Dec 12, 2009: Blue Santa

xoxoxoBruce • Dec 12, 2009 2:19 am
Blue Santa from Akron, Ohio, no less.

During the winter of 2001-2002, an archeological team working in downtown Akron, Ohio's, Lock 3 Park, unearthed a small ceramic figurine. It is a curious little man with a sweet face and long white beard, wearing a blue hooded coat. When thoroughly cleaned and examined they discovered this was Santa, the first and original, the real Santa.


Image

Seems the were digging the site of the world's second mass production toy factory.
Oh, they claim it's the first, but I know that's at the North Pole. Mom told me.:p

Head archeologist, Brian Graham, President of the non-profit, American Toy Marble Museum, conducted the survey on the site of the first mass-produced toy, a clay marble. His team of volunteers discovered tens of thousands of marbles and an equal number of small, penny toys. Graham estimates the figurine was manufactured in the mid-1890s, making it the first figurine of an American Santa and likely the oldest three-dimensional representation of Santa in existence. The figurine was thought at first, by some, to be a wizard or gnome, but in-depth research over the following seven years proved the Blue Santa is the real Santa.


In the 30s, Coke decided to use Santa in their ads, and took the liberty of changing Santas wardrobe to red.

Blue Santa & Friends™ is selling reproductions, pictured below.

Image
ZenGum • Dec 12, 2009 4:05 am
It looks more like Grumpy.
capnhowdy • Dec 12, 2009 8:02 am
I like blue better.
Trilby • Dec 12, 2009 9:48 am
I like my santas to be wearing a bit o' green.
ajaccio • Dec 12, 2009 10:27 am
Looks to me like a monk with a bun in the oven.
Glinda • Dec 12, 2009 10:45 am
Look at those sleeves and the big forehead. I think it's Confucius.

Image Image
lumberjim • Dec 12, 2009 10:58 am
ZenGum;616861 wrote:
It looks more like Grumpy.


+1rep
Cloud • Dec 12, 2009 2:57 pm
ha! does look like grumpy. Or maybe Dumbledore.
Elspode • Dec 12, 2009 3:51 pm
I think that story and the history behind it is frigging awesome.
lumberjim • Dec 12, 2009 4:58 pm
Blew Santa NSFWish
sweetwater • Dec 12, 2009 6:15 pm
I ordered one! Thanks for posting the link. It will probably be the only Christmas gift that gets here on time, too.
Sundae • Dec 14, 2009 2:12 pm
xoxoxoBruce;616854 wrote:
In the 30s, Coke decided to use Santa in their ads, and took the liberty of changing Santas wardrobe to red.

Ahem (Snopes link).

I love the blue Santa though.
Trilby • Dec 14, 2009 2:38 pm
no one likes green santa????

philistines.
lumberjim • Dec 14, 2009 2:42 pm
what....like Menthol santa?
Trilby • Dec 14, 2009 2:47 pm
um. I prefer to think of him as "Herb"-friendly santa.