Tuesday, August 16, 2022

More Stuff From the Box(es)!

You saw the title, so you already know that we are going to enjoy even more STUFF FROM THE BOX! Even though I have mentioned that I have actually gone through several boxes, I kept the original title for tradition's sake. Should I change it to "Stuff From the Boxes"? 

Anyway, here's the latest box... 4" X 4", and a mere 2" deep - but I photographed 40-ish items. Because they're small, see? Meanwhile, I love to spread camphor on warm toast.


Let's start this Stuff From the Box with a goodie, this fun charm bracelet from the 1940 New York World's Fair - from the Heinz pavilion. We've got seven different cans of Heinz products, as well as a shiny green pickle charm, and a swell Trylon and Perisphere charm so that you will always remember where you got this treasure. The cans are each about 5/8" tall. Getting a good photo of this was a challenge, but I'm happy with the final results.


Who's up for some b-ball? Let's hear some chatter out there! I guess this little metal (brass plated I think) baseball bat and glove might be a keychain, but I love it for itself.


The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world for nearly 40 years - pretty impressive. And it's a beautiful building too, not a glass box. I have a few vintage ESB items, including this neat "sweater pin" (that's what my mom calls these double pins). 1953, hey, that's 20 years A.K. (After Kong).


SO... at some point I got really into vintage employee pins from various companies and stores. I'd see them at collector's shows, in an endless variety, and they are often pretty inexpensive. They just appealed to me! As far as I know, this General Electric "News Reporter" pin is the first employee pin from my collection that I have shared, but you'll see many more. This is about 3/4" in diameter.


Next is this Tom Mix Official Straight Shooters service ribbon and medal, circa 1945 from Ralston cereal. The checkerboard fabric covers a metal bar, and the "medal" is supposed to glow in the dark, though my example does not glow at all. I think that they may have made "glowing" and "non-glowing" versions, but that's just a theory. Darn 77 year old item!


Another employee pin! This one is from RCA (Radio Corporation of America), a swell little award (this pin is just over 1/2" tall) for 1 year of safe driving. Genuine brass and enamel, it is classy as heck. I would be proud to wear it, even though I like to crash my truck into parked cars.


That's it for today's Stuff From the Box(es)! But there's more, MUCH more, to come.

20 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-
Once again - I think these are all keepers, but... the Heinz 'charm bracelet' is "...just too, too divine. Simply tres chic!"

And I just knew that only 'refined' Camphor would find itself into the Major's world-! I feel so much better now.

(And yes - it should remain "Stuff From the Box")

Thanks, Major.

JB said...

Major, "Stuff From The Box" rolls off the tongue... "Stuff From The Boxes" does not. I say keep the original title.

What on Earth would a person do with one pound of camphor?! What on Earth would a person do with one gram of camphor?! Interesting box, though. I see that it's 'hospital green' in color.

The portion sizes from those tiny Heinz cans must be realllly small! I saw a show a few months ago that said what the "57" stands for. I can't remember what it was now, but it wasn't the number of varieties of Heinz products, like one would assume. The labels look like they're made of paper. If so, it's miraculous how well they've held up over the years.

Whaddya know, I was also born 20 years A.K.!

Even though the RCA pin IS classy, my favorite today (and Nanook's) is the Heinz charm bracelet. So cute!

Thanks, Major.

TokyoMagic! said...

I like the Empire State Building sweater pin and the GE employee pin (did that spot over the "W" used to hold a jewel?), but I guess if I had to pick a favorite it would be the Heinz bracelet, because of it's World's Fair connection. I didn't know that Heinz sold "Cooked Macaroni" in a can!

If only you had some phenique, then you could mix it with your camphor and make your own Campho Phenique. You could sell it on the streets!

Chuck said...

Curious what the minimum score was to earn the Tom Mix Straight Shooter ribbon. Whatever it was, I’m impressed - I know from experience they don’t just hand out marksmanship awards like they were breakfast cereal premiums. Interesting that this was from 1945 as Tom Mix had passed away in 1940.

JG said...

Our neighbors had a mongrel dog named Heinz because he was all 57 varieties. At least that was the story.

Gotta stay “from the box”, we get that there are more, but singular is more euphonious.

I’m with everyone else, the bracelet of cans is the clear winner today.

Thanks Major!

JG

DrGoat said...

I have a feeling the Major could host a whole separate blog showing his treasures. Stuff from the box perfectly describes this stuff so please keep the catch phrase.
Being a good follower at times, I'll go with the Heinz bracelet too, but there's some allure attached to that Camphor box for some reason. The colors are so 40ish as you say. Love that green. And a whole pound of that stuff. “Shoot, A fella' could Have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that Camphor".
Thanks Major.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, the Heinz charm bracelet could be worn by the fanciest supermodel and it would not look out of place. And refined camphor has 1001 uses. I wish I could think of one.

JB, I agree, “Stuff From the Box” just sounds better. Maybe camphor was used as an ointment for people with skin issues? Or as a treatment for chest colds? No idea. Those Heinz cans may be small, but the soup is so hearty that you would never know. I thought that the “57” had to do with the number of products, I’m sure it wouldn’t take much Googlin’ to find out. But, you know. Wait until you see some of my employee pins that actually have little gems.

TokyoMagic!, no, that spot is where a bullet struck the wearer, saving his life. That and the bulletproof vest. The canned macaroni is weird; “You’ll save 10 minutes over cooking regular macaroni!”. I have so much phenique, it’s not even funny.

Chuck, I agree with you, it was very rude of Tom Mix to die in 1940.

JG, D’OH! I actually like that joke, but it sounds like an oldie. “From the Box” it is!

DrGoat, you might be right, I really do have a lot of “stuff” (or “crap”, as some people call it). I love it all. I like the camphor box because it’s unusual, it’s a good size, and as you said, it evokes the 1940s. The next time I go to Vegas, I’m going to bring some camphor, man it’s going to be wild!

K. Martinez said...

It's the baseball bat and glove for me. Love it! ALL the stuff is top notch today. Thanks, Major.

Chuck said...

DrGoat, your Vegas checklist is incomplete. Don’t forget:

– One forty-five caliber automatic
– Two boxes of ammunition
– Four days’ concentrated emergency rations
– One drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills
– One miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible
– One hundred dollars in rubles
– One hundred dollars in gold
– Nine packs of chewing gum
– One issue of prophylactics
– Three lipsticks
– Three pair of nylon stockings

Now I want to put on a cowboy hat for some reason…

Stu29573 said...

As much as I like the Heinz cans, I think the GE Reporter and the RCA metals are my favorites. I would wear them every day, and if anyone asked about them I would pretend I didn't speak English and then hurry away looking nervous. Why? Exactly!
I think the name should be "Items of Great Import and Historical Relevance Culled From a Container Scarce large Enough to Hold the Wonderfulness" but marketing was never my strong point.

Melissa said...

All the items are great, as is the box, but there's no competition in my mind with the Heinz bracelet. It's like the 19893 World's Fair "pickle pins" on amphetamines! You're right, Major; you could wear it with anything. My grandma had a tin full of tiny food-shaped charms she used to let us look through. Nobody could find it after she died, so I'm not sure whatever happened to it. You're also right about the camphor. I'm pretty sure it's still used as an ingredient in Vicks Vap-O-Rub.

I wonder what a G.E. News Reporter does? Do they report news about G.E.? Do they write for the G.E. company newsletter? The world will never know.

DrGoat said...

Chuck
One of my all time favorite films. POE.

Melissa said...

JG, in my family we also call mutt dogs "Heinz 57's."

MIKE COZART said...

TOKYO: it doesn’t surprise me Heinz once sold cooked macaroni in a can at one time - they tried everything. I saw a history channel documentary about Heinz and even through their logo and slogan said “57” varieties - that was never true …. They had well over 100 canned and bottled goods , but “57” proved to be a pleasing number mentally and visually after what we know as market research today . Heinz was one of the first companies ever to do such research and study of the product and consumer response….. about 75 years before any other company was doing such stuff.

Like Baskin Robbins 31 flavors ….. this number was many concocted …. It doesn’t include sherbets , sorbets and flavors like chocolate, vanilla …. And company usually has more that that number available at one time …. And far more including seasonally rotated flavors …and even more if you count discontinued flavors .

Kathy! said...

The tiny cans (and pickle) are winners! I want some canned Junior Foods. I would have played with these with my Barbies. Thanks for another Box tour, Major.

JB said...

Tokyo!, I read the small print on the Cooked Macaroni can. It also has cheese sauce. So that makes more sense than just plain macaroni. Oh, and it also has possum.

Major, it occurs to me that the soup, etc., in those small cans is HIGHLY concentrated, like neutronium concentrated. So, for every dinky can of whatever, you add a gallon of water, or milk. Enough to feed a family of four for a week!

Chuck, Chuck, Chuck, you left out the Hershey bars and the Lucky Strikes! (Ah. I just googled part of your list. It's from Dr. Strangelove. No mention of Hershey bars or Lucky Strikes... pity.)

Mike, I think that's the same "Heinz" show I saw a while back.

Major Pepperidge said...

K . Martinez, I am glad that the bat and glove got a vote!

Chuck, that is quite a list!

Stu29573, you can see why I am taken by those little employee items, they are just cool! And I love that so many of them are beautifully made, miniature works of art. I like your name, but I might have to abbreviate it as “IoGIaHRCFaCSlEtHtW”. It really rolls off the tongue!

Melissa, the crazy thing is that I have seen individual cans/charms going for $15, $20, or even more. I am happy to report that I paid a very reasonable price for this entire charm bracelet! Funny, my grandma had a bowl of tiny, very realistic fruit. Not charms, just miniatures. And I always liked them! But have no idea what ever happened to them after she passed away. I had the same questions that you did regarding the G.E. News Reporter.

DrGoat, oh is that from a film??

Melissa, I guess I grew up in the wrong neighborhoods.

Mike Cozart, I have no doubt about Heinz having WAY more than 57 products, I’ll bet it was more than 157, if you really kept track. I’m not sure why “57” is pleasing, but it JUST IS. “58”? Nope, no good. Thanks for mentioning Baskin Robbins on this hot day, now I need a sugar cone with two scoops of rocky road!

Kathy!, I think these cans would almost be the perfect size for Barbie. But she’s too busy being a lawyer and a lifeguard, when will she have time to cook??

JB, I thought you were joking about reading the fine print on the can, but by golly, you are right! Pretty amazing for what many people would consider a “throw away” toy item. As for those concentrated soups, I have done some research, and learned that one pound of that soup weighs 1,000 pounds. Or something. “Dr. Strangelove”, jeez, that’s a movie I haven’t seen since I was a kid. Isn’t that the one about the guy who can talk to animals?

JB said...

Major, it begs the question: Which weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of neutronium?
And yep, Dr. Strangelove talked to animals. ;-) Which begs another question: With a name like "Strangelove", and throwing animals into the mix, what exactly was going on?

Chuck said...

For context on the checklist above, CLICK HERE.

Dean Finder said...

I'd guess the GE News Reporters produced things like this Progressland newsreel. Probably more like a PR flack than journalist