Dapper Dan - No tires tu refresco porque manchas el mantel - Paper Mask (1930's) - Spanish

This rare 1930s paper mask features Dapper Dan, a top-hat wearing character paired with a humorous Spanish advertising slogan: “No tires tu refresco porque manchas el mantel” (translated: “Don’t spill your soda because it stains the tablecloth”). The line reflects the whimsical marketing style of the era, blending lighthearted cautionary advice with playful character branding.

Masks like this were produced as promotional giveaways, often tied to soft drink or household product advertising campaigns. Distributed primarily in Spanish-speaking markets, this example likely originated in Spain or Latin America during the mid-1930s, when paper masks were a popular and inexpensive way for companies to reach children and families.

The design itself is striking—oversized ears, a tall stovepipe hat, and a clean-cut tuxedoed face—creating an exaggerated cartoonish gentleman. It embodies the graphic style of European and Latin promotional art of the 1930s, distinct from American cereal and candy tie-ins of the same era.

Because these were fragile paper novelties, few have survived outside of archives and private collections. This piece is an exceptionally scarce survivor, offering a glimpse into the global reach of advertising ephemera and the way everyday products were marketed through fun, interactive premiums.

Measures 14 inches by 15 inches — much larger than many U.S. counterparts of the period.