Elvis’s “Girl Happy”:  Flong Time No See
 
This beige flong (or flan in French) is a unique, valuable collectible for Elvis Presley’s fans: it features Elvis leading the 1965 American musical romantic comedy and beach party film, Girl Happy.  Rare.  
 
Antique Film Advertising Printing:  A Historical Bit of Elvis
I have never seen any flongs featuring Elvis, except this.  Flongs—originally made to be discarded after printing use—are rare.  Even more rare are those featuring characters we know, such as Elvis, Tin Tin, and Snoopy, which often create heated biddings in auctions—and collecting challenges!  This Elvis flong also looks like it is in unused condition, and I suspect that it is a rejected design demo, which makes it even more intriguing as a printing artefact of Elvis, because I cannot find the exact printing in old newspapers (but it is modelled after Girl Happy’s theatrical release poster, in which “The King” stands prominently, surrounded by a bevy of bathing beauties).  
 
Flong:  Disappearing Paper Artefact  
  
Flong is a temporary paper mold, invented in the 1800s, primarily for use in printing newspapers.  Because they were made to be conveniently disposed of after use, only a handful survive in printing museums.  They are even hard to come by in private hands—and I just hope more have been preserved for posterity.