While we're on the subject of Donald Duck, I came across more items pertaining to the hot headed mallard just last week. For only $2.00, I purchased a pack of "Donald Duck Transfers" from the 1940s that were never even used. As you can see in the pictures to the right and below, the book itself is a diecut of Donald, and inside one will find a total of 36 colored transfers. The directions on the inside cover read:
Cut out one picture at a time, place it in a saucer of water printed side uppermost. Make sure that the printed side does not get wet. After a short while take the picture out and place it face downwards on a sheet of paper. Press it down firmly, if possible with a soft cloth. Lift the paper gently at one corner and pull it off carefully.
What better way though to enjoy these colorful transfers than by drinking from your very own Donald Duck straw? For a mere $5.00, I purchased an unopened box of "Donald Duck Sunshine Straws" at a local flea market. "The sanitary convenient way to to serve milk...iced drinks...bottled beverages" as declared on the back of the box. Considering that their age goes back to the 1950s, I'm sure their "sanitary" and "convenient" quality has diminished quite a bit. Regardless, what a great looking addition!
One can't talk about Donald Duck without considering the rest of the gang. At the very same spot where I hunted down the transfers and straws, I came across a rather unique, little wooden briefcase colorfully decorated with various Disney characters. It was the 1940s/1950s Mickey image on the case's cover that caught my eye. Inside one will find twenty wooden blocks that can be turned over various times together to form up to four Vintage Mickey Mouse Picture Cubesdifferent pictures. This item's uniqueness is doubled by the fact that it appears to have been produced in West Germany by Hermann Eichhorn - a German toy company established in 1949 whose speciality lied in making wooden trains and puzzles. Various areas of the box are written in German and contain Disney characters that one typically does not find on Disney products today, such as: Little Wolf, Piper and Fifer Pig, Figaro, Morty and Louie. A truly special item found in excellent condition and at the right price - $5.00.
A similar item at the same flea market, entitled Walt Disney Character Scramble - Interchangeable Pictures, fell under my radar as well and immediately entered my possession. The character pieces inside were incomplete, but the outside game box is worthy of being framed. Various characters like Horace Horsecollar,Clarabelle Cow and Panchito were once a part of this package, but sadly only fragments of them remain. The idea of the game was to interchange various pants, shirts, and hats to create up to "1,000 different combinations" of wardrobe for each character. Mickey and Pinocchio (as seen below) are the only two characters that seemed to have survived over the decades. This item was made by the Plane Facts CO. sometime during the 1940s.
In closing, I'd like to share a lesson that I've learned with other budding Disney treasure hunters out there - do not leave any stone unturned. At this very same flea market I uncovered a 1930s Mickey Mouse cereal bowl in a box filled with dollar priced items. What a find and still in good condition. These bowls are usually priced anywhere from $10 - $20. It's image below should remind anyone - that with a little patience and the right information, a treasure is waiting to be rescued and loved.
