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Howe's Transcendental Toybox Update No. 2 by David J. Howe and Arnold T. Blumberg
02/02/2008 . Source: Paul Hanley 
pub: Telos. 161 page illustrated enlarged paperback. Price: £ 7.99 (UK), $ 8.95 (US), $11.95 (CAN). ISBN: 1-84583-012-1). Buy Howe's Transcendental Toybox in the USA - or Buy Howe's Transcendental Toybox in the UK  check out website: www.telos.co.uk
This is the second book by these authors on 'Dr Who' merchandise. This volume deals with merchandise not only produced in the UK but also in America, Australia and New Zealand during 2004-5 which was when 'Dr Who' made its triumphant return to BBC TV. It covers not only the commonplace and disposable items but also some very obscure items.
Collecting is ever popular. I have had some involvement with this as I did set up and for a time run a website that sells similar sorts of goods and including props used in TV or film productions. I think one lesson is if you enjoy 'Dr Who' or whoever then enjoy collecting merchandise and memorabilia but unless you know a great deal about such goods do not assume they are going maintain still less increase in value. So my advice is collecting for fun and not for profit.
There is a vast variety of items listed even though these are limited only to items which are available to buy commercially. Books, CDs, DVDs, mousemats and, of course, clothing such as T shirts make up much of it. The sheer volume of different items produced now shows how important selling merchandise has become to the economics of TV and films. There is a very interesting chart in the book which shows how much the market for merchandising has expanded over the years. If one were to have bought an example of each Dr Who item on offer in 1964 when it was first on TV the cost would have been £11.21. This had increased in 1965 to £26.90. Even using the Consumer Price Index which recalculates the 1965 amount to £346.55 to reflect what that would mean in 2004 money the cost in 2004 had risen to £2288.94. The figure for 2005 was a staggering £7098.
Not surprising, there a a number of toys amongst the merchandise including the Daleks in various guises. Remote controlled, talking and even clockwork! I was rather surprised in this tech age how much of the merchandise remains simple stuff like pencils, duffel bags, mugs and keyrings.
Obviously, this is not a book to buy unless you are seriously interested in 'Dr Who' merchandise but it is interesting to dip into as there are articles on collecting and about how some of the merchandise was thought about by the company that bought the rights to make them.
Paul Hanley
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