'Retro Tech' Keychains

For some reason, I'm really drawn to items that feature designs based on older technology. Typewriters, record players, audio cassette tapes - if there's a piece of clothing or a home decor item that features one of these motifs, I'm going to stop and look at it. I bought the keychain pictured below solely because it has an audio cassette design on it.

 (According to my online research, Denon is a Japanese electronics company.)

I can't really explain my fascination with this 'retro tech'. Maybe it's because I still remember some of these older technologies. I had a toy typewriter when I was a kid. I still remember how hard I had to pound on the keys to get it to work. I also had a Rainbow Brite record album when I was very young, and I definitely remember my first audio cassette. (It was Trisha Yearwood. Long story.)

Anyway, just to make the point how obsessed I seem to be with 'retro tech', let me tell you a little about the keychain pictured below.

I bought this keychain, not because it's also a pencil sharpener (which admittedly is a handy thing to have), or because I like The Flintstones (which I don't, not really anyway), but because it's shaped like a record player. True, it's a cartoony, 'stone age' interpretation of a record player. But it's still recognizable as a record player.

I've wanted one of these World's Coolest Polaroid camera keychains ever since I saw a photo posted on a doll collector's blog. The camera doesn't actually take pictures, but it does have some moving parts. The 'simulated film' is partially ejected from the camera when you push a button. Just so you know, I did replace the original clip 'finding' with a split ring, because I'm nitpicky like that.

Speaking of cameras, this souvenir keychain from Niagara Falls is shaped like a roll of film. Inside is a paper 'film strip' with photos printed on it. The back of the strip is designed so that it can be used as both a ruler and a telephone directory. (Unfortunately, because the strip retracts it was impossible for me to photograph. But I tried.)

One thing that I'd really like to add to my collection someday is a keychain shaped like a typewriter. I've tried looking for one online, and while I've seen a number of keychains that have pictures of typewriters on them, finding one that's actually shaped like a typewriter has been more difficult. Still, as someone who shops secondhand venues a lot I know that there's always a chance one will turn up at the next flea market I attend.

Signed, Treesa

Oh My Disney Mystery VHS Keychain blind box (A Review)

This post should have been up on the blog a lot sooner, but thanks to the holiday rush it sort of got lost in the shuffle. Unfortunately, this review is no longer very relevant, since the keychain in question is now sold out on the shopdisney website and is only available on the secondary market. I scanned Ebay to get an idea how easy these keychains would be to find, and while the supply online seems plentiful at the moment most of them also have a list price that is over twice the original retail price. In spite of this, I've decided to post my review anyway, just in case there are keychain collectors out there who are still curious about the product.

I first found out about the Disney Mystery VHS Keychains in an email my family received from the shopdisney website, advertising new products. The keychains were part of a '90s Flashback Collection that Disney launched, and some of the other items in the collection like journals and clutch bags also used the VHS case motif. I tend to refer to keychains modeled after 'old school' technology like VHS tapes as "retro tech". Naturally, it was the keychains in this collection that really got my attention, partially because I collect keychains, but also because I have a thing for miniatures. This might trace back to my days collecting Basic Fun's mini board game keychains. Or it might be because I'm also a doll collector who knows the value of nice, doll-sized props. Whatever the case, when pictures of the Disney VHS Keychains appeared in my family's inbox, it was love at first sight. So, I clicked on the link to the website for more information.

I'll admit, I was a little disappointed when I found out the keychains were a blind box item. I don't usually have very good luck with blind boxes. However, of the six different keychains that were available in the assortment, all four of the ones pictured on the website would've been welcomed in my collection. The other two keychains were 'mystery chasers', and they were supposed to be a surprise. However, by comparing the four known keychains to the full list of other merchandise that was available in the collection, and by using process of elimination, I was able to make an educated guess what those 'mystery chasers' were. With the odds of getting something I liked in my favor I decided it would be worth taking a chance. The $5.00 retail price also seemed very reasonable for an official Disney product. So, at the next available opportunity, I took a trip to the nearest Disney Store.

The store had stocked a nice assortment of merchandise from the '90s Flashback Collection. However, I didn't see any sign of the keychains. I wondered if the store had already sold out, so I asked an employee for help. It turned out the store hadn't even gotten in any of the Mystery VHS Keychains. I was annoyed when I realized that the only way I was going to get my hands on one was if I ordered it online, because that meant there would be shipping and handling charges. In my opinion, online shipping often seems unnecessarily high. There are times when it costs more to ship an item than you paid for the item in the first place. But lucky for me, the shopdisney website held one of their holiday free shipping promotions, so I was able to place an order for one keychain. The website's review section was already packed with complaints from people who'd ordered multiple keychains at once and received all duplicates.

When my package arrived, the brown cardboard shipping box was much bigger than it needed to be for a single keychain. I understand that there should be some extra room in a shipping box for packing material, but this box could have easily fit the full assortment of keychains and then some. The blind box itself is pictured below.

And here's a picture of the keychain I received.

As you can see, I ended up with The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, which was one of the 'mystery chasers'. I'm not sure if this actually means it's any rarer than the other keychains. There seem to be a large number of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame VHS keychains on Ebay. But I'm not sure if this means it's not rare, or if it's just not as desirable, or both. Even though The Hunchback Of Notre Dame isn't one of my favorite Disney films, I don't mind having it in keychain form.

In my opinion, the coolest thing about these keychains is that they really open, and each one has a pretend VHS tape of the movie inside.

However, the first time I tried to open mine I needed to use more force than I was comfortable with. I was actually worried I was going to break the keychain. Also, the plastic seems a bit thin, especially in the hinge area. I can't help worrying that repeatedly opening and closing the case will put stress on that area, and that over time the plastic might crack. Not to mention, the sticker labels on the outside of the case seem like they would be very vulnerable to scratches and other wear and tear. For these reasons, I don't think I'll be handling this keychain much.

I'll wrap up this review with a summary of what I feel are the good points and bad points about this product.

Good Points:
In my opinion, the Oh My Disney Mystery VHS Keychains are a fun idea. I love the '90s nostalgia factor, and also the fact that the keychains are miniature replicas of full-size items. The retail price was also reasonable, especially considering how much Disney often charges for authorized merchandise.

Bad Points:
The Disney company lost some points with me for making these keychains a blind box item. I never fully embraced the blind box craze. While I appreciate that blind boxes are small and usually reasonably priced, the mystery factor drives me crazy. I like to know what I'm buying, and several times that I've caved and bought a blind box on clearance I ended up with something I didn't really want. I feel sorry for all those customers who posted reviews online after placing an order for more than one keychain and receiving all duplicates. I'm also annoyed that the Mystery VHS Keychains weren't available in store. Not to mention, I do have some concerns about the long-term durability of these items.

Final Verdict:
While I don't regret buying a Disney Mystery VHS Keychain at retail price, I also don't think it would be worthwhile to go scouring the secondary market for the rest of the assortment. Not at the current market prices at least.

I hope that you enjoyed this review, even if it is late.

Signed, Treesa

Ocean City Vacation: July 2018 (Keychain Souvenirs Haul)

Remember how, in a previous post, I wrote about the lack of souvenir keychains in gift shops? Well apparently, there's at least one place where souvenir keychains can still be found in abundance, and that's Ocean City, New Jersey. My best friend and I took an 'extended weekend' trip there near the end of July, and I came back with over half a dozen keychains for my collection.

My best friend bought this first keychain for me as a gift. I was eyeing it at one of the shops on the Boardwalk. But because it was the first day of the trip, I was trying to decide whether I should just buy it then or wait and see if I could find it cheaper elsewhere. My friend must've gotten tired of waiting for me to make up my mind, because she offered to buy it for me. The turtle itself is made from wood and has the words "Ocean City" painted on the underside.

This next group of keychains came from a shop on Asbury Avenue called Hoy's 5&10.

I first learned about 5&10, or five-and-dime, stores in my grade school social studies textbook. I don't know whether the store in Ocean City actually dates back to the 'golden age' of five-and-dimes. But I did realize that, due to inflation, there wouldn't be anything in the store for five or ten cents at the store. However, because there's a chain of stores in my area called Five Below (where everything for sale is five dollars or less) I thought that maybe the 5&10 in the name had been updated to mean five and ten dollars. I was wrong in that assumption. There were a number of things for sale at Hoy's 5&10 that were over ten dollars. Actually, this lot of three keychains ended up costing me over ten dollars. But honestly, where was I ever going to find that noodle bowl keychain again in the United States. And as the previous keychain featured in this post demonstrates, I have a real fondness for turtle design keychains. The black shell with the rainbow-colored floral design is actually a coin purse, made from two shells that had been painted black and stitched to a zipper.

This record player keychain, or 'turntable' as it's called on the packaging, is from the World's Coolest line by Super Impulse. Record players, like typewriters and VHS tapes, are 'old school' technology, and have received renewed attention in recent years. The resurgence of these items in popular culture has genuinely piqued my interest, since I fondly remember such things from my childhood. In my keychain collection, I categorize these and similar items as 'retro tech', the word retro meaning inspired by or imitating the recent past. I plan on devoting a blog post to the subject at some point.

I was looking at the 'turntable' keychain in a store called Kay Jay's Doll Shoppe, but I put it back because I thought the price was a little high for one keychain. I was also feeling guilty for spending over ten dollars on keychains at Hoy's 5&10. My best friend bought the record player for me when I wasn't looking, then handed me the bag after we left the store. I replaced the original metal clip on the keychain with a split ring after getting home from vacation, because I'm nitpicky like that.

I found this seashell keychain for sale at a candy shop on the Boardwalk. Now, the thing I've noticed about seashells is that they can be fragile. Shells with thinner walls can easily crack or crush. So when I looked through the basket of shell keychains at the store, I made sure to pick one that not only looked interesting, but also had decently thick walls. Hopefully this will make it more durable.

This dolphin keychain came from a 'dollar store', also located on the Boardwalk. The store had a similar keychain with a sea turtle design that I was considering buying. However, the sea turtle seemed to have a rather unpleasant expression, while the dolphins looked much more cheerful. And I do have the same soft spot for dolphins that I have for turtles.

I think I was drawn to this last keychain because it's made to be three collectibles in one. First off, it's a souvenir keychain. Secondly, it's a collectable souvenir spoon. And thirdly, it can function as a bottle opener, thanks to the way the back is shaped. Not only that, but there's a 'spinner' element at the top as well.

In spite of the impressive number of keychains that I brought home, there were a few I saw that I'm wishing I'd picked up. Hoy's 5&10 had a clearance priced keychain showing the Ocean City Music Pier. The Music Pier happened to be right near the Boardwalk entrance that my friend and I always used, because it was the entrance closest to our hotel. There was also another keychain I saw at one of the Boardwalk shops that had a quote on it about how the sand and the salt water would wash away but the memories would last forever, or something like that. I really should have bought it, since I liked it so much and since it wasn't that expensive. But I was feeling guilty again for already buying so many keychains on the trip.

Of course, collectors often think about 'the ones that got away'. It's one of the factors that drives them to keep collecting. I hope that you enjoyed seeing what I got on my trip. And to any other keychain collectors out there, I wish you luck on your own collecting journeys.

Signed, Treesa