Thursday, April 19, 2018

Paper Bags from the Hallmark Communication Center

Hooray for more Disneyland paper ephemera! It is said that "One man's trash is another man's treasure", and I think that today's post shows that it is true. I have three paper bags from the old Hallmark Communication Center on Main Street (1960-1985) to share with you today.

First up is what I am guessing is the oldest of the three, partly because of the wonderful spot illustrations that include the Moonliner (so, pre-1966), and partly because of the color palette used. However, I would not be surprised if it is from around 1965 or thereabouts.


Next is this elegant version in stripes of gold and black. Very "Beverly Hills"! Thanks to a receipt still inside the bag, I can date this one to 1966. 


This third example seems to date from the very late 1960's or very early 1970's. It makes me think of the show "Laugh-In" (1968-1972) - you bet your sweet bippy! It also reminds me of the vinyl flower stickers that my mom put on the walls of the "kid's bathroom", instantly making the place very groovy.


Man, it's hard taking photos of stuff under a blacklight with just your phone! But so worth the effort, wouldn't you say? 


Stay tuned for more trash/treasures!


12 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

Looking through the list of all the 'things' a Hallmark Card can do, I was surprised to see "start a fight" was somehow omitted. Well, you can't name them all, I suppose.

What a nice assortment of shopping bags whose original intention was hardly one of collectibility, but boy aren't they fun-! And that blacklight image - I'm certain Mineral Hall is extremely jealous-!

Thanks, Major, for these swell images.

TokyoMagic! said...

I love these! That last one with the blacklight turned on it, makes me feel like I'm in the back room of a "Spencer's Gifts" store in the 1970's.

Melissa said...

The second picture reminds me of the shopping bags from Grace Brothers department store on the 1970s British sitcom "Are You Being Served?"

And through the magic of streaming video, I was watching an episode of "Laugh-In" as as I read this post. Say goodnight, Dick!

Patrick Devlin said...

Goodnight, Dick.

There.

I'd probably take one of these with me to the Park, put my purchases in it so as to confuse any collector types in attendance that day. Hee.

zach said...

Good fun, this. I saved the wrong things it seems.

dz

Melissa said...

When you care enough to sock it to the very best!

Jonathan said...

Great stuff, I should have held on to stuff like this, but who knew? You can take a trip through the 60s and 70s by way of ephemera. I love the graphics that harken back to a different age. The flower one puts me in mind of a Volkswagon Bus with flowers on it. Far out and solid and right on. Thanks for the great scans Major, I totally dig 'em.

DBenson said...

I just like the idea that "Communications Center" once had such a low-tech meaning.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, I like to use Hallmark cards whenever I need to bribe a city official or law officer. They are always charmed! I kind of wish the blacklight image had turned out a bit better, but now that I have switched from a “real camera” to my phone, my options are limited.

TokyoMagic!, you can almost feel the heat radiated by the wall of lava lights!

Melissa, I am aware of “Are You Being Served?”, but that was one British show that I did not watch, unfortunately. “Laugh-In”, man did I love that show when I was a kid! They re-ran it possibly in the 90’s, and apparently it had not aged well… I think it was pulled from the schedule fairly quickly.

Patrick Devlin, I think that is an excellent idea!

David Zacher, you and everybody else! All the valuable items are things that most people threw away. My friend “Mr. X” saved quite a lot of good stuff, though!

Melissa, verrrry interesting….!

Jonathan, it’s just this kind of humble paper ephemera that I love the most (well, unless we’re talking actual park artifacts like hat badges and the like). The fact that many of these items were carried about by average guests, and deposited in a junk drawer when they got home (only to be rediscovered 30 years later) is half the fun.

Donald Benson, you are so right… it’s almost laughable that they are referring to greeting cards and stationary for the “Communication Center”. Little did they know what the future held.

Jonathan said...

Major, that proves that if the Moonliner drawing is from '65 then even the artists thought that the TWA paint scheme was their favorite too. I have a model of the Moonliner with the TWA livery in my guest bedroom. I have such fond memories of the first Tomorrowland. Again, thanks to Major for the great memories!

Melissa said...

https://youtu.be/aTYD6H3LHN8

IIRC, the English comedian following Mickey Mouse is Jeremy Lloyd, co-creator of "Are You Being Served?"

Anonymous said...

Amazing stuff, Major. I have a treasured scan of the 70's "psychedlic" bag that cycles through as my screen backdrop.

Funny how these things become treasured memories.

JG