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The sequel to the Superman’s Superheroes Stick Story

12/4/2012

34 Comments

 
PictureSuperman's Superheroes lolly sticks - the complete set
Following on from my Lolly stick psychology article, I am delighted to be able to post this update. As a result of my earlier plea to fellow nostalgiaists (I made that word up); reader Crispin Lowrey, has come up trumps. Crispin has a full set of the Superman Superheroes lolly sticks and has sent me a new annotated image of his collection.

Crispin found his collection in his loft and wrote to me; here is what he had to say:

“Just trying to help as your blog on these was helpful to me in confirming I had a set & all the other information was a fun read. It all brought back many happy memories of walking to the corner shop with my Mum & Dad to get a lolly & hoping I would eventually get the full set without losing all my teeth! I don't remember anything like them at the time or since!

” I'm contemplating making a mini display for them!”

I am delighted to be able to publish the image Crispin sent to me, I hope you like it. I have already confessed my envy to him and in due course I may even be able to publish the display that he creates (although he has admitted that he may face a challenge from his girlfriend in putting something on the wall). Crispin, I can empathise, the wonderful Mrs Baldwin would side with your good lady. Good luck with your negotiations.

Finally, something that is satisfying is that Crispin has taken the time to read my post and then in turn made some time to write and create/send an image. This exchange of notes between complete strangers is something that wouldn't be possible without the internet and search engines like Google. This is evidence of the social value of the world wide web.

Interestingly this thread and the Hi-Tec Tecs story have resulted in more exchanges with more people than any other subjects I have written about.  Who'd have thought that?

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Other posts from this thread
19/03/2019 Lolly Legacy
11/03/2019 Lyons Maid Superman’s Superheroes Lolly Sticks in Colour
10/03/2019 Lolly Stick Happiness
15/02/2017 http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/first-class-ice-lolly-cool-cornwall-catwoman
25/02/2015 http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/fantastic-plastic-perranporth-find
2012 Lolly Stick Psychology

Picture

​21st September 2016 - Update

Following on from content above, Crispin got in touch again, this time to share his properly mounted and displayed collection of lolly sticks. The frame looks great don't you think? I so want one for my wall. Ade 

10/03/2019 - The latest post in the saga - Lolly Stick Happiness
34 Comments
Mark
11/20/2013 10:51:45 pm

One of my earliest memories is holding an Aquaman lolly stick during a cinema visit in the late 70s. Now I know. Thanks so much :)

Reply
Brian
12/22/2015 02:47:10 pm

Great website well done! I have fond memories of eating lots of Cola Lyons maid lollies trying to get the set while on holiday at Butlins. Once our money ran out me and my brother would scourer the pavements trying to find more sticks. Would love to get hold of some of these sticks but they never appear on ebay.

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Adrian link
12/23/2015 11:47:08 am

Hi Brian,
Nice to hear from you, thanks for your feedback, glad you liked the post. Did you read this piece by any chance?

http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/fantastic-plastic-perranporth-find

They never appear on ebay but might just get washed up on a beach somewhere.

Best wishes for Christmas.

Kind regards,

Adrian

Reply
Mat
9/27/2016 11:38:01 pm

These made an indelible impact on me as a 3-4yo. My stepfather was stationed at Bentwaters east of Ipswich in the 70s; my experiences w the ice cream van are highly cherished. I *must* have at least one stick!

Reply
Adrian
9/28/2016 12:24:57 am

Hi Mat,
Thanks for getting in touch. I am glad you found the post and made the time to interact. Good luck with finding your stick (hopefully sticks). I haven't managed to get my hands on any since I started this sequence of posts...but one day!

There is always hope.

Best regards,
Ade

Reply
Stevie T
1/10/2018 03:28:34 pm

I always remember that a lot of the time the feet would stick out from the bottom of the cola lolly so you could tell with a few of them which character it was (especially the Joker with his stripy trousers and The Penguin with the umbrella tip. I used to have all 12 sticks, threw them away and have since been collecting them on eBay when they rarely come up. I now have them all all bar the Riddler (sob sob - why did I throw them away?)

Reply
Adrian link
1/14/2018 02:21:02 am

Hi Stevie,
Thanks for getting in touch and sharing your memories. Good luck with finding the Riddler. I have never seen a single stick for sale on ebay. Obviously I have just never looked at the right time, As a matter of interest, what do you have to pay for a stick? Since your note, I have updated the links in the piece to include other related articles.

Did you read this post?

http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/first-class-ice-lolly-cool-cornwall-catwoman

Mad that all these years later the sticks are turning up on the sea shore. Get yourself to Cornwall, you never know, you might get lucky.

Best regards Adrian

Reply
Stevie T
1/14/2018 02:49:18 am

How cool that these sticks are washing up on beaches. I wonder where they have been all this time? I picked up a few on eBay for less than 5 pounds each (these were auction and different low prices) the later ones were a bit more expensive from memory (they were fixed price at about 10 pounds.

You are correct though they rarely come up. Given the amount of Lyons Maid picture cards that come up on eBay I would have thought they would also come up regularly but alas not :(

John Williams
2/5/2019 02:34:33 am

Hopefully this message finds you well. If anyone is still interested in Superman ice lolly sticks I've a number of them. Sadly I'm missing Robin from the set. If anyone has one they want to swap I have spares of all the others!
I have a Riddler for Stevie if he has Robin!
Best Regards

JohnW

Reply
Matt
3/2/2019 07:14:17 am

John! I’d love a Superman! How to make it happen?

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John Williams
3/2/2019 01:16:10 pm

If you have a Robin I'd be happy to swap it for a Superman.

Best regards

John

Matt
3/2/2019 01:17:32 pm

I don’t have a single one. But I would be happy to buy one if your Superman sticks from you

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Matt
3/7/2019 01:32:12 pm

John- Was it something I said? If so, I’m sorry.

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Tim D
3/2/2019 06:14:59 am

John, if you don't hear back I'm also in need of a Riddler to complete my set (kept since childhood) and have a Robin to spare.

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John Williams
3/2/2019 01:14:51 pm

Hi Tim
Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I'm more than happy to swap a Riddler stick for a Robin. Let me know where to post it to.

Best regards

John

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Tim D
3/2/2019 03:41:44 pm

That's great - after 40 years this'll finally complete my set! Please drop me an email to tim.drummond@talktalk.net
Thanks

Mat
3/3/2019 12:13:55 pm

John- I would really like to buy one of your extra superman popsicle sticks from you. Would this be possible?

Adrian Baldwin link
3/3/2019 11:39:37 am

Tim/John,

I am delighted that you have managed to complete your collections and that my site facilitated the exchanges that enabled it. If either of you have spares, why not send them in my direction so that I can get a collection off the ground and share in the excitement.

Best,

Adrian

Reply
tim Drummond
3/7/2019 11:04:32 am

Thanks Adrain for your interesting blog on these and other 70s classics.

I found a lone Robin lolly stick amongst a box of random stuff last weekend at a toy fair and it prompted me to dig out my old collection of 40 years in the hope it was the missing character I needed...unfortunately not! It brought me here instead and by chance someone recently in a similar situation and a possible swop. Sorry I've no others in reserve - I've not heard back from John as yet so if swopzzies doesn't transpire he's all yours. If it does thanks for providing the means and I'll keep my eyes peeled for more.

I also found a footballer from a similar set from the time, which I vaguely recall but having no interest in the sport never bought. These plastic sticks were quite a novelty at the time, a luxury compared to the wooden type with poorly printed jokes that rarely offered both the joke and its punchline.

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John Williams
3/7/2019 01:48:46 pm

Hi Tim

I sent you an e-mail (it might be in your junk folder!) saying let me know your address and I'll pop it in the post to you and you can send me the Robin stick when you get it.


Best John

John Williams
3/7/2019 01:59:02 pm

Hi Tim

With regard to your footballer stick it was from a Lyons Maid Ice Lolly called Goal which was endorsed by Kevin Keegan. They were used as playing pieces for a 5 a side soccer game.

It was launched the year before the Superman Ice Lolly.


Best

John

Adrian Baldwin link
3/8/2019 12:44:58 am

Hi Tim/John

Let's get those superhero sets completed.

Both, you now have each others email addresses. Please sent me photos when your sets are complete and I'll write another post.

Best regards,

Adrian

John Williams
3/7/2019 01:53:34 pm

Hi Adrian

I have 4 spares that you can have to start your collection! They are:
The Joker, Cat Woman, Doctor Destiny and The Flash.

Let me know where to send them.

Best regards


John

Reply
Matt
3/7/2019 01:59:31 pm

John- do you have an extra stick I can have? I can PayPal you. Thanks

Adrian Baldwin link
3/8/2019 12:39:59 am

Hi John,

Just catching up on my blog, have seen the offer of having your spares which is very much appreciated and I'd definitely like them.

Re Tim's comments, are you okay if I send him your email address? I am excited for you both that you will get to complete your collections.

John/Tim Why not send me a photo of your sets when you are done and I'll write another post/update.

Best regards,

Adrian

John Williams
3/7/2019 02:04:00 pm

Matt

I'll have a look around and see what I can find. Was it just The Superman one you wanted or will any others do?

John

Reply
Mat
3/7/2019 02:07:22 pm

I definitely hoped for a Superman but I’d take what I can get!

Reply
Adrian Baldwin link
3/10/2019 11:53:50 am

Hi Everyone,

Hope you like the latest post in the saga -

https://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/lolly-stick-happiness

Best regards,

Adrian

Reply
Adrian Baldwin link
3/19/2019 01:47:24 pm

Latest post in the thread -

https://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/lolly-legacy

Reply
Bob
4/10/2019 09:02:50 am

Wow just noticed this. Collected when i was a kid. My dad was in the military and this was one of the things i looked forward to getting. I remember always listening for the ice cream truck when i came in the area. Sticks are long gone thanks to mom throwing away. Would love to find some again. Seem to be impossible to find.

Reply
Adrian Baldwin link
4/10/2019 10:19:54 am

Hi Bob,
I am glad that you came across my site and found the posts interesting. Thanks for taking the time to get in touch and share your memories. Unfortunately the sticks are hard to find and there won't be many folk out there with complete sets. Aside from Crispin, John, Tim and most recently me, no one else has been in touch to state that they have a set too. Good luck in your quest to find some. Best regards, Adrian

Reply
Emperor
6/13/2021 11:58:20 am

I'm just on the final week of packing up the family home of 44 years and found a bag at the bottom of a drawer that contained all sorts of Superman, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and Black Hole cards (with a couple of Star Wars ones, the last of a once hefty collection now, apparently, long gone). In amongst the dregs at the bottom of the bag, mixed in with tea and Weetabix cards, was one lonely Robin lolly stick. It sparked vague memories and, after consulting with an old friend, we both simultaneously stumbled across the first post in your seven year saga - it's been emotional.

I'll now hold on to the lolly stick and fully expect my niece or nephew will find it amongst my "treasures" in decades hence once I've kicked the bucket (I should really get rid of that bucket - no point in tempting fate). Unless someone out there is missing a Robin to complete their set and I'll happily donate it to a good home where I know it'll be appreciated.

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Emperor
6/13/2021 12:04:13 pm

I thought I'd just check eBay to see if anything was listed. At the time of writing there is only one item up for sale - a complete set for £295! Blimey:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233545004170

Reply
Adrian Baldwin link
6/14/2021 03:06:04 am

Hi Mighty Emperor,

Thanks ever so much for getting in touch. I moved house four and a half years ago and it was the most stressful thing since my children were born – I still have flashbacks about the packing. I wrote about moving at the time – here are a few other posts that might make you smile.

https://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/moving-mortality-epiphany

https://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/cardboard-and-bubble-wrap-desires

I am genuinely amazed and pleased that you made the time to write to me in what must be a pretty chaotic period. I just hope that it’s your own home that you are packing up rather than that of your parents for example – it would be a shame if sadness compounds the stress.

Finding long lost treasure though is at least some payback for the hours spent preparing the move - discovering Robin and the remnants of your card collection clearly created some excitement.

Thanks for tracking me down and joining the dialogue (now, amazingly, nine years of it) about the lolly sticks; they are the funniest little things, but they do seem to generate emotion, enthusiasm and nostalgia. Back in 2012, I wondered if it was just me – it turned out that it wasn’t.

Re your ebay discovery, £295 for a set feels like a lot of money – you’d have to really want the collection to spend that much. I wouldn’t have been able to justify that kind of expense back when I started writing about these things. The vendor is selling individual sticks for £27.99 each, which bizarrely makes the full set seem like better value.

But, the pleasure engaging in all the dialogue and acquiring my own
set has been worth more than £295 to me, so maybe a buyer won’t feel too exploited if they take the plunge. And getting the whole set in one go would save years of searching for individual sticks.

Good luck with the rest of the move.

Kind regards,

Adrian

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