Paratrooper Matchbook

[Ken_Carroll]

Picked this up at a yard sale. Pepsi Cola matchbook with the Disney patch for the 503rd Parachute Battalion. None of the matches remain and I am sorry for the poor quality of the pictures, new camera and I am not yet proficient with it. I have never had one of these before.

 

Thanks,

 

Ken

[Ken_Carroll]

[disneydave]

Hello Ken.

 

Here is what I wrote about the matchbooks in my book Toons At War;

"Next to the insignia stamps, the most common merchandise featuring Disney insignia is matchbooks...two series of matchbooks were produced for the general public under license to the National Match Company of New York. One set of 20 was printed by the Maryland Match Company for the National Match Company. The designs in this series were produced in blue and red atop a yellow background. The unit’s name appeared under the design. A point of purchase display sign for these matchbooks was available to retailers. The set was also sold in a grouping of 12, packaged in a box that carried a 1943 copyright and advertised the fact the matchbooks were “Walt Disney Designed.” The matchbooks were printed in both a matte and glossy finish.

 

The second series of matchbooks produced by D.D. Bean & Sons for the National Match Company was comprised of 48 covers. These matchbooks reproduced Disney-designed insignia in blue and red overtop a gray background. The back of the cover featured an ad for Pepsi Cola. It is estimated that over one million of the Pepsi/Disney covers were distributed throughout the U.S. through the Whelan and United chain of retail stores."

 

Cheers,

 

David

[Ken_Carroll]

Thank you for a wealth of information Dave. I was beginning to think no one was watching! Now at least I have a little background the next time I find on of these.

 

Regards,

 

Ken

[doyler]

Pretty nice Ken.

I had seen some matches with glider and para motifs on them a couple years ago.They were from the training camps and with some miscilanious

17th Airborne insignias.

 

You can always replace the matches.I have taken older vintage full book matches and removed the staples and replaced the used ones for the ful book effect.Old match book collections are pretty common here but the Military ones are not so much..

 

RON

[Ken_Carroll]

I had not thought of replacing the matches. I guess I could; the cover is in very good condition. Thanks for the idea.

[Gregory]

I had seen some matches with glider and para motifs on them a couple years ago.They were from the training camps and with some miscilanious.

[Gregory]

I had seen some matches with glider and para motifs on them a couple years ago.They were from the training camps and with some miscilanious.

[Ken_Carroll]

Those are very nice. I had never planned on collecting the matchbooks, but I have to say that they are interesting. I am going to be watching more closely in the future.

[disneydave]

...I was beginning to think no one was watching!

 

Regards,

 

Ken

 

Hi Ken...just been really busy - 8 month old son with some frustrating minor health issues, a 7 yr old daughter, 5 year old son, freelance research and writing, two blogs to maintain, plus a regular job...