Zorro’s Not in the Cards for Disney Co.

Question: I collect Walt Disney’s series of Zorro cards. There are reports that Disney may either issue new Zorro cards or reissue the old ones. Any truth to these reports?--D.F.

Answer: The Disney organization has no current intention of either reviving its old Zorro card series or printing new ones, according to Paula Sigman, assistant archivist in the Walt Disney Co.’s Burbank headquarters. “I’m not aware of any plans of reissuing any of these cards,” she said.

The Zorro baseball-card-size productions were printed by the Topps Chewing Gum firm of Brooklyn, N.Y., the same company that has dominated the baseball-card market. The Zorro series of 88 cards was issued by Topps in 1958 and 1959, Sigman said, and individual cards have been valued by collectors at between $1 and $3.

Another popular Disney card series printed by Topps was the Davy Crockett series--two runs of 80 cards each in 1955 and 1956.

An interesting wrinkle is that when such cards are produced in conjunction with a bubble gum, the original bubble-gum wrapper in good condition is worth far more than the card, Sigman said. For example, she said, wrappers that came with the Zorro or Crockett cards can change hands among collectors for prices ranging from about $45 to about $250!

(Undoubtedly this column will now get letters from irate mothers asserting that their kids have started stockpiling old bubble-gum wrappers around the house in the hope of making a killing in time to finance college.)

In any case, Sigman said such prices are quoted in the three-volume “Tomart’s Illustrated Disneyana Catalog and Price Guide” by Tom Tumbusch (Tomart Publications, P.O. Box 2102, Dayton, Ohio 45429; 144 pages per volume, Vol. III indexed; $24.95 per volume or $12.95 each at Disneyland), published in 1985.

Q: I collect old carpenter and architect rulers, some of them with silver fittings. Is there a reference work where I can get some idea as to their value?--S.W.

A: “The Antique Tool Collector’s Guide to Value” by Ronald S. Barlow (Windmill Publishing Co., 2147 Windmill View Road, El Cajon, Calif. 92020; 229 pages, 1985; $12.95 plus $1.05 postage) has been reviewed in this column as a fine reference work for tool collectors.

Starting on Page 168 of the coffee table-size paperback is a section on rulers and many of the firms that have produced them. Barlow writes:

“Jointed rulers have been around since the days of ancient Pompeii. . . .

“England was the first commercial center of rule manufacturing. Over 250 firms are listed in 19th Century Birmingham (England) directories. John Rabone & Sons, established in 1784, was the largest of these concerns.

“Belcher Brothers of New York City (1822-1877) was the first American firm to undertake the mass production of measuring sticks. . . .

“Automated production of folding rules was achieved in the 1860s by Stephens and Co. of Riverton, Conn. . . .

“Stanley (the Stanley Rule & Level Co. of Connecticut) featured about 80 different boxwood and ivory folding rules in its 1860 catalog.”

With silver or ivory trim, collectible rulers can sell for up to $200 each or more, according to Barlow’s guide.

Congratulations to Hollywood’s Collectors Showcase (1708 N. Vine St.) for its March auction catalogue marking the company’s 100th catalogue published over the last 22 years. The historic issue features a colorful Walt Disney “Fantasia” poster on the cover.