Monday, October 04, 2021

More Stuff From The Box

Who wants to see more Stuff From the Box? Hopefully YOU do. I'm getting down to the last few items in box #3, but never fear, I've already photographed nearly 70 items from two other small boxes.

Let's start with these two nice brass and enamel wings, given out to members of the Junior Birdmen of America. The Junior Birdmen was a national organization for boys and girls interested in aviation and model plane building, founded (ca. 1934) and promoted by the Hearst newspaper chain. It cost a dime to join, and by 1937 there were over a half-million members. After 1937, Hearst newspapers stopped advertising the Junior Birdmen and it became an independent organization, but it was defunct by 1939. As you can see, the top version  says "Hearst Newspapers" on it, while the bottom version does not. There are a number of slight size variations for these wings, and the small holes at the bottom were there for the addition of "rank" badges; Commander, Captain, Eagle, and Ace (ace being the scarcest). I have an example with some of those badges, when I find it I'll share it here!


Next is a Captain Midnight "Flight Commander" ring, given out in 1941 by Ovaltine. I should have taken a photo of the back inside surface of the ring, which reads "Captain Midnight's Super Code 3". But I didn't. That's because none of you can handle Super Code 3, it's too powerful.


Speaking of rings, back in 1949, Post Toasties and Raisin Bran cereal boxes contained simple lithographed tin rings featuring popular comic characters of the day. Kids could bend the rings around their fingers for a custom fit. There were a total of 36 different rings - I only have a few, but it's nice to have one in its original glassine envelope. "Mac" was a character from the comic strip "Tillie the Toiler", a largely-forgotten series that ran from 1921 to 1955. Clarence "Mac" MacDougall loved Tillie, though she did not reciprocate his feelings.


I've shared photos of two other Melvin Purvis badges, and here's yet another - "Roving Operative". Do you have what it takes to be a Junior G-Man?? This is from a series of five badges given out by Post cereals in 1937-38.


Next I have several photos of a 1949 Sky King "Magni-glow" Writing Ring, given out by Peter Pan Peanut Butter. Here you can see the domed magnifying glass, useful for reading microfilm or for starting fires when you've been stranded in the wilderness. Below the magnifier is plastic that glowed so that you could use it at night for flashing morse code at your accomplices. "Buy....more...peanut...butter!".


Say, there's a hinged brass portion, covering a red plastic base. What other secrets does this ring contain?


On this side you can see Sky King's plane, "Flying Arrow", while the other side had a portrait of his horse, "Yellow Fury".


How many rings come with a built-in ballpoint pen? Maybe one in five at best! It had red ink too (dried out by now, of course), and that off-white plastic glowed.  There's the secret compartment too.


This odd little bisque figurine (with moveable arms) is supposedly a Cracker Jack toy, back from the days when they really did have some pretty neat prizes in the boxes. Based on the long braids and evident "fringe"on the dress, I assume that this is supposed to be an Indian maiden. Being only about 2 inches tall (the dime is for scale), I guess we can forgive the crudeness of the casting.


Another charm is this plastic example featuring "Sniffles" the mouse, created by Chuck Jones in 1939. Sniffles was as cute as can be, and Jones strove to be as Disney-like as possible, resulting in charming cartoons with a gentle humor that is quite a contrast with his later, more mature style. I always liked sniffles! He starred in 12 cartoons, finally being phased out in 1946. There are other Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies charms released at the same time, but this is the only one that I own.

That's it for this installment! Stay tuned for more, IF YOU DARE.

18 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-
Wow - another great spread-! I was certain the Post Toasties & Raisin Bran lithographed tin ring of 'Mac' was gonna be my favorite, but then the Sky King "Magni-glow" Writing Ring appeared. Clearly an Apple Watch can't hold a candle to this gem.

Thanks, Major.

JB said...

Ovaltine must have been more popular back then than it is now. Seems like they were heavily into sponsoring all kinds of things back then. I've always liked the chocolaty malted flavor of Ovaltine (I have a jar of it in the kitchen cupboard even now). When I was a kid it had to be mixed into hot milk or it wouldn't dissolve. Nowadays it mixes just fine in cold milk. Which is convenient. I guess they don't ruin everything. ;-)
Thanks for sparing us the Super Code 3, Major. The human mind and body can take only so much.

I like how the red ink bled into the plastic on the Sky King ring. Like Nanook, I guess this ring is my favorite today. It's got so many articulated (and specific) parts that do so many things.

The Indian Maiden figure is kind of amazing for a Cracker Jack prize. Think of all the manual work that went into manufacturing and assembling it.

Nanook, I bet an Apple Watch can't start a campfire in the wilderness like this ring (as the Major suggests) ... well, this ring probably can't either. Maybe it could when it was new.

Major, You have an Aladdin's Cave of Wonders in all these boxes. Thank you for sharing them with us.

- Just Buried

TokyoMagic! said...

I always love your "stuff from the box." That emblem in the middle of the Junior Birdmen wings, reminds me of the Union Pacific logo.

My favorite is the ring with the many functions. That's nice that it is all still intact. I wonder how many of those survived without the glass or hinges breaking.

I might have a Sniffles charm like that. I have several different charms that are very similar, but they might be of different characters. They were part of a collection of antique plastic goodies that my aunt gave a few years back. One of them was a "Grumpy" Dinsneykin, which I posted a couple years ago. I'll have to check the other items out to see if one of the charms really is Sniffles.

Thanks for sharing with us, Major!

- Tokyo Macabre

Bu said...

Teeny stuff is always big time fun...I have boxes of stuff, and you can have it all. Fun turned to clutter later in life. I still can't resist it though. Do they even make things like this anymore? Does the Cracker Jack toy come with a giant metal ring like gas station rest room keys so you don't choke on them? Do you mail away for anything? IS there mail? All good questions. I always liked Sniffles too. A very likable character that I still impersonate today...decades after watching him. Chuck Jones rocks. The ring with the ball point pen is an engineering marvel. The fact that it glows makes it even better. I love things that glow. I just got an iPhone case that glows. Low tech is best for me. I would paint my house with glow paint if the neighbors wouldn't have a melt down about it :) Thanks for sharing this fine Monday!

Anonymous said...

As very cool as Sky King's ring is (anything that glows immediately gets bonus points), I kind for like Captain Midnight's version better. Why? Well, it actually looks like a ring rather than a tiny lunch box strapped to your finger. ...and I've heard rumors about "Super Code 3."
Although the Indian Maiden is before my time, I do remember when Cracker Jack had plastic toys in the box. Now you're lucky to get a tattoo...that doesn't even work... In fact, I've seen them put "virtual" prizes in. "Go to this website to view this cartoon! (etc.)" How cheap can you get? That cheap.

JG said...

My goodness, Sky King’s ring does so many things it seems he would need a guide to remember them all.

It must have been fun to design things like these.

I’m all for Captain Midnight though, simple wins me over. Code 3, bring it on!

The last little premium thing I remember was a long time back, my son saved proof of purchase and got a water bottle. Probably 25 years now. I see some snacks touting software codes, no idea what that’s about.

Major, you have amazing stuff.

JG

K. Martinez said...

Awesome! More stuff from Major's super-fantastic fantabulous box of magic!

Whenever I see the name Hearst, I think of Citizen Kane, Patti Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation Army.

Melvin Purvis. What a name!

As much as I love the Sky King multi-purpose ring, I love the Sniffles charm too. What a wonderful character.

All are wonderful, but my favorite is the lithograph tin ring with Clarence "Mac" MacDougall.

Thanks, Major.

Kathy! said...

Fun group of Stuff today. The Sky King ring is an engineering marvel, but I like the simple Mac ring too, K. Martinez. I can just picture bending it on and off a finger a few times and the thin metal eventually snapping. I wonder why Jr. Birdmen didn’t last very long. Premiums still work; I bought a box of cereal just because it actually came with a plastic cereal mascot figurine in a Halloween costume inside. Now a tiny Count Chocula lurks on my shelf. Thanks Major.

MRaymond said...

Up in the air, Junior Birdman
Up in the air, upside down
Up in the air, Junior Birdman
Get your feet up off the ground

When you hear your doorbell ringing
And you see his badge of tin
You will know the Junior Birdman
Has sent his box tops in.

I don't know why that popped into my head but it definitely came from my childhood. That was a long trip.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, I would really love to get the whole set of those lithographed tin comic character rings, but… $$$. I love them though! The Sky King ring IS pretty great though.

JB, I liked Ovaltine when I was a kid (and Nesquik), anything for chocolate milk. I do seem to remember that it sometimes didn’t mix up completely and you’d get little crunchy “crystals”, but I kind of liked that too. Super Code 3 has driven many people MAD. That Sky King ring is one of the more elaborate, though there are some others that are pretty nuts, including a scarce Orphan Annie ring that I will never be able to afford. I’m not 100% positive that the tiny bisque Indian maiden is really from Cracker Jack, though they did have some great little toys back in the early days.

TokyoMagic!, I love that Union Pacific logo, and it really does look like the patriotic shield on the Junior Birdmen pins. Those Sky King rings are surprisingly numerous - they’re from the ‘50s rather than the ‘30s, and there just seems to be a ton of them floating around. You could probably get one for $30 or less. I remember your Grumpy Disneykin, and would be curious to know which charm you have!

Bu, it’s true that this stuff can lead to clutter, but one of the reasons I like small stuff is that it can go into boxes and disappear pretty easily. I don’t know if there are still tiny toys like this, but if there are, you can guarantee that they are not as nicely-manufactured or designed. Chuck Jones made some of the very best short cartoons EVER, I almost had a chance to see him in person once, but he got sick and had to cancel. BUMMER. I love glowing things too!

Stu29573, it’s funny, now that I am taking these “macro” photos of my stuff, I am realizing that much of it is in “not very good” condition. You can really see all of the discoloration, scratches, and wear. Oh well. i have a few very nice tin toys from Cracker Jack, all made from flat litho steel that you could fold to take the form of an automobile or airplane. Pretty clever, I can see why some people collect that stuff.

JG, the Sky King ring is all you’d need if you were heading out into the vast unknown. Knowing Morse Code was apparently common (?) back then, because a lot of kid’s toys depended on them knowing how to flash the code for help or to send messages. I’m skeptical.

K. Martinez, for a while I decided to send in box tops for cereal prizes, and got a Darkwing Duck bubble gun, some little vinyl figures of “Duck Tales” characters, some giant Ren and Stimpy underpants… it was a lot of fun. Then I just stopped. But it sure was great when a package would arrive with my fake name on it!

Kathy!, finding those rings in never-bent condition is not easy, but those are the only ones I want. If they’re in their glassine envelopes, so much the better (I think I have about a dozen of those). I think Wikipedia has an article that describes why the Junior Birdmen eventually went out of fashion, but I’ve forgotten (I wrote this post months ago). Count Chocula, awesome!

MRaymond, wow, I am impressed. Every word! I’ll have to see if I can find the melody on YouTube. Very fun!

Melissa said...

Ooh, the peanut butter ring easily carries away the prize today. The Cracker Jack Maiden is a close second. My Grandma used to have a big tin of plastic charms like that; I wonder what ever happened to it.

Major Pepperidge said...

Melissa, when I was a kid, Marineland of the Pacific sold these plastic milk bottles that were full of many little plastic charms - maybe over 100? False teeth, miniature pianos, little record albums, itty-bitty hot dogs and hamburgers, shamrocks, and so on. I believe that we still have one bottle somewhere, though some of the charms have vanished.

JB said...

Tokyo Macabre (Yay! Happy Halloween), what will we do when Major runs out of boxes (and stuff)?

When I think of Sniffles, I think of Flower from Bambi. Yeah, one is a mouse and one is a skunk (I always get those two animals mixed up) but their voices and personalities are basically the same.

Bu, I've always been into glow-in-the-dark stuff as well. We had a Creepy Crawler ThingMaker back in the day. One of the available Plastigoop bottles was glow-in-the-dark. I used that stuff for all kinds of spooky things.

Stu, yeah, virtual Cracker Jack 'prizes' don't cut it with me either. There were even fewer peanuts than before. >:-(

Major, you LIKED the crunchy little Ovaltine crystals at the bottom of the glass?!... I'm starting to worry about you. ;-)

JB said...

Dang. In my post above, I forgot to sign off with my spooky name. Now I'm starting to worry about myself!

- Just Buried

DBenson said...

I remember the Junior Birdman song from 4H summer camp in the mid-60s. The version I learned had "keep your noses off the ground".

It came with a set of gestures, including twisting your hands over your face to simulate goggles, surplus fingers pointing down. Just tried it now and creaky joints couldn't manage it. On the Saturday morning cartoon "Fantastic Voyage" a character piloting a biplane began to sing it as a joke. With the reference to box tops I always assumed it was just a gag riffing on kiddie promotions in general.

I covet this box of yours. I used to have a drawerful of stuff - premiums, carnival stuff, oddball pharmaceutical swag (Dad was a doctor), etc. -- but nothing of this calibre. Cleaned most of it out during a move. Now I'm largely content with images such as these (I add them to my screen saver and desktop image folders) and the occasional book. There was a dandy one devoted to Crackerjack prizes, and another focused on Bazooka Joe Bubble Gum (with photos of the actual send-away-for toys).





Anonymous said...

Wow, Just Buried, I had an Incredible Edibles machine! Of course, the "Incredible" part was that we actually ate that plastic stuff. Oh well...

Dean Finder said...

Major, I'm surprised there are still LOA memorabilia with high prices. I'd have thought the prices would decline as the people with firsthand memories of them went from "I gotta buy that" to "I need to declutter my place"

Major Pepperidge said...

JB, never you worry, I have so much stuff. It’s going to last YEARS. I haven’t even delved into my pinback buttons or much of my non-Disney paper ephemera. I guess young Flower did sounds little like Sniffles (or was it Thumper that sounded that way?). So weird to think that generations of kids now grow up without watching hours and hours of Warner Bros. cartoons. We had an Incredible Edible machine, sort of a Thingmaker only you could eat the bugs. They did not taste good, but we didn’t care. Like I said, don’t worry about me, those little crystals were MAGIC crystals.

JB, I’m still too lazy to come up with anything, and I have to do it myself for it to be legal.

DBenson, you clearly learned the most important life lessons in 4H summer camp! Weird thing: my mom sent my older brother to camp, and my younger brother and sister to another camp, but somehow I never went. When I pointed this out to her she was astonished. “Really?”. I figured that she must have thought that I couldn’t handle all that fresh air or something. She swears it was just one of those things. “Oddball pharmaceutical swag” sounds fun! Maybe I need to look for some of that stuff. I’m glad you are enjoying looking at these.

Stu29573, SAME!!

Dean Finder, I guess there is always a new generation of collectors looking for “the good stuff”. Hopefully they will still be buying whenever I decide to sell.