Tag Archives: vintage ad

How to Impress a Biker Chick

1944 magazine ad for Hart Schaffner & Marx
1944 magazine ad for Hart Schaffner & Marx

Illustration by Jay Hyde Barnum. Not a lot of info online.

I’m not quite sure what sort of action went down in the illustration, but they both look great!

A History of Herringbone, courtesy of King & Allen Bespoke Tailoring

Continue reading

Scrubbing is for the living.

Magazine ad for Sani-Flush found in the March 25, 1944 issue of The Saturday Evening Post
Magazine ad for Sani-Flush found in the March 25, 1944 issue of The Saturday Evening Post

Looks like the original Sani-Flush was still being sold until 2009 or so. With its main ingredient being sodium bisulfate, when some people didn’t follow directions and mixed it with chlorine bleach (drain cleaners like Liquid-Plumr or Drano), it created chlorine gas, which can be fatal.

Grocery shopping in 1964 was much more exciting thanks to Sani-Flush!

Continue reading

Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it.

1904 magazine ad for Union Pacific Line’s Overland Limited
1904 magazine ad for Union Pacific Line’s Overland Limited

The Overland Limited was the “the ne plus ultra of travel luxury

Did you know that thing in front of the train is called a cowcatcher? Or a pilot, if you’re boring.

The Overland Limited was in service from 1887 to 1963, Or maybe 1899 to 1938. There is some disagreement.

Continue reading

I’m sorry, but you just don’t meet the 1913 definition of a best friend.

1913 magazine ad for Victor-Victrola
1913 magazine ad for Victor-Victrola

Also, you’re much too tall. Apparently.

That dog in the lower left? His name is Nipper, now better AKA the RCA dog.

What’s that? You want more information on Victor-Victrola phonographs? Be careful what you wish for.

Continue reading

Raquel Not Included

1911 magazine ad for Welch's Grape Juice
1911 magazine ad for Welch’s Grape Juice

A history of the Concord grape.

A history of the Concorde.

Methodist History: Communion and Welch’s Grape Juice

The approach in the advertising copy is… interesting. “We spent a lot of money on advertising, so give us your money.”

Continue reading

“I’d punch the copywriter, but…” [shrugs]

If Venus Had Arms — 1911 magazine ad for Kellogg's Toasted Corn Flakes
If Venus Had Arms — 1911 magazine ad for Kellogg’s Toasted Corn Flakes

15 Things You Should Know About ‘Venus de Milo

Were Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Created as an ‘Anti-Masturbatory Morning Meal’?

Continue reading

It’s a pinky tinky!

Burroughs Ten Key Adding Machine magazine found in the January 19, 1957 issue of The Saturday Evening Post
Burroughs Ten Key Adding Machine magazine found in the January 19, 1957 issue of The Saturday Evening Post

Pink was a surprise, but then again, maybe not. An eBay/Etsy search shows that this device was available in Sea Mist Green, Amber Gray, Alpine Blue, or Capri Coral (pink to me). Yes, long before the iMac.

Hmm… It looks like division wasn’t quite invented yet. Well, it is an adding machine after all.

For the curious:

Ten Keys and Fewer

Today seems like a good day to read a brief history of the numeric keypad!

Can’t leave out the modern age!

Continue reading

“Hurry up and paint the ad! This thing is effin’ heavy!”

Magazine ad for Liquid Veneer found in a May 1917 issue of The Designer.
Magazine ad for Liquid Veneer found in a May 1917 issue of The Designer.

The curious type in the Liquid Veneer is neither italic nor oblique. I’m not sure what you’d call it. Bizarro-oblique? Mirroritalic? Hmm.

Liquid Veneer was a product of the Buffalo Specialty Co.

They also made hacksaws and grinders.

I’m guessing it’s a bad idea to use Liquid Veneer for dental veneers.

Continue reading

Come for the gimcracks. Stay for the SPUG.

Colgate ad found on the back cover of the January 1915 issue of The Designer magazine
Colgate ad found on the back cover of the January 1915 issue of The Designer magazine

What’s a gimcrack? Pretty much the same thing as a gewgaw, d-uh.

Mr. Smith must’ve been a real tightwad over clothing, as both he and Mrs. Smith wear the same outfits for several days. Hopefully, Colgate made a deodorant back then. (Nowadays, they do make Speed Stick.)

What’s the deal with fainting couches? In related news, a chaise longue is usually screwed up by Americans as a “chaise lounge”.

It looks like SPUG was made up for this ad, but there are other SPUGS that exist today.

Continue reading

All other perfumes pale in comparison.

White Shoulders perfume ad from the December 1946 issue of Art News
White Shoulders perfume ad from the December 1946 issue of Art News

I thought it read “perfume by Bryan” but I guess it’s Evyan, not Bryan. Sorry, Bryan. Now sold under the Elizabeth Arden brand.

White Shoulders was launched in 1945. It was Evyan’s first and only perfume. Evyan’s founder had a great name — by Baron Walter Langer von Langendorff.

Yes, you want to know about the history of opera glasses.

White shoulders may be a symptom of a serious medical condition.

Continue reading