1940 Bertelli Snow White Calendar

Italian soap manufacturer, Bertelli, also produced perfumes and cosmetics. In 1939, Gros Monti printed a 1940 Snow White calendar book for Bertelli. They were given out to customers at hair salons and barbershops. Dimensions: approximately 5.5 x 10 cm; pp. 12. Six color plates inside plus front and back covers. Officially licensed by Creazioni Walt Disney S.A.I.

Cover image via Little Nemo Auction House.

The name of the individual salon would be stamped or printed on this page.

The color plates from the Biancaneve "calendarietto Bertelli" were reproduced in a 1992 book from LDM edizioni, Barba Capelli e... (Shave and a Haricut...). It tells the story of the many different calendar books that were given out to customers of Italian barbershops and hairdressers.

Special thanks to Nunziante Valoroso for generously providing information and additional images for this post.

Vintage Seven Dwarfs Bar Soap by Bertelli

Italian pharmaceutical manufacturer, Bertelli, was founded in 1888. Over the years, they branched out into cosmetics and perfumes, as well as perfumed soaps. With the huge worldwide success and popularity of Disney's Snow White in 1938, Bertelli produced a series of small Biancaneve bar soaps in their "Sapol" line. They featured images of the Seven Dwarfs on the wrappers and the soaps themselves. Circa 1938-40.

The wrappers were made of thin paperboard, 6.5 cm tall. Printed by Gros Monti, they could be collected like trading cards.

Image via Little Nemo Auction House.

Images via Disneyana.it.

The bars came packed together in a box with a Snow White illustration on the cover. Although all seven of the dwarfs are represented inside, the box only contained six soaps. Grumpy didn't want to wash so he did not get a bar. Box measures approximate 10.75" x 2.75" x 1.75" (27,5 x 7 x 4,5 cm).

Soap box and bar images via babyboomerscult.

Check out a Bertelli soap ad poster in earlier Archive entry. Also see a comparable boxed soap set by Kerk Guild (in an upcoming post).

Special thanks to Nunziante Valoroso for his invaluable assistance with this post.

Vintage ELAH Trading Cards from Italy

A series of 50 numbered Snow White collectible cards--referred to as "figurines" in Italian--were produced from 1939 to 1940 by candy manufacturer ELAH. Officially licensed by Creazioni Walt E. Disney S.A.I. and printed by Gros Monti & Co. of Turin.

No. 12

Nos. 13-14

No. 17

No. 21

Nos. 23-24

No. 26

Nos. 27-28

Nos. 34-35

No. 37

Nos. 39-40

No. 42

No. 45

No. 47

 Reverse side of 47. "Good free prize..."

No. 49

These types of cards were often produced in association with a "sticker" album, in which they would be glued into place. However, we haven't yet come across a booklet for this particular set. Locating the complete collection is also proving to be a challenge. The above card images were found online here and here.

1939-40 ELAH Candy Ads from Italy

ELAH was an Italian producer of sweets, chocolates, and candies. In 1939-40, they made a candy called “Biancaneve” which was licensed through Creazioni Walt Disney S.A.I. The Snow White characters were used in a couple 1939 magazine ads.

This first one includes an image of a store display box full of individually wrapped Biancaneve candy.

Another shows an illustration of Snow White at the wishing well.

The following is a leaflet for a 1940 ELAH-sponsored radio program. It translates as follows:

ELAH Radio Competition for the Snow White candy – from March 13 to May 1, 1940, every Wednesday at 13:15 PM,  'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' will be on the air from the E.I.A.R station with their new adventures. If you are lucky with your phrase, you will win 5000 lire! Customers! Be sure to get the BIANCANEVE Candy!

The radio contest worked like this. Entrants would have to come up with a phrase to describe the qualities of the Biancaneve bonbon, write it in a letter, and mail it--along with a Snow White candy wrapper--to SIPRA, the advertising agency for Italian National Radio (EIAR) in Turin. The winner would be chosen on-air during the Snow White program. The prize of 5000 lire was a good amount of money at the time.

The leaflet is thin paper. Dimensions: 22 x 22,5 cm. Printed by Gros Monti.

Leaflet image via Little Nemo Auction House.

The contest was also promoted in magazines.

Dopey is shown holding prize money in his hand. From Tempo (Time) magazine no. 45, April 4, 1940 (p.3).

Color ad from the back cover of Tempo magazine no. 47, April 18, 1940.

Special thanks to Nunziante Valoroso for providing image scans, translations, and additional information. In the next Archive entry, see a series of Snow White trading cards ("figurines") issued by ELAH.

Gros Monti Postcard Series from Italy

A collection of 10 colorful Biancaneve postcards from 1940, printed by Gros Monti & Co. of Torino, Italy. Dimensions: approximately 10 x 15 cm.

Image via Little Nemo Auction House.

The individual character artwork was repainted by Italian artists from the color-plates found in the 1938 Walt Disney's Sketch Book of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Images via disneyana.it.

Similar character designs would be reused in England during World War II as part of a series of Collector Print Primer Cards.