Funny How That Works

We last covered the rather obscure proof/possible test issue called Funny Flash Cards in January 2018 and Friend o'the Archive Lonnie Cummins has shared some new tidbits.

Lonnie writes there is a "USPO listing, showing first use as April 10, 1968, even though Topps Vault says 1970. That first use date and the factory cut cards make me think this might have actually been tested, but probably a very, very small distribution."  The 1968 date previously attributed from an old auction listing is therefore confirmed. Lonnie continues "Also, I have images of some acetate overlay proofs from Topps Vault that definitely name the set 'Funny Flash Cards', as well as the box lid artwork."  

Here's the U.S. Patent Office Listing Lonnie tracked down; you can see how the Topps Vault may have mistaken the published date of the listing (1970) as the issue date and shows what I assume was a pack or display box  graphic.  It took a little while back in the pre-digital age to get stuff together! The USPO also handles trademarks in case you were wondering.

Here is the acetate, likely for some display box art:

Given the lack of a wrapper, sizer of the cards and the advanced state of preparation, if it was retail tested it could have been in clear cello packs like Twiggy was, although some tests by Topps have never given up their delivery systems to us latter day collectors and investigators.

This is Lonnie's slightly updated checklist of the 33 known cards, which also corrects a row placement I managed to screw up (reversal of rows H and J). Before we dig into his updated checklist, here's the proof sheet that Lonnie's placements detail with the questions first, then the much more colorful answers following:

No.
Category
Front (Question)
Reverse (Answer)
Position (Reverse)

Nature Studies
What Animal Is Hairy & Can't See?
A Baboon With His Eyes Closed!
A1 (33)
38
History
What Was Sewards' Folly?
Mrs. Seward!
A2 (33)
15
Mathematics
If John And Sam Share 6 Apples, And Sam Gets 2, What Does John Get?
A Punch In The Eye From Sam!
A3 (33)

Grammar
What's Wrong With This Sentence: "On My Vacation In Philadelphia I Had An Exciting Time."
Nobody In Philadelphia Has An Exciting Time!
B1 (33)
17
Science
If Your Friend Had 14 Marbles And You Took Half, What Would You Have?
A Black Eye!
B2 (33)
26
Mathematics
What Never Strikes Twice In The Same Place?
A Mets Baseball Pitcher!
B3 (33)
9
Mathematics
Can You Draw A Straight Line From New York To Chicago?
Yes, If You Have A Very Long Pencil!
C1 (33)
10
Science
What Is Whale Oil Used For?
For Oiling Whales!
C2 (33)
52
History
When Did The Civil War Come To An End?
When The Last Shot Was Fired!
C3 (33)
21
History
Why Did George Washington Cross The Delaware?
It Was Too Cold Standing In The Middle!
D1 (33)
44
History
Why Were They Called "Rough Riders?"
No Talcum Powder!
D2 (33)
54
History
Why Did People Before Columbus Think The World Was Flat?
In Those Days It Was Flat!
D3 (33)
29
History
Who Was The 10th President Of The United States?
Who Cares!
E1 (33)
30
Nature Studies
What Is A Hippo?
A Fat Hippie!
E2 (33)
16
Mathematics
How Much Dirt Is In A Hole  3 Ft. x 3 Ft. x 5 Ft. Deep!
None, You Idiot! It's a Hole!
E3 (33)
53
History
Between Whom Was The Battle Of Bunker Hill Fought?
Between A Fellow And A Girl In A Parked Car!
F1 (33)
3
Grammar
Form A Sentence With The Word Paradox.
On Our Farm We Have Four Chickens, Six Geese and a Paradox!
F2 (33)
8
Literature
Out Of The Mouths Of Babes, Oftimes Comes What?
Drool!
F3 (33)
5
Science
What Shouldn't People In Glass Houses Throw?
Wild Parties!
G1 (33)
40
History
During The Boston Tea Party, What Did The Colonists heave Overboard?
Their Dinners!
G2 (33)
12
Nature Studies
How Can A Charging Rhino Be Stopped?
Take Away His Credit Card!
G3 (33)
1
Mathematics
If Mrs. Smith Makes 10 Spinach Cookies, And Gives One To Each Of Her 6 Children, How Many Will Be Left?
Ten!  Who Would Eat A Spinach Cookie!
H1 (33)
50
History
Why Was General Lee Buried At Arlington National Cemetery?
Because He Was Dead!
H2 (33)
42
Social Studies
What Do You Call A Man Who Takes Apart Live Bombs For A Living?
An Idiot!
H3 (33)
28
History
In The War Of 1812, Who Said "Don't Give Up The Ship?"
Someone Who Wasn't On It!
I1 (33)
14
Science
Scientists Get Oil By Drilling Oil Wells, How Do They Get Gas?
By Drinking Beer!
I2 (33)
32
Mathematics
If Two's Company And Three's A Crowd, What Are Four And Five?
Nine!
I3 (33)
36
Mathematics
2 Pints Make A Quart; 4 Quarts Make A Gallon. What Does A Gallon Make?
A Drunken Brawl!
J1 (33)

Mathematics
If You Had 18 Apples And You Ate 12, What Would You Have?
One Heckuva Stomach Ache!
J2 (33)
25
History
When Did Nathan Hale Say "I Regret That I Have But One Life To Give For My Country?"
When It Was Too Late!
J3 (33)
55
Mathematics
If You Had 6 Packs Of Cigarettes With 20 Cigarettes In A Pack And You Smoked 2 1/2 Packs In One Day, What Would You Have The Next Day?
Such A Cough!
K1 (33)
24
Science
What Did Isaac Newton Learn When The Apple Fell on His Head?
He Should Change His Seat
K2 (33)
4
History
Why Did Our Forefathers Leave England?
To Get Away From Our Foremothers!
K3 (33)

Funny Flash Fraction

It's been a little while since I posted about an obscure, never-issued set that has been dubbed Funny Flash Cards (an unofficial title but so-named for very obvious reasons).  Attribution to 1968 as the year based upon an old auction description, the artwork, mainly by Wally Wood from what I can see, generally supports that year as well.

I pulled the trigger on one of these last year  and they measure 4 11/16" x 2 1/2", which is the same as many other similar "large" Topps cards of the day.  As we have previously seen, the front looks innocent enough:

While the back has the gag and related illustration:

The card looks finished in every way and in addition to the 33 card finished proof sheet I featured previously, one showing markups has now appeared:

It features the same 33 cards as the finished proof sheet so either the other 22 cards were not proofed (unlikely but if this was a test it's possible they were waiting to see results) or they are presently MIA. As has been seen countless times with obscure Topps sets, the remaining subjects could easily pop up someday. In fact, if they were testing the product, it would not be out of character for the other 22 to have been to test subjects.  Topps often reduced the number of cards when testing from what would appear if the set made it to retail.

I've managed to put together a checklist of the 33 known subjects. A few numbers are missing as they are too fuzzy to read on either sheet, but it has all the questions and gags in case you were thinking of giving someone an IQ test.

The checklist follows the sheet positions for the Answers on the Reverse as that's where the cards are numbered.  Rows are tagged A thru I and Columns from 1-3:

No.	Category	Front (Question)	Reverse (Answer)	Position (Reverse)
	Nature Studies	What Animal Is Hairy & Can't See?	A Baboon With His Eyes Closed!	A1 (33)
38	History	What Was Sewards' Folly?	Mrs. Seward!	A2 (33)
15	Mathematics	If John And Sam Share 6 Apples, And Sam Gets 2, What Does John Get?	A Punch In The Eye From Sam!	A3 (33)
	Grammar	What's Wrong With This Sentence: "On My Vacation In Philadelphia I Had An Exciting Time."	Nobody In Philadelphia Has An Exciting Time!	B1 (33)
17	Science	If Your Friend Had 14 Marbles And You Took Half, What Would You Have?	A Black Eye!	B2 (33)
26	Mathematics	What Never Strikes Twice In The Same Place?	A Mets Baseball Pitcher!	B3 (33)
9	Mathematics	Can You Draw A Straight Line From New York To Chicago?	Yes, If You Have A Very Long Pencil!	C1 (33)
18	Science	What Is Whale Oil Used For?	For Oiling Whales!	C2 (33)
52	History	When Did The Civil War Come To An End?	When The Last Shot Was Fired!	C3 (33)
21	History	Why Did George Washington Cross The Delaware?	It Was Too Cold Standing In The Middle!	D1 (33)
44	History	Why Were They Called "Rough Riders?"	No Talcum Powder!	D2 (33)
54	History	Why Did People Before Columbus Think The World Was Flat?	In Those Days It Was Flat!	D3 (33)
	History	Who Was The 10th President Of The United States?	Who Cares!	E1 (33)
30	Nature Studies	What Is A Hippo?	A Fat Hippie!	E2 (33)
16	Mathematics	How Much Dirt Is In A Hole  3 Ft. x 3 Ft. x 5 Ft. Deep!	None, You Idiot! It's a Hole!	E3 (33)
	History	Between Whom Was The Battle Of Bunker Hill Fought?	Between A Fellow And A Girl In A Parked Car!	F1 (33)
	Grammar	Form A Sentence With The Word Paradox.	On Our Farm We Have Four Chickens, Six Geese and a Paradox!	F2 (33)
8	Literature	Out Of The Mouths Of Babes, Oftimes Comes What?	Drool!	F3 (33)
5	Science	What Shouldn't People In Glass Houses Throw?	Wild Parties!	G1 (33)
40	History	During The Boston Tea Party, What Did The Colonists heave Overboard?	Their Dinners!	G2 (33)
12	Nature Studies	How Can A Charging Rhino Be Stopped?	Take Away His Credit Card!	G3 (33)
	Social Studies	What Do You Call A Man Who Takes Apart Live Bombs For A Living?	An Idiot!	H1 (33)
	History	Why Was General Lee Buried At Arlington National Cemetery?	Because He Was Dead!	H2 (33)
	Mathematics	If Mrs. Smith Makes 10 Spinach Cookies, And Gives One To Each Of Her 6 Children, How Many Will Be Left?	Ten!  Who Would Eat A Spinach Cookie!	H3 (33)
	History	In The War Of 1812, Who Said "Don't Give Up The Ship?"	Someone Who Wasn't On It!	I1 (33)
	Science	Scientists Get Oil By Drilling Oil Wells, How Do They Get Gas?	By Drinking Beer!	I2 (33)
	Mathematics	If Two's Company And Three's A Crowd, What Are Four And Five?	Nine!	I3 (33)
	History	When Did Nathan Hale Say "I Regret That I Have But One Life To Give For My Country?"	When It Was Too Late!	J1 (33)
	Mathematics	If You Had 18 Apples And You Ate 12, What Would You Have?	One Heckuva Stomach Ache!	J2 (33)
36	Mathematics	2 Pints Make A Quart; 4 Quarts Make A Gallon. What Does A Gallon Make?	A Drunken Brawl!	J3 (33)
	Mathematics	If You Had 6 Packs Of Cigarettes With 20 Cigarettes In A Pack And You Smoked 2 1/2 Packs In One Day, What Would You Have The Next Day?	Such A Cough!	K1 (33)
	Science	What Did Isaac Newton Learn When The Apple Fell on His Head?	He Should Change His Seat	K2 (33)
4	History	Why Did Our Forefathers Leave England?	To Get Away From Our Foremothers!	K3 (33)

School Daze

Well kids, the folks at Legendary Auctions have done it again. Not only do they have a massive trove of Topps related goodies in their current auction but they have answered a question or two about a set blogged upon here a little while back and dubbed Funny Flash Cards.

According to the writeup for the lot, the set was a test from 1968 and is considered "elusive".  Agreed.

The Lot has 33 of the 55 examples shown in uncut proof form.  I took an extract from one to show what is actually the front of the Mrs. Seward card featured last time.  Ready?  Here goes:

The reverse is where all the action is:

I did say uncut proof sheets, didn't I?

There are seven "subjects" represented in the little red triangles: History, Nature Studies, Mathematics, Literature, Grammar, Science & Social Studies.  Without the other 22 cards available for inspection it's hard to tell if the list is complete.  Here are the backs:

Topps would often proof series or sets in two batches.  Usually one batch was meant to be double printed and was separated from the other but we can't tell which one was which here, 33 or 22. No wrapper is known still, so distribution is a bit murky.  

Flash Of Inspiration

I have been keeping track of all the various Topps issues from their first sets of cards in 1948 through 1980 (the last year of the old curved, lower-case Topps logo and also the final year before the Fleer and Donruss baseball hysteria ensued) and would say on average I add a new set to the database maybe once a year these days.  So it was quite strange to find two new additions in the same week.

Now it may be that I just missed these sets the first time they were discovered as I have found that many eBay sellers don't bother to identify what year their wares first became known in the hobby but I am not seeing either one listed in any known guides.  I'll be a tease and put one set off for next time as it's a bit of a lengthy story compared to the bad boy I want to discuss today.

There are some eBay auctions being run over the past month or so with a set that is unnamed but which I have dubbed Funny Flash Cards. Only a handful of cards have been auctioned (none successfully) and there are, maddeningly, no scans of the obverses.  Here is one:

The artwork pegs it around 1968 to my eye and you can see the reverse answers a question on the front, hence my nomenclature.  It's hard to see but that bottom left indicia indicates 55 cards in the set.  There are some historical themes:

 As well as riddles, although this could be math-themed:

I would love to get some front scans.

Were these rejected test sets?  Am I missing something glaringly obvious?  I ran some scans by Friend o'the Archive Bill Christensen and he had not seen them before and he's seen a lot of obscure stuff!  Anyone out there know?