Two-Color Dairy Tumblers by Libbey Glass Co.

Snow White dairy glasses were extremely popular during the time of the film's initial general release. (See earlier posts on the first series of glasses and milk bottles.)

Several series of Disney character dairy glasses were produced, this two-color boxed set being a variation of the first one featuring Snow White. Dating from 1938, these "Safedge" tumblers were manufactured by Libby Glass Company of Toledo, Ohio under license with the Disney Company. The 8 individual two-color lithographed glasses stand 4 5/8" tall and the box measures approximately 10" X 11" X 3". The lid features a large "die-cut" portrait of Snow White surrounded by the dwarfs.

A rare gem of a find!

All images courtesy of long-time Snow White collector

DISNEYANA VINTAGE COLLECTIBLES 4U who is currently offering the set for auction.

Snow White Milk Bottles

According to authors Carol and Gene Markowski in their 1990 Tomart's Price Guide to Character and Promotional Glasses, the milk bottles delivered to your doorstep in the 1930s and early 40s were a major reason why Disney was so successful with its dairy glass campaigns (see earlier post).

1938 Grumpy dairy glass. Image via Jeep444.

The characters from the films decorated the bottles to tie-in with the character glasses being offered as premiums.

There was a deposit paid on these bottles and most were redeemed by dairies or taken out of service due to chipping, excess wear, or breakage. Hense, character milk bottles are very rare. The biggest source [for collectors today] has been dairies going out of business. Source: Tomart's Price Guide...p.148.

The 1938 series of Snow White milk bottles included "action scenes with rhymes which promoted milk consumption." Pictured below, the first bottle shows Dopey, Sneezy and Snow White. The text reads, "SNOW WHITE AND THE DWARFS SO GRAND--DRINK THEIR MILK TO BEAT THE BAND!"

The second, Happy raises a glass to "HAPPY KNOWS WHAT'S GOOD FOR HIM--GOOD FRESH MILK FOR VIGOR AND VIM!"

Milk Bottle images via Tomart's Price Guide to Character and Promotional Glasses, 1990, p.50.

There were at least three additional bottles known to have existed, each with its own unique character scene: Snow White and all Seven Dwarfs (just their heads) Doc with an Owl; and Snow White with Doc. Who could have known back in 1938 that these simple and utilitarian milk containers would today be such prized possessions for the serious Snow White collector?

Vintage Snow White Dairy Glasses

With the general release and subsequent success of Disney's Snow White, demand was high for all manner of merchandise featuring characters from the film including drinking glasses.

1938 Snow White glass from personal collection.

Milk glasses had already proven themselves to be a highly successful marketing premium. The first Disney tumblers were produced in 1931 and featured images of an early Mickey Mouse. In 1936, a dairy series appeared which included Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck and several other characters from the Disney shorts.

Then in 1938, the first of the Snow White dairy series was issued featuring the princess and each of the dwarfs. A four-line verse referencing the individual character was printed on backside.

1938 Glass set 4 3/4" tall.

Dairy companies would purchase the glass sets, and then offer their dairy product with the glass as a premium give-away. They came in a wide variety of sizes including 3 1/2", 4 3/8", 4 1/2", 4 5/8", 4 3/4" and 6". Colors varied too from red, light blue, dark blue, green, black, orange, light orange, red brown, yellow and white.

1938 set 4 5/8" tall. Note: Snow White glass is all white. Images via Hake's Americana and Collectibles.

1938 Doc glass. Images via Audrey's Antiques and Collectibles.

A rare "white graphics" Snow White glass, 4 5/8" tall. Probably would have shown up best when used with chocolate milk...

Images courtesy of Disneyana Collectibles 4U. Used with permission.

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And an orange-colored metal serving tray was released to accompany the set of glasses. It featured Snow White and Doc in the center with the forest animals along the border...

Black and White tray image via Tomart's Price Guide to Character and Promotional Glasses, 1990, p.45.
Color image from back cover

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This set also came in two-color glasses (see boxed set by Libby)...

1938 two-color Happy glass. Image via treasuredrunk.

Two-color glass set. Image via The Glass Junkie.

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And in a full-color set that was probably sold in department stores...

 Black and White image via Tomart's Price Guide to Character and Promotional Glasses, 1990, p.46.

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Bosco, a brand name for a type of hot chocolate drink, issued a set of 3" inch premium glasses in 1938. They used the same character graphics as the first dairy series above, just smaller.

Snow White Bosco glass. Image via Call Me Cami.

1938 Bosco 3" glasses (missing Sleepy and Sneezy). Image via The Glass Junkie.

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Other sets of glasses were also issued in 1938 including a much rarer second dairy series depicting the characters as they appeared in the "Silly Song" scene from the film. Additionally, individual Snow White glasses were produced in 1939-41 as part of larger sets featuring other Disney characters. More on these in future posts.

Also see post on Snow White milk bottles.