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1935 R89 Gum, Inc. Mickey Mouse Bubble Gum Box - Near Complete with Approximately 90 Unopened Packs and Picture-Card Album - Newly Discovered!
Sold For:
$60,000
Year: 1935
Auction: 2019 Summer
Lot #: 2729
Auction: Unopened Packs and Boxes
Exceedingly rare near complete 1935 R89 Mickey Mouse Bubble Gum box featuring approximately 90 unopened packs and a Mickey Mouse Picture Card album. This is the first Mickey Mouse Bubble Gum box we have ever seen or heard of, and it may be the lone survivor. The fact that it includes nearly all of its original contents makes it one of the most extraordinary nonsport discoveries in recent memory. The box also has a unique provenance. It, along with other vintage gum boxes and gum-related material, was just recently discovered in a Midwest warehouse. Incredibly, our consignor, who was involved in the purchase of the building, rescued all of the material from a large trash bin. (The balance of that material, which we are calling "The Midwest Warehouse Find," is featured in 17 separate lots in this auction.)
Mickey Mouse Bubble Gum cards are considered by many to be the single most classic 1930s nonsport bubble-gum card set. The brilliant colors, high-quality artwork, and popular subject matter have always made this set a favorite with collectors. It is also worth noting that cards from this set are much scarcer than most collectors realize, and far more difficult to find than most baseball cards of the era (such as Goudeys, National Chicles, Play Balls, etc.). When REA received this box it was still encased in its original plastic wrap that featured both an inventory number ("F-72-B") and date ("11-13-33"). That date is important because the Mickey Mouse Bubble Gum card set, designated R89, has always been listed as being a 1935 issue. We have been unable to determine how or when that date was established, but the discovery of this box indicates that the set was issued a full two years earlier than previously thought. With the consignor's permission, REA carefully removed the box from its plastic wrapping so that we could inspect the box and what we could of its contents (the box remains bound together by vintage string). As noted on the front flap of the box, it originally held 100 packs, but it is obvious that approximately ten packs are missing, The missing packs obviously escaped through a number of tears, including a large one to the lid. Those tears, however, allowed us to at least see the contents, including what we have determined to be Series 1 Mickey Mouse Picture Card Album. REA also took the liberty of removing one pack and opening it, so that prospective buyers could see the wrapper type and the condition of at least one of the cards. (Given the card, which was #6, and the album, it is obvious that the cards in this box are from Series 1 (cards #'s 1-48).
The box (7 x 13 x 1.75 inches) features a large illustration of Mickey Mouse on the lid, with illustrations of other Disney characters on the side panels. As noted earlier, the box is bound by string in either direction so that the lid cannot be removed. REA did not cut the string because we feared that by doing so the integrity of the box would be compromised. The packs that we can see all appear to be in their original, sealed state, and we assume that the album, which is laying at the bottom of the box, under the packs, remains in Near Mint condition. Please Note: The box is extremely brittle. Just by removing the wrapper (which is included with the box) and gently handing the box to photograph it, portions of the side flaps began breaking off. The box is in POOR condition and will almost certainly require professional restoration and/or conservation if it is to remain intact. (All of the broken pieces will be included with the box.) REA will do our best to store and pack the box as safely as possible, but the buyer assumes the risk of further deterioration during shipping. Reserve $2,500. Estimate (open).
Mickey Mouse Bubble Gum cards are considered by many to be the single most classic 1930s nonsport bubble-gum card set. The brilliant colors, high-quality artwork, and popular subject matter have always made this set a favorite with collectors. It is also worth noting that cards from this set are much scarcer than most collectors realize, and far more difficult to find than most baseball cards of the era (such as Goudeys, National Chicles, Play Balls, etc.). When REA received this box it was still encased in its original plastic wrap that featured both an inventory number ("F-72-B") and date ("11-13-33"). That date is important because the Mickey Mouse Bubble Gum card set, designated R89, has always been listed as being a 1935 issue. We have been unable to determine how or when that date was established, but the discovery of this box indicates that the set was issued a full two years earlier than previously thought. With the consignor's permission, REA carefully removed the box from its plastic wrapping so that we could inspect the box and what we could of its contents (the box remains bound together by vintage string). As noted on the front flap of the box, it originally held 100 packs, but it is obvious that approximately ten packs are missing, The missing packs obviously escaped through a number of tears, including a large one to the lid. Those tears, however, allowed us to at least see the contents, including what we have determined to be Series 1 Mickey Mouse Picture Card Album. REA also took the liberty of removing one pack and opening it, so that prospective buyers could see the wrapper type and the condition of at least one of the cards. (Given the card, which was #6, and the album, it is obvious that the cards in this box are from Series 1 (cards #'s 1-48).
The box (7 x 13 x 1.75 inches) features a large illustration of Mickey Mouse on the lid, with illustrations of other Disney characters on the side panels. As noted earlier, the box is bound by string in either direction so that the lid cannot be removed. REA did not cut the string because we feared that by doing so the integrity of the box would be compromised. The packs that we can see all appear to be in their original, sealed state, and we assume that the album, which is laying at the bottom of the box, under the packs, remains in Near Mint condition. Please Note: The box is extremely brittle. Just by removing the wrapper (which is included with the box) and gently handing the box to photograph it, portions of the side flaps began breaking off. The box is in POOR condition and will almost certainly require professional restoration and/or conservation if it is to remain intact. (All of the broken pieces will be included with the box.) REA will do our best to store and pack the box as safely as possible, but the buyer assumes the risk of further deterioration during shipping. Reserve $2,500. Estimate (open).