RARE FIRST "MICKEY MOUSE MERCHANDISE" RETAILER'S 1934 CATALOG WITH ENVELOPE.
Item Description
Original mailing envelope w/"Mickey Mouse Merchandise Catalogue - Published by Kay Kamen" return address w/classic full body illustration of Mickey Mouse contains 9x12" catalog w/76 bw pages on glossy paper. Envelope does not has recipient name/address and has moderate margin aging and scattered wear/dust soiling. 2.5" tear to end flap. Envelope is VG/Fine overall. Catalog cover is on high quality textured paper w/reflective appearance. Published by Kay Kamen Inc., this historic first catalog has text inside front cover including "Acting Upon Innumeral Requests From Retail Establishments Throughout The Nation, We Prepared This Merchandise Catalogue To Present A Comprehensive View Of The Variety And The Nature Of The Mickey Mouse And Other Walt Disney Character Merchandise Now On The Market." Every major company/product is included, such as Blue Ribbon Books, bisques, tricycle, Cohn & Rosenberger jewelry, Converse "Skoots" sneakers, Dixon, Emerson (radios and phonographs), athletic goods, pull toys, greeting cards, clothing, Ingersoll timepieces, dolls, Marks Brothers toys, Ohio Art sand pails and tea sets, RCA Picture Disc set, Seiberling Rubber products and much more. Complete response cards for ordering additional catalogs included, still bound within catalog. Inside front cover has pasted "Compliments Of Richmond School Furniture Co. - Muncie, Indiana - Manufacturers Of Litho Plate Blackboards - Mickey Mouse Blackboards" label. This company was one of many featured within the catalog. It appears the company acquired a small quantity of the catalogs for their own distribution, most likely to give out at trade shows or to smaller retailers as the catalog saw limited distribution, mostly to larger department and specialty stores. Catalog shows lt. handling wear w/pinch creases along spine. Cover is Fine/VF. Contents remain bright, clean and NM. An invaluable reference, rare and historic. We have only offered a few other examples of this rare catalog in our 51 years, this being the first we've seen marked in this fashion for a specific manufacturer. A must-have for any collector of Disneyana. Additional photos online.
