Name/Title
Primos Yelpers infamous misspelled "Yelphers" red diagphragm caseEntry/Object ID
PTC001A0004Description
Primos Yelpers was the first name of the company founded by Wilbur Rivers Primos. He put his full name in gold print on the first diaphragm or "yelper" he would offer. The case was fire-engine red. The story of the case was given in the book Yelp & Gobble, Inc. by Brent Rogers. “The Yelper Case was inspired by my friend Vernon Phillips,” Will Primos said. “His nickname was Dirt, and around 1975, he came over one day and said, “The Bank of Canton, MS is giving these coin purses away for loose change. I think it would make a perfect yelper case.” Primos saw the practicality of a way for customers to carry his mouth yelpers and “found a supply place for promotional products and ordered some.” He placed the minimum order for 250 and had “Yelpers made by Wilbur River Primos” screen-printed in gold onto the fire-engine red case. The instant he received them, he was dismayed to see “Yelpers” misspelled as “Yelphers.” I obtained one from a former PRIMOS® ProStaffer, but I have never seen one for sale. So, I asked Primos what he did with the misspelled cases. “I sold ‘em!” said the business-first Primos. “I think they were $4.99 each.” Another facet of the “Yelpher” story illustrates Will’s personality. He said, “When I got ‘em, I used a hole punch to give ‘em some air. Otherwise, it would make a perfect petri dish for bacteria.” That is true, given a call would go back and forth between the case and the user’s mouth, often in hot, humid conditions.Collection
Brent Rogers collectionCataloged By
Brent RogersCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodDate Examined
Jan 24, 2026Created By
Brent@awthf.orgCreate Date
January 25, 2026Updated By
Brent@awthf.orgUpdate Date
January 25, 2026
