Tag Archives: history

Oh say can you yeeeeeeee-hawwwwww!

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The Country Gentleman magazine for July 1926. Cover art by N.C. Wyeth.
The Country Gentleman magazine for July 1926. Cover art by N.C. Wyeth.

In honor of Independence Day, here’s one of my favorite magazine covers in my collection — The July 1926 issue of The Country Gentleman with cover art by American artist (painter/illustrator/muralist) N.C. Wyeth. It was also one of the more elusive magazines for me to track down, but totally worth it.

It’s nice to see Wyeth’s biography is a lot more complete and accessible online than many other illustrators of the era, but sad to find his life ended by a freight train.

Also, it’s no surprise that horses really aren’t very fond of fireworks. Be kind, y’all.

“Are you still using the wearying, old-fashioned, unclean method?”

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"I'm fine."
“I’m fine.”
Magazine ad for Torrington Cleaners / National Sweeper Co. found in the May 1917 issue of The Designer
Magazine ad for Torrington Cleaners /  National Sweeper Co. found in the May 1917 issue of The Designer

Fun facts:

Some of Torrington’s other carpet sweeper model names were Utility, Paragon and Peerless. And under the National name, the Royal Duchess!

Torrington, Connecticut, was once a major part of the Underground Railroad.

I’m still working on what the heck they mean by “laying the dust” but I think it has something to do with sprinkling water on stuff so dust doesn’t get in the air.

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Girdles and napkins and belts, oh my!

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“Daaaaaaamn, girl! You lookin’ fine.”
Circa 1947 magazine ad for Kotex Sanitary Napkins
Circa 1947 magazine ad for Kotex Sanitary Napkins

“A short beau in tow is worth ten highboys on the loose.” Forties lingo is killer diller!

Fun facts:

Curious what a smooth and comfortable Kotex Wonderform Belt looks like? Of course you are. [scroll when at link]

Four tips for being a great bellhop from a site that sells shoes so you can probably guess one of the tips.

Wanna learn a bit o’ slang from the 1940s? You’ll recognize some, but not all. Here’s some more.

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You down with DDT?

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Yeah, you know me.

"Hey Mom! Can you spray my oatmeal with some more of that dee-licious DDT?" "Sure, Sweetie! Say when!" [spritz spritz spritz spritz...]
“Hey Mom! Can you spray my oatmeal with some more of that dee-licious DDT?” “Sure, Sweetie! Say when!” [spritz spritz spritz spritz…]
Du Pont (DuPont) magazine ad for DDT and other happy fun chemicals — Found in the April 1947 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.
Du Pont (DuPont) magazine ad for DDT and other happy fun chemicals — Found in the April 1947 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.

Fun facts:

DDT stands for dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane (also Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). And now you know why they called it DDT instead.

In 1955 alone, 500 million pounds of DTT was produced.

Some houseflies turned out to be resistant to DDT.

DDT got a dude a Nobel Prize.

And then there’s the whole thing about DDT and raptors and shell thinning and OMG they’re still fighting about that so I’m not going to link to anything about it.

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Before There Was Resting Bitch Face

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1933 Coca-Cola magazine ad
1933 Coca-Cola magazine ad

You can wear whatever you like, ok?

Just not with a Pepsi, ok?

Fun facts:

Before 1955, Coca-Cola was only sold at soda fountains or in 6.5 ounce bottles. Tres dainty.

The oldest known masks are around 9,000 years old.

Have you ever seen a kola nut?

“It is better to look good than to feel good.” – Fernando Lamas (the real one and the one played by Billy Crystal on SNL)

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What I really wanted was a Snoopy typewriter.

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1975 comic book print ad for Kenner’s Snoopy Pencil Sharpener
1975 comic book print ad for Kenner’s Snoopy Pencil Sharpener

RRRR-R — Notice that they don’t show dad “sharpening his pencil”?

Fun facts:

Charles Shulz created 17,897 different daily Peanuts comic strips.

Snoopy was almost Sniffy.

A girl named Lila was Snoopy’s first owner.

The inside of Snoopy’s doghouse was large enough to hold four children.

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The Little Girl is Right

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Magazine ad for Hart Schaffner & Marx - late 40s/early 50s
Guess who forgot to write the month/year/mag again? Umm… I was originally thinking probably late-40s, maybe early-50s. But she appears to be using some sort of Dictaphone or Ediphone, which would place it in the 1920s or earlier. Unless their boss never upgraded the office equipment, which is also entirely plausible. The shirt collar and necktie kind of have that Roaring Twenties look though. I’m talking to myself again, aren’t I. Yes, Clay, you are.

This ad must’ve taken place before they invented personal zones.

A bit about the artist Jay Hyde Barnum.

Hey! The company is still around!

A guide to wearing wool in the summer.

And speaking of wool, meet Shrek, the sheep who escaped shearing for six years by hiding in New Zealand caves.

Or perhaps you would prefer a wood suit?

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That family is, like, the worst fruit pickers EVER.

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Magazine ad for the Golden State Limited found in the January 7, 1904 issue of Life magazine.
From the January 7, 1904 issue of Life magazine.

I have questions.
What is that tool/toy at the bottom of the ad?
The husband is totally cheating on her, right?
Is wearing white really the wisest choice here?

Fun facts:

Classic Trains has a nice assortment of Golden State Limited marketing materials.

Golden State’s later years were not quite so posh and luxurious.

And what good is Golden State Limited history if it doesn’t include tales of train robberies gone wrong and bodies found in drippy trunks?

Oh, now you want to learn more about Winnie Ruth Judd, AKA the Trunk Murderess, AKA the Tiger Woman, AKA the Blonde Butcher? I gotcha covered. Also, there’s a website named Murderpedia.

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Lee-haw!

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Magazine/digest ad for Lee Work Clothes found in the June, 1951 issue of Popular Western.
Found in the June, 1951 issue of Popular Western

Fun facts:

Union-Alls appear to be another word for coveralls, or ever better, speed suits.

Scout preferred overalls in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Lee and Wrangler are now owned by Kontoor Brands. Would you wear Kontoor jeans?

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Maybe your dad could lick mine!

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Detail of a magazine ad from the late 1930s for Kellogg's Pep breakfast cereal.
Detail of a magazine ad from the late 1930s for Kellogg’s Pep breakfast cereal.

This is truly one of the best headlines ever written. Perhaps not back when it was originally written and meanings were slightly different, but a masterpiece today.

Magazine ad from the late 1930s for Kellogg's Pep breakfast cereal.
Magazine ad from the late 1930s for Kellogg’s Pep breakfast cereal.

I wonder how much of that Vitamin D came from the milk (or cream – yes, that was a thing back then) they poured on the Pep?

Fun facts: Kellogg’s Pep was the first breakfast cereal fortified with spray-on vitamins.

Kellogg’s Pep cereal was also a mild laxative.

Pep was once known as “the sunshine cereal”.

Ergo, Pep let you fart sunshine.

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