FLEER'S

In writing about Fleer's Double Bubble gum, I was reminded of another article:

This is from Sue's News from 2013:

                                A RED CARNATION 

Yesterday, someone asked if I had always had only red automobiles.

I told a riddle that came from the inside-wrapper of a piece of Fleer's Double-Bubble bubble gum.

Here's the riddle:

What would happen if everyone in the U. S. was like me and purchased only red vehicles?

We'd be a RED CAR-NATION!

That probably came from 1953. This is another riddle from a Fleer's gum-wrapper which I tell whenever anyone uses the phrase "raining cats and dogs":

What's worse than raining cats and dogs?

"HAILING TAXIS!" 

When I learned that riddle from Fleer's, I didn't know what "hailing taxis" meant and had to ask Mother.  We did not have taxis.

So, who could deny they were educational? 

Sometime from 1928, when the gum was first produced, "Fleer's" became just "Fleer" on the packages.  I always remembered it as "Fleer's" and it had "Frank H. Fleer Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania", on the wrappers. 

The Fleer name is still in business, but the family-owned company, founded in 1885, was purchased from the family in 1989.  After several company changes, it was acquired by Tootsie Roll in 2004.

I wonder if there are still riddles, etc. with the gum.  I guess I'll have to buy some.  I understand that the wrappers which were not dated, are now quite prized collectible items.

 I preferred Fleer's to the Bazooka brand although both had riddles and comics on the inside wrappers.