Atlantic City Novelty Co.: Scan of Vintage 1944 Johnson Smith Novelty Catalog

1944 Johnson Smith Catalog

__________________

GET DOWNLOAD OF THIS FREE AS A BONUS ITEM WHEN YOU PURCHASE THE FOLLOWING:

"THE WORLD'S LARGEST NOVELTY CATALOG...EVER!"...The1937 N. SHURE CO. Novelty Catalog"(DOWNLOAD)

...for$5.97

Click here...

(For Details)

We guarantee that you'll love it!

____________________________________________________

__________________________________

This 1944 catalog is the way novelty catalogs were done in the old days...It's a nostalgia trip that will occupy you with hours of enjoyment!

It's highly collectible and actual original copies sell from $50.00 to $125. on the used book market!

This 1944 catalog contains many novelty items that are WWII oriented like the Mussolini Ash Tray and the Hitler Pin Cushion.

Check out a review I did of this catalog months ago that appears below!

Part I…1944 Johnson Smith & Co. Novelty Catalog

Most catalog collectors will probably agree that the Johnson Smith & Co. Novelty catalog of 1944 is probably the most collectible of the Johnson Smith catalog issues.

I agree and in the next couple of posts here, I’m going to examine this very interesting catalog in depth.

The catalog was printed on July 1, 1943 and bears a 1943 copyright date and states that it is the 1944 catalog (lower left corner)…If you look closely on the spine (at the bottom) it also states that this is catalog number 436.

It’s a greatly shortened catalog issue and only runs 320 pages as opposed to the 1941 and 1942 (no catalog in 1943) issues which ran 624 pages. If you thumb through a copy, you’ll also notice that very small portions of the ad copy at the edges are sometimes cut off. This is due to the rationing mandates of the war department due to a paper shortage during the war. The index page was also shortened to save paper.

BUT!...The most interesting aspect of this catalog issue were the special anti-Hitler / anti-Axis products that were advertised!

Page 61 carried an ad for a Hitler-the-Squealing-Pig Bank…The ad blurb stated: ”Listen To Him Holler When Coin Is Inserted…” …Price…59cents (See the ad below)

Click on all photos to enlarge!

Read the ad copy on the enlargements, I think you’ll find them all amusing!

Let’s skip on to page 92. This page advertised the Hitler Pin Cushion

President Roosevelt, himself, liked this novelty!...The catalog ad runs… “The novelty that Roosevelt thought was funny enough to place on his desk-the Hitler Pin Cushion…It gives you your chance to get back at the Axis.”

It was sold for 69 cents and, by the way, the official catalog name for this was the: HOTZI-NOTZI PIN CUSHION

Ready for more….OK….lets skip to page .261.

The Hitler Skunk!

According to the ad it …”shows Hitler as he really is!”

It’s a small plastic figurine that measures 5” high and retailed for 89cents…See photo below.

I think this next one is the best one of all!

Are you ready for this?...

The Big-Mouth Mussolini Ash Tray!

This ad appears on page 261 also just beneath the Hitler Skunk novelty…

According to the ad copy…”You Can Make Him Eat His Words…And Then Some.”

Click on it to enlarge!

That’s it for Part I of this article!…

Stay tuned for Part II which will cover more things about the 1944 Johnson Smith Catalog including info on the Hitler Ash Tray!

_________________________

Part II…An A-1 Collectible!...The 1944 Johnson Smith & Co. Novelty Catalog

With this post I’m continuing my discussion about the 1944 Johnson Smith & Co novelty catalog.

As I’ve stated before, it’s a very collectible item and I’ve seen it bring between $40. to well over $100. ($149. on the high end) depending on condition.

We were talking about several unusual WWII related novelties(the Hitler Pin Cushion, etc.) that were sold through the catalog…all of which were slams or satires on the Axis powers: Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito in particular.

As I promised in Part I of this series on 2/25/08, here’s the ad for the Hitler Ash Tray!...This ad appeared on page 259…(CLICK ON ALL PHOTOS TO ENLARGE!)

Near the front of the catalog on page 10 a very small ad for a button appeared that was featured on the front of their Supplementary catalogs in the 40’s….

It’s official name was the THREE RATS BUTTON

It was a small button that sold for 10cents and had images of Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito with the slogan at the top: “Exterminate These 3 Rats”.

OK….hold on…there’s more!

Another novelty that was popular from this catalog were the “Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Etc. Masks”.

This ad below appeared at the top of page 263 and advertised caricature masks of Axis power leaders for 79cents.

…How would you like a Hitler puzzle!...Believe it or not this catalog advertised a “Put Hitler in the Doghouse” puzzle at the bottom of page 106…Price?...15cents. Read the ad below for the details (CLICK ON ALL PHOTOS TO ENLARGE!)

Page 62 carried two more interesting anti-axis novelties!

The “Bomb Bank” and the “Sock the Japs Bank”!

There were a few other Anti-Axis items including the Japanese Hunting License, the Victory Morning paper, the Anti-Axis Comic Postcards, etc…There may have been others, but I made a thorough search of this catalog and couldn’t find any others…If you know of others, please let me know!