classic candy

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darleneClassic Candy tells the story of America's history of candy from the "golden age" when candy was made and sold at the peak of American ingenuity, creativity, and enthusiasm. There were Baffle Bars, Purple Cows, Pom Poms, Cosmic Candy, and Bleeps. Kids peddled candy door-to-door, barnstorming pilots dropped candy on the American public, and smartly-dressed young women served up custom bags of treats at glamorous department store candy counters. Celebrity candy endorsements were all rage, with famous personalities ranging from Ozzie and Harriet to The Beatles to Clara Peller, the "Where's the Beef" lady.

Was the Baby Ruth bar the first successful attempt at guerilla marketing? Was Bubble Yum really made of spider eggs? Did Life Cereal's "Mikey"'s stomach explode from eating Pop Rocks? Learn the answers to these questions and more in "Classic Candy: America's Favorite Sweets, 1950-80".

Selected photos from the book. ©2013 Darlene Lacey.

candy
During the golden age, names of candy manufacturers such as Holloway, Luden’s,
and Nabisco were as commonplace at candy counters as Hershey and Mars.

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Four candy bars popular throughout the golden age:
Clark’s Zagnut, Mars’ 3 Musketeers, Hollywood’s Zero, and Ward- Johnson’s peanut caramel fudge Oh Henry!

Store display of another sweet and tart sugary candy of the 1980s, Bleeps, by Swell.


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A package of Sunline’s Bottle Caps from the 1970s
The candy came in soda pop flavors like lemon lime and root beer.


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Classic Ferrara Pan candy from the 1970s. Alexander the Grape is now known as Grapehead.

 

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An array of vintage candy vices: bubblegum cigars, candy cigarettes,
matchbooks with covers advertising candy, and a Stuckey’s ashtray.

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Chocolate Easter eggs from Fanny Farmer,Whitman’s, Falcon, and Martha
May mingle with jellybeans and plastic candy containers enjoyed by children at Easter.

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A sampling of the many Mr.T licensed products, including Mr.T Gold Chain bubble gum
One could wear the “chains” of gum around one’s neck.


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