Vintage Fisher Price Play Family #985 Houseboat Complete with Pull String /NEAR MINT! (M)

 
Vintage Fisher Price #985 Play Family Houseboat Complete/NEAR MINT! (M)
 

 

"Come on down to my boat baby, Come on down where we can play..."  Remember that song from the 1970's?  Well, here is a set that will revive that old song's lyrics....the vintage Fisher Price Play Family #985 Houseboat Complete w/pull string and in NEAR MINT condition.

 

The set features 15 pieces, some of which are VHTF (e.g. little blue boat, lobster table, life preservers, Houseboat Captain).  The Houseboat itself makes a putt-putt sound when its string is pulled.  Its original EXTERIOR lithos are all present and in MINT condition.  They are free of any fading, stains, marks, edge wear or the like. The lithos are devoid of any bubbles or creases. Even the Captain's console litho is free of any edge wear!

 

Complementing these EXTERIOR lithos, the original INTERIOR floor litho is also colorful and intact (MINT).  It is free of any marks, stains, fading, discolorations, tears, rubs etc.  It is smoothly adhered to the underlying plastic surface.  

 

Everything works flawlessly as designed (the diving board pulls out, the steering wheel turns, the little blue boat fits securely on the locks in the rear etc.).  After much scrutiny, the only "imperfections" I can find on the plastic surfaces are: 

 

1.  A barely visible, orangish discoloration on the lower edge of the white surface on the left-hand side of the boat; this is no wider than the width of the human hair and is only present on about 2-3" of the white trim; you almost need a magnifying glass along with a bright overhead light to detect this; I'm being super "nit-picky" here;

 

2.  A faint, 1" L orangish streak on the front deck of the boat; I doubt if this will come off during the cleaning process; and

 

3.  A few, light surface scratches on the underneath side of the boat. 

 

The plastic surfaces have retained their bright coloration and luster.  They are free of any chips, "dings," abrasions, fading, cracks, or breaks.  The wheels exhibit little if any "road wear."  The flag spring is free of any rust and the flag itself is fully intact.  The spring has darkened over time and I will be applying some Naval Jelly to brighten it up once more.  The Fisher Price lettering on the top of the boat's roof displays 100% of its original, full glorious silver trim.  The plastic pull string on this boat may or may not be original to the set.  It, in my mind, does feel the same as other original pull strings I have encountered on other sets.  Overall, in my view, this Houseboat has led a relatively "charmed life" and is in NEAR MINT-MINT condition.  This is an heirloom quality Houseboat.

 

With the exception of the red grill (VG++), all of the accompanying accessories are in EXC --MINT condition.  You will be receiving the following: 

 

1 VHTF little blue boat;

 

2 HTF yellow lounge chairs;

 

2 HTF red captain's chairs, one with a dot on the back of the chair and the other with a triangle;

 

1 VHTF red lobster table; 

 

1 HTF yellow B.B.Q. grill (NOTE:  Since I didn't have a yellow B.B.Q., I substituted an VG++-EXC red B.B.Q. grill in its place; one of the legs on this grill shows multiple, shallow "nibbles;"  without these, this grill would garner a MINT rating);

 

2 RARE yellow life preservers;

 

1 VHTF, ALL PLASTIC, Captain;

 

1 VHTF, ALL PLASTIC, yellow- bodied, smiling boy with freckles and red cap facing forward;

 

1 HTF, ALL PLASTIC, red- bodied girl with blond bob and bangs (NEAR MINT--slight fading to left eye and middle of mouth); 

 

1 ALL PLASTIC, blue- bodied lady w/blonde pony; and

 

1 ALL PLASTIC, Lucky w/red collar (one tiny red mark on left side of head; I believe this will come off during the cleaning process).

 

The Houseboat and all of its accessories will be Q-tip cleaned with TLC before sending it on to its new owner. I spend a minimum of 1 1/2 -6 hours cleaning each and every vintage Fisher Price play set I sell except for those listed in My Rough Room.  I utilize a variety of cleaning products and tools to make these babies shine!  My sets are IMMACULATE! 

 

Don't let this Houseboat "sail away" without you.  This set is not part of the recent Fisher Price recall for toys manufactured in China.  This set was produced in the good ole' U.S.A. 43 years ago.

 

Due to the presence of small parts, it is recommended that this set not be given to children under 3 years of age or to those that are still mouthing their toys.  Adult supervision is recommended.

 

This set weighs approximately 2 lbs., 9 oz. UNWRAPPED.  My location is Lafayette, IN (47905).

 



See my other listings for more great items!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

PayPal is the preferred manner of payment. All payments are due within 5 business days of the listing's conclusion.

 


The price listed is for the item itself. The total amount due will be the purchase price of the item + the ACTUAL shipping cost to deliver your item to you. I will do everything in my power to find you the cheapest shipping rate—-whether it’s the USPS (First Class, or Priority), Fed Ex Ground, or Fed Ex Home Delivery. I DO NOT PAD MY SHIPPING COSTS—-NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL! I SHIP WITHIN 48 HOURS OF A CLEARED PAYMENT.

I primarily utilize Fed Ex Home Delivery for items exceeding 5 lbs. in weight, measuring greater than 12 inches in any dimension, or traveling longer distances. I’ve been finding Fed Ex has been running @33% cheaper than the USPS. FYI, another benefit of using either Fed Ex or UPS is that their quote includes up to $100 worth of FREE insurance. Additional amounts of insurance may be purchased for a nominal fee (that is much less than the USPS). Fed Ex also provides automated tracking updates re: your parcel’s whereabouts directly to your personal e-mail account.

In order to ship Fed Ex (or UPS for that matter), I MUST have a residential or work place address, NOT a P.O. Box number, as well as a home or cell phone. Otherwise, they will not accept the shipping paperwork or transport your item.

 

I do not utilize the USPS Parcel Select because our regional sorting center is notorious for smashing, puncturing, or tearing boxes as well as damaging the box's contents.


Packages traveling to Alaska or Hawaii will be shipped Parcel Post via the USPS. Insurance and delivery confirmation are required.



I’m more than willing to combine multiple purchases into one box whenever it is safe to do so to decrease your shipping costs. Once again, PLEASE combine your purchases on ONE INVOICE. If you pay for these items separately, I get charged multiple transaction fees by PayPal plus you get over-charged on your shipping. Of course, I will refund you any amount over $1.00 that you've overpaid on shipping. 


Last, but not least, I offer a 10% discount for orders totaling $125.00 or more.
 

ALL SALES ARE FINAL. NO RETURNS ARE ACCEPTED. I have attempted to bring any noted "imperfections" to your attention prior to your purchasing the item. However, I'm only human. If I have missed something or you have a problem with your purchase, please contact me prior to leaving feedback.

Customer satisfaction is #1 for me. I try to provide outstanding service, high quality merchandise, and secure and expedient shipping.

Feedback is important and I will be happy to leave you feedback once I know everything has arrived safely and that you are pleased with your purchase. Leaving me feedback helps me gauge how well I'm doing and also serves the Bonanza community by directing them to sellers who proffer outstanding merchandise and service.


 

 


 

txzj pxzj2038 txzj-11 txzj71 txzj115