Happy Halloween from Fleer's Mr. Bones! My latest restoration project.

[JasonLiebig]

Fleer - Mr Bones - novelty candy - display box - restoration/recreation - 1970's by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

Just posted my restoration/recreation of a Mr. Bones display box proof today, and wanted to share it with the forum.  

I plan to use this to create a reproduction box to house and display my plastic Mr. Bones coffin candy container collection.  I also thought it was a fun way to wish everyone a Happy and fun Halloween.

I spent a good deal of time creating this proof from a series of scans another collector provided for me.  I own a Mr. Bones box, but it's beat up, faded, and coming apart - therefore not so great for display, and any restoration from it would never be top-notch.  Lucky for me, the only other guy I knew who had one was willing to help me with my project, and provided me invaluable hi-res scans.  There were still hours and hours of digital restoration to be done (and even more I could do now)  but I'm quite happy with how it turned out.  

I did a test build, in miniature size, and just using my desktop printer - my construction seems to be solid:


Mr Bones display box build test by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

[sco(o)t]

Jason, That is super nice. Well done.

[bandaches]

Fleer - Mr Bones - novelty candy - display box - restoration/recreation - 1970's by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

Just posted my restoration/recreation of a Mr. Bones display box proof today, and wanted to share it with the forum.  

I plan to use this to create a reproduction box to house and display my plastic Mr. Bones coffin candy container collection.  I also thought it was a fun way to wish everyone a Happy and fun Halloween.

I spent a good deal of time creating this proof from a series of scans another collector provided for me.  I own a Mr. Bones box, but it's beat up, faded, and coming apart - therefore not so great for display, and any restoration from it would never be top-notch.  Lucky for me, the only other guy I knew who had one was willing to help me with my project, and provided me invaluable hi-res scans.  There were still hours and hours of digital restoration to be done (and even more I could do now)  but I'm quite happy with how it turned out.  

I did a test build, in miniature size, and just using my desktop printer - my construction seems to be solid:


Mr Bones display box build test by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

Very nice!!!  Is this a rare box? 

[JasonLiebig]

Very nice!!!  Is this a rare box?  

Thanks!

As to its' rarity - I consider it pretty rare - but I wouldn't say it's more rare than similar items from the period - it's just that nearly any generic, non-licensed candy item from that period is super-tough.  I've had a daily search on Ebay for Mr. Bones, and in three years, only one display box has ever shown up - and I won it - it was beat-to-hell, unlike the one I ultimately used for my restoration.  

A bit of history:  the nearly-mint example that my source scans came from was purchased off Ebay from Dan Goodsell (author of Krazy Kids Food, and creator of Mr. Toast), right around five years ago - before I started hunting.  That Mr. Bones display box was part of a big candy find from around a decade ago - which as I understand it, was a lost corner of a candy wholesaler warehouse that was going out of business.  I think Dan and another guy bought everything, which was quite an amazing assortment of things - and one that represents some of the only known examples of the items found.  I believe there was only that one Mr Bones box in that find - which speaks to the odds of me ever finding one like it for myself.  But at least I'll have my pretty reproduction.  

I AM fortunate to own a few other pieces from that find, all of which I've acquired from my pal Dan Goodsell...


Donruss - Bitty Bombs and Bitty Bites display box tops - 1970's by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

These Bitty Bombs (and spin-off Bitty Bites) display boxes all are all still filled with their candy tubes - though the candy was dumped from the bites - the Bitty Bombs containers are all still full.  I'll occasionally see individual tubes of Bitty Bombs on Ebay, but I've never come across anything else for Bitty Bites - as far as I know, I've got the only visible evidence that they even existed sitting on a shelf.


Donruss - Bitty Bites and Bitty Bombs candy tube packaing - 1970's by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

Beyond that, I also ended up with one of the Stark's Cinnamon Teddy Bears full display boxes from that find (I believe there were two or three display boxes of these found) - another childhood fave of mine.  I don't have a photo of that display box handy, but just so you know what I'm talking about - I do have a single box I can show:


Stark - Cinnamon Teddy Bears candy box - 1970's by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

On Dan Goodsell's Flickr, there are some stunning photos peppered in of many of the boxes from that find - the vast majority of which have now been sold off and made their way to other enthusiasts.

It's such crazy stuff, trying to find things like this.  But I've no doubt that there are finds out there waiting to be made.  The downside is that, unlike so many other mainstream collectibles, some people will still toss items like this out if they find them in an abandoned convenience store.  Packaging collecting is where baseball cards and comic books were in the 1960's.  Your mom still thinks it's a good idea to throw this kind of stuff out.  ;-)

[BumChex]

I remember buying those. Cool!

[alexbravo1970]

Thanks!

As to its' rarity - I consider it pretty rare - but I wouldn't say it's more rare than similar items from the period - it's just that nearly any generic, non-licensed candy item from that period is super-tough.  I've had a daily search on Ebay for Mr. Bones, and in three years, only one display box has ever shown up - and I won it - it was beat-to-hell, unlike the one I ultimately used for my restoration.  

A bit of history:  the nearly-mint example that my source scans came from was purchased off Ebay from Dan Goodsell (author of Krazy Kids Food, and creator of Mr. Toast), right around five years ago - before I started hunting.  That Mr. Bones display box was part of a big candy find from around a decade ago - which as I understand it, was a lost corner of a candy wholesaler warehouse that was going out of business.  I think Dan and another guy bought everything, which was quite an amazing assortment of things - and one that represents some of the only known examples of the items found.  I believe there was only that one Mr Bones box in that find - which speaks to the odds of me ever finding one like it for myself.  But at least I'll have my pretty reproduction.  

I AM fortunate to own a few other pieces from that find, all of which I've acquired from my pal Dan Goodsell...


Donruss - Bitty Bombs and Bitty Bites display box tops - 1970's by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

These Bitty Bombs (and spin-off Bitty Bites) display boxes all are all still filled with their candy tubes - though the candy was dumped from the bites - the Bitty Bombs containers are all still full.  I'll occasionally see individual tubes of Bitty Bombs on Ebay, but I've never come across anything else for Bitty Bites - as far as I know, I've got the only visible evidence that they even existed sitting on a shelf.


Donruss - Bitty Bites and Bitty Bombs candy tube packaing - 1970's by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

Beyond that, I also ended up with one of the Stark's Cinnamon Teddy Bears full display boxes from that find (I believe there were two or three display boxes of these found) - another childhood fave of mine.  I don't have a photo of that display box handy, but just so you know what I'm talking about - I do have a single box I can show:


Stark - Cinnamon Teddy Bears candy box - 1970's by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

On Dan Goodsell's Flickr, there are some stunning photos peppered in of many of the boxes from that find - the vast majority of which have now been sold off and made their way to other enthusiasts.

It's such crazy stuff, trying to find things like this.  But I've no doubt that there are finds out there waiting to be made.  The downside is that, unlike so many other mainstream collectibles, some people will still toss items like this out if they find them in an abandoned convenience store.  Packaging collecting is where baseball cards and comic books were in the 1960's.  Your mom still thinks it's a good idea to throw this kind of stuff out.  ;-)

[alexbravo1970]

Wow! great to see that someone else loves the Mr Bones stuff as much as I do. I am actually looking to buy some of the original coffins and am having a hard time looking for them. Do you know of anybody that is willing to sell what they have?

Alex

[JasonLiebig]

Wow! great to see that someone else loves the Mr Bones stuff as much as I do. I am actually looking to buy some of the original coffins and am having a hard time looking for them. Do you know of anybody that is willing to sell what they have?

Alex

Can't say as I do - sorry.  Coffins come up from time-to-time on Ebay, of course, but that's really your best bet.   There is s a small bit of competition, of course.  

I finally did get to building my reproduction display box - it was a tough build, as I had to print it out across three 11" x 17" sheets, and then piece them all back together.  The final glue tabs are still un-glued, as this is going to be shipped flat, to my brother, but I think it looks good - and should look great when glued up finally and filled with coffins.  

Here's a shot of how it looks now.

[sco(o)t]

Can't say as I do - sorry.  Coffins come up from time-to-time on Ebay, of course, but that's really your best bet.   There is s a small bit of competition, of course.  

...

There's at least two on eBay right now. I keep some eBay searches open for some other Fleer items like their Crazy Cans, Crazy Videos, Crazy Spray Cans, and Crazy TV Dinner sets. I see the coffins quite a bit.

[JasonLiebig]

Here's a photo of the reproduction Mr. Bones display box, filled with original coffin candy containers (about half of the coffins still have candy in them):


Mr Bones reproduction display box filled with original coffins by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

It's surrounded by a number of other candy boxes in that photo, all reproductions I also put together for my brother.  I did a large display of packaging reproductions, which I recently completed, and sent to him, for a new display area he wanted.  He's put up the initial display, but has yet to arrange them all:


My brother's (reproduction) packaging display by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

[Dr Popper]

Here's a photo of the reproduction Mr. Bones display box, filled with original coffin candy containers (about half of the coffins still have candy in them):


Mr Bones reproduction display box filled with original coffins by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

It's surrounded by a number of other candy boxes in that photo, all reproductions I also put together for my brother.  I did a large display of packaging reproductions, which I recently completed, and sent to him, for a new display area he wanted.  He's put up the initial display, but has yet to arrange them all:


My brother's (reproduction) packaging display by JasonLiebig, on Flickr

Those displays are cool!  Do you have a display room for all of your stuff? 

[JasonLiebig]

Those displays are cool!  Do you have a display room for all of your stuff? 

Not even close.