American Caramel E125 distribution?

[Leon]

I missed getting this item this morning as someone hit the BIN before I did but I think this could be a glimpse of how E125s were distributed. There isn't a lot of info but it looks like it could have been...it is the upper left ad and can be enlarged...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1910-AD-Base...p2047675.l2557





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[murcerfan]

interesting. I think it was/is widely believed that the die-cuts were box-toppers for the candy store to use as a counter display.

one e125 per candy piece (as I read it) seems like alot for a little. and you'd think more would have survived.

...then again, 100 e125's for 55 cents, I'd do backflips. or is it 100 candy pieces per e125 and 55 cents?

[Matthew H]

Very cool illustration! 100 cards for 55c wholesale.

Btw Leon, you must have a pretty broad search, jeez!

[oaks1912]

Nice pick Leon...Those perfectly describe the E-125's. Also like the graphics on the Educational Series cards. E-125's are one of many American Caramel issues that were originally marketed in the greater San Francisco Bay Area (among other regions I'm sure)........Oh Matt, I think Leon actually does the searching himself
" Btw Leon, you must have a pretty broad search, jeez!"

[Matthew H]

Hi Mark, looking forward to seeing you down here in May.

[toppcat]

Yesterday's cheap novelty = today's gold!

[murcerfan]

it just seems odd to me that a 8" x 6" expensive to produce die-cut item would be included per little candy.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by murcerfan

it just seems odd to me that a 8" x 6" expensive to produce die-cut item would be included per little candy.

I agree but it says 100 in a box with 100 pictures.

As for my searches.... quite wide and eclectic....

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by murcerfan

it just seems odd to me that a 8" x 6" expensive to produce die-cut item would be included per little candy.

Not all that uncommon-the money was in the wholesaling of products to the jobbers who distributed all manner of things. Margins were razor thin and competition was fierce I'm sure but penny candy was sold thsi way for years.

[murcerfan]

I guessing there are stacks of E125's somewhere if they were distributed 100 at a time.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by murcerfan

I guessing there are stacks of E125's somewhere if they were distributed 100 at a time.

You realize you are arguing or debating an ad, right?

My guess is they might have gotten distributed different ways, in different boxes and different counts. This might have been one method, and as many other things we have seen, might not have worked and was discontinued almost before it started. I suspect we will find more ads similar, but different to this, for years to come. It is what helps keep it interesting.

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by murcerfan

I guessing there are stacks of E125's somewhere if they were distributed 100 at a time.

I doubt it, molasses caramel sounds awful.

[murcerfan]

Maybe Honus Wagner was anti-molasses and had the whole thing pulled.

[oaks1912]

The candy may have been unpopular at the time, but another reason could be the required space that the premiums (E-125's) would have taken in the candy case and the retailer deciding to go with the smaller cards (E-90) instead. Go into a supermarket today and see how square inches of shelf facings can generate payoffs or competition between manufacturers (Kelloggs Corn Flakes will get 2 or 3 facings, Apple Jacks get only 1 facing) Additionally, with the oversized nature of E-125, they would easily damaged by the retailer or the kid / collector. Several that I've brought into the hobby were pasted into scrapbooks and many of those have damaged / missing flaps on the bottom. Its possible that these could have been viewed as "paper dolls" by the boys and not something that they wanted to save.....Matt, since you live in So Cal, you should try See's molasses chips. They are available with light or dark chocolate ...one of my favorite candies. I don't think that the American Caramel product was as good, but there is some redeeming value to molasses.

[gnaz01]

How could I have missed this!!!!!!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by gnaz01

How could I have missed this!!!!!!

I was there. I went to hit the BIN, hit it, and someone hit it seconds before I did. I was pissed at myself but it happens.

[birdman42]

On the back page of the ad (bottom right corner) there's a promo for Darby's Whipped Cream Chocolates. Not the same as the Pennant Chocolates that we've seen the cards for, but it does look like there's a picture of a ball player on the box.

Bill

[Matthew H]

Mark's arguments seem right on. It might have been a nuisance to kids trying to carry around these large un-stackable pieces, and kids did carry cards around for trade and other reasons. When I was growing up there were all kinds of large odd-ball issues that no one I knew ever collected. It was 1987 Topps all day.

I was forced shoe-fly pie at a very young age, and swore off molasses for good. I ate a molasses cookie a few years ago which reminded me why I don't eat molasses. I will try See's molasses because I trust you Mark.

What are the "Educational Picture Caramels"? They appear to show Baseball too? Also, I'm missing the Darby ad... And what's up with the Duche Stick??

[birdman42]

Originally Posted by Matthew H

Also, I'm missing the Darby ad...

Matt, on the back page, very bottom right corner, is an ad in a red box. The Darbys are directly above that.

Bill

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by birdman42

Matt, on the back page, very bottom right corner, is an ad in a red box. The Darbys are directly above that.

Bill

Missed the whole back page, thanks.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Matthew H

Missed the whole back page, thanks.

And to add more insult to injury there is a Delatour Chocolate Sponge ad on there too. I am pretty sure they put their ad on some of our Postcards, Rose Postcards maybe?

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by Leon

And to add more insult to injury there is a Delatour Chocolate Sponge ad on there too. I am pretty sure they put their ad on some of our Postcards, Rose Postcards maybe?

Do you know what the 'Educational Picture Caramels' are?

[birdman42]

Originally Posted by Matthew H

Do you know what the 'Educational Picture Caramels' are?

The Pictures That Dare Not Speak Their Name

[gnaz01]

Looking at the back of an e125 James Jeffries, it may tell a story of how the baseball players were distributed as well.

[terjung]

Looks like the E125 Wagner throwing on that ad.
Very cool piece!

[Bridwell]

This part of the page was cool also. Sorry I missed the BIN too.

[Matthew H]

Hi Ron, do you know what those are?

[rhettyeakley]

100% that is an image of the E90-1 Eddie Grant card on that "Educational Caramel" ad. I think it was an ad for various American Caramel sets as you can see the boxer in the bottom of the box as well as a battleship (a la the E3 set).

Edited to add: That kinda looks like the E90-1 Cobb in lower right of the box as well.

[Bridwell]

Good eye on the Eddie Grant! I thought it looked familiar but couldn't place it.

The upper left corner 2nd from left card reminds me of the E91 set. This box was an odd collection of different E sets, apparently. That's interesting to me. Could multiple sets of Caramel cards have been sold out of the same retail box? If that's correct, and it's not just an artists rendering, than it says something about how E sets were packaged and distributed.

[gnaz01]

Originally Posted by terjung

Looks like the E125 Wagner throwing on that ad.
Very cool piece!

It is Honus, Brian.

[Matthew H]

Yes, good eye Rhett. It looks like the card was wrapped so that kids could see what they were getting. Same with E125, it looks like they could just pick one. Other caramel sets were distributed that way too, E98, star player, zeenuts, all the box cutouts, I think that's interesting. Definitely a far cry from today's chase cards.