Tiger - Galvenston, Indiana - Food Bank Fun Mask (1952)

This unusual tiger mask was printed directly on the side of a grocery-style paper bag as part of a 1952 promotion by the Galveston, Indiana Food Bank. Families were encouraged to cut out the mask along the dotted lines, allowing children to play while also raising awareness and support for local food donations.

The snarling tiger face—printed in striking red and black ink—captures the bold graphic style of early 1950s advertising premiums. Unlike cereal box masks or mass-produced dime-store novelties, these regional charity-issued masks were created in very limited numbers and distributed only within the local community. Most were immediately cut and discarded, making surviving examples in full bag form extremely scarce.

Date: 1952

Origin: Galveston, Indiana Food Bank promotional giveaway

Size: 8.5 x 14 inches

Rarity: Regional issue, extremely low survival rate compared to national promotions