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.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.