Vintage Gurley Large Thanksgiving Turkey Candle

Vintage Gurley Large Thanksgiving Turkey Candle

• The Gurley Novelty Co. was founded in Buffalo, New York, in the 1930s by Franklin Gurley.

• The company originally made novelty candles for Tavern Candle Company, which used excess wax from oil refining (a byproduct from Gulf Oil).

• By the late 1940s, the company became known as Gurley Novelty Co. and started producing seasonal figural candles for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween, and Easter.

• They were sold widely in five-and-dime stores like Woolworth’s through the 1950s–1970s.

• This turkey most likely dates from around 1950–1965 - when Gurley produced their Thanksgiving Candles.