Lookout Disney We Have Boxed Pin Sets Four

An Ancient Ritual, Disney Catalog Sales


There use to be a time back in the day when you would go out to the mailbox and check if the postal carrier brought the newest Disney Catalog.  My mother, the sponsor,  ordered so much from the catalog  that she had a personal shopper.  The shopper would call her and take her order or suggest items that she knew my mom would be interested in.  Mom ordered so much that she was designated a Best Guest. It may sound frivolous but it saved time and mailing off a catalog form.  It also gave my mom access to special items that were not published in that month's catalog.  The biggest perk of all was the items that were given to you because you were a Best Guest. 

Mom enjoyed the title Best Guest.

 Even cast members at the resort hotels and the parks recognized the Best Guest logo. Because of the twins and my mom being their Nonna, many of the orders included clothes and toys for the kids.  Also, the Disney character cookie jars that I blogged about on May14 and May 31 came from Disney Catalog.  


Disney Catalog offered boxed pin sets.  As a family we had become huge pin collectors.  The idea of boxed pin sets were a logical extension.  We started with the early Disney and I. B. Werks production of early Mickey Mouse films that launched our little mouse heroes film career.  Steamboat Willie made in 1928 was the same year my mother was born.  That was the reason she loved that mouse so much. The March 26th blog displayed those early pin sets.  Disney followed that release with the of Silly Symphony cartoons.  These were shown at theaters in color.  That caused a sensation.  Most films were in black and white.  The April 3rd blog was about these film releases.  All these Disney Catalog exclusives were produced as limited editions. Most of them were released as part of a 3000 limit.  Others were released in some significant number.  On May 2nd, I blogged about some the boxed pin sets that were related to sports. 
The Disney Catalog released a pin set that represented pin trading. Pin trading was taking off at the various Disney parks.  Guest had lanyards and could trade pins with any Disney cast member.   If you had a full lanyard it was substantially heavy around your neck especially a child's neck.  As the number of pins increased the people began to adopt other options, such as pin vests or pin cases.  These pin vest were generally khaki or black.  Some people had pins on the front and others covered the vest front and back.  It must have been incredibly uncomfortable and heavy.  Some traders opted for the pin cases.  Disneyland set up sites where pin traders could congregate to unzip their cases and display the pins they wished to trade.  The Disney Catalog boxed pin set depicts these differing activities.  Mickey Mouse and the whole gang are shown in trading pins.

Pin trading took the parks by storm.

Kiosks and pin cases

You've seen this before.

As time went on many of the collectors edition boxed pin sets were more specific.  Take the pin set Donald Duck: My Family Album.  Donald Duck has a large family and a significant other.  We all know Daisy Duck, that glamorous and sassy Peking Duck has been Donald's girl friend since she was created in 1940.  Of course, everyone knows Donald's nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie.  They in a cartoon episode decided to raise a sunken boat with ping pong balls.  It worked for them but many real life people were skeptical.  Then the television show Myth Buster decided to either confirm or bust this myth.  They devised a delivery system for the ping pong balls and the method was confirmed.  They even had to use less balls than they calculated.  The nephews were in many of Donald's adventures.  One of my favorite ducks was the smartest of the Duck family.  He had many shows on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color that informed us on topics ranging from Child Psychology to introducing Tall Tales.  Professor Ludwig von Duck was Donald's uncle.  Another uncle everyone wishes they had was rich Scrooge McDuck.  A poor thrifty Scottish duck that hit it rich in the Klondike finding a a goose egg sized gold nugget.  This launched his fortune that has been rising steadily ever since.  In 2011 Forbes Fictional Fifteen revealed that Uncle Scrooge hit number one being worth 44.1 billion dollars.  

Star of cartoons, comics, and movies

Only a small number of the Duck family

Huebert Duck, Deuteronomy Duck, and Louis Duck  are better known as Huey, Dewey, and Louie.  These nephews appeared in some of the earliest Disney films meant for theaters to the Disney's Afternoon Avenue show Duck Tales.  Poor Donald was often the receiver of misfortune.  In Good Scouts Donald is taking his nephews on a camping trip.  Where he is befuddled by a petrified tree, chased by a grumpy bear and foiled by "Old Reliable" geyser.  When Donald is injured, the boys spring into action using their scouting skills and the result is Donald looks like a mummy.

This was volume # 5 Of the Disney Animated Shorts series

The nephews are in their uniforms.

Why would you have a limited edition of 1932?  "Gawrsh" the answer is your celebrating the 70th anniversary of everybody's favorite anthropomorphic dog, Goofy.  Goofy's first role was in 1932 Mickey's Revue.  Goofy played Dippy Dawg and a star was born.  Goofy made many "How To" and "The Art of" cartoon shows.  However, we all know these turned out to be "how not to".  Take the 1941 Art of Skiing.  Goofy's misadventures caused him to go over a cliff gave rise to what is now known as the "Goofy Holler". This sound effect written in scripts as "yaaaaaaa-hoo-hoo-hoo-hooey!!" This sound effect is used in many movie and not just by Goofy.  Goofy can be heard in the video game Kingdom Hearts using this yodel as he comes charging with his shield, the only weapon he uses.

The old dog looks good for 80 now.

My brother has Goofy golf stuff thanks to the sponsor

In 1936 the animated short called Mickey's Circus.  You would think it was all about our favorite mouse, Mickey.  Mickey, however, starts and ends the feature.  The main part belonged to the most easily frustrated, Donald Duck.  Donald has a trained seal act.  The adult seals are supposed balance a ball and play the horns.  It is the little seal pup that steals the show.  First by stealing the fish intended to reward the seals.  Next, by playing the horns better and a one-man-band drum and symbol.  Salty the Seal later tormented Pluto in a future film.  This boxed set was a limited to 1500.

Come to Mickey's Circus! Orphans get in free.

How come there is no Salty the Seal?

Going through these boxed pin sets gives me a good feeling, I get to remember my mom.  She loved shopping and Disney.  The Disney Catalog gave her an excellent opportunity for both.  She also love the fact that she had a personal shopper.  She was a salesperson and buyer in retail sales her entire life.  She prided herself on the attention and service she gave her customers.  And they were her customers.  The majority of them would rather leave the store than have anyone else wait on them.  Department stores don't give service like that anymore.  Has anyone at Walmart ever asked you, "That is a beautiful shirt! Let me show you a sweater and a tie that would look great with that."  The idea of just one someone to take care of her seemed perfect.  Being designated as a Best Guest made her feel special.  Next time we'll explore more of these Disney Catalog exclusives.  

Look Out Disney We Have Cookie Jars Two

Grab a Latte and a Cookie, We Got a Place to Put Them
What should it be cookie jars or pins. I was having difficulties on choosing between the two for my next blog post.   I did both in the recent past so I had to figure what might be the best. If I went with the most the blog that garnered the most hits, it would be pins. There is a lot of interest in the pins and I have many pins blog ideas. But cookie jars are important to me.
Since I have to photograph both, I chose cookie jars. Mickey cookie jars is where I started my collection. However, I branched out to other Disney characters. Some are classic Disney characters like Donald Duck and Goofy.  

This one's for you Princess.

Donald Duck was born in 1934.  He has always had a bit of a temper.  He played a major role during World War II in films against the Nazis.  He was also used on aircraft nose art.  I enjoyed the role that Donald played in the video game Kingdom Hearts.  When my son was young, we would play that game all the time.  My favorite saying he uses is, "Aw phooey" Donald is a true movie star.  Here Donald is seen with a few reels of his many films.  

Where are his pants?

There are many other characters in the Disney universe. One of many is the characters of Winnie the Pooh, a children's novel by A. A. Milne.  My favorite from Winnie the Pooh characters is Tigger. How can you miss?  He is upbeat and peppy.  He even spells his name with style, "T-i-double guh-err," Tigger.  He has a cool theme song. "Tiggers are wonderful things.  Their heads are made of rubber, their tails are made of springs." When I grew to like Tigger, he was voiced by the legendary Paul Winchell.  Paul was a ventriloquist.  He gave voice to Knucklehead Smiff and Jerry Mahoney.  His voice acting of the original Tigger gave Tigger subtle mispronunciations.  Tigger says villyun instead of villain and ridicurus over ridiculous.  However, the statement that Tigger always uses that was way ahead of his time was TTFN, ta ta for now.  Whenever I see anyone clipping or making acronyms when texting, I think to myself, 'way to go Tigger you started it all for us.'

His tail is made of springs

Ready to bounce

My daughter is going off to college and as I was photographing these cookie jars to prepare the blog I said, "You know I should sell some of these cookie jars to help with college tuition." 
She quickly replied, "Go head but I'm taking the Tinker Bell one with me."  Her Disney character preference has morphed from her early liking of the Princesses to the love of Tinker Bell.  As a teen ager, Tinker Bell is ideal.  She has a certain attitude that is easily identified with.  Tink, as she is known for short, started out as a character in J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan.  We all clapped to save her life.  Tink is the keeper of the fairy dust, that magical glittering substance that allows a person to fly. So, I will send Tink to University California Santa Barbara so Tink will be around to help my daughter soar.  

A good place to store Pixie Dust

Blue eyes like my daughter

My favorite Disney character is Goofy.  Goofy is the anthropomorphic Disney dog.  Unlike Pluto, Goofy walks, talks, and drives a car.  He was always a bit clumsy.  But this tripping and falling led to the ever favorite Goofy Holler.  It is a distinctive yodel that is spelled out as, "yaaaaaaaa-hoo-hoo-hooey," first heard in The Art of Skiing in 1941.  Other catchphrases that makes Goofy endearing to me are "gwarsh" and "ah-hyuck".  Goofy like Donald plays a role in Kingdom Hearts.  He never picks up weapon only fights with is shield.  Goofy is an every man character.  In this cookie jar Goofy raids the refrigderator for a snack.  Lift this cookie jar's lid and you will hear, "Gwarsh, I forgot the cookies. Ah-hyuck."

"Soup or salad fries and biscuits extra olives donuts"

I think this will be a good bedtime snack

My fridge never looks this clean around the coils

My mother was a big fan of the Bad Girls. Those Disney villains who were needed in the morality plays that were the Disney stories.  On of her favorite as Cruella de Vil.  Cruella with her Bette Davis looks was a natural for my mom's generation.  Cruella was into fur before fur was so out of vogue.  In the 1960 movie, 101 Dalmatians, Cruella was most vile because she was not only into fur but the fur of puppies.  Everyone loves puppies. So Cruella was easily hated.  As a child watching her tear around in that big red car of hers in the snowy London outskirts, I secretly wished that I could drive like that.  Mom had an identical cookie jar which when she died we gave to my brother.  My mom always had Trader Joe's ginger cookies in her Cruella cookie jar.  My twins always knew that they could find a cookie in that car. 

License plate simply read "De Vil"

Why isn't this car right hand drive

Speed off with the puppies

Experiment 626 is a friend's of mine favorite Disney character.  Who is Experiment 626?  It is Stitch the lovable science fiction character from the movie Lilo & Stitch.  Stitch was an illegal genetic experiment created to cause havoc.  He escaped his outer space compound and came to Earth.  Landing in Hawaii, this nearly indestructible little monster is mistaken for a dog.  He is adopted by an Elvis Presley loving little girl named Lilo.  The antics of Stitch and the bounty hunters from outer space cause many misadventures.  I am happy that I have Stitch because he and Lilo developed into a blended family.  The Hawaiian term Ohana, meaning family not only blood relative but blended individuals.  I had friends who were close enough to be considered family members.  My mom also took in people who she called son or daughter.  This concept of Ohana is second nature to me.  I "adopt" people.  They are like family to me.  I have friends on-line that I have "adopted".  One of them likes Stitch.  So I'm happy I have him.  Luckily, the other likes Donald Duck and I have him too.  I wonder which cookie jar they are taken to college?  

The last place you would check for him to hide

Steve Jobs bought a small computer graphic company from George Lucas.  They called it Pixar.  Pixar made several movies that they sold to the Disney Corporation.  Those movies were highly successful.  Movies like Toy Story, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles.  Soon Pixar was a valuable company not only in dollars but in creativity.  Disney needed to keep receiving movies to screen and sell.  So they bought Pixar for $7.4 Billion.  This sale made Steve Jobs the largest share holder in the Disney Corporation.  Now Pixar attractions  are appearing at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.  Cars Land will open on June 15, 2012. This also meant cookie jars were now going to be produced themed on the Pixar movies.  These cookie jars are like Pixar movies compared to the older Disney hand drawn cells.  The Pixar cookie jars are more three dimensional.
In 2003, Finding Nemo came out.  There were several endearing characters. It was about a father Clown Fish, Marlin searching for his lost son, Nemo.  A son who was captured by P. Sherman and taken to his dental office and placed with other tropical salt water fish in an aquarium.  These fish are depicted on a cookie jar. 

Gill, Shark Bait, and Bubbles at Mt. Wanna-Hock-a-loogie

Deb looking for her sister Flo

Peach and Bloat

Jacques and Gurgle

In 2004, a second Pixar inspired cookie jar I bought is The Incredibles.  This super hero family is forced to live hidden away from the public because "supers" have fallen out of favor.  But destiny forces Mr. Incredible back into the super hero business.  He is captured on a clandestine mission which he has told no one about, not even his wife. Elastigirl attempts to rescue him but her children stowaway on her jet.  Her daughter Violet is also a "super".  Her powers are the ability to produce force fields and she is able to become invisible.  The son Dash is just that fast. This cookie jar has the entire family.

Bob Parr and family

Race you for a cookie

Today's final cookie jar comes from the Disney Channel. This one evolved from a live action drama.  When my twins were young they watched the Disney Channel often.  This teen sit-com was Lizzie McGuire.  She was a high school student with common problems.  However, integrated into some scenes Lizzie had a cartoon alter ego.  This cookie jar is a reflection of that cartoon.

Reprsented Lizzie's inner thoughts

Nobody has that many cookies nor counter space for that many cookie jars.  But that is the nature of collecting.  Jay Leno cannot drive all the cars he collects.  Collections are those little baubles that you enjoy.  Hope you enjoy what you collect as much as I enjoy Disney items.

Look Out Disney We Got Boxed Pin Sets Three

Boxed Pin Sets Are Just For Fun. Playball!

 Some boxed pin sets were not commemorative in their release.  Many were just playfully fun. Take the ones that are sports related.  Many of the Disney characters have been depicted in various sports attire.  My brother has lots of Goofy golfing equipment.  The boxed pin sets focused on the many team sports popular in the United States.
There is no sport bigger than football.  To the World football is what we in the United States call soccer.  While we are making progress in youth soccer and even soccer at college and World Cup Levels, we have very little fan interest in soccer.  To us football is a rough and tumbled game of gaining ground on your opponent.

I like that person in charge of keeping the game played by the rules, referee
Donald Duck, is probably the most volatile tempered character.

My favorite sport is baseball.  It is a game played without a clock.  A game could go on forever.  There is something magical about nine innings and three out per inning.  A team can stay at bat forever if no outs are recorded.  And if there is a tie you play until there is a winner, but everyone gets an equal opportunity to try to break the tie.  What a game.

All baseball umpires are Goofy.

Another major team sport is basketball.  When the Disney characters go out and hit the hardwood, what position do you think they will play.  Who would be the best ball handler?  Who would you put at forward and center? The Disney characters look pretty athletic.  Except maybe Goofy, if you've seen any of his cartoons and even movies, you know he is plagued by unfortunate events. So let's lace them up, take off the sweats, and hit the court.

Check out the bumps on the basketball

It looks like Mickey is a great little point guard.  Look at that ball handling! Donald, let's make him the two guard.  Look at the drive to the hoop and that finger roll.  Goofy, center all the way, he just needs to improve his foot work.  At the strong forward, Daisy Duck, can you she her going up strong for a slam dunk.  That is an ESPN highlight for Sports Center. Coach of the Year drawing out those X's and O's, Minnie Mouse with her leading the team they will be in the finals.
Some of the sports are legendary.  Remember the Mudville Nine?  They had a great slugger, The Mighty Casey.  Every baseball team reaches that moment when you reach your last opportunity to win the game.  That is what make baseball so compelling.  The home team bats last.  The have the chance to win or tie the game.  Teams and fans alike just hope that they can get their best player up at bat in that situation.  This is exactly what occurred to the Mudville Nine in the poem, Casey at the Bat by Ernest Thayer.  The poem has been depicted in movies, on the radio, and on television.  I have even read it to my students.  The Disney Studios made a cartoon of the poem in 1946. It is this version that most of us remember.

The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;

He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;

But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.

Many of us learned the lesson that overconfidence can have tragic results.

We all love sports.  We love playing them and we love watching them.  I have a love, as you probably can tell, for everything Disney.  People often ask me why?  I tell them, "Mickey Mouse is reality and everything else is fantasy.  Seeing my favorite characters involved in sports gives me a connection with them.  Mickey Mouse is always smooth and cool.  Minnie Mouse is intelligent and active many times with her friend Daisy Duck.  Donald gets easily flustered and rages against circumstances beyond his control.  Goofy is adventuresome and does it all.  But he is like most of us he is on the edge of disaster.
Next time we will look at boxed pin sets, we explore sets that deal some of our favorite holidays.  Thank you for sharing your time with me.  If you have pins you would like to see just leave a comment letting me know.  Until then see you at Disneyland.