Blibber-Blubber
Encyclopedia
Blibber-Blubber was the first bubble gum formulation, developed in 1906 by Frank Fleer. However, the gum was never marketed; its texture resembled Silly Putty
. It was brittle, produced sticky wet bubbles that splattered when burst and had to be removed from the face with turpentine.
In 1928, after a number of unsuccessful tests of different formulas, Walter Diemer
, an accountant, an employee of the Frank H. Fleer Company
, improved the Blibber-Blubber formulation by adding latex
. The result was first commercially successful bubble gum, Dubble Bubble
. Diemer colored his creation pink because it was the only food coloring
he had at the time. Dubble Bubble's pink color set a tradition for nearly all bubble gums to follow.
Silly Putty
Silly Putty , is the Crayola-owned trademark name for a class of silicone polymers. It is marketed today as a toy for children, but was originally created by accident during research into potential rubber substitutes for use by the United States in World War II...
. It was brittle, produced sticky wet bubbles that splattered when burst and had to be removed from the face with turpentine.
In 1928, after a number of unsuccessful tests of different formulas, Walter Diemer
Walter Diemer
Walter E. Diemer was an accountant and inventor of bubble gum.Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Diemer was working as an accountant at Fleer in 1926 when the company president sought to cut costs by making their own gum base...
, an accountant, an employee of the Frank H. Fleer Company
Fleer
The Fleer Corporation, founded by Frank H. Fleer in 1885, was the first company to successfully manufacture bubblegum; it remained a family-owned enterprise until it was taken private in 1989....
, improved the Blibber-Blubber formulation by adding latex
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
. The result was first commercially successful bubble gum, Dubble Bubble
Dubble Bubble
Dubble Bubble is a brand of bubble gum invented in 1928 by Philadelphia-based Fleer. Walter E. Diemer — an accountant at Fleer — enjoyed experimenting with recipes during his free time. In an interview a few years before his death, he said, "It was an accident"...
. Diemer colored his creation pink because it was the only food coloring
Food coloring
Food coloring is a substance, liquid or powder, that is added to food or drink to change its color. Food coloring is used both in commercial food production and in domestic cooking...
he had at the time. Dubble Bubble's pink color set a tradition for nearly all bubble gums to follow.