More Stuff From the Box

Major Pepperidge knows what you need today - you need some STUFF FROM THE BOX! The Major is always happy to oblige.

First up is this cool Dick Tracy "Good Luck Secret Compartment Ring", a Quaker Oats premium from 1938. There's the square-jawed Tracy, looking like he just swallowed a bug. Notice the traditional good luck symbols, such as a horseshoe, a four-leaf clover, and then... well, some less-traditional symbols. A sun, a crescent moon, some stars, and whatever that thing is in the upper left corner (probably a steering wheel). "But wait, Major, you said there is a secret compartment. What gives?".

Don't worry, I didn't forget. The front of the ring is held on by some small springy brass clips, which resulted in this part being lost often. You could definitely fit some microfilm, or a micro map, or some other "micro" thing, in that little space.

I've always loved the Mobil Oil Pegasus, and here's a sweet plastic medallion that you can use as a key ring. I believe that this is from the 1950s.
 

The L.A. County Fair's mascot is a jaunty pig named "Thummer", and he looks just like the fellow on the badge pictured below. It's possible that Thummer was used for other events as well, I suppose. Or somebody just stole the image, because this pig's suitcase says "The State Fair". Which State Fair? I like it no matter what. There is a version of this badge that is less crudely rendered that does say "Los Angeles County Fair" in the suitcase.

Here's a metal charm from the 1939 New York World's Fair, featuring the ubiquitous Trylon and Perisphere, as well as the Fair's Administration Building.

Here's the Administration Building, in case you were curious.

Next is a very worn and beat-up brass Orphan Annie "good luck" medallion, from Ovaltine. Are YOU a member of her secret society? The obverse feature's Annie's smiling face, along with a wishbone and little four-leaf clovers. The reverse has the phrase "good luck" in seven languages. Of course I speak all of those languages fluently, I just don't like to show off.

Next is an plastic Tom Mix arrowhead, circa 1946 - a premium from General Mills. It has a compass, so that you could theoretically sail around the world with nothing but this item. It glows in the dark, too! On an earlier post, I shared a photo of a similar item from 1939.

With this magnifying glass, you can look at little stuff (have you ever looked at an ant through a magnifying glass? Yuck!), or even start a fire when you have no matches. I'm telling you, when the next disaster strikes, I'm going to be sitting pretty.

See? I knew you needed more Stuff From the Box!