First Licensed Uni-Monster Collectible Ever

[fmofmpls]

Greetings. What was the 1st licensed Universal Monster collectible ever? Most would say it was the 1948 Don Post Frankenstein mask. And I would have to agree with this. Since this was discussed briefly at another thread here today, and because I have some nice pics, I thought this subject was more than worthy of it's own thread.

Let's take a look at what I consider to be one of the coolest monster lithos ever!



Take a look at the price that's marked on the upper left corner! $3.98 !!











With ordinary care this over-the-head mask will last for years! Not quite. 
Look at the next picture! It's what's left of the mask after 60 yrs! A glob of goo!



And finally an advertisment for the 1948 mask. Courtesy of Gakenstein.
Only $16.80 per dozen! IF ONLY. IF ONLY. IF ONLY.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't even be born until some 14 yrs later!

[Tom Smith Monsternut]

Wow ..That is so cool ! I love the graphic on that box too. 
Thanks for posting the pics Terry !

To bad about the goo but at least you still got that cool box.
And to think that Glen Strange wore one of those in Bob Burn's home movies

Best..
tom

[raycastile]

That's the first time I've seen close-up photos of that box from every angle.  Thanks for posting it!

[1975]

Well, I now have a mission in life, thanks for posting this as I'd never seen it. It's wonderful and really has a Glenn Strange influence.

[roheimiana]

I was just thinking the same thing about the Glenn Strange influence. It's been suggested that James Bama used various reference photos of Strange when he did the Aurora box-art, including this one:



Now, I'm wondering if someone didn't employ similar images when the box for the Don Post mask was designed.

Thanks, General, for posting these pictures. They're the best I've ever seen!

[Roback]

Awesome pics! Love the packaging too. I can't imagine owning that piece for years only to have it turn in to a pile of goo. The $16.80 a dozen price immediately caught my eye as well. Incredible. 

[Mike Scott]

I tried making an exploded box view just using the ebay pics and the info contained therein. Would be nice to have the actual box to scan!

OLD PIC REMOVED. SEE LATER POST FOR NEW PIC.

[gracebuster]

In the bob Burns movie, directed by Don Glut, Glenn wore a Mask that Don Post made, but it was a later version.
May have been Don's personal mask, not Bob's. Trying to clear the fog on that one.

[roheimiana]

Oh boy, oh boy, I've got myself a Don Post mini-box... a perfect companion piece for the Frankie Mechanical box!



Mr. Scott, I know I should have asked permission to use your image but things happened far too quickly for me to think straight. First, the printer started up by itself, then the paper got jammed and somehow folded itself in just the right places, and finally my sticky fingers glued everything together by accident. If it's too late to ask permission, let me at least offer you my enormous thanks for all the work which went into preparing the exploded view you posted. MANY THANKS, INDEED!

[fmofmpls]

To hell with the permission roheimiana, just tell us that what were seeing here is real! Did you really make yourself a mini box from Mike's pic? If so, how big were you able to make it? Super cool! I gotta make me one too!

[Mike Scott]

Mr. Scott, I know I should have asked permission to use your image

Be my guest! How big is that thing? About 6", maybe?

let me at least offer you my enormous thanks for all the work which went into preparing the exploded view you posted.

Given the quality of the photos (or just the fact that they are photos, instead of scans), there wasn't much point in putting a lot of effort into it, so I didn't.

[roheimiana]

The front dimensions of the box came out as 7" by 3". I printed it full-size on 8.5 by 11 inch heavy-duty matte paper (which is more like cardboard so the box has reasonable integrity once assembled). If you make sure the image is centered when you print, there will be enough extra on all four sides to create flaps with. The only small sacrifice I made was to fold the top and the bottom of the box the same width (about 1.5") as the slightly shorter sides. This way, when everything is cut and folded, the back of the box (which is of course blank) just needs a single strip of tape to hold it together.

Go to it, gentlemen!

[poseablemonster]

That is really cool! I'd love to have a reproduction of that box.

[fmofmpls]

You just saved me $700.00! Yipeee! 

BTW, I can't remember what that empty box sold for? I think it was around 700.00  It was on eBay a couple yrs back. And yes, a member of our group does own that box. He deserves it too! Great guy!

[Toy Ranch]

Seems like it was closer to $1100, but I can't recall. 

There were 2 of them offered about the same time several years ago, and then another one last year I believe.