Metal Miniature Cowbell - American Dairy Association | ||
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Posted 2 years ago
dav2no1
(836 items)
Metal Miniature Cowbell - American Dairy Association
Approximately - 1" x 1 3/8" x 1 3/8"
Circa: 1950s?
Small metal bell that reads "American Dairy Association" on one side and "Milk Rings the Bell"
**See comments below for history and more information on this bell**
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dav2no1, Cool. :-)
It certainly could be 1950s vintage, but it could also be older:
*snip*
1940
Dairy farmers found the American Dairy Association to promote U.S. milk products to consumers through advertising and retail promotions. ADA is best known for its use of the “REAL Seal” on U.S.-made dairy products and on other products containing U.S. dairy.
1970
United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) is formed by the merger of National Dairy Council® (NDC) and American Dairy Association® (ADA). Following the merger, additional funding from member state and regional organizations was allocated to national programs.
*snip*
https://www.usdairy.com/about-us/dmi/history
I found a lot of other miniature cowbells used in advertising out there, but the most intriguing one was this one from 1923:
*snip*
Here is a sweet little vintage bell from 1923! This is a cowbell shaped bell and is etched on both sides. On one side: “ANRJA 1923 Convention Providence RI”. And on the other side: “A Ring from Bliss Bros CO, Attleboro Mass.” This is a great little advertising piece and would make a nice addition to your collection! It measures 1.75” tall, 1.75” wide and 1.25” deep.
*snip*
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1318567250/vintage-bell-advertising-brass-1923
Certainly, there was (and continues to be) a Bliss Bros dairy concern in Attleboro, MA:
https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/brief-history-of-bliss-bros/article_504476e4-c3b1-11e4-8c6a-73b8aad5a949.html
But that 1923 convention date didn't quite jibe with the history of the dairy.
Further, ANRJA stands for American National Retail Jewelers of America:
https://www.allacronyms.com/ANRJA
http://acronymsandslang.com/definition/1329415/ANRJA-meaning.html
It turns out that there was a jewelry business named Bliss Bros in Attleboro, MA:
https://www.langantiques.com/university/mark/bliss-bros-co
https://www.kovels.com/kovels-komments/readers-qa-questions-on-marks/jewelry-precious-costume-silver/jewelry/bliss-brothers-co-locket.html/amp
Aside from the 1923 convention in Providence, RI, ANRJA had one in the Windy City in 1919:
https://books.google.com/books?id=BRrlAAAAMAAJ
Is there a connection between the Bliss Bros jewelers and the Bliss Bros dairymen? Dunno.
What a long, strange trip it's been.
Thank you Kera. I was in a hurry while posting and didn't do my history searches to add to the post.
I did see some listings for the 1923 bells, but only one bell had same script as mine. Since I hadn't read the history, I just went with 50s as that bell suggested.
Very interesting with the jewelry connection.."A Ring from Bliss Bros CO"..great pun for a jeweler. There must be some connection to the dairy..maybe a relative?
Love the Jerry Garcia quote...one of my favorites as well.
As to the slogan " Milk rings the bell":
It was indeed used in the 1950s -- by a maker of milk containers:
*snip*
Milk rings the bell! Pure-Pak Milk Container ad 1951 school cafeteria
*snip*
https://www.thejumpingfrog.com/product/2055018/Milk-rings-the-bell-Pure-Pak-Milk-Container-ad-1951-school-cafeteria
However, per this source, it was also used as early as the 1930s by the Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Association:
*snip*
1930's MILK RINGS THE BELL MD. & VA. MILK PRODUCERS advertising hand held bell
*snip*
https://www.ebay.com/itm/192873381677
Then there is this interesting tidbit:
*snip*
Vintage Copper MILK "Rings The Bell" MD & VA Milk Producers Assn / Mini Cow Bell.....These bells were given to the milk customers to hang outside so when the milk man delivered your milk he would "Ring the Bell".
*snip*
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-lot-milk-rings-bell-md-va-460486403
Kera ..I sent you an email titled.."More Cowbell"..lol. that is interesting information. I was asking because it looks like American Dairy Association was founded in 1940? So I believe the bell must be 40s-50s?
dav2no1, Yeah, what doesn't need more cowbell? };-)
Yup, that's why excerpted that bit of history from usdairy dot com. It can't be earlier than 1940, and probably no later than 1970. Indeed, anything later than the 1950s seems unlikely, because of the dwindling of home milk delivery.
Then we have that slogan which seems to have been used by the MD & VA Milk Producers Association in the 1930s. I wonder if they failed to trademark or copyright that slogan which seems to have been recycled by both the American Dairy Association and Pur-Pak.
'Tis a puzzlement.
Email, eh? I'll take a look.
Well, if this outfit didn't invent it, they sure popularized it:
(On page 82 of this June 21, 1954 publication.)
*snip*
WHAM COWBELL SOUVENIR
A SOUVENIR cowbell offer, mentioned in one announcement a day for three days over 5-7 a.m. Country Fare, brought WHAM Rochester, N. Y., an average of 1,000 requests a day, according to that station. The cowbell, bearing the inscription, “Milk Rings the Bell,” was offered by George Haefner, WHAM farm director and host of Country Fare, in cooperation with the Rochester Dairy Council.
*snip*
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1954/1954-06-21-BC.pdf
That PDF has some interesting tidbits.
Hmm interesting stuff.