The question about how long the Anchor Hocking glasses were available for sale got me thinking about the rings. I for some reason always had 1963 in my mind, but can't remember why. Does anyone know when these rings were actually available for sale in gumball machines?
I bought many a Batman and Green Hornet flicker rings from A&P and Acme Grocery stores back in the mid-late 60s. I do not recall exactly when they started. As I recall, I think there were Archies characters to.
Captain Action Uniforms, I believe with 2nd series, issued a ring with each uniform as well.
OG
Thanks. I found in the Elwar mystery thread, it was stated as 1963 & 64 for the monsters, so that backs up what I had heard before.
I recall getting a Monkees flicker ring cereal premium approx. 1968.
From wiki:
After Harvey bought the rights to Casper and many other Famous properties in 1959 (including Herman and Katnip, Little Audrey, and Baby Huey), they began broadcasting the post-September 1950 theatrical Famous shorts on a television show sponsored by Mattel Toys titled Matty's Funday Funnies on ABC in 1959 which introduced the Barbie doll to the public. The other Famous produced Casper cartoons had already been acquired by television distributor U.M.&M. T.V. Corp. in 1956. U.M.&M. retitled just "A Haunting We Will Go", but miscredited "Featuring Casper The Friendly Ghost" as "Featuring Caspers Friendly Ghost".
New cartoons were created for The New Casper Cartoon Show in 1963, also on ABC. The original Casper cartoons were syndicated under the title Harveytoons in 1962 and ran continually until the mid-90s. Casper has remained popular in reruns and merchandising, and Hanna-Barbera produced two holiday specials, Casper's First Christmas (which also starred Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy) and Casper's Halloween Special (aka Casper Saves Halloween), and also the Saturday morning cartoon series Casper and the Angels (a animated takeoff on two live action hit shows Charlie's Angels & "CHiPS") in the autumn of 1979, all on NBC. Also featured on the NBC version was a big ghost named Hairy Scary (voiced by John Stephenson). None of Casper's original co-stars appeared in the show.
Why is this relevant? Because the UM flicker rings were sold with Casper flicker rings.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2230/2094806075_f3b5a8c21f_o.jpg)
The copyright under Casper reads "Copyright Harvey Famous Cartoons"
I believe the rings were released to promote the 1963 "New Casper Cartoon Show".
Great! Thanks for the detailed info!
They were also released with 3 different colored backgrounds.
Green is the most common.
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/107/309143073_ae0062d0c2_o.jpg)
The red ones are about 10x as rare as those.
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/118/309144903_11f8db6449_o.jpg)
Rarest are the blue
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/112/309144904_15d0cec17b_o.jpg)
The Casper rings came in 2 different poses and in all 3 colored backgrounds as well.
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/109/309143071_132d8ba526_o.jpg)
Great shots! How many blues do you need yet? I don't think I have ever seen the red flickers on V bases before, only greens.
For me, I just have these 4, and am torn between holding out for a red Drac & frank for the red set, or just taking what I can get, most likely green.
(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae193/shiverbone/flickers.jpg)
I have never found any of the flicker rings to add to my collection yet. I can't ever bring myself to pay the price for them.
I've only got 3 of the blues. I can't remember which ones I need. I think I have Frank, Drac, and Wolfie.
The rings were sometimes shipped separate from the bases, and the vending guys would sit around the kitchen table and glue them on to whatever was handy. There are vintage bases and repop "China" bases, but beyond that, most variations are possible.
(http://i54.tinypic.com/9zlllk.jpg)
(http://i54.tinypic.com/9zlllk.jpg)
I have posted pictures of 5 rings The creature, Dracula, Mummy, Phantom, Frakenstein. All rings are in mint condition, I am looking to find the value and rarity of what ive got, any help would be appreciated thanks again!
How exactly does the flicker feature work? I never had these rings but recall my dad had a silly button from the '60s with a big eye that opened and closed. Forgot all about it until this thread.
Quote from: Toy Ranch on May 28, 2010, 06:39:17 PM
Why is this relevant? Because the UM flicker rings were sold with Casper flicker rings.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2230/2094806075_f3b5a8c21f_o.jpg)
The copyright under Casper reads "Copyright Harvey Famous Cartoons"
Good info! Therefore any collection without the two Casper rings is not a "set".
tynhrt
Quote from: Vandor Zorkov on January 28, 2011, 07:17:54 PM
How exactly does the flicker feature work? I never had these rings but recall my dad had a silly button from the '60s with a big eye that opened and closed. Forgot all about it until this thread.
The lenticular printing was done on a ridged surface - like the surface of a corrugated iron roof or a Ruffles potato chip. One image is printed on one side of the "ridge" and another is printed on the other side. Tilting the surface back and forth exposes one image at a time to your line of sight. Sometimes in mid-tilt you can catch glimpses of both images at once.
If the images are of the same face - one with both eyes open and the other with one eye shut - the character seems to wink at you. If the images are totally different, the chracater seems to morph from one to the other.
This system could also be used to give the illusion of depth, like with the old stereo viewers.
More advanced printing sytems could use 3 or more images. A character could even be made to appear moving along like in the old flip books. But the method remains the same, just images printed on different angles.
Quote from: Monsters For Sale on January 31, 2011, 12:28:23 AMMore advanced printing sytems could use 3 or more images. A character could even be made to appear moving along like in the old flip books. But the method remains the same, just images printed on different angles.
When I was doing some work for Kodak 10-12 years ago, there was a group working on trying to commercialize different applications of lenticular technology. They were able to get 3 or 4 seconds worth of video on a single piece.
I really loved those rings as a kid. My mom would bride into helping out at the market by giving me enough money to have several tries at the gumball machine to get these rings. Have these been reproduced? I would love to find an original set (any color backdrop) but am afraid to pay a fortune for repros. BTW, how much would a complete set go for, more or less?
They Used to be VERY Expensive, in the $175-$250 a ring range, but have fallen greatly lately. I think with patience, you can find them at $50-$75 a piece now. The flickers have never been reproduced, but there are original flickers on more modern ring bases. Those are either Blue, or have a V on the sides instead of the 3 line motif.
Quote from: Toy Ranch on May 29, 2010, 12:02:48 PM
They were also released with 3 different colored backgrounds.
Rarest are the blue
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/112/309144904_15d0cec17b_o.jpg)
How do you tell a blue original from one of the repros then?
???
Sorry, I meant the ring base itself is blue, not the flicker.
I think there is some confusion here.
The flicker images, to my knowledge, have never been reproduced. And it would be difficult to do so accurately.
The ring bases have been reproduced. Think of the flicker top, which is a chip of cardboard with an image printed on it and a lenticular lens on the top, as a separate piece from the base. They were glued to the bases, and there have been flicker images found loose, that were then glued to old bases as well as to newer ones.
So the red, green, and blue background flicker images have NOT been reproduced.
The ring bases HAVE been reproduced.
When the Vari-Vue company auction took place in the late 80's I believe, there were bags of blue plastic bases with no images on them, as well as some with images on them sold. I don't believe those have actually been "reproduced", there are just a lot of unused old stock floating around. Those were made by Vari-Vue later than the monster rings. There are monster rings on those bases out there, but the base is not original to the ring.
In this photo, the rings in the lower right corner are in the blue plastic bases that I'm talking about.
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/68/217843318_0b4110fa70.jpg)
Most of the monster rings were sold on the bases like the blue Dracula in this photo are in. The base the red Dracula is in is known as the "V" base. The V base has been reproduced. There are 3 types of markings on the back of the V base. Vintage ones will either say Hong Kong, or they will be blank. Repro ones will say China. The marking is on the outside of the band, on the back where the split is located. The Hong Kong rings say Hong on one side of the split, and Kong on the other side.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5289/5311618733_630df1d70b_b.jpg)
Oh, and the type base the blue Dracula is in has NOT been reproduced. The only chrome plastic ring base that has been reproduced is the V base, and those are marked China.
That is great information to know, Bobby. I would like to get a set - just one of each character - and I definitely don't want to spend money on any repro-ed ring bases.
I agree! Great info.
8)
These were listed on ebay and sold via "buy it now" within a few minutes. I tried to find info on them and even looked for similar pinbacks with different style flickers in them from vari vue and found none. the frames look like they were made specifically for flickers as they are rounded on the inside corners. I would like to see what the backs of them look like. The sellers other items are vintage monster items from the 60s, wax pack cards , posters etc...so these seem legit. any of you guys ever seen these before?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221404084268?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/221404084268?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649)
A LOT OF THIS STUFF IN NOT ORIGINAL....HUNDREDS OF FLICKER FRONTS INCLUDING MONSTERS. MARVEL HEROES, MUNSTERS, BATMAN, GREEN HORNET....AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE FOUND IN THE LATE 80'S. PEOPLE WERE STICKING THEM ON ALL SORTS OF BACKINGS...THOSE CRAP BLUE RINGS WERE PRODUCED IN QUANTITY AND USED VERY OFTEN BUT OVER THE YEARS SEVERAL OTHER BASES WERE USED. EVEN VINTAGE BASES WERE REUSED TO CREATE RINGS THAT SOLD FOR MUCH MORE, SAY YOU HAD AN INDIAN FLICKER RING THAT WAS GARBAGE JUST REPLACE IT WITH ANY NUMBER OF THE FRONTS THAT SHOWED UP IN QUANTITY IN THE LATE 80'S AND YOU HAVE A HUNDRED DOLLAR OR MORE RING.
Yes, this has been discussed, but the flickers are all vintage and made in the US, none are repro, if its put on a hong kong base (regardless if it was done in the sixties or yesterday) to me its still a legit piece. Its not like we can carbon date the glue. Supply and demand determines their value. So until enough are found to sate the masses, the value will be there. And unless you buy one directly from a person who physically pulled one from a machine as a child (and they are being honest about it), you never know for sure.
My question is has any one seen these particular bases before? The pinbacks.. or brooch as he called it in the auction. I never have. Are they vintage 60s backings?
And what if they were put together by a vender in the 60s? and put in a machine....Or sold in a 5 and dime Wouldn't that alone make them a legitimate variation?
I think they are pretty cool myself. As a kid id rather have had a set of these than the rings, id have proudly pinned them on my jean jacket. but I never liked wearing rings much.
As a kid from that era, I can honestly say that I have never seen or heard of these. I spent a lot of coin getting all the gumball trinkets in my youth so I think I would have seen them. Then again, some items might be a regional thing and not available in all areas/states.
Quote from: monsternik on March 30, 2014, 12:18:16 AM
The sellers other items are vintage monster items from the 60s . .
That's
longtime UMA member hhwolfman, who hasn't been very active the last couple of years.
http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=106.msg743#msg743 (http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=106.msg743#msg743)
Quote from: Mord on March 30, 2014, 02:40:52 PMThen again, some items might be a regional thing and not available in all areas/states.
I think a lot of items might have been only regional.
:-\
Quote from: monsternik on March 30, 2014, 02:20:07 PM
Yes, this has been discussed, but the flickers are all vintage and made in the US, none are repro, if its put on a hong kong base (regardless if it was done in the sixties or yesterday) to me its still a legit piece. Its not like we can carbon date the glue. Supply and demand determines their value. So until enough are found to sate the masses, the value will be there. And unless you buy one directly from a person who physically pulled one from a machine as a child (and they are being honest about it), you never know for sure.
My question is has any one seen these particular bases before? The pinbacks.. or brooch as he called it in the auction. I never have. Are they vintage 60s backings?
And what if they were put together by a vender in the 60s? and put in a machine....Or sold in a 5 and dime Wouldn't that alone make them a legitimate variation?
I think they are pretty cool myself. As a kid id rather have had a set of these than the rings, id have proudly pinned them on my jean jacket. but I never liked wearing rings much.
So basicly your thinking is that original from the manufacturer is the same as someone just putting something together from vintage parts? So with your thinking I could get 5 original 60's gum cards and track down an original 60's wrapper, reseal them into a pack and consider it an original pack of cards and sell it as such???
Venders put them together to begin with, or people in a warehouse. Do you think they made the flickers in the USA, then shipped them to hong kong to be assembled and then shipped them back to the states to be sold in 10 cent gumball machines?
How could you buy any flicker ring today and know it was assembled in the 60s?
So the way you see it ,how can ANY flicker rings out there be " real" unless they have a documented provenance along with them when you buy it?
Dont take my statements the wrong way, I understand it would be ideal to have a completely original ring.
but if its a monster flicker on a hong kong ring,.... Prove its not original.....Or prove it is.
The only thing not vintage is the dab of glue and the action of gluing it.
So my question was about these pinbacks in particular. Do you believe they aren't real just because that auctionhappened in the 80s? Or because you never saw any?
I personally believe they could be real. Why, because I have never seen the pinbacks they are stuck on anywhere else, and they are chromed, look like they have age to them in the picture, and fit the flicker perfectly.
But If there is no casper vending card showing them. Does it mean the weren't made? How many vending cards were just put together with many items glued to a piece of cardboard?
either way I think they are pretty cool.
there are ways to tell if something was glued 50 years ago or 5 years ago or last month, you need a very strong jewelers loop, a bright light source and some lighter fluid. As far as the gumball charms, they may be real... I have seen other topics in that style of backing but not the monsters .
Quote from: monsternik on March 30, 2014, 12:18:16 AM
These were listed on ebay and sold via "buy it now" within a few minutes. I tried to find info on them and even looked for similar pinbacks with different style flickers in them from vari vue and found none. the frames look like they were made specifically for flickers as they are rounded on the inside corners.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221404084268?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/221404084268?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649)
The frames do indeed look to be sixties vintage.
:-\
Quote from: Toy Ranch on May 29, 2010, 02:06:42 PM
The rings were sometimes shipped separate from the bases, and the vending guys would sit around the kitchen table and glue them on to whatever was handy.
That would mean that there would also be all kinds of variance in the types of glue used to make these flicker rings.
:o
I bought them, the plastic chrome housing is marked PAT. PEND. on the back and they have clips, not pins. Its obvious the flicker and brooch have been together for a long time, in my opinion they appear to be original.
There is average wear on the chrome plating. The flickers look like they were applied many years ago, you can see the back of the flicker behind the clip and there is age discoloration in the glue, yellowing. And the flickers themselves are not minty and new like the recently found sets that showed up on ebay.
https://flic.kr/p/mTb4e3 (https://flic.kr/p/mTb4e3)
https://flic.kr/p/mTa1GR (https://flic.kr/p/mTa1GR)
https://flic.kr/p/mT9mwK (https://flic.kr/p/mT9mwK)
https://flic.kr/p/mTe7jr (https://flic.kr/p/mTe7jr)
https://flic.kr/p/mT9zLZ (https://flic.kr/p/mT9zLZ)
https://flic.kr/p/mT9szM (https://flic.kr/p/mT9szM)
sorry it was all links to the pics, I couldn't get pictures to upload here? I cant find the image link on flicker? ive been away awhile maybe im rusty.
Well they certainly look pretty vintage to me.
:)
Now all you need is the other five (or three) to complete the set and you'll be happy!
;)
I actually already have a full set of rings on hong kong bases. Plus an extra dracula and phantom with blank bases. Im not worried about having all three color variations for each character. I have almost a full set of reds and a couple in green. Although ......a few blue ones added to my set would be pretty sweet!
Quote from: Hepcat on April 08, 2014, 08:17:59 AM
Well they certainly look pretty vintage to me.
:)
Now all you need is the other five (or three) to complete the set and you'll be happy!
;)
Does your set include the two Casper rings?
???
Not yet but i am contemplating buying one of the store stock backer cards off ebay, if I do I think it would only be appropriate to add the casper rings to the set. Plus I do like Casper and have several other toys and games of him in my stash as well. So now if I can only find them at the right price....
Instant gratification! All you need is $750.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-Universal-Monsters-Flicker-Ring-Set-Frankenstein-Creature-Mummy-Wolfman-/221428741943?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338e2e7737 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-Universal-Monsters-Flicker-Ring-Set-Frankenstein-Creature-Mummy-Wolfman-/221428741943?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338e2e7737)
That is a fairly reasonable price if someone is looking for a full set. It would probably end up costing more to buy them individually, plus its ready to just throw in your display case, no trying to figure out what to display the rings on, or them just floating around on your shelf like mine.
Yes, Definitely instant gratification.
Quote from: frankenstein73 on April 29, 2014, 07:40:25 PM
That is a fairly reasonable price if someone is looking for a full set.
It is a good price. Lot of money, but a good price! :)
Yes, that's alot of cabbage to dish out.
I bought mine one at a time over a few years, didn't feel the sting as much. The same way you would boil a frog.
Quote from: frankenstein73 on April 07, 2014, 08:26:11 PM
I bought them, the plastic chrome housing is marked PAT. PEND. on the back and they have clips, not pins. Its obvious the flicker and brooch have been together for a long time, in my opinion they appear to be original.
There is average wear on the chrome plating. The flickers look like they were applied many years ago, you can see the back of the flicker behind the clip and there is age discoloration in the glue, yellowing. And the flickers themselves are not minty and new like the recently found sets that showed up on ebay.
https://flic.kr/p/mTb4e3 (https://flic.kr/p/mTb4e3)
https://flic.kr/p/mTa1GR (https://flic.kr/p/mTa1GR)
https://flic.kr/p/mT9mwK (https://flic.kr/p/mT9mwK)
https://flic.kr/p/mTe7jr (https://flic.kr/p/mTe7jr)
https://flic.kr/p/mT9zLZ (https://flic.kr/p/mT9zLZ)
https://flic.kr/p/mT9szM (https://flic.kr/p/mT9szM)
sorry it was all links to the pics, I couldn't get pictures to upload here? I cant find the image link on flicker? ive been away awhile maybe im rusty.
Those are cool.
I grabbed your pic thru IE, shrunk it and cropped with Paint, and uploaded to Photobucket. Nice pix.
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff259/allhallowsday/universalflickerrings50pct1_zps0c506dbb.jpg) (http://s239.photobucket.com/user/allhallowsday/media/universalflickerrings50pct1_zps0c506dbb.jpg.html)
Thanks Allhallowsday! I couldn't seem to get the picture to show up through the link. Pretty cool I thought, I love finding variations of already known monster item's, makes them seem new again.
I finally figured out how to upload off flicker again, it changed since the last time. so here are a few more pics of these broaches I got.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5227/13706035033_93e8da0aea_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/mTa1GR)20140407_191351 (https://flic.kr/p/mTa1GR) by j-raysjunkyard (https://www.flickr.com/people/63416324(*at*)N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7383/13706834365_4afbb510eb_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/mTe7jr)20140407_191215 (https://flic.kr/p/mTe7jr) by j-raysjunkyard (https://www.flickr.com/people/63416324(*at*)N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2817/13705951173_191f1ba917_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/mT9zLZ)20140407_191442 (https://flic.kr/p/mT9zLZ) by j-raysjunkyard (https://www.flickr.com/people/63416324(*at*)N02/), on Flickr
I decided to display my Vari-Vue UniMon Flicker Rings on display finger stands on my entertainment cabinet next to the corresponding monster models. Lacking a built-up Phantom, that ring gets strangely matched up with The Big G. Go figure.
(http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b552/horrorhunter/FlickerRingDisplay1_zps28edd6d9.jpg)
(http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b552/horrorhunter/FlickerRingDisplay2_zpse48357ac.jpg)
(http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b552/horrorhunter/FlickerRingDisplay3_zps30154435.jpg)
Very nice! I like the way the ring stands look like claws! :laugh:
Quote from: Mike Scott on August 10, 2014, 01:35:45 PM
Very nice! I like the way the ring stands look like claws! :laugh:
I checked through lotsa ring stands before I found those claws. ;D
Where did you pick up those claws?
Quote from: ilikemonsters on August 11, 2014, 12:50:17 PM
Where did you pick up those claws?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151371516751?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT (http://www.ebay.com/itm/151371516751?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT)
Quote from: Toy Ranch on May 28, 2010, 06:39:17 PMBecause the UM flicker rings were sold with Casper flicker rings.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2230/2094806075_f3b5a8c21f_o.jpg)
Flicker trinkets such as rings were the specialty of Vari-Vue which produced both the Casper/Universal Monsters and Munsters flicker ring sets. Vari-Vue also released flicker ring sets for such sundry subjects as Batman, Captain Action, Green Hornet, Marvel superheroes, Li'l Abner, Looney Tunes characters, Beatles, Monkees, Man from U.N.C.L.E., James Bond, etc, etc.
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/tumblr_msiupfKWUX1s2xpeeo1_1280.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/Vari-Vue_Green_Hornet.png)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/Vari-Vue_Bugs_Bunny.jpg)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g434/Balticprince/Vari-Vue_Looney_Tunes_2.png)
Get 'em all, man!
8)