Full Metal Jacket

15/ Full Metal Jacket. In collecting vintage American Crayons, the packaging is as interesting as the crayons inside. ACC was known for high quality wood boxes but they also devoted the same attention to manufacturing small steel cases to package and protect their crayons. Some of my favorites are the cases for Prang crayons — I especially like the variations on Old Faithful trademark including one in an art deco style that allowed you to see the crayons inside. This and other stories in my book Color Capital of the World. https://blogs.uakron.edu/.../color-capital-of-the-world

Chalk It Up

14/ Chalk It Up. The story of the American Crayon Company began deep in the holds of 19thC sailing ships coming from England to America. They carried rough hewn blocks of chalk carved from the Cliffs of Dover used as ballast and then repurposed as school chalk. The unrefined chalk crumbled easily and made harsh scrapping sounds on the blackboard. Sandusky’s school superintendent Marcellus Cowdery asked his brother in law William Curtis to create a new refined chalk. His kitchen experiments started the ACC. This and other stories in my book Color Capital of the World available here https://blogs.uakron.edu/.../color-capital-of-the-world/

They Say it’s Your Birthday.

13/ They Say it’s Your Birthday. The wax formula in children’s color crayons was not far off from the formula used for wax candles. For a time in the 1920s and 30s American Crayon offered birthday candles through its Kroma division including one with reusable holders. This and other stories in my book Color Capital of the World available here https://blogs.uakron.edu/.../color-capital-of-the-world/

MY MIDWEST HAIKU

Gas fumes turn steel blades

Spreading sunshine grass clippings

Makes cheep beer taste sweet