collectible | Amusing the Zillion

Posts Tagged ‘collectible’

Rare & Vintage: 1960s Chance Skydiver Car

Posted in Amusement ride, Artifacts, tagged carnival ride, Chance Manufacturing, Chance Rides, collectible, ride seat, Skydiver on January 21, 2013| 17 Comments »

Chance Skydiver Car. Neven + Neven Moderne, Hudson, NY

It’s sad when retired carnival rides go unsold or are broken up for parts. We can only hope the old cars find an appreciative new home. For $3,500, you can spin yourself silly in this restored Skydiver ride car being offered by Neven + Neven Moderne, an art dealer in Hudson, New York. “Has wheels (not attached), for moving. Can be mounted to spin, or can sit on wheels,” according to the item’s description.

Produced from 1965 to 1979 by Chance Manufacturing, the Skydiver was a Ferris wheel-like ride whose cars were equipped with a steering wheel that let riders do barrel rolls. It’s considered a classic by ride aficionados but very few parks and carnivals have Skydivers nowadays.

During its heyday, state fair midways featured as many as three Skydivers in a row for the flash. Coney Island had a Skydiver as well as Chance’s one and only double Skydiver, called the Tumbler. Both rides were owned and operated by the McCullough family, who had rides in Coney Island for more than 50 years.

If you want to ride, you can still find a Skydiver at Lakemont Park in Pennsylvania, Silverwood in Idaho, and at fairs played by the traveling carnivals Christiansen Amusements, Campy’s Amusements and Powers Great American Midway.

Artifact of the Day: Vintage Coffee Cup from Childs Restaurant

Posted in Artifacts, tagged Childs Restaurant, collectible, Coney Island, Shenango china on December 4, 2010| 5 Comments »

Childs Restaurant Shenango China Mug via Restaurant Ware Collectors Network

The terra cotta palace on the Boardwalk at 21st Street that was Childs Restaurant is one of Coney Island’s official New York City landmarks. Ornamented with fanciful nautical motifs of sea creatures, seashells, ships and King Neptune, the building remains a favorite of photographers, though it’s now vacant.

Since the restaurant closed more than 60 years ago, we’ve never had the pleasure of dining there. Yesterday we came across this delightful vintage coffee cup on Eater, where Greg Moribito posted “Remembering Childs, a Gem from Coney Island’s Golden Age.” His tribute features an abundance of photos, ephemera and historical info. But it was the 1930s Shenango china cup top marked “Childs” and marked on the inside with “This is ‘Beechnut’ Coffee” in script that caught our eye.

The cup must be a rarity because a web search for “Shenango China” and “Childs Restaurant” turns up mostly children’s china. Just to be clear, we’re talking about the Childs Restaurant, not the Children’s Restaurant. Here’s to a hot steaming cup of joe in a Childs cup! If you have one to spare, let us know.