OH YEAH, it's time for more Stuff From the Box! All the cool kids love it.
First up is this tiny (about 1 inch tall) brass pin from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. "A Century of Progress", now that's a motto. I love the hint of Art Deco design.
Next is a badge that any boy would be proud to wear (sorry girls, this was the 1930s after all - it was dolls and toy stoves for you). This brass badge signified that the bearer had been officially certified by the Department of Aviation as a FLIGHT COMMANDER. The highest civilian honor! I love that the plane resembles The Spirit of St. Louis.
I love these little advertising pins, referred to as "celluloid flips" by some. This one is an ad for "Junket", and features "Little Miss Junket". Junket is a company that makes prepackaged powdered dessert mixes and ingredients for making various curdled, milk-based foods, such as rennet custard, ice cream and rennet tablets. It was founded in 1874 by Christian Hansen in Hansen's Laboratorium in Denmark to make rennet extract for the cheesemaking industry. Later in 1878, he opened up operations in the United States. Hungry yet? I didn't think so. Notice that the flip has a tiny 1906 date at the bottom of the back panel.
When World War II loomed, even the Lone Ranger did his part fighting the Axis, as evidenced by this 1942 badge. "Lone Ranger Victory Corps" - I have read that this was given out as a General Mills premium, but also found sources that said that this item was sold in stores. Which is correct? Maybe both!
The next two pieces are part of my "employee badge" collecting phase. It's another tiny pin, just over .5" in diameter. I am guessing that it is from the 1930s. It's nice to be a part of the family!
And finally, an employee badge from United States Rubber Co. (Shelbyville Mills), with a photo of a pretty girl who looks like she is no older than 14 or 15. I guess that they needed everybody to work in the factories during WWII.
It will not surprise you to learn that there is lots more Stuff From the Box!
Major-
ReplyDeleteIt's the Lone Ranger for me; although it's always been a dream of mine to become a Boy Flight Commander-! - so I'm torn.
Thanks, Major.
Wow. Took me half an hour of trying before my above comment appeared. Is Blogger acting funny?
ReplyDeleteDang. Now my original comment just disappeared and I had to re-post it.
ReplyDeleteLove the old RCA logo, so I'm going to go with the RCA badge as my favorite today. Thanks, Major.
ReplyDeleteStill not working. I'll try again later. (And why am I getting the 'traffic lights' Captcha?
ReplyDeleteThe 33 fair pin is my pick today based on it's beautiful design. I love old world's fair stuff. RCA comes in a close 2nd.
ReplyDeleteJust like Sunday Night, I love vintage World's Fair items, so I am going to pic the 1933 Chicago W.F. pin as my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThere must have been a "Girl Flight Commander" version of that pin. If not, then what would Amelia Earhart have worn?
I wonder if Shelbyville had a monorail?
Thanks for sharing, Major!
It’s the Lone Ranger pin for me. I stand in awe of anyone that had the ability to fight the WW II Axis powers while simultaneously living in the last quarter of the 19th Century.
ReplyDeleteI may have told this story before, but for our 25th anniversary, I gave Mrs. Chuck a framed photo of Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger and his trusty horse. It seemed appropriate.
TM!, you’re thinking of Brockway, Ogdenville, or North Haverbrook. But if they did, it would take you on a tour of the mill to see how they brewed cotton cordage for use in tire manufacturing. Afterwards, adults would have been provided complimentary cups of cordage at the Hospitality Pavilion, where, unencumbered by the kids, they could really tie one on.
Chuck, yes...I would want free samples provided before and after the monorail tour. I would also expect an amusement park and a bird sanctuary to be built, next to the mill.
ReplyDeleteTM!, exactly. But it would close down after only 13 years of operation, with the birds going to the Shelbyville Zoo (not to be confused with the Old Shelbyville Zoo, which is up in the hills fairly close to Shelbyville Park Observatory and the famous "Shelbyville" sign).
ReplyDeleteWhile I would love to be a Flight Commander, my heart belongs to Miss Junket. I notice they don’t explain where rennet comes from.
ReplyDeleteThe RCA pin is pretty swell too.
I remember my Mom telling her memories of Lindberghs flight. It was in all the papers.
Thanks Major, the mind reels at the variety of Stuff From the Box.
JG
Blogger kept eating my homework last night. Bad Blogger! BAD! [JB rubs Blogger's nose in the mess it made to teach it a lesson.) Hopefully, my original comment will now appear:
ReplyDeleteEDIT- Nope. I'll try dividing the comment into two parts:
Major, since you have several boxes of stuff, maybe you should change the title to "Stuff From The Boxes". (joking- after last time's discussion)
The 1933 pin: I too, like the Art Deco design elements. I'm not sure why, but Art Deco design really speaks to me and tugs at my nostalgia genes. Maybe I'm remembering fleeting bits of a past life from that era. I'm also a sucker for anything that's metallic gold and blue... Maybe I was King Tut, back in the day. Yeah... I bet that's it.
The Flight Commander's badge: I like the motion streaks that indicate the plane's speed. And the puffy clouds in the background.
(Part II to follow)
I couldn't get Part II to post, so I'll try typing it in manually":
ReplyDeleteHmmm, updating the Lone Ranger to the 1940s just seems wrong to me. He's from the mid to late 1800s, right? Nice artwork on the pin, though.
The RCA pin: Even better than metallic gold and blue, is metallic gold and blue and red! This pin really catches my eye. I'm gonna call this one my 'pick of the litter' today.
The U.S. Rubber Co. pin: I wonder if that young lady was an actual worker at the plant? Did each pin have a unique photo of an employee on it? That seems impractical, expensive, and time consuming to make each pin different. So, probably not.
Shelbyville? Rival city to the Simpsons' Springfield? Some say that my hometown, Eugene Oregon, is the inspiration for Shelbyville since we're to the west of Springfield (Oregon). And we're sort of long-time rivals. Plus, Matt Groening is an Oregonian (Portland).
Thanks for the stuff, Major. (Sounds like I just scored some weed.)
Ooops, I forgot this part:
ReplyDeleteI noticed recently that some sort of Junket product is still available at my regular grocery store (Fred Meyer/Kroger). I'm tempted to buy it and experiment with it. I remember reading old cookbooks many years ago, that had recipes using Junket rennet
tablets. Rennet is an enzyme in cows stomachs (I think), used for curdling milk into cheese, among other things. The results of my experimentation would probably be something monstrously hideous like: half cow's stomach, half ice cream cone, and half processed cheese.
My first pick is the pin for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Maybe a year or so ago, my dad shared his memories from going to that fair as a very little boy, going back almost 90 years...but darned if I can remember what he told me (and it’s only been 1 year). Thankfully I took notes when he told me...just need to find those notes.
ReplyDeleteJB, good luck with the rubbing-their-nose-in-it...it never worked with my cell phone.
Thanks, Major, for sharing.
—Sue
Nanook, imagine how the other boys will feel when you land your mono-wing on the playground!
ReplyDeleteJB, I’m sorry about Blogger; when I checked my email early this morning it said I had something like 60 emails (comments are now emailed to me); your comment was emailed at least 20 times! Not sure if that is “Blogger shenanigans” or what. I know it’s a huge pain, and I do apologize for Blogger’s misbehavior.
JB, what the…!
K. Martinez, that’s a fine choice!
JB, do you not get the captcha normally? Even I do, and I’m the admin!
SundayNight, I do love that little pin, and don’t have nearly as many from the ’33 Fair as I do from the 1939 Fair.
TokyoMagic!, sadly I doubt that they made a “Girl Flight Commander” pin to go along with the “Boy Flight Commander” example. Remember, even in the 1960s and 70s, kids on airlines would get pins; boys got “junior pilot” pins, and girls got “junior stewardess” pins. A GIRL flying a plane?!? No way! I was waiting to see how long it would be until somebody said something about Shelbyville!
Chuck, the Lone Ranger found a time portal near some funny-looking rocks, and he was able to zip between the 19th Century and the WWII era. Now you know. You have told the Clayton Moore story before, but I forget why you gave it. Was she a particular fan of the masked man? I want that tour of the mill, maybe we get free samples at the end.
TokyoMagic!, hey, I said “free samples” too, you owe me a Coke! Would the amusement park have a Krusty the Clown theme?
ReplyDeleteChuck, I always appreciate a person who knows so much about the local history!
JG, yay, a vote for Miss Junket! I once bought a pin with a photo version of Miss Junket (some little girl in a chef’s toque) and the woman behind the counter said, “Oh I went to school with that girl” and she gave me her name. I still have the note somewhere. I wish I’d asked my grandma about Lindbergh’s flight, or other historical things (the Hindenburg, maybe). But it’s too late now.
JB, I saw this shifty looking guy near the comments, he wore a striped outfit and said “robble robble” a lot, I think he took your comments. I very much appreciate that you were so tenacious and tried again! I think I will rename this feature “Stuffs Froms the Box”. That’s how they speak in Paris, France, I believe”. Art Deco is so clean and orderly, maybe that’s what appeals to people? I honestly don’t know if the Lone Ranger ever had a series of stories from the “present day”, the way Gene Autry did, for instance. I realize it wouldn’t make a lot of sense. Glad you liked the RCA pin! Many employee badges from that era had photos of the person encased in a substantial metal badge, and this one is no different. I don’t think I could pull this badge apart without ruining it. I should have taken a photo of the back so that you could see what it looked like. Again, sorry about Blogger’s awful comment system.
JB, yes, I knew a girl who told me all about rennet, and I thought, “No, that can’t be right”. But it IS! Apparently they can now use other products to make cheese, but rennet is still in use. Would you really buy it and experiment?!
Sue, oh man! I love that Lou went to that Fair as a little boy. How I would have loved to hear his memories, though I’m sure a lot of it was a blur. Still! I’d love it if you could find your notes. There is some rare color movie footage of the 1933 Fair on YouTube, I’m so used to seeing only black and white images of that Fair that it is stunning to see it in glorious color!
Sue, I don't think I used the word "love" enough in my response to you :-/
ReplyDeleteMajor, I’d LOVE to let you know when I find those notes. I’ll also, again, ask my dad what he recalls from the fair—though his memory is sadly starting to slip a little, now. I also have souvenirs from that fair—that my husband’s grandmother gave me years ago. When I find those, I’ll snap some cell shots and send them to you...
ReplyDelete—Sue
Major, 25th anniversary. Lone Ranger’s horse. In a silver frame.
ReplyDeleteI vote RCA badge! It would have been exciting to work there during the "Golden Age of Radio!" Side fact: in the original Captain Marvel comic book, Billy Batson (the Captian's other identity) was made a radio reporter...because that was the coolest job in the world! Now, I just think of Les Nessman...
ReplyDeleteMajor, I've never gotten the Captcha here before today. I just click the "not a robot' box and press Publish. I'm still using Internet Explorer for GDB and a couple of other sites. Maybe that's the problem? IE is getting creakier and more obsolete everyday. Whenever I have 'online trouble' I never know if it's the site, the cable connection, or my computer. In this case, I'm still not sure. Maybe my computer swallowed some bad-tasting adware.
ReplyDeleteA couple of weeks ago I saw a package of, I think, some kind of pudding with the Junket brand name. Maybe I'll try that. If I do, I'll be sure to give a full report on it.
Major, all you need is love... and the air that you breath... and water... and food... and...
Stu, "This is WKRP in Cincinnati, with more music and Les Nessman."
Chuck, great idea! I would have given my honey a box of silverfish.
ReplyDeleteStu29573, yes, it’s amazing to think about some of those old companies and how they advanced the technology that we all take for granted. Color TV? Whaaaa? I don’t think I knew that Billy Batson was a radio reporter, but I love it.
JB, I really have no idea what the problem with the captcha is, when I am on a computer other than my own I often have to do two or three captchas before they let me post my comment. “I’m signed in! This is my blog! What the heck?”. I guess I appreciate not getting the mountains of spam comments that I used to get (literally hundreds a day), but it does bother me that it makes things so hard for the Junior Gorillas.
Somehow I doubt the Lone Ranger ever updated the stories themselves, but easy enough to imagine bracketing episodes with exhortations to kids to carry on the masked man's work. And I'd be surprised if the occasional Teutonic villain didn't find his way into the Lone Ranger's territory.
ReplyDelete"...complimentary cups of cordage...they could really tie one on."
ReplyDeleteI groaned out loud at that one! (In a good way. I love a good groaner.)
My vote requires a long backstory, because that's just how I roll. When I was a kid I devoured all the Cherry Ames books. Cherry was kind of like Nancy Drew, but she was a nurse and fought Nazis. The first book, Cherry Ames, Student Nurse, was all about her first year of nursing school (by the title, you would think it was about her time traveling with the Moscow Circus). The student nurses had to take a cooking class to learn how to make easily digestible "invalid foods," one of which was rennet custard. Their eccentric cooking teacher's catch phrase was, "Just plunk it in your junket!" So if my girl Cherry ever ran across that Junket button, I'm sure she'd have grabbed it for the giggles.
Stu and JB, you can be my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!
ReplyDeleteJG
The gift that keeps on giving. Thanks Major, love that Flight Commander's badge.
ReplyDeleteTake care and thanks again.
Major, it all seems to be working OK now. The posts are posting and I'm not presented with the Captcha anymore, as per usual.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, the time travelling and Moscow Circus doesn't enter the plot until "Cherry Ames, Graduate Nurse".
JG, hahahahahahaha. The line sounded familiar, and I was pretty sure it was from WKRP. But I had to Google it (and YouTube it) to refresh my memory. One of the great WKRP moments!
I tend to get the captcha pictures when I clear cookies from my browser. Not sure if you've set your browser to clear cookies when you close it.
ReplyDeleteDBenson, I’m sure you’re right; I used to download old radio shows and listen to them, but I didn’t love the Lone Ranger programs, they were a bit too simplistic. I’d love to hear a German villain from the WWII era!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, we need more people like Cherry Ames. Get those Nazis! I admit that I don’t get why “Cherry Ames, Student Nurse” would make me think that it was about her trip to Moscow. I love foods that I don’t have to chew. An old SNL sketch (from the 1970s) featured a restaurant called “Pre-chew Charlie’s”, where somebody would chew your steak for you. Hilarious!
JG, I remember that episode of WKRP, but… can’t turkeys fly? Maybe not the domesticated fat ones.
DrGoat, you are now an honorary Flight Commander!
JB, ever since I built this blog on an ancient burial ground, the strangest things have been happening. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.
Major: If you look up the Prince Valiant reprints, early in WWII Val took on barbaric Huns sweeping across Europe.
ReplyDeleteHollywood obliquely commented on the war via Elizabethan England standing against the Spanish empire, the latter being treacherous and inclined to torture but otherwise not especially Nazi-like.
Period considerations didn't keep commies out of the Old West. The 1938 serial "The Vigilantes are Coming" and the first season of Disney's "Zorro" both had evil Russians -- agents of the Czar, who was no better than what followed -- backing the villain. In the serial the Czar even sent a troop of sword-waving cossacks to chase the masked hero through the Hollywood Hills (sadly not as fun as it sounds).
I think it was a 50s Gene Autry B, set in period, that had a mountie explaining the villain was worse than a would-be dictator. He intended to take stuff away from productive people and give it to the slothful. Gene, of course, was riled by such an unAmerican idea. Said villain always behaved as the standard all-for-me bully, so I suspect it was a bit of cold war virtue signaling added late in the game.
Hello Major, yes, wild turkeys, of which we have a surfeit here where I live, can fly for short distances, and mostly prefer to walk through traffic and climb on cars. The domestic ones destined to become holiday roasts and sandwich filling, cannot fly, and in fact, can barely even think.
ReplyDeleteI knew a guy years back that farmed turkeys, they had to be protected from rain because they would look up into the storm, water would run into their nostrils and they would drown, too stupid to realize what was happening.
JB, I'm glad I could bring you a laugh. That Les Nessman joke was so great.
JG