When, where and why were two identical open-mouthed Pacman shapes, long before the character existed, and a number often seen together on a variety of retailed items?

davejacobs

http://museums.leics.gov.uk/collections-on-line/GetObjectAction.do?objectKey=273538 British Government Utility scheme, 1941. The symbol stood for Civilian Clothing - the example shows a brassiere- but it was later extended to furniture. CC41 designated the year the scheme was introduced. Jul 11 09, 4:44 AM

gmackematix

A very rational answer, Dave! The Utility brand was introduced by the British Government during and after WW2 as a form of quality control. Jul 12 09, 7:57 PM

Baloo55th

Baloo has some (inherited) Utility marked blankets - plain and straightforward stuff and excellent quality. (Utility was a term applied to buses as well. They were not exactly in the same class and were mostly rebodied soon after the war. As a very small cub I can remember travelling on a very late surviving unrebodied one - and watching the roof bounce up and down....) Jul 13 09, 4:16 AM