28 September 2011

Kitsch Supreme: 1960s Big-Eyed Mods



I was given this mouse-chewed box by a flea market vendor who just wanted to get rid of it.
I was happy to accept, knowing it would be trimmed down into boldly colorful collage material.
As a kid in the '70s and '80s, I used to find old toys, notepads and pictures with big-eyed mid-to-late '60s graphics like this (most likely childhood leftovers from my Aunt Karen and Aunt Susan) stashed in closets or basement storage areas of my grandparents' house.  I was not only completely transfixed by them, but I somehow understood the sheen of value (and patina of unintentional humor) that these tacky little figures had acquired over time.  
Luckily, I was able to rescue a few.  That said, I get an even bigger giggle when I find them in my travels.