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Back in 1966 I bought my first pack of Batman trading cards - the “Black Bat” set - from a sweet shop (candy store) called The Cabin in Highland Rd, Southsea. The first card in the set was “The Riddler”, and I was hooked. I would go back to that sweetshop on a weekly basis along with my Dad, who used to stop by to buy 4oz of Needlers fruit pastilles, a particular favourite of his. Each visit I experienced the thrill of seeing the cardboard box in which unopened wax packets of Batman cards lay. Eventually, I asked the man who ran the shop if I could have the display box when all of the cards had been sold, and he kindly put it by for me.
I then used that box to store all of my Batman cards, as I collected the series of cards, and the four subsequent sets that quickly followed.
I kept that box until 1983, when I sold it (along with a number of other unique collectibles) to the Timeslip shop in Fawcett Rd, as I was amassing funds for a deposit on my first flat.
I’ve seen that box up for sale on eBay for £400 recently - and I’m convinced that it was my actual display box up for sale as it had a slight tear in the lid - and regretted selling it for £1 in 1983.
However, all of that regret is now swept aside as I’ve printed my own version of the box which looks just as good as the original, thanks to information in an article by Jeff & Bob Marks provided is issue #86 of Non-Sports card fanzine “The Wrapper” from October 1986.
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| © Les Davis, editor of "The Wrapper" |
By using the image featured in The Wrapper, I was able to locate original colour images of the elements on the box, and create my own box! It now has pride of place on the shelf next to my desk.
I’ve included the image below should you wish to print your own box on photo card.
The dimensions of the box when completed measure 3 3/8” x 7 1/8” x 2”, so you’ll have to figure out how to print at the correct scale. (Remember this display box was designed to accommodate the UK A&BC versions of the cards, slightly smaller than the Topps versions.)
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| © Les Davis. The Wrapper #86 |
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| Click to enbiggen |
If you have more than a passing interest in Non-Sports trading cards, The Wrapper is still being published. Take a look at The Wrapper website.
The Cabin and Timeslip sound familiar to me, and it's entirely possible that I was in both shops when I stayed in Southsea back in the '80s. I've got the 1989 deluxe reissue set of the Batman cards, which came in its own box and looks very nice indeed. Strange to think that the time elapsed since the reissues is now greater than the time between them and the originals, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay in responding - am traveling at the moment.
ReplyDeleteYes, I’ve got that deluxe reissue set as well, Kid. You’re right that the box looks good and of course the reissue cards have a gloss that the originals did not have. It was a shame that they didn’t reissue the photo sets as well, but of course this was when the Michael Keaton Batman movie came out and there was no appetite to remind people of Adam West’s days in the cowl.
I very much suspect that you’d have visited Timeslip in the 80s as it was within half a mile of your days in Festing Road, as was the Cabin (in Highland Rd just in from the corner with Exeter Road). I need to do a blog on Timeslip and later comic shops in Pompey.
If you’re of a mind, I’m sure you could do an even better version of my Batman 1966 display box.
Your box looks amazing , I'm always impressed with folk that manage to do these things. The box doesn't look familiar to me despite the fact I recall buying the cards as a kid and probably looked at it most days when I was purchasing my cards.
ReplyDeleteThanks, McScotty. I’ve obviously got too much time on my hands these days! I was pleased with how it turned out, though.
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