Some of my general Palace memorabilia

[Dorking]

I thought I would share a small selection of my general Crystal Palace memorabilia collection.

I particularly like to obtain vintage 60's and 70's - the sort of random stuff you'd see in a seaside gift shop, and go 'ooh look, they've got a Palace one of those!'

I particularly liked that back in those days, clubs didn't have the megastores we know today, and so companies would produce an item for multiple teams and sell it through little sports shops, adverts in the back of football magazines, and through other purveyors of general tat!

I hope you enjoy seeing these items as much as I like obtaining and collecting them, and displaying them at home! I really like the simple, bold designs back then, and that some things actually look rather stylish and 'of their time' now!

First up, some Striker figures. A less popular version of Subbuteo, where the figures actually 'kick' at a press of a button. This set of players have the diagonal Palace 'sash' shirt with the diagonal stripe going the wrong way,but even so, it would have been a must have if Palace were your team!

Anyway, a lovely, colourful boxed item!

[Dorking]

Next up a couple of mugs. Late 60s and early 70s during the dawn of merchandising, when merchandising had really become a 'thing' and clubs actually redesigned their crests as trademarks to capitalise on their new 'brands'





I think these are lovely and colourful examples of a bright new era!

[Dorking]

The same manufacturer also knocked out some other ceramic items during this era...

An ashtray (I bet no club would produce this as an 'official' souvenir item nowadays!!)



A bedroom door plaque (it resides on my son's bedroom door as it would be a shame not to use it - he has no idea how rare an item it is!)



And a ceramic hook (in original unopened packaging) - for the bedroom that has everything else!

[Dorking]

An early 1970s plastic strapped watch

There is no way when these were made back then, that one would expect to still be in fairly good (and completely working!) condition nearly 50 years later. Stylish for its time, and never made to last, having one survive via the bottom of a drawer was a real find!





This would probably have been the 'top of the range' merchandise item in the limited 'club shop' back in the day!

[Dorking]

If a watch like that was beyond your pocket money back then, most boys would have been able to afford a sew on patch or two.

They would have principally have been used to adorn a denim jacket or a bar scarf. I have many of these sort of patches on the Palace bar scarf that I wear to every game.



Over the coming days, I will add some more images and short descriptions of other items in my collection that I hope will be of interest from a nostalgia point of view!

[Dorking]

Good morning!
Today, decorative mirrors.

Commonplace in general tat shops of the late 1970s, I also remember the same seaside shops selling similar mirrors that had pictures of the cartoon dog Snoopy, accompanied by words of wisdom!

The first one I remember seeing in a seaside gift and rock shop window in Brighton for literally years!! You would think that the locals didn't like Palace! (they're our rivals). Every year their selection of half a dozen different club versions of this would go down by about one, and the Palace one always remained!!



Palace have never won the FA Cup, let alone twice, so these designs were obviously very random!

[Dorking]

The second such mirror is quite a big size. Some people describe these as 'pub mirrors', as you sometimes see similar items on pub walls, with an advert for Guinness on them



This is actually not all that rare, and you see this on ebay fairly often.

[Dorking]

The third such mirror is an absolute beauty (if you like this sort of garish thing and can see the beauty in it!)



It commemorates the 1979 Division 2 Championship (which is about as good as it gets as a Palace fan), so a clear date of manufacture.

I remember being in a chippy near Nottm Forest's ground, and they had a similar one on the wall, but the Forest one had their two European Cups on it (so the same era!)

[Dorking]

The fourth and final one of these is the rarest of the lot



I've never see another one like this (for Palace)

It has a clear glass section in the middle, so that you can put a photo behind it, which is an unusual idea, and allowed you to personalise it.

[Dorking]

Next, a club crest badge.

100% plastic, but also a 100% kitsch. You can just imagine that local independent sports and school uniform shop having a selection of these for sale, and whilst bored during a school uniform buying spree, you have a forage through. They have my club! Mum, can I have this one?!!

And then sticking it on your bedroom wall with some blue tac, next to the team group poster from Shoot! and admiring it!

[Dorking]

Next up, these two clocks aren't from the same era at all, but date from 1992

By this time, merchandise was a lot more sophisticated and a vast array was available.

Occasionally something really eye catching was produced, like these two corkers. I love the fact that they totally become 'dated' quickly due to the kits they depict, and the players featured (captain Geoff Thomas, and winger John Salako). Even the club crest changed a couple of years later, so they really do represent a clear point in time! Luckily, both are really memorable players of that era, and not hate figures now, and so displaying them at home isn't a tough decision.

I even got John Salako to sign his one for me a few years ago, and he chuckled when he saw it, as he had forgotten all about them!



I like to collect modern stuff to this day, because I like to think that in 10, 20, 30 years time, todays items will become 'dated' and become nostalgic reminders of this period. That's why I love things like Soccerstarz figures, scarves if they commemorate something like a Centenary or a particular achievement etc

It's easy to ignore that weird cereal bowl for sale in the club shop, and put it down as tat, but it could be like the ashtray in years to come, and people of the future will look and it and think "why?????"!!!!

[Talks A Good Game]

Great stuff!
Keep em coming.
I think that crest plaque is one of those issued by Typhoo in the early 70’s.

[Pete’s Picture Palace]

Jeez Dorking.............. thank God I stuck to paper!

[manchesterunitedman1]

Well I have to say that I have bought the odd non paper thing myself once in a while... https://flic.kr/s/aHsjevJPsS

_________________
Leslie Millman
Twitter: @manyuman1

To see 19,900++ original items relating to Newton Heath & Manchester Utd 1878-2023 then visit www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterunitedman1/sets to see entire uploads.

1000's more images to be uploaded, to view the latest uploads go to www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterunitedman1/

Click any images 21 MILLION views to date to the Flickr site since 2007 growing every day. New Uploads weekly. Thank You to one & all for visiting!

[manchesterunitedman1]

Manchester United Pottery Figure from the 1930's, 6" tall by Leslie Millman, on Flickr

Just click on this photo to take you to my www-Thanks
_________________
Leslie Millman
Twitter: @manyuman1

To see 19,900++ original items relating to Newton Heath & Manchester Utd 1878-2023 then visit www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterunitedman1/sets to see entire uploads.

1000's more images to be uploaded, to view the latest uploads go to www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterunitedman1/

Click any images 21 MILLION views to date to the Flickr site since 2007 growing every day. New Uploads weekly. Thank You to one & all for visiting!

[Dorking]

Thanks Leslie, non Paper can be never ending fun Pete!
Anyone got a boxed nookie bear with good condition rosette?!!!

[Pete’s Picture Palace]

Dorking wrote:

Thanks Leslie, non Paper can be never ending fun Pete! Anyone got a boxed nookie bear with good condition rosette?!!!

Yes, but paper takes up less space and in our small semi-detached house my paper collection is taking up about 25% of the floor/wall space.

[Dorking]

I love to hoard it all, to be consumed by it, to have it wherever I look.

That my favourite items are all around me.

I love that when I see some unusual new item in the club shop, I think 'where in the house could I use that rug/cushion/lamp/clock? !!!

Buying and accumulating football 'stuff' makes me happy And it doesn't bother me what space it takes up.

Collectors are funny folk, I'm sure we're a special breed!

[Dorking]

Back to my love of retro Palace souvenirs

I think I have showed this late 70s/early 80s bag on here before



All my primary school friends had versions of these, but typically were Liverpool or Spurs.

This was the absolute gem and a miles more beautiful and stylish design!

Anyway, next up, the power of this brilliant forum. In 2015, SeasideMark on here offered this up for sale, and I couldn't resist

It came from a dusty attic of a seaside gift shop in Rhyl, and had probably been untouched for close to 50 years, as it dates from the late 60s

It was brand new in its original sellophane packet, and with the manufacturers tag still attached. The smell of PVC is strong and it is pristine whte with not a mark on it. Priceless!



Other stuff in the same attic find were loads of pennants of the day!



A real treasure trove, and it just shows the brilliant resource that this forum is, connecting people and their interests

[slightfold]

Dorking, what a superb collection of mementoes, and thanks for sharing!! Did you ever come across their toilet paper, underwear or condoms? Apparently there was so much of your club's merchandise around that they applied to the Football League to change their name to Crystat Palace.