Tag Archives: vintage ads

Sing us a song, you’re the honky tonk harpsichord man.

1974 magazine ad for Cordovox Electronic Pianos

1974 magazine ad for Cordovox Electronic Pianos

“Suspiciously similar to the Selmer-Armon in having sliders for the 3 equally dismal sounds.”

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(BONK) I coulda had a V-8!

1960 magazine ad for V-8 Cocktail Vegetable Juices

1960 magazine ad for V-8 Cocktail Vegetable Juices

The eight vegetables in V-8 are beets, celery, carrots, lettuce, parsley, watercress, spinach and tomato. And yes, I know tomatoes are botanically fruit.

Here. Have a history timeline of V-8!

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“It’s just the flu.”

1905 ad for Horsford's Acid Phosphate
1905 ad for Horsford’s Acid Phosphate

Let’s go back to calling influenza “the grippe”.

Did you know acid phosphate was one of the original ingredients in Coca-Cola and essential at soda fountains?

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Alas, I was born too late.

1967 magazine ad for General Mills Bugles, Daisy•s and Whistles... and Canada Dry Ginger Ale sorta.
1967 magazine ad for General Mills Bugles, Daisy•s and Whistles… and Canada Dry Ginger Ale sorta.

Bugles are still around, but I totally missed out their snack siblings — “Whistles – a cheddar-flavored corn product in the shape of a whistle and taste like grilled cheese on toast, only crunchy; and Daisy*s – a flower-shaped snack that had the flavor of puffed popovers.”

Dang it

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This is why we can’t have nice things. Oh, wait…

1948 magazine ad for the Van Raalte Company
1948 magazine ad for the Van Raalte Company

I’m assuming this company wasn’t named after Dutch Reformed clergyman Albertus van Raalte, but maybe?

Nope. It’s was Emanuel van Raalte. Oh well.

I tried, but can’t quite make out the artist’s signature. Probably not Walt Disney.

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Before there was Netflix and Chill, there was Bartlett’s and Boink.

Magazine ad for Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations found in the July 7, 1972 issue of Life magazine.
Magazine ad for Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations found in the July 7, 1972 issue of Life magazine.

“Do… or do not. There is no try.” — Winston Churchill

John Bartlett’s “Familiar Quotations” was first printed in 1855. It’s still in print (many versions later), but it has also made the leap into the app world.

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You can’t go wrong with veggie shapes and a creepy baby.

1948 magazine ad for Heide Jujyfruits
1948 magazine ad for Heide Jujyfruits

The Jujyfruits shapes are asparagus, tomato, grape, banana, pineapple, raspberry and pea pod.

You absolutely must be curious about the etymology of jujube.

Heide Candy Company was founded in 1869.
Heide was sold to Hershey Foods Corporation in 1995.
Hershey sold Heide to Farley’s & Sathers Candy Company in 2002.
Farley’s & Sathers merged with Ferrara Pan Can Candy Company in 2012, becoming the Ferrara Candy Company.

What’s a pastille? It’s for when you don’t want to say “lozenge”.

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Going Hollywood

1972 magazine ad for Levi’s boot jeans and such
1972 magazine ad for Levi’s boot jeans and such

Some Western movies from 1972.

The Robert Redford Jeremiah Johnson gif many of you are familiar with is, like this ad, from 1972.

That’s right.
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Just Four Spiffy Little Ads From 1948

Sylcon Quilted Mattress • Simonis Billiard Cloth • T-N-T Popcorn • Saf-T-Hed Thumb Tack
Sylcon Quilted Mattress • Simonis Billiard Cloth • T-N-T Popcorn • Saf-T-Hed Thumb Tack

Simonis might be the only one still in business.

The Maid’s Dilemma


In 1971, the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. sent out fancy-looking replicas of one of its 1906 advertising pieces to… oh, probably bars, package stores and, who knows, maybe even courthouses and Girl Scout troops. It was a different time. Anyways, here’s one of them.

Schlitz — The Maid's Dilemma
Schlitz — The Maid’s Dilemma
Schlitz — The Maid's Dilemma
Schlitz — The Maid’s Dilemma