Art Pickles and his whistling yo-yo

Who today remembers world yo-yo champion Art Pickles who endorsed and recommended a breakthrough in yo-yo technnology - the first whistling yo-yo? I do for a kick-off, thanks to one of the best Christmas presents I received this year -  the best of the Eagle comic in the 1950s.

The book features an amazing array of adverts from the '50s including the unique whistling yo-yo (reduced from 3/- to 1/6d and personally autographed by Art) which was available when you bought Outspan oranges - although the connection between oranges and yo-yos escapes me. There was a coupon so maybe, in order to receive your whistling yo-yo, you had to send that in with some orange peel.

You could also buy Dan Dare raincoats (Dan was the pilot of the future for those of you who didn't know). These guaranteed that you would "look smart and keep warm all year round". One thing puzzles me. If Dan Dare was zooming around outer space why did he need a "Cravanette-proofed" gaberdine raincoat? Does it rain on Mars?

Dedicated followers of fashion could complement their raincoat with a Dan Dare tie. In one of the comic strips featuring the Pilot of the Future  it was predicted that by 1996 cricket would feature wickets with four stumps. Nice try, Dan but no cigar.

It all brought back memories of a rubber Dan Dare glove puppet which I had when I were a lad (hours of fun for everyone) It would probably be worth thousands now on the open market - the sort of thing that they clamour for on the Antiques Roadshow. Alas, it was chucked out along with all my Superman and Victor comics not to mention those Beano and Film Fun annuals. Mothers have a lot to answer for...