about 20 minutes before it went back up there again.

Thanks to The Topps Archives for unravelling part of this mystery for me.