VINTAGE Buster Brown Shoes 14ct Marble Bag Sealed NOS 1940's/50s Vitro For Sale

These specific 14-count promotional marble header bags were primarily given out during the late 1940s to the mid-1950s.

This timeline is confirmed by looking closely at how the packaging was manufactured, combined with the social context of the safety warnings printed on the cardboard:

Packaging Indicators

• Polyethylene Plastic Properties: The bag utilizes an early, cloudy style of machine-sealed polyvinyl/polyethylene plastic featuring a distinct flapped center seam down the backside. This structural methodology was standard practice for toy distributors during the post-WWII era before seamless, crystal-clear plastics took over in the 1960s.

• Stapled Header Construction: Thick paper stock folded over plastic and secured with manual staples is a hallmark of late-1940s and 1950s store counter presentation. [1, 2, 3]

Social Context of the Text

• "Don't Play on the Street": This exact phrase was a widespread public safety campaign directed at baby-boomer children during the late 1940s and 1950s. The post-war automotive boom led to a sharp increase in suburban vehicular traffic, making traditional street games like marbles increasingly hazardous and prompting companies to print safety reminders on kid-focused items.

• 14-Count Premium Standard: Many marble manufacturers (such as Vitro-Agate and Marble King) standardly packaged lower 14-count sets specifically for corporate promotional giveaways, whereas commercial retail packs sold in toy stores usually contained 20 to 30 marbles