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Bee Hive
Hockey Photos
Obtaining
a Photo
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These photos were obtained by redeeming a "Proof of
Purchase" label, token collar or package top from any St. Lawrence Starch Company product
in return
for a free "ready for framing" hockey photo. This purchase requirement helped
to create a
major sales boost for the company’s products … one of the most
successful and prolific food promotions of its type ever. Photos were mailed to every corner of
Canada and some even to the United States though the products were not
officially sold outside of Canada.
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"Proof of
Purchase"
label & token collars
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Bee Hive Corn Syrup ad.
(1940's)
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Player lists showing the available
photos were normally issued early in the season. Sometimes an
updated player list would be released later in the season. There were as many as 2,500 photos
mailed out on some days from the Port Credit office.
The
search for
these photos by some kids meant many bizarre methods were used
in order to obtain the extra number of labels, token collars and
package tops required for
redemption. Many sifted through neighbourhood garbage cans and dumps
in order to find any discarded company products.
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Products included Bee Hive Corn Syrup, Durham Corn Starch,
St. Lawrence
Corn Starch, St. Lawrence Maize or Corn Oil, Ivory Gloss Laundry Starch,
Ivorine Cold Water Starch and Akron Gloss Laundry Starch. The photos became known as “Bee
Hives” because
the majority
of labels submitted were from Bee Hive Corn Syrup (Golden or White),
their best selling product. When ordering photos, kids would
write the name of the photo they wanted on the back of the paper
"Bee Hive" labels.
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photo envelope
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Bee Hive Corn Syrup ad.
(1960's)
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Officially, there are 1,026 hockey photos in existence. The player lists are not fully
accurate and some player names appear on the lists even though there
was never a photo produced of them. Also, a player may have been demoted prior to
photo day or promoted after the photo shoot. His picture would have rarely
been requested.
A collection of 800 or more original
"Bee Hive" photos
is an achievement on its own. A complete collection of Bee Hive
photos in today's market would be valued at more than $75,000 based
on the catalogue prices. Because the star
players were the most popular choice more of them were
produced, hence today are the easiest to obtain (as little as $5).
Photos of players who
played in only a few NHL games tend to be the most valuable ($200 and up) as demand and production of them was minimal.
The most expensive and rarest Bee Hive photo is Cy
Wentworth in a Montreal Canadiens jersey (Group 1), valued at approximately
$8,000.
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