NUCLEAR ELF & SAFETY FOR THE KIDS

Today's Britain is full of warning labels and safety information. However this wasn't always the way.  "When ah worra lad," I hankered for a chemistry set but because we were poor, and my mum was terrified I would explode our home, I wasn't allowed one.

Such deprivation didn't do me too much harm as I later became a scientist - indeed a chemist and I had always thought that the chemistry sets of yore were quite benign........ or were they?

Just take a look at this baby, impressive huh?

This is the Gilbert's Atomic Energy Laboratory squarely aimed at the US budding young scientists and only for sale between 1951 and 1952.   Some said it's short lived appeal was due to the price tag of $50, which equates to some £300 today, however, the real reason may be that the kit came with four different (radioactive) uranium salts as well as a Geiger counter and a cloud chamber as well - nifty!

We can't quite compete with a radioactive toy but you can almost have as much fun with this 1920s Kay Electrical Outfit Electronics Toy over in our Mullard Antiques shop.