2019 Atomic Advent Calendar Gift Ideas, Day 4

The Polaris Nuclear Sub was a bargain at only $6.98. It’s guaranteed to provide hours of imaginative play in the sturdily constructed 200 lb. test material.

Like most of the things you could buy in the back of a comic book, the Polaris Nuclear Sub was long on description, mystery, and marketing. And once delivered, usually disappointing — comes with real working torpedoes and rockets! Real periscope! Electrically lit control panel!

It’s just that the ad never mentions that it’s a play set made of cardboard and plastic parts that you need to assemble. So nobody really got to submerge to 20,000 leagues, shoot Polaris missiles for the glory of the Cold War, destroy enemy battleships, or celebrate with the Sea Monkeys among the bubbles of the deep.

2019 Atomic Advent Calendar Gift Ideas Day 3

Ideal’s exact replica of the U.S. Army’s Atomic Cannon will give you the firepower you need to blast your friends. Over 4 feet long, it comes with six soft-tipped shells for loading into the cannon complete with adjustable firing ranges. This 1958 beauty is only $7.98 ($71.06 in today’s dollars, and much cheaper than the $7.6MM to purchase a real one!).

Ideal Toy Company produced toys and dolls from 1909 to 1997, including a wide variety of military toys.

The 1958 advertisement for the Ideal M65 Atomic Cannon is sure to make you cringe.

2019 Atomic Advent Calendar Gift Ideas – Day 2

Louis Marx and Company was an American toy manufacturer from 1919-1980, but ultimately lost out to foreign manufacturing competition. Their high-end toys were common staples for catalog and department store retailers such as Sears.

This callout is from page 384 of the 1962 Sears Christmas catalog advertising a Colonial Metal House with a fallout shelter for only $5.97 ($50.87 in current dollars) to be part of Blueberry Lane in your own housing development. On other models, the fallout shelter is the garage. But there’s no need for driving when you must shelter in place. The shelter comes equipped with first aid, bedding, water, and food supplies. In addition, there’s a covered patio for watching the flash and blast.

The dollhouses produced after the 1940s were metal lithographed with plastic furniture. This set came with over 35 pieces including chairs, sofas, tables, and beds. For the fallout shelter, the plastic furniture included a cabinet sink and folded cots. You could move the patio chairs and table in for added comfort. The fallout shelter version was only briefly produced during the early 1960s. This version is now a collector’s dream.