One hundred sixty (160) cards, with color photographs of scenes from the Disney film "Davy Crockett" on one side, and a number, title, (such as "Bowie's Last Stand"), and a synopsis of the scene on the other side. The collection is divided into two series, the first series being the orange backed cards, which were issued first, and Series two consists of the green-backed cards, issued later.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Topps Chewing Gum Company issued the "Davy Crockett" trading card series in 1956, after the extremely popular Disney film starring Fess Parker had been released. The film was so popular that coonskin caps and other memorabilia from the film, such as lunch boxes, were in high demand. The first series (the orange backed cards) were extremely popular but desire for them quickly waned, apparently (according to Price Guide to the Non-Sports Cards, 1930-1960) because the sorting in the packages enabled too easy an accumulation of the full set. As an attempt to solve this problem, later that year, the green backed series was issued, and inexplicably, the cards were numbered 1-80, just as the first set had been, only with the letter "A" added. The second series was far less popular than the first. This collection includes a full set of both series.
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Merrie Spaeth in 2004.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
