"transfers"

[Khandro]

I'm searching for information on a children's play activity of the 1940's (maybe earlier and later) These were small pieces of paper about 1" square which were first soaked in water for a few minutes and then could be placed on another piece of paper, (or even a child's arm) and the image was transferred, that is why children called them "transfers".

[goodgoalie]

Can't give you any info, Khandro, but I do remember them in the 60s in Scotland - haven't thought about them in years. Now I'm trying to remember if you bought them on their own, or if they came free with something like a comic. I'm sure someone on here will know more.

[Old_Geezer]

Transfers were common when I was a kid. What info are you looking for ? Somewhat surprised they aren't current kids' interest still.

[jno]

something like these?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assorted-Children-Temporary-Tattoos-Transfers/dp/B001HNA1RQ

I remember them too; they've quite likely just changed their name

[Buenchico]

>>> maybe earlier and later

Certainly later, anyway. I loved 'transfers' when I was a kid! (b. 1953). We often referred to them as 'tattoos' though, which is what kids still call them today.

e.g. https://www.bakerross.co.uk/insect-tattoos

What type of information are you seeking about transfers/tattoos?

[maggiebee]

My younger grandchildren still use transfers. Buy them at the local paper shop, or if you have more expensive tastes at a shop like "Claire" where young ladies shop. An absolute must if my grandaughter is going to a party - small glittery tattoo beside her eyes.

[Jackdaw33]

We used to call them Billy Stampers. They came in packets of bubble gum. My mother used to go wild if she saw me wearing one. Out came the scrubbing brush and the Vim.

[tonyav]

Used to love those transfers ( tattoo's ) as a kid.
Used to get them in 'Lucky Bags' mainly.

[anneasquith]

Recall, some wrapped around bubblegum ?

[tonyav]

Out came the scrubbing brush and the Vim.


LOL, were our mother related I wonder, Jd.

[Sam1960]

called them "Dabbity's" when I was a kid in the 60's
http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sndns1091

[Buenchico]

>>> Recall, some wrapped around bubblegum ?

I'd forgotten that, Anne, but you've reminded me how much I envied children who were allowed to buy bubble gum (which my mother would never countenance) because they got free 'tattoos' with them!

[Jackdaw33]

My mother was the same. When given money for sweets it came with the injunction, "No chewing gum or bubble gum". Guess what my first purchase was.

[Jackdaw33]

Remember the little chewing gum machines outside shops? They had an arrow on the handle and if it was pointing at you you got an extra packet free.

[Buenchico]

^^^ I must have been a goody-goody, JD33, 'cos I can honestly say that I never sampled either chewing gum or bubble gum until I was well into my teens. (Even then, I tried to hide it from my mum!)

However it didn't really get me into trouble until I was 22. That was when a fellow examination candidate in my university finals complained to to an invigilator that the sound of me chewing gum was distracting them ;-)

[tonyav]

Yeah them 'Bazooka's' ( remember them ) were our favourites out of the chewing gum machines usually attached to a wall or post outside the local corner shop, every third turn of the knob get two instead of one.

[sapelesam]

I'm with Jackdaw33, we had Billy Stampers, 6d (Half a shilling) for a strip of bubblegum and four transfers.

[Buenchico]

We still don't know exactly what it is that Khandro wants to know but, if it's related to the history of 'decal tattoos', they can be traced back to at least 1890:
https://temporarytattoos.com/blog/the-history-of-temporary-tattoos/

[Jennykenny]

Khandro.
Thank you for that memory.
Again growing up in Scotland we had them.
Forgotten all about them.

[mikey4444]

There used to be a transfer inside packs of bubble gum. I used to buy one on the way back home from school, although I wasn't allowed gum by my Mum !

I used to lick these transfers and stick them on my forearm, although as soon as I got home, I was marched to the sink and some serious washing was done, usually with Ajax !

What larks !

[Khandro]

Thanks for your links and memories.
Chris; I am involved in making a catalogue for a forthcoming exhibition I will have next year and I wanted, in a light-hearted way, to include my earliest known artwork. I was born in 1938 and I have on the reverse of a family photo a small 'transfer' of a little girl holding a flower, wearing a top knot hair do. Alongside of it is some baby scribble in pencil, for which I am undoubtedly responsible and I would have done perhaps about 1940 / 41.
I want to be sure that the transfer and the scribble are contemporaneous, and these transfers existed at that time, which your link would seem bear out.

As a lot of my work combines collage and drawing together, the use of this image would be, not too serious, but quite apt.