Another Great Toyline (to make you smile!)

[phil]

That is a great collection! Nice to see some old Fisher Price toys.

[ShadowAvenger]

Great collection of Little People. I had the farm and garage sets while my sister had the camper set when we were kids.

[nvmbrsdoom5]

A quick question for you, if you wouldn't mind, Grayhank......in the pic of your playsets display, the set that is in the left row second from the top....is that an A-Frame house playset? I have a vague recollection of this toy, I'm sure that I or someone I know had that set once, but I can't remember much about it! Any info on that set would be appreciated, I'm really curious to know...

[grayhank]

Yes that is the A-Frame house modeled after a "Swiss Chalet". Made 1974-1976. My set is the 1975 (2nd) release. The roof folds down to reveal the interior of the two floor house. Instead of a staircase (which was common with the other houses) it came with a ladder for the people to reach the 2nd floor. I believe it is the only set to come with bunkbeds. It has sliding "glass" doors on each side of the house and a bell hanging from the outside balcony. The vehicle that came with the set is a 4 seater Jeep. Set also included 2 lounge chairs, 2 captain chairs, BBQ Grill, Picnic Table and 2 benches. The Little people were the standard Green Dad, Blue Mom, Orange Boy and Turquoise Girl. The dog was black with yellow collar. All had Wood Bodies w/Plastic Heads. But I could merely be guessing to all of this

The Play Family A Frame House

[nvmbrsdoom5]

Cool thanks so much for the info. Seeing the pic with the set opened like that, I definitely remember playing with this now. Talk about going waaaaay back into the memory banks with this one, I was 2 in 1975 so it was probably around 2 or 3 that I had this. I'd forgotten about it completely!

What great sets these were, seriously. I can see why any young child would still today enjoy playing with this stuff.

[Megospidey]

I'm envious! I've been trying to find the Ferris Wheel on ebay lately. It's a very difficult piece to get because it has a lot of lithograph detail and fragile parts. Most of the time the lithographs are torn off or the parts are broken. Plus many sellers list the item as complete. Just because they include 4 little people with the set does NOT make it complete. It has to be the correct 4. One of which is very hard to find. So that one is proving to be challenging.

I did just get the cousin to the Ferris Wheel which is the Merry Go Round. It looks beautifully prestine, however it doesn't work. I don't know if I'm brave enough to try and take it apart to fix it.

Going from memory I thought it was 5 - but it may be four. I will take a picture of it tonight and post it.

We'll play "antique roadshow", and you can tell me if they are the correct people or not!

[grayhank]

LOL - It's 5 if you're counting the attached Ferris Wheel Operator Mad boy!

[Megospidey]

Here are some pics of the Ferris Wheel my wife bought at Canton, Texas (First Monday Trade Days) a couple of weeks ago. The little guys are all wood, not plastic. I think she paid $40 for it.






A couple more of her items. The camper set she found for $30 at a flea market. It comes with the commode, sink, and ladder. The boat was hers as a child.

[grayhank]

Ok starting with the Ferris Wheel. I'm calling it the second issue from 1967 because it looks like the Ferris Wheel Operator has a blue body. If his body were green the set would be 1st issue. Two of the people are from the first issue set. The Light Blue boy and Red Girl (you actually have two half sets of the 1st issue people because ya gots two of each). The main difference between the 1st issue and the 2nd issue people is the Light Blue Boy would be dark blue for the 2nd issue. You are however missing the green boy w/freckles and a black dog with white ears to make a complete combination. The dog is actually the first version of the little people dog - who kind of looks like a reversed Snoopy (not the type of dogs pictured a couple of posts back).

The 2nd Issue Ferris Wheel Little People:



Overall the set looks nice but is missing quite a bit of lithographs on the sides of the Ferris Wheel itself. Your "straight bodied" little people appear to be in very nice condition. They are one of the oldest styles. The cap for the Operator would be yellow assuming that's the blue bodied operator.

The Play Family Camper (1973-1976)



Truck w/Camper
Boat
Motorcycle
BBQ Grill (Red or Yellow)
Umbrella Table (Red/Yellow or Yellow/Red)
Red Table with Hot Dog Lithograph
4 Captain Chairs (2 Red/2 Yellow or 4 Red or 4 Yellow)
Sink
Toilet
Red Ladder (rarist item for complete set)

1st & 3rd Issue People (wood bodies/plastic heads)
Green Dad
Blue Mom
Yellow Boy w/Red Cap & Freckles (Smiling)
Red Girl w/Blonde Bangs
Dog w/Red Collar (blue collar in 2nd Issue set)

4th Issue has all the above (except blue collared dog) with plastic bodies/plastic heads.
__________________________________________

Play Family Happy Houseboat (1972-1976)



Boat w/Upper and Lower Deck (has blue lift flap)
1 Small "Dingy" Boat (blue/white)
2 Yellow Lounge Chairs
2 Red Captain Chairs
1 Red Table w/Lobster Lithograph
1 Yellow BBQ Grill
2 Yellow Life Presevers (Rarist items)

Little people are almost identical to Camper Set People except White Body Dad w/Blue Cap (Considered to be the very first ALL plastic little person). All the other people in the set will have wood bodies/plastic heads or all plastic bodies. Again, the dog either having a red collar or yellow collar in this set.

I'm beginning to think I should write that book after all! Just please NOBODY ask me about the School Bus, my head will probably explode!!!

[Megospidey]

Thanks! Yup, you need to write a book because we had no idea. Thanks for the great information.

[megomonkey]

I've posted this before, but....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-1s9MKDrmU

NSFW (language!!!!), but a hillarious use for these guys...

[grayhank]

I'm doing this one just for fun since it is probably the most popular favorite of all the Little People sets! My set is the 1976 version. Regardless of which version you may have, this set contains some of the hardest pieces to acquire so I will list the approximate values on those rare pieces.

The Play Family Castle (1974-1977) Reissued (1988)



3 Level Castle with turquoise flag, trapdoor, dungeon, moving staircase, drawbridge over moat, and Dragon's den. The staircase is attached but slides open to reveal hidden chamber. Most castles have scratch damage on the floor lithograph from the staircase.

1 Pink Dragon (must have intact ears - $25.00)
1 Black Horse (must have both ears & tail - $15.00)
1 Brown Horse (must have both ears & tail - $8-10)
1 Horse Carraige (Yellow/White or White/Yellow)
1 Horse Carraige Harness w/scalloped edging (Yellow or White) - Hardest piece to complete set ($15-25).
1 Horse Blanket (Yellow or White)
2 - Large Thrones (Yellow or Red)
2 - Small Thrones (Yellow or Red)
NOTE: All 4 thrones should be the same color.
1 - Round Table w/Fruit Platter Lithograph (Red or Yellow)
1 - Double Bed (Red or Yellow/Bed Foam is opposite color)
2 - Single Beds (Red or Yellow/Bed Foam is opposite color)
NOTE: The Beds and Table should be the same color. In most sets all the furniture was the same color but combinations are acceptable.
SPECIAL NOTE: Nearly every bed in every Fisher Price set used a sponge foam mattress. This foam deteriorates quickly over time. Even if you can find a bed with the original foam it will basically crumble and disolve if touched. I have replaced the foam in nearly all of my sets with a rubber foam. This is the only repro part that is generally acceptable to collectors.

Little People (all wood bodies/plastic heads except the all plastic Knight)

Dark Purple King w/crown
Dark Purple Queen w/White Hair & crown
Turquoise Boy w/crown
Turquoise Girl w/Red Bangs & Crown (*see below for Variant)
Green Woodsman w/Green Cap and Star shaped collar (* see below for Variant)
Knight (always all plastic) ($15.00)

The Castle set was reissued in 1988 as a Classic Edition. The turquoise flag was omitted. All the Little People had plastic bodies/plastic heads. Aside from a color change to the King & Queens body from Dark Purple to a much lighter Magenta, this set contains two unique Variants.

Green Woodsman w/Green Cap - Spade Shaped Hankerchief Scarf.

Turquoise Princess w/Blonde Hair with side buns (Princess Leia Type Hairstyle). (VHTF - $$) This figure is probably the most valuable of all the Plastic Body/Plastic Head Little People. If you have one I WANT IT!!!!

[grayhank]

Turquoise Princess w/Blonde Hair with side buns (Princess Leia Type Hairstyle). (VHTF - $$) This figure is probably the most valuable of all the Plastic Body/Plastic Head Little People. If you have one I WANT IT!!!!

WOOHOO!!! I was finally able to get this one today! Cost me $30.00 (Ouch!) But that's what OCD will do to a person