Bachelor’s Permit

Bachelors Permit ac1

The third and last in this miniseries from the Exhibit Supply Company:  A priceless bachelor’s permit allowing the bearer to among other things, “…make love with one hand on his pulse and his eye on the clock and his pocketbook.”  Signed by I.M. Weak (secretary) and Heesa Liar (recorder).

Vintage arcade card from the Exhibit Supply Company, Chicago. Circa 1944.  Size:  5 and 5/16 x 3 and 5/16″

Price:  $10.00

Guarantee Of Protection

Guarantee Of Protection ac1

The second in a short series from the Exhibit Supply Company that was based out of Chicago:  A man’s Guarantee of Protection, in the event that he answers his wife or sweetheart truthfully. This guarantee was good for 5 minutes and signed by Too Bad (secretary) and Outa Luck (president). This card has a little bit of dried glue or some type of substance on the front, so it’s condition is not quite as good as the other two.

Vintage arcade card from the Exhibit Supply Company, Chicago. Circa 1944.  Size:  5 and 5/16 x 3 and 5/16″

Price:  $8.00

Whose Your Whoosis?

Whose Your Whoosis

The first of three funny ones from the Chicago-based Exhibit Supply Company. These types of cards were available out of arcade games, and this one is a prediction regarding the card receiver’s future love, showing a caricature of a big shot smoking a cigar, and wearing a carnation. (But a likeable looking big shot.) The “W” at the bottom stands for women, and there was another whole set for men. The card offers this possible interpretation of the future:

“You may fall in love with a big promoter who will be the Whoosis who says: – ‘If I went broke I would start all over again by going into the pretzel business. And if the pretzel business failed, I would manufacture corsets. If that failed, I would go into the hair pin manufacturing business. And if that failed, I would go into the bustle business.’ “

Vintage arcade card from the Exhibit Supply Company, Chicago, 1946.  Size:  3 and 1/4 x 5 and 5/16″

Price: $10.00

Lump of Sugar

Lump of Sugar

Old arcade card from about 1922, produced by the Exhibit Supply Company. ESCO was based out of Chicago, Illinois, and made hundreds of arcade games and produced thousands of cards. This one obviously is of the scientific variety, but other themes include sports, western, pin-up girls, jokes, tv and movie stars, fortunes, and fighter jets, just to name a few. Names of old arcade games include wonderful ones like:  The Enchantress, Kiss-O-Meter, Braying Jackass, Personality Register, Radio Love Messages, and (my favorite) License To Do Any Old Thing.

Sources:  www.arcade-museum.com

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