The December 1939 Fortune magazine cover.
I think that’s an old-timey knife switch to turn power on and off in the lower right quarter, but I’m not 100% certain.
Light ’em up!
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Tag Archives: antique
It’s French.
I received a lovely trio of magazines that go back to the days when French dressing was for shoes.
Bewitching
“Beware!” — Life magazine cover, October 30, 1913
There’s no place like hone.
How’s this for an advertising time capsule, or rather, paperweight and hone from the age of scythes and threshers? A premium given to potential advertisers of The American Thresherman magazine with a little cobranding from The Pike Manufacturing Company.
The whetstone side might be Belgian Yellow Coticule from the Ardennes, which would be 30-42% garnet crystals bonded with mica, which gives a sweet edge on a blade. Supposedly, the stone is one of the reasons Romans conquered Belgium/Belgica back in the day.
In the panties of particular people.*
Some of the things I collect are vintage cookbooks and cookbooklets like you still sometimes see while standing in line at the grocery store. In one of them, I found this…
*I first read the line in the photo as “in the panties of particular people” and had a very different visual.
This is a photo of 60 or so Heinz products found in The Heinz Salad Book. It does not give the year it was printed. According to a couple of online sources, Heinz changed the name of Beefsteak Sauce to 57 Sauce in 1940, so this was probably printed before that. Other sources give the year of the change as 1913, so don’t quote me on any of this. Stupid Internet.
Continue readingI’m sorry, but you just don’t meet the 1913 definition of a best friend.
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.
Raquel Not Included
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]
15 Things You Should Know About ‘Venus de Milo’
Were Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Created as an ‘Anti-Masturbatory Morning Meal’?
Continue readingIt’s a pinky tinky!
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:
Today seems like a good day to read a brief history of the numeric keypad!
Can’t leave out the modern age!
Continue readingFor all your fiberglass horses needs.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better than gen-u-ine fiberglass horses, it turns out Bob Prewitt of Prewitt Fiberglass Products is also the guy behind all those giant roadside mascots you might know better as Paul Bunyans or Muffler Men scattered across America. Stuckey’s will tell ya more!
These guys are living their best lives.
And of course, Roadside America is a deliciously deep and rich source of Muffler Men maps and mythology as well.
Continue reading