Old Firecracker Pictures

[displayfireworks1]

I went through some of my old firecracker packs and figured I would post a few pictures. I am really not a collector but it is fun to have a limited collection. Usually pyro club meetings or the PGI convention is a good place to find these at a reasonable price. Like I said in a previous post, I wonder if all those Ebay ads showing old firecracker really only just mail you the label or do they just say that because selling fireworks on Ebay is forbidden. Or do they mail the firecrackers also and just say it is only the label up for auction. That would be unusual for someone selling fireworks to lie to get around a regulation or rule. LOL
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I have a few more. these are all pretty common and nothing special. Be great if someone can identify the year of some of them.

[countryboy7978]

Many of the Ebay packs and bricks are complete. You just have to read between the lines, and before bidding its best to contact the seller and ask if the item is complete. The shipping will also typically be more if its complete. If you get to know the vendors you'll get what you need.

I know a few of the items you have pictured. The Uncle Sam Salutes are DOT era, Class 6 which is any pack/brick from the year 1977-1993. These typically have the 50mg disclaimer, but very few are actually 50mg or less. The Uncle Sam Salutes are very well made with red/white/blue vertical stripes and nice crimps to seal the firecrackers. I'm pretty sure Bob Kellner brought these in during the mid-1980's/early 1990's. He also brought in a UN0336 version with clay and slightly different wraps.

The Ducks were actually brought in during the mid-1980's and will have the 50mg disclaimer on the back stamp (so technically class 6 but using class 4 era crackers). They were most likely left over Macau made firecrackers and are similar in construction to Camel brand and Anchor brand. They are heavy loaded, even for Class 5 standards but unfortunately the fuses are inconsistent and result in a lot of duds in the 48's packs. The 336's and the 600s have better fuses for some reason. They have the old man pajama wraps in red and blue, also known as mossiac wraps. The Camel and Anchor were imported in the early-late 1970's and you will see some with ICC Class C, the older Class 4 designation as well as some Class 5 DOT Class C. I am not aware of these two brands coming in after the 70's. I think the guy who brought the Duck's in during the 1980's used the same factory's older inventory. The Martian are black powder firecrackers from Canada, I don't know the year on those. The M-100 Black Panther are late 1980's/early 1990's firecrackers despite not having the 50mg label. They were brought in by NCI in Muncie, IN before he was forced to abandon the Panther and become Great Grizzly after a suit with Black Cat. The firecrackers are red and green sunburst wraps from the Flower Basket factory. There are several rewraps of these including Big Bomb Class 6, and some Island Fireworks branded crackers. Great shooters for late DOT and they are clay free. Roller Coaster is UN. Well your brick is UN. They are heavy with clay but great performers. Ive shot the DOT/crimped Coasters and to tell you the truth, the UN clay ones hit harder. Just turn your back to them or wear glasses.

What shell wrap are the Zebra? Li & Fung Co., used whatever they could get their hands on for Zebra crackers. You'll see Zebra using Horse brand crackers (Daisy Wraps and Star/Snowflake), Red Lantern (Pastel Star), Macau confetti wraps, black and white Zebra stripes, RWB Flying Dragon crackers, Zebra Logos, or even orange and black zebra stripes. Most likely these are the black and white striped. Those are mid 1980's

[vegassalute]

Great looking collections guys!

[displayfireworks1]

Thanks for that review of these firecrackers. So when you buy on Ebay you got to know the code. LOL Don't ask ""Do I also get the firecrackers? " say "Are they complete?" That is interesting that Black Cat went after the Black Panther label. I never even thought that. Now if the Black Panther label was yellow in color maybe. That Uncle Sam brick I have is very light in weight. i would imagine it has crimped ends. Those Roller Coaster crackers are full of clay, as soon as you pick them up you can feel it.

[wingman]

I remember a friend of mine (Tom Massarella) telling me he created the artwork and got the ball rolling in importing Uncle Sam. Unfortunately Tom passed away back in 2008.

[joewad]

I remember shooting Anchor, Camel and Zebra brands as a kid. I had a block of each. Thanks for the flashbacks.

[RalphieJ]

Question: Do the 1 5/8" and the 2" contain more powder or do they have thinner interiors and/or deeper crimps?

[halk]

Ralph they cannot have more than 50 mg by law, so manufacturers of the longer and thicker firecrackers fill in the cases with clay or paper. Of course some crackers with more explosive mix sometimes get through our ports.