With the massive success of Snow White in theatres during the picture's premiere run, Disney's merchandising man, Kay Kamen, made sure it was featured often in the magazine. Although we haven't yet found all of the issues from 1938, in the ones we do have, Snow White dominates the front covers.
These early editions are rare and quite difficult to come by today. Most of the following images were generously shared by Matt of Random Neat Stuff and also by the William Stillman Collection.
January 1938 / 1938 Toy Fair Trade Show Issue / March 1938
April 1938 (front cover not yet found) - miscellaneous Snow White ad pages
- pp.4-5 Ideal dolls
- p.78 Ohio Art sand toys
- p.132 Storkline furniture
- p.139 Noble & Cooley lithographed drums
- p.143 Mengel rocker
- p.156 Fulton rubber stamps and Whitman Publishing books (including Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy)
- p.158 Seiberling rubber dolls
- p.161 Apon Halloween masks
- p.173 N.N. Hill Brass pull toys
- p.249 Ideal dolls
- pp.269-270 Fischer-Price pull toys
- p.307 R.G. Krueger dolls
- rear page - Behrend & Rothschild dime banks
Additional pages via gdawg.
May 1938
June 1938 / July 1938 - similar cover designs promoting the 4th Annual Walt Disney Character Merchandise Catalogue issued by Kay Kamen
June 1938 - miscellaneous Snow White pages
- p.41 Seiberling rubber doll/ball display (plus Old King Cole figures)
- p.47 A.S. Fishbach/Ben Cooper costumes
- p.53 Ohio Art sand toys
- p.54 Apon mask display
- p.56 La Mode lamps
- p.64 Crown Toy Dopey bank
- p.68 N.N. Hill Brass pull toys
- p.71 Ideal dolls
Classified ads:
- p.73 Apon masks
- p.76 A.S. Fishbach costumes
- p.79 R.G. Krueger dolls
- p.80 Micro Lite night light
- p.85 Seiberling rubber toys
- p.88 Whitman Publishing
- rear cover - Madame Alexander dolls/marionettes
June 1938 images via Antique Toy Archive.
November 1938 / December 1938
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In 1939, most of the front covers featured Pinocchio. Yet, we did come across one where Snow White and the dwarfs were included. And of course there would have still been plenty of Snow White ads and write-ups inside other issues.
March 1939
September 1939 - Snow White store displays from xmas 1938
- B. Peck Co. in Lewiston, ME
- Crowley Milner & Co. Detroit, MI
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs did appear in later editions of the magazine too, particularly during theatrical re-release years.
January 1952
June 1967 (full-page ad)
In 2010, Playthings was incorporated into Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine and also became available in a digital format.
