The console
A reader of our blog has sent us some photos of the chess computer he dug out at his home: made in late 1980s, this was the game to play.
Check? Mate! A Chess Computer
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Tag Archives: playthings
How Much Watch? Ten Watch!
Free postcards as a marketing ploy.
In 1959, a Soviet watchmaker MashPriborInTorg had what’s now called a solid market share of all watches and clocks made in the USSR. This ugly acronym stood for Machinery and Gadget Overseas Trade, and the factory made all the famous Soviet brands of watches which could be found in every household: Polet (Flight), Slava (Glory), Raketa (Rocket), Chaika (Seagull) and more pompous names, which in reality were good sturdy reliable watches: my Granddad had his Slava for more than 20 years, and never there was a complaint! For some reason, these goofy dolls were picked to advertise the watches, and today we have found a collection of postcards picturing a good set of such dolls wearing the Soviet tributes to fine watchmaking. Enjoy!
Oleg Popov, The Sad Clown
In about six weeks this remarkable man will celebrate his 80th Birthday. Who is he? The most popular clown of the Soviet Union, also known as the Sunshine Clown, Oleg Popov is true icon of its own. Born in 1930, he had on of the toughest upbringings ever — yet he managed to become one of most recognisable people of the 20th century: he also was in Guinness Records Book for “being popular in the West and in the East”.
On top of his game. Oleg Popov in 1976.
Summer in Gorky Park, Moscow of late 1960s
We are very fortunate to have gained the access to the collection of photographs below — they have come from a private collection of Eugene Orlov, a keen photographer of 1960s, scanned by his grandson. Portrayed is a series of shots from a summer walk in the Gorky Park, an iconic family recreational venue in Moscow. Please click on the magnifying lens image for the close up and if you like it — tell your friends!
Images courtesy of Eugene Orlov. Late 1960s.
Soft Kitty, Small Kitty, Little Ball of Fur
Warm kitty, Sleepy Kitty, Purr Purr Purr.
For those of you who found the previous post a tad too serious (and we always welcome you feedback!), here’s a set of illustrations for a childrens’ book Look At These Kittens! by Georgy Karlov. Please retweet and stay tuned! Cheers
Cowardy
Enthusiastic Photography from Soviet Russia, 1950s — 1960s.
Just a very pleasant collection of photos from a private family archive. All photos were taken in 1950s — 1960s, in the streets of Yaroslavl, a small town not far from Moscow. Simple things — outdoor sports, fishing, swimming, enjoying the music or spending time with the family — these 38 photos are relishing small pleasures and bringing a smile to a face.
As always, click on the magnifying glass icon to see the photos in detail. All photos are courtesy of Sergey Kulikov, a granddad of one of our contributors. He is 86 years old now, and photography has been his hobby all along. Let us know which ones you like — or if you have photos in your family archive which you’d like to share.
Waiting for the play off.