Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Monday, October 30, 2017

1940s Hasko Mystic "Ouija Board"

In the 1940s, the Haskelite Mfg. Corporation of Chicago released into the toy and game market a couple of Ouija boards. The name "Ouija" is actually a trademark of the Hasbro company. So Haskelite cleverly referred to their parlor game as the Hasko Mystic Board (larger version) and the Hasko Mystic Tray (smaller). These really wouldn't have much to do with our Snow White topic except for an illustration that they incorporated onto the board designs.

In each of the four corners are lithos of exotic-looking persons. One of these is clearly an emulation of the Old Witch from Disney's Snow White.







Images via hideho.



Wards catalog page from the mid 1944-45.



A version with a non-Disney witch was also issued by Hasko.

Disney Catalog Old Witch Costume

This Old Witch Halloween costume was sold through the Disney Catalog. Probably dates from the 1990s or early 2000s. One-piece head, robe, and hunchback. Both adult and kid sizes were available.




Sunday, October 29, 2017

Snow White Halloween Costumes by Ben Cooper (1930s-1960s)

In 1937, New York theatrical costume designer, Ben Cooper, launched into the production of Halloween costumes and gained the licensing contracts of A.S. Fishbach, Inc. It was a fortunate turn since one of the licensors included Walt Disney Enterprises. With the premiere of Snow White that year, it was a auspicious time to begin! They started selling Disney costumes through Fishbach's Spotlite brand. In 1942, the two companies merged under Ben Cooper, Inc. From the 1950s-1980s, Ben Cooper was one of the giants in Halloween costume manufacturing. And Snow White was with them from the beginning. Here's a few examples.

1938-42(c.) Dopey Spotlite brand. Box No. E12(?). Paperboard mask; two-piece cotton outfit. Back of mask is marked, "Copyright Walt Disney Productions, A Tru Type Mask, No. 112, Made in USA by Ben Copper, Inc., New York". (A similar Dopey mask was issued in 1937 by Einson-Freeman and Post Toasties.)



Dopey costume via Halloweenagogo.

___

1950s Snow White costumes are mentioned in the motion picture pressbooks from 1952 and 1958. (We've not found photos of these yet.)


___

1964(c.) Snow White No. 221. Plastic mask with no mouth slot; rayon outfit (made in Mexico.)




___

1967 Snow White. Two costumes are pictured in the 1967 pressbook supplement. No. 221 (which is pictured above). Plastic mask; rayon one-piece costume. Suggested retail price $3.00. And No. 521. Three-piece outfit consisting of dress, cape, and ribbon headdress. Retail $5.00.


___

1968 Snow White No. 299. Ben Cooper wholesale catalog. Plastic mask (same mold and design as above), rayon one-piece outfit.

Catalog image via euclidboo.com.

Another edition of No. 299. Different dress design than what is pictured in the Ben Cooper catalog above.






Other Ben Cooper posts: