"Mr. Peanut" Whistle, 1940-1960
01
Artifact Overview
Planters Peanuts created its "spokesperson," Mr. Peanut, in 1916. A commercial artist started with a schoolboy's sketch -- submitted as part of a contest -- and added gentlemanly accessories, including a cane, monocle, top hat, gloves, and spats. The iconic illustrated character, depicted in this whistle figurine, has changed little over more than 100 years.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Whistle
Date Made
1940-1960
Creators
Collection Title
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2018.103.249
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Plastic
Color
Light brown
Dimensions
Height: 2.5 in
Width: 0.75 in
Length: 0.375 in (at widest point)
Inscriptions
on front of hat:
Mr. PEANUT
Keywords |
|---|
02
Related Content
SetPersonification and Anthropomorphism
- 22 Artifacts
Attributing human characteristics to animals and objects is a natural tendency, and a technique that artists and writers have used for centuries. Personification ascribes human emotions and values to inanimate beings. Anthropomorphism gives things human agency. Depictions appear in a variety of media, and the messages conveyed can be amusing, persuasive, and thought-provoking.