Welcome back to another Disney Stuff. Thanks for all of your feedback and responses regarding my last Stuff article, “Robert’s Stuff.” That article meant a lot to me and my wife and Robert’s wife Paula. It really was a fine way of remembering my dear friend as we come to terms with the fact that he’s already been gone for a year. Remembering Robert is remembering all of his stuff. It’s hard to separate the man from his stuff, especially Rob. He had a ton of cool stuff and loved sharing it with his friends.
When I sat down to write this next Disney Stuff article, my thoughts were still with him. After touring through Robert’s house looking through all of his great collections, I was touched by the things he had on display that I had gotten for him, and things we had found together while junk shopping. When I came home that day I looked around the house and began to remember all of the great Disney things that Robert had given to me and how having them on display and in my life will always keep him around and in my thoughts.
So, here are all the great pieces of Disney Stuff that my dear friend Robert has gotten for me over the years. They are all little pieces of him and I cherish them all.
Rob’s favorite was Jiminy Cricket and I have this Jiminy figurine from Walt Disney World that he got for me on display in our bedroom. My wife’s favorite, Tinker Bell, is nearby as well as a non-Disney favorite of all of ours, Sniffles the Mouse. (Please tell me you all remember Sniffles? My vote for most underrated animated character of all time.)
The Rainbow Connection pin. Photo by Chris Barry.
…and a set of Muppet shot glasses. Forgive me, in Disney they’re referred to as toothpick holders.
Remember, they’re toothpick holders not shot glasses. Photo by Chris Barry.
I always thought this was a curious little find. It’s a set of The Art of Disney Romance stamps cancelled on the first day of issue in Orlando. This series was first issued at Walt Disney World to help kick off the 2006 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.
The Art of Disney Romance Stamp Series. Photo by Chris Barry.
Something that always amazed me about Robert was the fact that he had all of his original G.I. Joes from his childhood still in their original boxes. They’re all in perfect shape and I’m sure worth a small fortune. One of my favorite birthday presents of all time was this Mission Space G.I. Joe. I promise Rob, I’ll always keep him in the box!
A real American hero. Photo by Chris Barry.
This next piece was a real surprise. Rob and I always liked to reminisce about cartoons from our childhood. This Speed Racer car was from the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Epcot’s Japan pavilion. This was years before the recent film adaptation, so I hadn’t seen a toy like this before.
Go, Speed Racer, go! Photo by Chris Barry.
One of the last gifts Robert gave me was this wonderful Jim Shore Jiminy Cricket, always reminding me to let my conscience be my guide.
A hand-painted Jim Shore Jiminy. Photo by Chris Barry.
There are many more little things on my shelves that are from Robert. I could write several articles about all of the New York World’s Fair stuff that we each accumulated both together and separately. How about the Beatles bubble gum cards I would always try and buy at the various antique shows that we would always seem to find ourselves in? Whether vintage cameras, or Matchbox cars, or all of the great Disney memorabilia that we collected and shared with each other, all of this stuff will always remind me of my friend and always brings a smile across my weary face.
After Robert passed and his wife, our dearest friend Paula, was going through his things, she pulled out something of his that she thought I would like to have. Robert worked for News 12, a local news network here in New York. We were in the same business and worked for the same parent company for several years. This was his News 12 denim jacket that so smartly sports a Walt Disney World patch sewn over the News 12 logo. A fitting statement from a guy that let the fun in his life take precedent over everything else. I’ll wear it with pride. It’s definitely one of my all-time favorite pieces of Disney Stuff.
A former News 12 jacket. Now, much more magical. Photo by Chris Barry.
Thanks for reading and for helping me to remember my dear friend. I’ll see you next time with some more of that great Disney Stuff.
