Butterfinger envelope?

[999Tony]

I received 3 butterfingers that were sent to me in an old envelope mailed in 1936 (date stamped on envelope) postmark from Brooklyn ny, just big enough for them. Return address looks like elmhurst L. I. Seller got 5 or 6 butterfingers that were in this envelope years ago but did not know anything else. I realize this envelope is probably not an original mailing, but may be closest I will get to an original mailing. I have read that butterfingers likely were handed out at stores but have always wondered why there are no fold marks since they seem to fragile to carry around. Anyone know if they were mailed out like other premiums? Anyone ever seen an envelope? Maybe handed out in an envelope like the one I have?

[bigfanNY]

R310's were issued in candy stores. We know this from the display pices that have survived. So a store would Display the ad and have a stack of R310's presumably face down. And when someone bought a butterfinger they got the one on top. Because they are so fragile careful collectors found a number of ways to preserve them Boxes Envelopes etc. I purchased a couple of collections in the 70's from old Guys who had collected them as kids. One had the cards protected by two display cards and the classic rubber bands. If you are a fan of 1930's players and cards you will enjoy collecting R310's

[cubman1941]

Great information and reminded me of a question I having been meaning to ask for years and always forget. Does anyone know why there were no Cubs in this set? If there were, I could never find one. Thanks.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by cubman1941

Great information and reminded me of a question I having been meaning to ask for years and always forget. Does anyone know why there were no Cubs in this set? If there were, I could never find one. Thanks.

There are none known. One possible explanation would be that the R310s were also issued with gum products through Gum, Inc-- Chicago "Baseball Gum", and that the Wrigley family/Cubs owners as competitors somehow blocked or threatened action over use of the team logos etc. The team was simply too full of stars for the omission to be caused by oversight, particularly as the R310s emanated in Chicago.
EDITED TO ADD: I should say General Gum, Inc. of Chicago, not to be confused with the the PA company called Gum Inc. that also produced cards.

[999Tony]

Thanks for response. Yeah I have 3 of the display ads.

A couple years ago I bought a group of butterfingers about 8 or 10. The seller told me she found them behind an ugly flower painting she had bought just for the frame. Found them when she extracted the ugly painting - included foxx and 2 deans. Told me after I bought them so no reason to lie.

[cubman1941]

Thanks - that makes a lot of sense. I didn't realize they were put out by Gum. Inc. Appreciate your quick response.

Originally Posted by nolemmings

There are none known. One possible explanation would be that the R310s were also issued with gum products through Gum, Inc-- Chicago "Baseball Gum", and that the Wrigley family/Cubs owners as competitors somehow blocked or threatened action over use of the team logos etc. The team was simply too full of stars for the omission to be caused by oversight, particularly as the R310s emanated in Chicago.

[bigfanNY]

The reason most folks don't "know" that R310's were issued by any other vendor than Butterfingers is because it is just a theory.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

The reason most folks don't "know" that R310's were issued by any other vendor than Butterfingers is because it is just a theory.

There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

[cubman1941]

I did a little research and back in 2021 there was a thread on this discussion - as far as I could see still a lot of theories.

[oaks1912]

Adding to the mystery of the background of R-310's, this communication (from 1972) between pioneer collectors Buck Barker and Bill Weiss adds some info. Buck remembers them being associated with Baby Ruth Gum and were distributed at the individual stores where he grew up in St Louis, while Bill obtained his from an employee of the printing company in Chicago.

Baby Ruth Gum was produced by Curtiss Candy, which also made Butterfinger and Baby Ruth Candy bars, so maybe a more appropriate issuer would be R-310 Curtiss Candy ?

[nolemmings]

Fantastic info Mark--thank you muchas!!!!! R310 Curtiss Co. seems right.
The General Gum Inc. connection to Curtiss was pretty much laid out in the old threads from a couple of years ago, and the R310 mystery was cemented for me when REA auctioned a display box and 90+ of the premiums around that time, describing the sale of gum "With Large Pictures of Baseball Stars":

"Substantial collection of ninety-three R310 Butterfinger Premiums (35 different), including an impressive thirty-seven Hall of Famers, highlighted by multiple examples of New York Yankees superstars Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. This group is accompanied by pieces of the original display box. These items were 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. Issued with Butterfinger products and other candies, the R310 series is one of great premium sets produced during the 1930s"

Here is the display box advertising the pics, or remnants of it anyway:


EDITED TO ADD: I find it amusing that Buck didn't care for gum. Do you suppose he bought all those Goudeys, Diamond Stars, Tattoo Orbits, Uncle Jacks etc and just tossed the gum?

[bigfanNY]

I purchased a large collection of T206. They were stored in a Phillies cigar box. So despite the advertising on the back saying polor bear and sweet caporel. Did these in fact come from Phillies?
Finding an old gum box that fits 8x10 premiums really only means you found an old gum box that someone stored their Butterfingers in.
That exact same box has been found complete with the candy inside with no premiums. Because it is a gum box. A very attractive gum box. But just a gum box.
If you read Barkers letter he says he thinks they were issued with Baby Ruth Gum.. but he NEVER BOUGHT ANY because he didn't like gum. So just memories of being in a candy store 40 years before.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

I purchased a large collection of T206. They were stored in a Phillies cigar box. So despite the advertising on the back saying polor bear and sweet caporel. Did these in fact come from Phillies?
Finding an old gum box that fits 8x10 premiums really only means you found an old gum box that someone stored their Butterfingers in.
That exact same box has been found complete with the candy inside with no premiums. Because it is a gum box. A very attractive gum box. But just a gum box.

Please show us that "exact same box found complete with candy inside". A gum box full of candy. I will wait here as you continue to swing and miss.

The box specifically states it offers large pictures of baseball stars. Yet you would have us believe none have been found-- that this must be something completely different? The R310s fit perfectly into the gum box. Curtiss owned General Gum, Inc, which also sold a parallel Movie Gum product that non-sports hobbyists will tell you have the same thin-paper pics of movie stars--size material and design, including some overprints with Baby Ruth advertising in the same design as R310 Butterfinger. General Gum Inc also distributed magic "cards" with other gum products, and these other sets are fairly plentiful, yet mysteriously no one has ever seen the "large baseball photos" associated with the Baseball gum box. The 90+ baseball photos auctioned by REA and found with this box were just coincidental-- some collector must have wanted to save his Butterfinger pics in a box where they fit, and happened upon this box. Right. You go with that.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by cubman1941

Great information and reminded me of a question I having been meaning to ask for years and always forget. Does anyone know why there were no Cubs in this set? If there were, I could never find one. Thanks.

Jim, I would be interested in hearing why you believe there would be no Cubs in the R310 set. Every other team is represented, and the R310s came out of Chicago. Thoughts?

[sb1]

One of a few different Curtis Baby Ruth Wrappers I have...

[sb1]

And a Curtiss Butterfinger from the same era.

[cubman1941]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Jim, I would be interested in hearing why you believe there would be no Cubs in the R310 set. Every other team is represented, and the R310s came out of Chicago. Thoughts?

I really don't have any thoughts at all which is why the comment that it was because Wrigley had his own gum and wouldn't let General Gum of Chicago use Cubs images. That is the best theory I have heard so far.

[MikeGarcia]

.. hard to locate in EX condition ; my set of the smaller Canadian Butterfingers has several different players than the Main USA Set :



Actually , more than "several" .

..

[999Tony]

Thanks for the info and for sharing those letters!

[Leon]

+1
Research about cards is what I enjoy most about the hobby. Nowadays, the financial side has pretty much taken over, it seems.
When they got to be exhorbitant prices it was to be expected.

Originally Posted by 999Tony

Thanks for the info and for sharing those letters!

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by Leon

+1
Research about cards is what I enjoy most about the hobby. Nowadays, the financial side has pretty much taken over, it seems.
When they got to be exhorbitant prices it was to be expected.

Thank you for saying it, sir.

I don't have the deep pockets to participate anymore. Nowadays, I look for beaters, and love them!

[jingram058]

Just took a cursory look at eBay, and there are a couple of playing days Babe Ruth Butterfinger r310s for sale at what would seem to me to be VERY reasonably prices. No, I am not buying, but if I was, wow!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by jingram058

Just took a cursory look at eBay, and there are a couple of playing days Babe Ruth Butterfinger r310s for sale at what would seem to me to be VERY reasonably prices. No, I am not buying, but if I was, wow!

I got mine, many years ago, trimmed in a frame! I think I paid 200 for it so probably didn't lose money...or make any. But I like the pose is the reason I bought it. Plus, it came in a frame already!

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by Leon

I got mine, many years ago, trimmed in a frame! I think I paid 200 for it so probably didn't lose money...or make any. But I like the pose is the reason I bought it. Plus, it came in a frame already!

By the way sir, and perhaps O/T, but whenever I wear my net54 t-shirt, someone invariably asks "who are those guys?" or "what's net54?" Today I was at the Social Security office turning in a form, and of course the fellow sitting next to me asked a lot of questions!

That's great looking, sir! Yes, those good old days, when this sort of thing could be had for what now seems like pennies on the dollar. I'm thinking that if someone was looking for a playing days Babe Ruth item, this Butterfinger r310 just might be the way to go.