The Mid Century Vault

Currently Playing: 075 Crayola 64 Box 🖍️ The Cadillac of Crayons

Is there any smell more iconic than a fresh box of Crayolas? 🖍️ For a kid in the late 1950s, true luxury didn’t come in a jewelry box—it came in a green and yellow cardboard box with a flip-top lid. Join Philip Mershon in The Mid-Century Vault as we unlock the colorful history of the Crayola 64 box. From its debut on the Captain Kangaroo Show in 1958, the 64-pack changed the way an entire generation saw the world. We’re diving into the "color literacy" that taught us the difference between Periwinkle and Burnt Sienna, and exploring why that built-in sharpener felt like high-tech wizardry. Inside this episode: The "Oily Chalk" Origin: How a barn paint business became an art empire. The Name Game: The schoolteacher who coined the word "Crayola." 1962 Milestone: Why the "Flesh" crayon was renamed to "Peach." The Smithsonian: How these wax sticks became a permanent piece of American history. What was your "must-have" color? Were you a Razzle Dazzle Rose fan or a Forest Green traditionalist? Let us know in the comments! #Crayola #VintageToys #Nostalgia #1950sChildhood #MidCenturyVault #ArtHistory #Crayola64 #PhilipMershon