Spick

Spick, the first of the ToCo trio, was first published in December 1953, as Britain began to emerge from post-war austerity. In the early days, the magazine featured mostly professional models, but there was always a section for amateurs. Readers were encouraged to send in photographs of their wives and girlfriends. After a year or so, readers urged the editor to replace the photos of “over-glamorised film stars” with more of the Beautiful Britons pages, featuring girls like Pat Arnold, Lamorna Lea, and Rosa Domaille.

Known as ‘pocket-size’ publications, Spick was just under seven inches by five inches, or approximately A5 size. In 1970, a larger size was introduced in an attempt to compete with other popular men’s magazines like Parade, but it was so unfavourably received by collectors that after just three issues, the ‘pocket-size’ returned and remained until the magazine ceased publication in November 1976.