Country of Origin: United States of America
Dimensions:
2-D - Unframed (H x W): 27.9 x 19.1cm (11 in. x 7 1/2 in.)
Materials:
Overall, cardboard
This advertisement, probably dating to the 1940s, sold fireworks, including Buck Rogers fireworks, named after the famous American fictional space hero who first appeared as a comic strip character in 1929.
Created as a character by Philip Francis Nowlan in the short story “Armageddon 2419 A.D.” first published in the pulp magazine Amazing Stories in August 1928, Buck Rogers became a daily comic strip when National Newspaper Service president John F. Dille recruited Nowlan to write a strip that would be illustrated by Dick Calkins. A color Sunday strip appeared in 1930 and Buck Rogers became a radio program in 1932. Associated merchandise reflected the diversity of the Buck Rogers adventure stories, most of which were space-themed (but not all).
Michael O'Harro donated this artifact to the Museum in 1992.
Gift of Michael O'Harro; Copyright Probably. John F. Dille, Chicag, and National Fireworks, Inc., Boston, Mass.
