Friday, November 05, 2010

BLASTING OFF WITH REDIPLETE PEDIATRIC SYRUP

FLEA MARKET FRIDAYS #53

1... 2... 3... blast off! Really, the hat on my head blasted off when I saw this box with the snazzy space graphics for sale at a flea market last week.


It’s always exciting when you sneak up on something you’ve never seen before and luckily for this item, the price was right.

My guess this Rediplete Pediatric Syrup box made by Merck Sharp & Dohme is from the late 1960's to early 1970's and it probably once held a bottle - now missing. I wonder what the bottle looked like? Maybe it was figural like Dan’s spaceman vitamin bottle or my builder man vitamin bottle.

The neato thing about this box, are the sides, ‘cause they turn into stretch pictures. You know, like the ones at the Haunted Mansion, just not as complicated and without the mayhem.

Let’s take a look at ‘em in action -

Rediplete-In-Action02

When I opened the box, I was shocked to find some sort of weird medicine inside.


Turns out these multicolored capsules are really from the novelty world with a tiny steel ball bearing inside. These mystery jumping beans, not to be confused with the Mexican variety, must have inspired the Mighty Beanz. I’m thankful for these little guys, because they helped save this box. Most vintage packaging is saved because someone used it for storage. That’s why you see tons of old coffee cans on the market, because everyone needed a container for their nails, screws and a cremated family pet or two.

Houston, the Rediplete has landed!


5 comments:

Mr. Karswell said...

An amazing find, Todd! WOW!!!!!

Mike Middleton said...

Very nice NC!

mod*mom said...

my head blasted off too when i saw these on your flickr :)
i LOVE the illustrations + design.
the moving image is marvelous

Eazy P said...

My friend Adrian loves this type of stuff. I'm following you and sending him a link. I wish I could find this type of stuff.

Anonymous said...

That looks an awful lot like the work of Mary Blair.