Colgan's Chips...Beware Imitations...The Rest of the Story

[Vintagecatcher]

The Colgan's Chip sets have always been one of my favorite sets to collect.

As most folks are aware, there are actually three (3) different sets of "Colgan's Chips:

1909-1911 Stars of the Diamond (E254)
1912 Red Borders (E270-1)
1912-1913 Tin Tops (E270-2)

One of the really cool things about collecting the sets is that you also can collect the actual Colgan's Chip tins that the gum or "chips," and the round cards were packaged in for the consumer. There are Violet color tins that contained the Violet Chips gum, which Colgan's described in one of their ads as "having the aroma of sweet violets." In addition, Colgan's also marketed a 2nd flavor of gum in their green Mint Chips tins, which one of their ads describes as: "Mint Chips flavored like old-fashioned peppermint stick candy."

Having picked up several Colgan's Chips tins in both colors, I soon realized that the tins reflected a change in the company's ownership.

Earlier tins had the following listed on the bottom of the tin: COLGAN GUM CO. Incorporated Louisville, KY U.S.A. Whereas, a later variation of the tin had the following inscription: AUTOSALES GUM & CHOCOLATE CO. NEW YORK. SUCCESSOR TO COLGAN GUM CO. INC.

Once I realized that different tins existed, I started wondering if each set might have come in a unique tin for each set. Clearly the first series, would have been issued initially with the COLGAN GUM CO. Incorporated Louisville, KY U.S.A. address.

Confirming when the change of ownership occurred might shed light on whether the first set, Stars of the Diamond, might have all come in the tins with the Colgan Gum Co.

There is also a chance that the change in ownership happened before the end of the Stars of the Diamond series were issued completely, and the 2nd type of tin may have been issued with some of the Stars of the Diamond cards as well as the other subsequent 2 sets.

I found this interesting bit of information online: "In 1911 - eighteen (18) major vending machine companies consolidated into the giant Autosales Gum and Chocolate Co. In the same year - Autosales Gum & Chocolate Co. of New York purchased a large number of chewing gum and candy companies including Colgan's, Dentyne and Royal Remedy and Extract's "Sweet Wheat" with plans to market the products through its automated vending machines.

Then I stumbled upon this fascinating appeal involving the Autosales Gum & Chocolate Co. vs. H. E. Winterton Gum Co.

https://www.ravellaw.com/opinions/ed...8420e51473273a

Whereas many hobby publications including Lew Lipset's The Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards Vol. 2 Early Gum & Candy Cards have mentioned the back of E254 Colgan's Chips warned to "beware of imitations" probably referring to the very similar Ju Ju Drums (E286), I believe this appeal identifies the real threat to the Colgan's Chips products: "Winterton's Satsuma Chips."

The fact that this product was marketed mid 1912 makes me also question whether the E254 Colgan Chips may have also been issued into 1912 if the backs warn "beware imitations." That warning also might simply mean that the Colgan Gum company was aware of several companies trying to imitate their extremely successful gum product.

The appeal also reveals that the Colgan Gum Company released the Violet Chips gum first and then the Mint Chips gum later.

"In 1908 it began making a brand of gum in the form of thin disks or chips; its first variety being violet-flavored and called "Violet Chips," its second variety (put out in 1909) being mint-flavored and called "Mint Chips." The company adopted in 1908 a distinctive package in the form of a round, enameled, and lithographed tin box, about 11/16 inches deep and with a cover about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, containing 10 disks, and retailing at 5 cents."

I believe this paragraph describes the purchase of Colgan Gum Co. by Autosales Gum & Chocolate Co.:

"The Colgan Company sold out its business to complainant (appellee) May 15, 1911, and the latter has continuously sold (among other gums) the Violet and Mint Chips of the same diameter and form, in precisely the same kind of a package, and lettered in precisely the same way, except as respects certain details on the bottom of the box not material here -- latterly putting 7 disks in a box."

Further on in the appeal I found this very interesting paragraph:

"The principal sales of Mint Chips and Violet Chips (both of Colgan and complainant) were in the south and southwest parts of the United States, and in some sections largely to Negroes, Italians, and French. Customers were in the habit of calling for and ordering these chips by the names "round gum," "tin box gum," or "tin gum."

Now I know a little more of the rest of the story, but I'm still uncertain which tins the 3 sets of Colgan's may have been issued with.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Patrick