Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

[Mike E.]

From 1957-????, when you sent in the tear-off half of a page from your owner's manual, you received an owner's packet from GM. Depending on the year, you received a letter from Chevrolet, a patch, a pin, an owner's card, and an insert from the Gordon B. Miller company, with a number of Corvette-related accessories for sale. From tie tacks to rally timers to windproof lighters were available. Other than a pair of cuff links that were sold at a Christie's auction back in 2000, I've not seen any of those items listed for sale. Does anyone have any of those accessory items? Did they ever sell anything?img039.jpg

[Gary C.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Mike,

Haven't seen any of the GBM catalog items for sale in a long time.

I displayed some of the GBM items at 2006, 2007, 2008 Conventions. There were two shades of "orange" for the catalog. IIRC 1957 had a slightly browner orange tint. Will have to check when the color changed to the one you posted. Mr. Baker (35) has several items as well.

At the 2008 Boston Convention long time member Toby Taylor was looking at the catalog items. Toby said I think I have an ashtray just like that one in my shop with nuts and bolts in it. Saw Toby at the next Florida Regional. Toby said he checked and sure enough it was the same large ashtray from the catalog.

Gary
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[Mike E.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Gary,
I have a 61 catalog the same color as the 62 I posted--and a 58 that is the darker brownish orange, so,I suspect the change was 59-60 era. I bought a set of the cuff links from an NCRS member a looong time ago. I'd be curious how the relationship between Miller and GM was established, and what kind of financial relationship there was. How much did GM get for inserting a Miller brochure in each packet. Or a break on the cost of each pin because of the brochure?

[Gary C.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Mike,

About ten years ago or so I found a name of a GBM Manager, but don't recall how. I chased him through the Internet came up with several phone numbers. But was unable to establish contact.

Suspect the GBM relationship with General Motors was through Campbell-Ewald, but maybe not. GBM was the oldest recognition products manufacturer.

GBM made Chevrolet service pins in the 30's and 40's. Somewhere I think have an early Chevrolet Salesman award pin by GBM.

GBM was bought by Jostens, class ring manufacturer in the early 1990's. Think I even called Josten's and was referred to HR. Was told (IIRC) there were no employees left from GBM. Ask if their was a historian and was told there was no GBM information available.

You might try again with Jostens. Other than that someone that was from GBM management would have to be located. Let us know if you find out any more.

Do you have the price sheets with your 3 GBM brochures?

Gary
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[Mike E.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

I have the price sheet with the 58 and with the 62. The 62 price list is labeled 1961-62, but it's part of an original complete owners packet. Those both have 25 items listed, and numbered CV1 through CV25. Those sheets appear printed.
The third brochure I have has with it only a long price sheet (8 1/2 x 14) that appears to be mimeographed. It is titled "1961 price list and order form". The items on that are numbered CV-26G through CV-70.
The 62 also has the black and white glossy supplement page with descriptions and pics of tonneau cover, car cover, etc, listed ad items CV-26 to CV-29.

[Gary C.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Both the 1957 and 1958 GBM catalogs are dark brown, with a Supplement that listed CV-25 (Tonneau Cover) to CV-29 and price liste CV-1 through CV-24 on the rear outside cover page.

My 1957 price sheet is a 3 part form with 3 four line order blanks on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and not dated. 1958 price sheet listed CV-1 through CV-25, the order form was at the bottom. Must've been used as it's missing and the page must've been legal size 8 1/2 x 14 paper.

Have an "orange" GBM catalog with the a 3 part order form 8 1/2 x 11 paper that's not dated with no Supplement and numbered CV-1 through CV-26. No prices in the brochure nor is there a price list.

Gary
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[Mike E.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Gary--
Upon further review:
58 and 61-62 order sheets are 8 1/2 x 12 1/2 with 4-line order blank at bottom
61 mimeographed order sheet is 8 1/2 x 14 with 3-line order blank at bottom (they condensed street address from two lines to one)
The brochures are all 8 x 11
The supplement is about 7 3/4 by 10 3/4

The only difference I see in the brochures is that the 58 color is browner. All three (58, 61, 62) appear unchanged other than that.
The black and white "supplement" sheet, as it calls itself, is takes the identical photos and descriptions from pages 3,4, and 5 of the brochure, but renumbers
them. The Tonneau cover becomes CV-29 instead of CV-14, the car cover CV-26 instead of CV-17, the "world-famous Sala-sport driving gloves" CV-27 instead of CV-16 (world famous added on the supplement), the hot-cold outing kit CV-29 from CV-18, and the car cap becomes the "Ladies car cap", and the supplement adds "by Vera", and the number changes from CV-13 to CV-29. The text/description on each item is amplified/expanded on the supplement.

All the brochures and the supplement say "Gordon B. Miller, Co. Cincinnati 2, Ohio" on the bottom
The supplement adds "under authorization" below that.

[Chuck G.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

I sold my complete CN collection several years ago, so I do not have it for reference.

I remember one brochure being orange-ish, the other being brown-ish.

The only difference I can recall is the early one had the Elgin Corvette watch, the later one did not.

I had price sheets in each. IIRC, one was "dated" 57-58, the other dated 61-62.

NOT much help. Howie Baker might have more info.

Chuck

[Gary C.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Mike,

The 1957 GBM order blank page is 7" w x 10 1/8" L with 3 perforated order blanks
The 1958 GBM Price List and Order form is 8 1/2" w x 10 1/4" L with the order blank at the bottom torn off

Chuck's correct the Elgin watch is in the '57 and '58 brochures. Not sure when it was removed. The more orange brochure I have doesn't have the Elgin watch in it.

Mr. Baker said he only knows of one person that has an Elgin watch.

Gary
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[Steven B.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Chuck, I have my CN stored but can dig them out. Any specific issue?

Gary, do you know of anyone who has one of the tonneaus? Were they the same as the Amco's?

Thanks!

Steve

[Chuck G.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Chuck, I have my CN stored but can dig them out. Any specific issue?

Gary, do you know of anyone who has one of the tonneaus? Were they the same as the Amco's?

Thanks!

Steve

These are not actually CN issues. They were "brochures" mailed to CN subscribers, maybe mailed with certain CN issues. I seem to recall having a manilla mailing envelope for one of the brochures.

Chuck

[Mike E.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

They actually came in the owners packets that you received as a new Corvette owner when you sent in the tear-off half of the card in the owners manual, didn't they? I've never seen anything to connect them to Corvette News other than the current Corvette News also came in the owners packet.

[Gary C.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Don't know if the GBM brochure was mailed separately or included inside the owner's packet envelope, which included the current issue of CN.

Will check with Mr. Baker (35) to see if he knows one way or the other.

Steve - Mr. Baker has quite a few of the GBM item including IIRC the tonneau cover, picnic set, lighter, etc.

Gary
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[Gary C.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Per Mr. Baker (35), the GBM catalogs were mailed separately to the new Corvette owner in a brown envelope.

Gary
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[Bill O.]

Re: Gordon B. Miller Corvette Accessories

Here's one with '61-'62 price lists.



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