C. Carey Cloud » Toys » Poll Parrot Action Toy
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Even though C. Carey Cloud was very busy designing toys for Cracker Jack, and making a decent living from it, he still designed and made premiums for other companies. His motto was "Bite off more than you can chew, and go ahead and chew it". When he received his first order from Cracker Jack to produce 6 million toys, he went looking for more work. He filled his tank with gas, and drove from Chicago to St Louis, to the offices of Poll Parrot Shoe Company. He had a paper action toy that he thought was perfect for their promotional program. The shoe company gave premiums to children in their stores across the country, to stimulate sales. In 1937 C. Carey Cloud created a paper parrot toy, as a promotional tool for Poll Parrot Shoes. The child twirls the parrot by spinning the toothpick in the parrots claws. Carey Cloud created similar toothpick twirling toys for Cracker Jack, the Acrobatic Clown and Swinging Characters. From C. Carey Cloud's autobiography Cloud Nine . . . I headed for the offices of the Poll Parrot Shoe Company, manufacturers of children's shoes, with a paper action toy I had designed with their promotional program in mind. They were known to use premiums, given to children through their hundreds of dealers across the country, to stimulate sales. The year was 1937, and I had just begun my long and pleasant relationship with the Cracker Jack Company. My mission to Poll Parrot was successful. |
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 Front side of envelope containing the Poll-Parrot toy. Poll-Parrot In Action Make him do his tricks. Insert stick through both feet, then spread apart as shown. Hold stick in fingers and turn gently. Pat. Pend. Cloudcrest, Chicago. |
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 Reverse side of envelope containing the Poll-Parrot toy. Poll-Parrot Shoes For Boys and Girls 10 Way Built-in Fit 1. Room for growing toes 2. Correlated heel-to-ball fit 3. No binding instep 4. Age conforming arches 5. Ankle hugging top lines 6. Snug, pear shaped heel 7. Straight tread lasts 8. Free action flexibility 9. Soft, durable uppers 10. Rugged, long wearing soles |