Babe Ruth General Gum Sign/Display - Black Light PIX added FINALLY

[Hankphenom]

Was the tab method actually used on candy boxes of this era? It seems so clunky and undependable. Wouldn't just putting your graphics on the inside of the top, which would be flipped back in the store to make the display, be a much better way? Not sure I remember ever seeing the tab method on anything, but maybe I just never noticed.

[perezfan]

The tabs could have been used to connect the Header Card to a Floorstand Display or to a shelf channel. We may never know the purpose unless a vintage image surfaces, or more evidence comes to light.

[nolemmings]

I think we now have pretty strong evidence that the R310 pictures were issued with Baseball Gum, lending support for the OP's piece being authentic. From last night's REA auction of 93 R310s, including multiple Ruths and Gehrigs, with a description stating "this group is accompanied by pieces of the original display box. These items were just recently discovered in a Midwest warehouse. Incredibly, our consignor, who was involved in the purchase of the building, rescued all of the material from a large trash bin."

[oldeboo]

Tremendous discovery, thanks for sharing Todd.

That is the missing link, no doubt. R310 was without question connected to General Gum, a Curtiss Candy subsidiary. Curtiss Candy distributed these photos with products beyond just Butterfinger. Calling R310 exclusively a Butterfinger issue is wildly inaccurate. R310 is a Curtiss Candy item.

Curtiss Candy distributed a Movie Stars set around the same time as this Baseball Stars set. Check out the similarities between the Baby Ruth Movie Stars and Butterfinger Baseball Stars store displays. Also, see the similarities between the General Gum boxes.

[nolemmings]

Nice find Trey! Now the mystery deepens with regard to the OP's piece. If the display piece is authentic or reproduced from an authentic example, it remains to be seen what "large mounted picture" of Ruth was sent to the collector who mailed in the 50 wrappers and stamps. Interestingly, this is at approximately the same time as Goudey issued its large easel version of Ruth in its R309-1 and possibly R340 sets. REA auctioned a variation of the R309-1 "card" a few years ago as an R340:
https://robertedwardauctions.com/auc...ium-babe-ruth/
The pose is highly similar to that used on the basic R310 of Ruth. It could be that the mounted photo of Ruth offered by General Gum looks much the same, unless Goudey had some exclusivity rights to use that specific pose. Note that the offer was the same for Goudey and General Gum-- send in 50 wrappers.

It also remains unknown what the gum wrappers looked like that were needed for the redemption offer. They must have had some markings as opposed to being generic glassines, otherwise the company could be accepting competitor's wrappers. Anyway, more questions to be answered another day

[oldeboo]

double post

[oldeboo]

That has been one of my theories as well in regards to the Ruth premium. R309-1 is not branded as a Goudey item. I find that slightly odd. If you didn't know any different, it just looks like a generic item. Goudey also distributed many other premium items during that time such as gloves, hats and balls. They would have been using outside vendors. The R309-1 offer shown below expired at the end of 1933, just before R310 was released. Curtiss Candy may have acquired stock from the same outside vendor that Goudey used. Just a theory and a guess, nothing more.

https://robertedwardauctions.com/auc...-display-sign/

Who has an example of an R309-1 or R340 Ruth in a General Gum envelope?

[Kris19]

I recently found another one of these display pieces in a Mastro auction catalog from April 22-23, 2004. I sent it to the OP, but never got around to posting it here. I thought those following this thread would find it interesting.