The Space Museum

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1965 has become known as the year of Dalekmania. The breadth of Doctor Who and the Daleks merchandise and other collectibles available in this single year remained unmatched until the series returned to television in 2005. Clearly, Walter Tuckwell & Associates were doing an extraordinary job of licensing new products in 1965. A supplement to the September 1965 issue of Games & Toys, sponsored by Tuckwell, describes 34 companies that had received product licenses, and additional companies were licensed before year end.

The dedicated fan could have Doctor Who and the Daleks merchandise in practically every room of the house. J. H. Weatherby & Sons produced a range of crockery and H&B Plastics made a storage jar. Interestingly, a variant of the H&B storage jar created in 1966 and showing a movie-style Dalek exists and is illustrated in the gallery section, but since only one has been discovered it may be a prototype that never went into production.

In the bathroom, children could use Dalek soap manufactured by Scorpion Universal Toys or one of a pair of Dalek bath sponges. No Dalek sponges are known to exist, although a contemporary photo shows a version that could be worn like a glove. Meanwhile, the child’s bedroom could be decorated with Dalek wallpaper made by The Wall Paper Manufacturers Ltd., a division of Crown Wallpapers. The wallpaper was sufficiently popular to remain available until the end of 1967. The bedroom could also include either a Codeg Dalek money box manufactured by Cowan, de Groot Ltd. or a Plaston Toys TARDIS money box from Raphael Lipkin Ltd., as well as a "Dalek Meteor Storm," one in the series of Linda Animated Snowstorms, from Randall and Wood Ltd. 

Other household items included Dalek-illustrated PVC bags in a variety of styles from the Optima Manufacturing Company Ltd. and PVC sheeting from Storey’s Brothers Ltd., although an example of the latter is not known to exist. A license was also granted to Candle Art Ltd. to produce Dalek candles. It has been suggested that the example illustrated in the gallery on this site is cast from a Hi-Ball ice cream container, although the two appear slightly different. Any further information on the Candle Art Dalek would be greatly appreciated.

A variety of stationery items were also licensed in 1965, including Dalek pencils and sharpeners from Baileys Agencies, plus two different Dalek writing pads and four different Dalek-themed birthday cards from the Waldorf division of Newton Mills Ltd. To accompany birthday celebrations, Sto-Rose Toys Ltd. produced Dalek balloons in different colours and sold in packs of six, plus an oversize balloon sold individually through F. W. Woolworth. No Sto-Rose balloons are known to exist.

There were also opportunities for the young fan to wear licensed Doctor Who and the Daleks products. These included a papier-mâché Dalek mask from A. E. Bangham & Co. Ltd., a range of four badges—two different size Daleks, a Menoptera, and a Zarbi and Venom Gun—from Plastoid Ltd., a Dalek playsuit from Berwick’s Toy Company Ltd., and Dalek slippers from Furness Footwear Ltd. The latter appeared in two styles: initially with Dalek motifs flocked on and later reissued without the flocked Dalek and a plastic pocket that held a sucker gun. An example of the first version is not known to exist, although a contemporary photo and an advert are included in the gallery.

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