Here's yet another selection of STUFF FROM THE BOX! I hope you enjoy today's goodies.
Let's start with this brass ring with a frowning bulldog's visage, and the words "DEVIL DOGS". This is a movie-related prize given out in 1935 with Quaker cereals - a tie-in with James Cagney's "Devil Dogs of the Pacific". It's the story of the U.S. Flying Marine Corps (which explains the feathered wings on the sides. The owner was able to have his or her initial engraved on the front, I guess this one is a "J"?
This next extra-fancy pin is undated, but I would not be surprised if it was from the 1930s, or even earlier; it was given to a 30-year employee, and it has a "genuine" diamond - for all I know, it really is a low-grade diamond; I own another employee badge with a diamond chip, and my mom immediately said, "That's a real diamond!" when she saw it. I choose to believe her. One website says The Bell Telephone Co. of Illinois was chartered in 1878; three years later, it became part of the Chicago Telephone Co. By the beginning of the twentieth century, Chicago Telephone was associated with the Bell network of American Telephone & Telegraph Co. (AT&T), the largest phone company in the United States.
I like this rather heavy brass badge with the white enamel star, celebrating the International Dairy Exposition! While I can't find much solid info, I believe that the Exposition was held in Indianapolis in 1949. Everyone dressed like cows. I hope.
In the early 1970s, my father and Grandpa took us to the L.A. Auto Show for several years in a row. It was quite a scene! My brother and I greedily collected every brochure and freebie we could get our hands on; we could often tell that the exhibitors were annoyed that kids with no money were taking their lavishly-printed books and brochures. "Tough bunnies!", as my dad might say. I still vividly remember a giant moving cutaway model of a Wankel engine. And my brother and I got to sit in a Rolls Royce that had a phone in it. Can you imagine? Both of the exhibitor pins below are from a few years later.
I associate Libby food products (later known as "Libby's) with frozen TV dinners (remember "Libby the Kid"?), and (I think) some kind of juice that was advertised with the song, "When it says Libby's Libby's Libby's on the label label label, you will like it like it like it on your table table table...". This stickpin is probably from the early 20th century, though I'm surprised at the shoddily-applied paint - atypical of such items from that era. Perhaps somebody touched it up more recently.
And finally here's a Roy Rogers Deputy badge, given out by Post cereals in 1951. The bas-relief of Roy is a pretty good likeness! I'm not so sure about Trigger, however. On the back is a whistle for calling your friends during an emergency, as well as a mirror so that you can flash Morse Code messages to the authorities from across the canyon.
Stay tuned for more STUFF FROM THE BOX!
Major-
ReplyDeleteI'm quite fond of the Illinois Bell Telephone Co. pin - it's rather delicate in its makeup.
The 'Libby's, Libby's, Libby's...' campaign was brand-wide, and not restricted to just their juices.
I was fairly certain that mirror on the Roy Rogers badge was for Trigger's use to check his teeth for cleanliness. (He was quite the diva, you know-!)
Thanks, Major.
"I guess this one is a "J"?" YOU FOUND MY RING! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! You can send it to me with overnight express. Oh wait... my ring had a cat on the front... nevermind.
ReplyDeleteThis ring has a pretty realistic image of a bulldog!
"When it says Libby's Libby's Libby's on the label label label!" That was also the last line of the jingle. It took me 50 years to get that jingle out of my head... AND NOW IT'S BACK!! Actually, I kinda like that jingle. I give extra points for the twisty twists on the shaft of the pin.
The whistle and mirror make the Roy Rogers pin extra special.
But my favorites of today's offerings are a toss-up between the Bell Telephone pin, just because I like the shape, and the two Auto Show pins, just because I like the combo of gold and red.
Thanks for the Stuff, Major.
I remember the frozen TV dinners from Libby, which were aimed at kids. They were branded with the name "Libbyland," and had names like Safari Supper, Sea Divers Dinner, Pirate's Picnic, and Sundown Supper. The graphics on the boxes were pretty cool. They also came with those packets of "Milk Magic" powder for making flavored milk. I remember the grape flavor was extra gross!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing more from The Box, Major!
Libbyland! We were never fancy enough for such things...of course we all pined for the likes of "Milk Magic"....looking at these commercials now with shots of the food: "wow...and that's the food on a GOOD day!" No wonder my mother would have none of it. I was also probably at that '77 Auto Show...I pretended somewhat to be kind of a motor head, but I wasn't the least bit interested. Seeing the models in gowns on twirling platforms was nice though...later on at Disneyland working for GM it was kind of compulsory to see the show: I think I got a little bit more out of it: but honestly only remember two models in VERY 80's jumpsuits taking apart a plastic Fiero sportscar, and snapping it back together again. It wasn't a model car: the Fiero if you remember was actually made out of plastic: very flexible plastic: I remember showing guests how you would kick the bumper and it would "boing" back into place without any damage. Not sure how long that Fiero lasted, but it was quite the showstopper for a brief moment in time. I looked up Trigger to see where he was now, apparently in a lobby of a TV station in Nebraska: sold for a few hundred thousand dollars. Don't know if they bought the family German Shepard as well, but the entire thing kind of creeps me out: just my POV. Do people know who Roy Rogers is anymore? Is it still a drink? I wouldn't mind a Roy Rogers this morning: Coke and Grenadine for the boys that were too butch to have a Shirley Temple....or later in life a "Queen Mary"...which was BEER and grenadine. Two words: "oh dear". Thanks Major for a nice dig into the box!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is the "DEVIL DOGS" ring.
ReplyDeleteBu, Bullet the German Shepard was also purchased by the Nebraska TV network. Poor Trigger would be lost without his canine buddy. Just think if Roy Rogers himself went through the process or taxidermy. All three of them could've been together forever. ;-)
I never guessed dogs could fly… turkeys yes, but dogs…
ReplyDeleteThat Bell pin is a lovely piece, I enjoy how the nations phone monopoly was named after Alexander Graham Falls.
I think I would have enjoyed the dairy exposition, but I would dress like a farmer. I went to a few car shows in that era too, Major. Fresno had the Auto-Rama with lots of classics and wild custom cars like Ed “Big Daddy” Roth designs. I collected Hot Wheels and built plastic model kits so this was right in the vibe.
The “paint” on that last pin is the dried blood of the pin owners last victim. I bet it was dipped in a fast acting poison derived from rare Amazonian orchids. Handle with care!
Thanks for the tour of The Box!
JG
Nanook, I have a few different Bell Telephone pins, but this one is definitely the nicest. I did mention Libby’s frozen dinners, though the products they offered were probably numerous! Trigger was the World’s Most Famous Horse, he had to look good.
ReplyDeleteJB, I actually would love to get one of those bulldog rings in better condition, but I see that they can fetch high prices. Now I know why I didn’t pay that much. If I had an extra I’d send it to you! The sign of a good jingle is that it never leaves your head. I have jingles that go back to my childhood, including on for “Hardees” that was to the tune of “Hello Dolly”. It’s real dumb!
TokyoMagic!, I totally remember those frozen dinners, when my mom and dad went out, they’d get us a babysitter, and a frozen dinner for each kid. I know we definitely got those Libbyland dinners, though I’d completely forgotten about the powder that you were supposed to add to milk. Grape and milk?? Gross is right!
Bu, for the most part we did not do those frozen, processed things, but as I said to TokyoMagic, all bets were off when my mom and dad took the opportunity to leave us kids home and go out for fun. I never liked it when the corn got into the pudding (or applesauce, or whatever). But I liked the fried chicken, or the salisbury steak. I can never describe myself as a car buff, but I always enjoyed going to the big LA Auto Show. All those beautiful, shiny cars! And booth babes, don’t forget the booth babes. I don’t remember the Ford Fiero (other than the name), I doubt those cars would have held much interest to me. My brother was the true car nut, and what he liked, I liked. And he liked the fancy, expensive cars! I don’t know if people know who Roy Rogers is (was), it makes me sad that he might be forgotten someday.
K. Martinez, when one wears a Devil Dogs ring, you never have any trouble from jerks! I’m not sure if the Roy Rogers museum is still a thing out in Apple Valley, though I seem to recall reading about the selling of the items, so… I guess it’s gone.
JG, in WWII, dogs learned to fly as part of the war effort. They had what it took! “Alexander Graham Falls”, I see what you did there. I have no concept of what a dairy exposition would display. Milking machines, bottling machines, and… er…? We had some models of Big Daddy Roth cars, I was terrible at building models, but I wish we’d saved some of those. Into the trash they went, when we would move. Maybe you’re right about the dried blood, it’s the only thing that makes sense.
Major-
ReplyDelete"The sign of a good jingle is that it never leaves your head".
No kidding-! (I just looked at that Hardee's commercial. It must'a cost them a pretty penny to produce that one - but 'hard-lee' one of the greats-! I apologize for that one). In spite of the 'jingle' being co-opted from a popular Broadway show/Hollywood musical, it's not good.
I can recite verbatim the complete 'lyrics' from two ads for Robert Hall Clothiers; and perhaps even more odd - I feel as if I'm the only person alive who still remembers a radio spot for Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream, probably from the late 1960's...
♬ Look for the sign of the big 31
It's Baskin-Robbins for ice cream fun.
You'll see more flavors than ever before
At your Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream store.
Speaking of dead displayed animals, years ago I worked for a company that had locations in other countries - including Australia.
ReplyDeleteThose thoughtful Australian co-workers gifted our office building with a HUGE, UGLY dead kangaroo. When you got off the elevator, this monster was standing right there, staring you down. At least 6 feet tall. It was a male. Did I mention HUGE and UGLY??
Can't get the Libby's jingle outta my head, now.
@ Sue-
ReplyDeleteIt doesn’t sound as though he was adorned with a pair of boxing gloves. That would’ve made all the difference, believe me.
I've never seen a giant Wankel engine, but I did have a model kit of a working Wankel engine (used a battery motor hidden side) to show its operation.
ReplyDeleteThere was a "Devil Dogs of the Air" movie from Warner Brothers in 1935, and a "Fighting Devil Dogs" serial the following year from Republic. Both involved Marine pilots but were otherwise unrelated. If the ring is definitely from '35 then it's definitely for the movie, but I wonder. So I googled.
ReplyDeleteIt turns out Devil Dogs is also the name of a snack cake, a brand of dungarees, and a punk band. I was really expecting to find a radio show, since that would be most likely to have premiums like the ring, but no luck.