School Supply Vending Machine Display - Mixed Erasers #2
This rather odd-looking piece is one of a wide variety of displays used in gumball machine type vending units to sell a limited range of items from the Butterfly Originals ROTJ school supply line. This version only offered the erasers, with a mix of small and large sizes. To the best of my knowledge, the small erasers were only offered through vending machines. I have not seen any versions packaged for stores. Although I have seen professionally printed text on some versions indicating these were glow-in-the-dark erasers, but for whatever reason this one simply has a crude photocopied label.

The variations I have seen in these displays implies that local vending machine companies were probably given some latitude in what was offered. Most versions use the standard blue gradient starfield background and Return of the Jedi logo that was standard to the Butterfly Originals line, but I have one version that uses a photocopy of crudely traced ROTJ logo in combination with what appears to be some licensed print material from Butterfly originals. The most common assortment offered was four pencil toppers and the foil reinforcements. Less common are the erasers, and I also have a version where the vendor put the foil stickers on small plastic mugs! Anyway, my guess is vendors were shipped blank displays and then could adorn them with samples of the products they intended to offer.

Description by: Todd Chamberlain
Photo: Todd Chamberlain
From the collection of: Todd Chamberlain
Country:United States
Film:Return of the Jedi
Licensee:Butterfly Originals
Year:1983
Size:9.5x8 in
Category:Store Displays / Miscellaneous


  


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