Robertson Golly Band Member – Trumpet

Description

Vintage Robertson Band member – Trumpet.  There were eight in the set to collect.  Made from chalky ceramics then from plastic they are all handpainted.  This one is ceramic.  Measures approximately 7cm in height.  Gold sticker on base reads, Hand Painted Pottery. 

A little history:

Robertson’s is a Scottish brand of marmalades and fruit preserves, founded by James Robertson in 1864.  Famous for its Golden Shred marmalade, Robertson’s received their first Royal Warrant from King George V in 1933.  It was at the time the largest jam factory in Europe, served by its own branch railway line.  From 1981 the brand has been bought and sold.  In 2012 US multi national Hain Celestial Group purchased the brand for two hundred million pounds.

Robertson’s was always good with marketing.  Just before WWI founder James was on a tour of the United States.  he noticed children playing with black rag dolls made from discarded black skirts and white blouses.  He thought this figure would make an ideal mascot and trade mark for Robertson’s products.  Golly was first shown on labels in 1910.

In the mid 1920’s an enameller from Birmingham’s jewellery quarter was approached to produce badges.  The first design released was the golfer in 1928.  They wer ehanded out to people posting in sufficient coupon lables from the jars of jam and preserves right up until 2001.  By this time over 20 million gollies had been sent out worldwide.  Collectables included the enamel badges, figurines, erasers, stickers, keyrings etc…

Golly was officially retired in 2002 at a time when political correctness pressure was being applied to the character.  Golly was replaced firstly with a series of Roald Dahl characters until they too succumbed to political correctness in 2008.  From 2010 Robertson’s have teamed up with Paddington Bear.