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Black bear and burro naming-contest card, Paul Bunyon Incorporated, circa 1923

Card type
Real photo

About this postcard

A black bear and a light-colored burro stand facing one another in a wooded clearing, flanked by a large white "A" on the left and a "?" on the right, with the overprint "$50,000 FOR A NAME TO THIS PICTURE / Paul Bunyon Incorporated." The card is a promotional naming contest piece issued by the L.L. Cook Co. of Milwaukee in 1923, trading on the Paul Bunyan tall-tale tradition (spelled "Bunyon" here) with its pairing of a bear and a burro. The white lettering was printed into the photographic image, a common real-photo novelty format of the 1920s.

Postcard Details

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Postcard record

PublisherL.L. Cook Co.
ConditionGood
Place mentionedMilwaukee, WI
NotesBlack-and-white real photo with white lettering printed in the negative; no white border; light edge wear and discoloration along the right edge. No postmark, stamp, or handwriting; back is entirely blank. Divided-back "POST CARD" stock with EKC stamp box; light foxing/staining and slight edge wear.

Cite this card

Black bear and burro naming-contest card, Paul Bunyon Incorporated, circa 1923, postcard, c. 1930. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/black-bear-and-burro-naming-contest-card-paul-bunyon-incorpo. Accessed October 24, 2026.