Kenner Farewell Party Invitation

Posted on December 5, 2013 by John Wooten

Kenner Employee Farewell Invitation

In 2000, Kenner’s Cincinnati office was set to close and for all intents and purposes, the Kenner we all knew for decades was disappearing into Hasbro, Inc.  Some employees were set to retire, some were to go to Rhode Island to work at Hasbro headquarters and others to new opportunities.

On Saturday, December 2, 2000, the Kenner Employee’s Social Club threw a farewell celebration for all employees and their families to share good times and enjoy each other’s company as a group one last time.  This is an invitation to that party.

At the party, employees and their families enjoyed dinner, music and dancing.  There were stories, contests, videos such as the previously mentioned “Sentimental Journey” and more as Kenner was celebrated by all.

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Kenner’s Daddy Saddle Has Been Found!

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Gooney Bird

Kenner Daddy Saddle Box

After many years of searching, I am happy to say that the Kenner Daddy Saddle is now proudly on display with the rest of my Kenner collection.  If you remember back, I wrote about the Daddy Saddle’s 1965 Toy Fair catalog entry here and put the word out that it was at the top of my most wanted list.  I have been actively looking for one for years, and considered it to be a holy grail of sorts for my collection.  I didn’t think I would ever see one pop up for sale, and even had my doubts that it was ever made by Kenner.

Well, lucky for me an awesome visitor to our site wrote in to let me know he had one and was willing to sell it.  We exchanged a few emails and worked out all the details of the transaction.  It couldn’t have went any smoother.  Finally I was left with anticipation and nervously hoping that the toy would arrive in just as good of condition as it was in the pictures he showed me.  Good news is that it arrived safely and I couldn’t be happier with it!

Here is the 1965 Kenner Toy Fair catalog page again:

1965 Kenner Toy Fair Catalog Daddy Saddle

 

Here are some additional pictures of the Daddy Saddle box:

Below are some pictures of the saddle itself.  It’s described as having “AUTHENTIC WESTERN TOOLING AND DESIGN – MADE OF SOFT, CUSHIONING KENNERFLEX MATERIAL WITH A TOUGH, WASHABLE VINYL COATING – FITS DADS OF ALL SIZES – ADJUSTABLE CINCH AND STIRRUP STRAPS INSURE FIT’

The saddle was found in the box with a leather belt and metal belt buckle attached to it.  These are not original parts, but rather something that was probably added on by a parent at some point.  I’ll keep the belt with it though since it’s such a fun match for it.  To give you an idea of scale on it, the box measures 15.5″ wide x 11″ tall x 7.5” deep.

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Kenner Original Art Concept Board for Unproduced The Joker Van

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Gooney Bird

Kenner Super Powers Joker Van

This is an original art concept board for Kenner’s unproduced Joker’s Van toy.  The concept board is believed to have been used to pitch a “The Joker” toy line.  The Joker line may have been pitched as a stand alone spin off of Kenner’s Super Powers toy line, or possibly as a companion line to Super Powers.  Either way, it’s always nice to get a glimpse of what might have been.

The original art was created using a combination of marker, pen, and air brushing.  The overall board measures 18″ wide x 15″ high.

Here are some close-up shots showing the amount of detail that went into these kinds of product line pitches.

Kenner Super Powers Joker Van

Kenner Super Powers Joker Van

 

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Kenner Employee Softball Jacket

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Gooney Bird

This is a Kenner employee softball jacket.  The athletic style jacket is a teal colored satin with black and white stripes around the neck, wrists, and bottom of the jacket.  The back features a large black Kenner logo outlined in white.  Each letter is individually sewn to the jacket.

The front of the button-down jacket has a black number 23 on the right hand side also individually sewn to the jacket.  The name Jeffery is stitched onto the left hand side in white thread.  The left sleeve has an embroidered Gooney Bird logo in black thread.

We’re always looking to add new items to our collection.  If you have any internal employee items you would like sell or feature on the site, just let us know!

 

 

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Kenner Tour of Cincinnati – Kenner Street

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Gooney Bird

Kenner Street Sign Cincinnati, Ohio

This is the first of several posts that will take a look at some of the different Kenner related locations around the Cincinnati, Ohio area.  Once we are finished with all the posts, we will combine them into one permanent Kenner Tour of Cincinnati feature.

The obvious place to begin our Kenner tour of the city is the location where it all started, on Kenner Street.  The Steiner brothers (Albert, Philip and Joseph) were already working together as partners in a soap company and a beverage/novelty company in the 1930’s on Kenner Street.  It wasn’t until around 1946 that the Steiner brothers began focusing their talents on toys and formed Kenner Products.

While it’s common knowledge that the Kenner toy company we all know and love got it’s name from the street it started on, there’s more to the story.  According to a personal account from one of our readers, his grandfather worked closely with the Steiner brothers as one of their key vendors.  His grandfather was a commercial artist and designed nearly all of the boxes, instructions, print advertisements, product graphics and other printed items for Kenner from the company’s beginning through the 1960s.  His grandfather also served as a key adviser on design and production of some of the toys themselves.

Here is a great story he shared with us about how the Kenner name came to be:

“While the name Kenner is generally known to have come from the street on which the business was located, the particulars of the naming process were explained by my grandfather as follows.  Packages containing artwork were messengered back-and-forth between my grandfather’s studio, located in downtown Cincinnati, and the Steiner’s offices, located in a building on Kenner Street.  As the volume of deliveries increased, and messengers became familiar with the intended destination, the address on the packages shrank from the full name and address of the recipient (“Cincinnati Soap Company, #301, 1022 Kenner St.”), to abbreviated versions, and finally, just Kenner.”

Kenner also utilized a warehouse at 1220 Kenner Street up until 1981, when they signed the building over to the City of Cincinnati.  The warehouse was originally known as the American Oak Leather Building, and was built in 1881 with several other additions added over the years.  The warehouse can be seen on this Kenner internal company map from 1973:

Kenner Locations Map 1973

Kenner Street 1973 American Oak Leather Building

Here are pictures of the warehouse in 1979 taken by photographer Robert Keller:

Kenner Street 1979 American Oak Leather Building

Kenner Street 1979 American Oak Leather Building

Kenner Street 1979 American Oak Leather Building

Kenner Street 1979 American Oak Leather Building

Kenner street is located just to the North of Cincinnati’s Union Terminal, or as Super Powers collectors like to call it, The Hall of Justice.

View Map

Here are some additional recent shots of Kenner Street:

Kenner Street Sign Cincinnati, Ohio

Kenner Street Sign Cincinnati, Ohio

Kenner Street Sign Cincinnati, Ohio

Hope you enjoyed a look at our first stop on the tour around Kenner’s Cincinnati locations!  Keep checking back for more.

Part two of the tour can be found here!

 

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2013 Cincinnati Toymakers Holiday Gift Guide

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Gooney Bird

 

Looking for a gift this holiday season for that Kenner fan on your list? Get them something with a connection to the Cincinnati area. Michelle Spelman, founder of the Cincinnati Game & Toy Industry Professionals, has put together a slideshow highlighting over 70 products with a greater Cincinnati area connection.

The slideshow features plenty of toys, books, and other gift ideas to choose from. There are also a lot of great Kenner related historical facts to check out.

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Light Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake® Oven Book Available November 4th

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Gooney Bird

Light Bulb Baking Book KennerCollectorIf you are looking for a gift this holiday season for that hard to buy for Kenner fan on your list, I have just the book for you.  Light Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake® Oven is a new book by author and toy historian Todd Coopee, and it is full of images and history about our beloved toy company.

This hardback book may be the definitive history of the Easy Bake Oven, but to Kenner fans, it’s much more.  The book not only digs deep into the rich history of the toy company, but it also gives fans a rarely seen look inside the toy creation process.

If you need any more convincing that this book is a must buy for any Kenner fan, check out this excerpt from the official press release:

The book explores the innovation, history, economics, commerce, advertising, and marketing that led to the Easy-Bake® Oven becoming one of the most popular toys in the world. Cincinnati landmarks including the original Kenner headquarters on Kenner Street, the Kroger Building and The Oakley Commerce Building are highlighted in the book.

Drool right?  Here is a special sneak peek of some of the pages in the book:

Light Bulb Baking Book KennerCollector

Light Bulb Baking Book KennerCollector

Light Bulb Baking Book KennerCollector

Light Bulb Baking Book KennerCollector

Light Bulb Baking Book KennerCollector

Light Bulb Baking Book KennerCollector

Light Bulb Baking Book KennerCollector

Here is the full press release:

City of Cincinnati and Kenner Products Featured in New Book Celebrating 50th Birthday of the Easy-Bake® Oven

Retrospective pays tribute to Cincinnati’s role as incubator to world-class toy manufacturer, Kenner® Products

October 28, 2013—Ottawa, Ontario, Canada—A new definitive history of the Easy-Bake® Oven has been released in time to celebrate the iconic toy’s 50th birthday. The city of Cincinnati and one of its great business success stories—Kenner® Products—is prominently featured in the book, Light Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake® Oven. First launched in 1963 by Cincinnati’s own Kenner® Products, the Easy-Bake® Oven was an immediate hit, selling all half-million pieces the company produced, and tripling sales the next year.

Authored by toy historian, Todd Coopee, Light Bulb Baking is a richly photographed and researched homage to the toy. The book explores the innovation, history, economics, commerce, advertising, and marketing that led to the Easy-Bake® Oven becoming one of the most popular toys in the world. Cincinnati landmarks including the original Kenner headquarters on Kenner Street, the Kroger Building and The Oakley Commerce Building are highlighted in the book.

Coopee undertook extensive research for Light Bulb Baking, including interviewing members of Cincinnati’s Steiner family, founders of Kenner® Products. “Kenner Products was critical in the revitalization of a post-World War II Cincinnati”, says Todd. “Cincinnati was, and still is, a hot-spot for creative people and a very innovative city. This is a story of the birth and evolution of a new popular culture in America.”

The book traces the toy oven’s history from the genesis of the idea at Kenner® Products, through numerous design and technology updates, marketing strategies, and acquisitions to its current life at Hasbro®.

An ideal gift for toy collectors and nostalgic bakers, Light Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake® Oven will be available November 4 at online retailers such as amazon.com, amazon.ca, and barnesandnoble.com as well as the book’s companion website: lightbulbbaking.com.
Author Todd Coopee is available for media interviews.

Media Inquiries
Joanna Hauser
Kaszas Marketing
+1 (613) 741-9484 ext. 104
jhauser@kaszas.ca

Here are links to purchase the book on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.  Also visit the official site for the book at LightBulbBaking.com.

If you are in the area, be sure to stop by for the book launch and signing event!
Meet Ottawa author, Todd Coopee
Monday, November 4, 2013
5:30 – 8:00 PM  (book signing at 6:30 PM)
Art Is In Bakery – 250 City Centre Avenue, Bay 112, Ottawa

 

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Cool & Collected Magazine Meets Kickstarter Funding Goal

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Gooney Bird

Cool & Collected Magazine Kickstarter Funded

Cool & Collected – the magazine for pop culture collectors, has met it’s Kickstarter funding goal.  We are getting a new toy collecting magazine on the news stands!

KennerCollector.com is proud to be on board as an  advertiser, and we can’t wait to see all of the great things this magazine has to offer.  Just because they have met their initial goal, doesn’t mean additional funds aren’t still needed.  Brian Adams, the man behind this ambitious project, updated the Kickstarter today with  the great news:

A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Kickstarter campaign so far. With  a week to go, we have achieved our funding goal of $6,000 and we’re going to make a magazine!

Just because our goal has been met, doesn’t mean we’re through. Any additional funds raised will be used to make the magazine even better, and help to cover the expenses of future issues. The huge amount of support we have seen so far has solidified the fact that this publication has a strong audience just waiting to receive it, and we’re going to do everything possible to exceed your expectations.

Thanks again, everyone!

Please consider throwing your support behind the project!

 

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Kenner Creates a Controversy with their Savage Mondo Blitzers Toy Line

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Gooney Bird

Kenner Savage Mondo Blitzers group shot

In 1992, Kenner had a bit of a controversy on their hands.  Their Savage Mondo Blitzers toy line was doing exactly what they had hoped it would do -offend parents, teachers, and pretty much any other adult who came across a kid playing with them.

The 1.5 inch tall Savage Mondo Blitzers were small plastic figures mounted onto a four wheeled metal skateboard type base.  They were marketed toward boys and featured all of the gross, violent, offensive attributes boys tend to gravitate towards.  Think Garbage Pail Kids on wheels, but with more knifes, guns and bombs.

Kenner Savage Mondo Blitzers Gun Runner

With designs like Gun Runner, shown above, the toys certainly got the attention of many adults.  Early in 1992, teachers in Loveland, Ohio became one of the first groups to become outspoken in their opposition to the toys, and they even called for a boycott on all Kenner toys:

Teachers grossed out by new toy line
Times-News, February 28, 1992

After initially telling the teachers to lighten up, Kenner started seeing that the news was being picked up by newspapers all over the country.  Kenner decided to try and appease the complaints by changing some of the names:

Kenner says it will change toy names to which consumers objected
AP News – March 3, 1992

The compromising name change is too little and too late for the group of parents and teachers in Loveland, OH.  At this point, their protest was rolling along at full speed and they even started officially calling themselves CAMP (Citizens Against Mind Polluters)!

Parent group urges Kenner toy boycott
The Vindicator – March 20, 1992

In October of 1992, Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Jim Borgman jumped into the fray with this cartoon published in Cincinnati Magazine:

Kenner Jim Borgman Savage Mondo Blitzers Oct 1992

By the end of 1992, Kenner’s little wheeled controversy magnets had been beaten down and ultimately discontinued:

Kenner brings back favorites for this year’s holiday sales
Sun Journal – November 20, 1992

The Savage Mondo Blitzers appeared in the 1992 Kenner Toy Fair catalog:

Kenner Savage Mondo Blitzers Toy Fair 1992

Kenner Savage Mondo Blitzers Toy Fair 1992

 

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Offscreen, but Not Forgotten: Mini-Rigs, Body-Rigs, and Other Kenner Vehicles

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Gooney Bird

Kenner Mini Rig ISP-6 KennerCollector

The official Star Wars Blog has a post up about the Kenner toys that were developed based on the idea that vehicles could have been a part of the Star Wars universe, but maybe operating just offscreen.   These vehicles were created as a way to expand the Star Wars product line and to do it at a lower price point.

Kenner’s practice of creating these offscreen toys began with the Imperial Troop Transport in a Star Wars logo package, and continued all the way through the life of the toy line with vehicles like the Power of the Force Imperial Sniper Body-Rig, and the Droids Side Gunner.

Kenner Sand Skimmer KennerCollector

Click here to check out the whole story!

Images property of the official Star Wars Blog.

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