Balloon in Paper Wrapper

The place to ask your Cracker Jack Prize questions. (Open to All)
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Jeffrey Maxwell
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:48 pm
Location: Wellington KS

Balloon in Paper Wrapper

Post by Jeffrey Maxwell »

I made an exciting discovery this week. It is a single medium-blue-colored latex balloon still in the paper wrapper that I believe to be a Cracker Jack prize from around the mid-1950's. It measures approximately 2-1/2" long x 7/16" at the widest point. The opening at the end (where you would blow it up) is about 3/8" wide. It is long and thin, like the kind used to make balloon animals, only smaller. The paper wrapper it is in measures approximately 5" long x 1-7/8" wide.
BalloonA.jpg
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I am basing the date of this balloon on the other prizes I received from the same source and came in similar types of paper wrappers. This accumulation of unopened toys has Cracker Jack prizes from the following series: Sterling Plastic Spinners, NOSCO Z1111 Animals Flats, NOSCO Z1124 Occupations Flats, and NOSCO Z1144 Flats.
BalloonB.jpg
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Please comment with any information you might have about this item. I have never seen anything like this, so I am going solely on instinct. I hope there is someone else out there who has examples of this so we can compare notes. Thank you for your comments and opinions.

Happy Collecting!
Jeffrey
Last edited by Jeffrey Maxwell on Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Luke
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Re: Balloon in Paper Wrapper

Post by Luke »

Jeffrey Maxwell wrote:Luke -- I tried to upload a couple of photos, but I got an error message: "Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached." Thanks!
Jeffrey, I've changed the settings, please try it again.
Jeffrey Maxwell
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:48 pm
Location: Wellington KS

Re: Balloon in Paper Wrapper

Post by Jeffrey Maxwell »

Is it or Isn't It? Still hope someone will comment on this. Any opinions?
Cyndy Boesch
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Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:19 am

Re: Balloon in Paper Wrapper

Post by Cyndy Boesch »

Hi Jeffrey, Well, this is interesting! All I can tell you is that I have three Cracker Jack prizes in these early wrappers (A stand-up giraffe and two of the long two tone whistles). All three are still sealed. I also have a couple of cereal prizes in wrappers that are identical in size and color. Even the sealing pattern around the sides is the same. It would be really interesting to have anyone post what Cracker Jack prizes they have still sealed in these wrappers.
Jeffrey Maxwell
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:48 pm
Location: Wellington KS

Re: Balloon in Paper Wrapper

Post by Jeffrey Maxwell »

Thanks for your comments Cyndy! Excellent input.

I envy your stand-up giraffe. Is it the one that is sort of a cartoon design? I love that design -- one of my all-time favorites. It is awesome that you have one in the wrapper.

You mentioned cereal prizes. I have some of those wrappers, too. It makes sense that cereal prizes came in similar wrappers, since many of the same companies made prizes for both Cracker Jack and cereal companies. However -- while I have heard of Cracker Jack putting balloons in packages, I have never heard of cereal companies using balloons by themselves in cereal. The only time that balloons came in cereal -- that I know of -- was as part of balloon-powered vehicles.

As it stands, I still believe this balloon is Cracker Jack. Can anyone else add to this conversation? I really would like to hear your opinions. Also, like Cyndy, I would be interested in having you post what you have found sealed in these types of wrappers as well. Any comments will be appreciated.

Have fun!
Jeffrey
larrydw
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Re: Balloon in Paper Wrapper

Post by larrydw »

Hello Jeff, Cyndy, et al,
Puzzling! I would think that the balloon is earlier than the companion prizes. I would have thought that most if not all prizes were in the CJ wrappers and not plain ones. Besides that paper and plastic items, I can't remember any balloon, rubber, or other similar material. I would guess earlier, maybe 1930s for it to be CJ, or possibly 1950s and not CJ.
Image
Jeffrey Maxwell
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:48 pm
Location: Wellington KS

Re: Balloon in Paper Wrapper

Post by Jeffrey Maxwell »

larrydw wrote: Puzzling! I would think that the balloon is earlier than the companion prizes. ... I would guess earlier, maybe 1930s for it to be CJ, or possibly 1950s and not CJ.
Thanks for your reply Larry.

After giving it some thought, I believe you are correct. I originally thought it might be earlier, too -- especially after I saw your entry on balloons in your CD. But I didn't know what prize wrappers from the 1930's might look like. My primary area of collecting is post WWII, thus my collection before 1946 is very thin. So I could only guess. I recognize the fact that this came with prizes from the 1950's doesn't really mean anything. But it is one of the only things I had to start with, so I put it out there with the other limited info I had to offer.
larrydw wrote: I would have thought that most if not all prizes were in the CJ wrappers and not plain ones.
You bring up an interesting topic about prize wrappers, which brings a couple of thoughts to mind.

1. The prizes used in packages of Cracker Jack in the 1950's that I have seen sealed in original wrappers (mostly plastic prizes from NOSCO and SP) were in wrappers made of either paper (two layers pressed together) or clear cellophane (tubular plastic envelope sealed on each end) with no markings on the wrappers. This is just from my own personal experience.

2. I have no notion of what "the CJ wrappers" from the 1950's are. Can you give us a photo or description?

Thanks Larry. Your input is greatly appreciated.

Have fun!
Jeffrey
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