When I started this project I imagined that the supply of good bad quality toys in Limerick would be practically inexhaustible. The only struggle, I thought, would be deciding what to omit. However, despite skipping a week (so stocks might have a chance to turn over) it's proving almost impossible to find something new and amusing to add to the Manky Toy annals.

After a fruitless (but intense) browse around the usual 2 Euro haunts I decided to turn to my old friends - charity shops - for inspiration. Thus, what we have here today is a random selection of curios (all bought in various outlets on William St.) only one of which is actually a toy…

And here he is (the toy I mean):

From the "Mattel Inc, 1990″ imprint of the back of his head I'd imagine that he is actually an authentic Ken: Barbie's perma-tanned and perma-grinning boyfriend. While Manky Toy purists may bemoan this cavalier attitude to the project's established rules (a cheap Ken knock-off would, of course, be more appropriate), I feel his inclusion is not totally unwarranted. As Jess said (and 'twas she who told me to get him), "He looks like he's been through a lot".

Indeed he does. In fact from his flamboyant, unkempt hair, to his distressed velveteen one-piece (jacketless) suit, and on to his crushed and mangled sparkly bow tie, he has all the hallmarks of a burnt out casualty of 80s yuppie hubris and excess. He once had it all; the cars, the Barbies, the mountains of coke; but now he's left with little other than his fading (somewhat androgynous) good looks. Never has the expression "His smile seemed painted on" been more appropriate.

Next up is a delightful product of a bonkers collision between folk art and pop culture:

Charity shops are, of course, full of this kind of stuff but the figure attached to the frame would normally be a flamenco dancer, or a beefeater, or some other such iconic staple of tourist tat. What tourist experience a (wooden) souvenir Betty Boop picture frame could possibly represent is anyone's guess. Incidentally, this is obviously a representation of a pre-Hays Code Betty, in all her sexually overt, flapper glory.

We conclude with another charity shop classic: a damaged, anthropomorphised, ceramic animal.

That is comfortably the most dapper fox I've ever seen. A cane, a gold monocle, spotless white flannel trousers…he's the Bertie Wooster of the fox world. Who conceived this? Who sat down and thought "What the world needs most is not love, but a dapper ceramic fox listening to a record player"? Why does such a thing exist?

Important questions all. The answers will have to wait until I return from Venice. We're off to punt about its canals in search of Cornettos for 3 nights. I promise to bring back an inauthentic Venetian Manky Toy for next week's instalment. The Basilica di San Marco will have to wait. I have my priorities.