What happened the day after The Beatles' Ed Sullivan Show debut? All the young lads across America met their buddies at lunch and excitedly talked about learning to play guitar! Where could they learn chords? Where do they find such instruments? Coincidently, their own 'Beatles Guitar' was already in the works! Mastro Industries manufactured five different Beatles guitars/ukuleles - plus variations and display models in the U.S. in the Sixties (the Selcol company produced sev

"I'm looking through you…" Not with this item. Celebrate the moptops as you neatly tend to your style! No wonder it takes you so long to start your day. How can you be expected to be prompt when you constantly gaze into your Beatles mirror and dream of the Fab Four? Manufactured by Bassett Mirror Company, 1290 Philpott Drive, Bassett, Virginia, this rare mirror measured 15"x 21" housed in an 18"x32" wood frame and embellished with four 3¼"x3½" color photos of the Beatles alon

On December 23, 1963, Paul Russell, National Album Merchandising Manager for Capitol Records, sent out a memo for sales managers and regional managers. He outlined the promotional aspect of the initial "Beatles Campaign" idea. One part of the campaign was the distribution of Beatles' "booster buttons." Capitol Records had authorized Kenmar Sales Inc. out of Los Angeles to manufacture these buttons, using a design from Snapix, another button manufacturer out of Hollywood, CA.

As you are bound for your friend's house on your bicycle to listen to the latest Beatles record, you gaze at the flags attached to your handlebars, watching the Fab Four wave and flap in the breeze as you zoom down the road. What a beautiful Beatle-filled moment you'll never forget! Those items flapping in the wind were a set of five, 6"x4" white plastic flags that attached to bicycle handlebars. One flag had "The Beatles" printed on it in dark blue ink, and the other four w

Whoa, dude! If you needed to catch some rays and hang ten with the lads, a Beatle skateboard was your item of choice. Surf Skater Company, Incorporated., 39th and Killam Avenue, in Norfolk, Virginia, manufactured a skateboard - the employees probably tested the boards in the street while on break! Isaac Glazer founded the Surf Skater Company. Glazer was a member of the Army's first Special Service Forces and a decorated World War II veteran, participating in the D-Day invasio

Every "paperback writer" could safely secure essential manuscripts and homework in the official Beatles Binder! Fans could now collect and save the lyrics and sheet music for their favorite Fab Four songs in one place! Students could carry notes about the band to school and daydream of the Fabs instead of the football team star! Standard Plastic Products (SPP), 450 Oak Tree Avenue, South Plainfield, New Jersey, received their merchandise license in late February of 1964 as a

How does a girl keep her "coif" neat while taking a spin in her boyfriend's convertible? Wrap it with a Beatles Scarf, and all will be well, especially since it advertised "for the girls to wear on their heads or around their necks." One style came as a square silk-type scarf measuring 26½" x26½" (66cm) and licensed with NEMS Ent. Ltd. The scarf fabric was white, with vivid colors of yellow, blue, red, and black. One corner of the material had silk-screened repeating image pa

Perhaps the inspiration for The Beatles rubber ball came from the Sixties band, the Cyrkle, and their hit song “Red Rubber Ball.” The group was not only discovered and represented by Beatles manager Brian Epstein, but the one and only John Lennon created the band spelling. All the kids on the playground wanted to play Four Square with the item most requested – the official Beatles rubber ball. Manufactured in the U.S., the inflatable rubber ball was 9” in diameter and availa

In 1965, the Colgate-Palmolive Company made the Beatles Soaky Doll Bubble Bath items. The company only made a Ringo and Paul piece, saying their market research had these two as the most popular Beatles in the U.S. at that time. Not sure how long the Beatle-craze would last; they only manufactured these two in case the fad slowed down. This memorabilia piece was only one of two items (out of 150) that had television commercials made about them (the Inflatable Doll being the o

Beatles-themed musical instruments became hot ticket items to manufacture in the mid-1960s. One piece that went into production was the banjo. It seemed to be a stretch in keeping with the theme since the band did not feature that musical instrument. However, it did have a legendary connection to John Lennon, as his mother, Julia, taught him to play Buddy Holly's classic, That'll Be The Day, on her banjo. This appreciation of a stringed instrument carried his fascination

We want to preserve the valuable stories about the historic merchandise which has already started to disappear. We continue researching those cool and wacky Beatles dimensional items in the US from 1964-66 featured in the book, including examining the companies and people connected to the items and researching topical, intriguing stories, and more. Uncovering exciting things about this wonderful, magical world of 1st generation Fab Four items helps fuel the mania by keeping

No party was complete in the mid-1960s without the ultimate party favor. Watch the faces light up with delight as the Fab Four float longingly overhead and canapés at your ravishing fete. The Beatles latex balloons were manufactured by United Industries Incorporated, out of Southington, Connecticut. Designed in various colors - including red/pink, blue, yellow, white, green, and orange - it had a black and white band's image printed on it. The balloons were available in a

What pupil wouldn't appreciate tracking their school assignments with HELP! from The Beatles? You heard that right! Take your eyes out of your history book for a moment, lift your wooden desktop, prop the lid open, and reach in for your shiny notebook-style assignment book. Even the teachers who "weren't cool" would welcome the cutting-edge, trendsetting assignment book into their classrooms! Manufactured by Select-O-Pak, this vinyl-covered daily record came with the ever-imp

What passionate Beatles fan wouldn't want to cook with the lads? Well, this was your chance to enjoy the Fab Four in the kitchen! The white, paper-like, fiber-layered apron allowed the fan to prepare delicious meals to their Beatle-heart desires. The apron was offered in one standard size, 16" wide x 30" in length, and was secured with drawstrings around the back and flaunted strategically placed reinforced stitching. The appeal of the apron was, of course, the repeating prin