Bargain Bin Beauties

At the TriStar show I spent the bulk of my time (and a little bit of cash) rummaging through bargain bins not looking for anything in particular. In fact I spent so much time bent over tables that I wound up with a sore back on the way home. I picked up some baseball and football stuff to send off to other bloggers and various things which may or may not be 'blog worthy'. We'll see.

Most of the boxes I went through were at least semi-organized. I didn't hit up any of the 'dump a crap load of crap into a 3200-count box lid' tables. They can be fun but I didn't see any as I didn't make it all the way around the show this time.

One guy had a pretty substantial non-sports box. I wouldn't have messed with it normally but I had gotten a chair at that table and I wasn't ready to give it up quite yet. The box was within reach so I rifled through it for grins. The usual Batman, flags 'o' the world, Charlie's Angels and ships and planes cards were in there. And there were some movie star cards that caught my eye. 

I've shown some Greer Garson items from my collection previously. She has a mysterious aura about her that I find attractive. The card I found is a 1953 Topps Who-Z-At #55 Greer Garson. It's part of an 80 card set that I wasn't familiar with but it has some big names. The cards are pretty reasonable, even in nice shape. The one I found is about as far from 'nice shape' as you can get. But that doesn't mean all that much to me. The fun of finding a Greer Garson card in a bargain bin and getting it for about a quarter topped off an already productive day.

Here is a look at what the card looks like in premium condition, scan is courtesy of Google and the 'net. 

The other card from this set that I picked up was this one. Cyd Charisse was a dancer turned actress (think Mary Tyler Moore). I don't know much about her but then again, what's to know? Even the awful condition of the card can't hide her incredible looks.

Late edit... I found the original picture that this card is based on.

Wow.

I Dunno What It Is, You Tell Me..... #2

A few weeks ago I received an email from another blogger who thanked me for including his blog in my 'blogroll' but said that while he read mine from time to time he wasn't going to add it to his 'blogroll' because I posted about things that hardly any of his readers are interested in.

And that's OK. I get it. I know not everyone has the same interests. And I realize that one factor in my having only 32 'followers' is that my collection is pretty lame compared to all the great stuff that most everyone else posts about. But I'll just keep truckin' along, putting up my stuff. I'm sure not looking for affirmation in posting about the email, either. It was just a perspective I had never given much thought to.

These two items are probably exactly what that blogger was referring to. Actress things. The first is some sort of collectable picture and fact sheet of Greer Garson, hole-punched to fit into a 5x7ish binder. The scan of the front side cuts off the left 'hole punch' section. It's USA made but don't know anything about the set it's a part of. But if it's Greer Garson, and has a great picture that shows her great beauty, and only cost a buck....why not?

And next is a French item featuring Claudia Cardinale of Italy that looks like it is related to the Jennifer Beals 'card' that I posted the other day. Same size, shape, photo credits and general layout but nothing to indicate if it originated as part of that same set.

Ms. Cardinale is another favorite of mine based largely on her work in Sergio Leone's classic spaghetti western Once Upon a Time In The West. If you've never seen it, you should.

Here is Claudia Cardinale's Google image page. You're welcome.

Greer Garson, Part 2

Here is another novelty item featuring my favorite actress, Greer Garson. This came from a vending machine that stamped your weight onto the back of the 'card' and also contained a pre-printed .fortune similar to the ones found in fortune cookies.

I'm not sure if the machines were found in J.C. Penny's stores or the store name is an ad.

Picture flipped to view the stamped weight and printed 'fortune':

Closer to actual size and scanned with a ruler for perspective.

The lot I bought contained this Susan Hayward card as well. Neither of these is in very good shape but I appreciate having such an unusual piece of Garson memorabilia in my collection. 

Greer Garson, Part One

Taking another step away from the world of sports here is a pretty neat item I snagged awhile back.

It's a fan photo from MGM's remarkably beautiful Greer Garson. It came in the original envelope as sent to a young fan in Ohio circa 1944.

I'm assuming it was a young fan based on the notations made on the envelope ("My Movy Stars'). The stamped addition to the envelope heralds her next film which was entitled Mrs. Parkington and debuted in 1944.

Greer Garson is matched perhaps only by Ingrid Bergman on my list of favorite actresses. I have a few other items that I'll toss out here that relate to this terrific star who seven times was nominated for an Oscar and took one home for her role in 1942's Mrs. Miniver.