In addition to sorting and selling my Star Wars figures, I also dove into a large box of ephemera I had accumulated over the decades. This week I’ll showcase some of what I found.
Today we’re focusing on ‘adhesive bandages’, and since most of us call them ‘Bandaids’ it makes sense to begin with the above three sealed boxes of Star Wars (actual) Band-Aids from 2014. The back of each is shown at right.
The bandages are a bit boring due to the pores and what I think is a mostly failing graphic design. The above are only three of many, and I know there’s been other boxes sold over the years (perhaps even still today) so it’s possible other bandages look better. I’ve received many boxes of these over the years as gifts and have used many of the bandages, .but the above three boxes will remain sealed in my collection.
The above ‘collectible’ Band-Aid tins also were on shelves in 2014. I stalked the local shops until I found all four of these because they’re lovely tins!
It was a little tough to photograph them since the silver metal parts are very reflective. The backs of each are identical and show the Star Wars logo. I particularly like the choice of the Death Star and Darth Vader’s tie fighter since both are rarely seen on licensed ephemera.
The above is an earlier product from 2009. It’s not sealed, and the Yoda design suggests it was a Clone Wars licensed item. I’ve still got about a dozen of the bandages, which are printed on clear plastic (hence the ‘tattoo’ claim):
I seem to recall the tattoo effect mostly failed so this was very much a gimmick product.
Going back even further – all the way to 1999 – we have some Curad brand bandages licensed to The Phantom Menace! I don’t know why I never kept the box, and only two unused bandages remain. The design is similar to the band-aid ones of over a decade later but these, in my opinion, are better.
Lastly we have the above. These again are tins, only they are for Elastoplast brand bandages sold in England. Each ton is double-sided, and all four sides are shown above. I picked these up in chemists during our Scottish trip, and have always wondered if there were others available.
The bandages themselves are superior (in design) to all the ones I’ve seen released in the USA, and there is a larger variety as well. An impressive product!
I also have the above (now empty) box, which I probably purchased on the same trip.
In sorting my ephemera a great deal – old packaging, cheap toys, stationary – has been thrown away, but there’s something so unusual about these bandages that I’ll be keeping them. And I may even buy more if I spy a new design in the bandage aisle one day!
