Female Domination in 1933 - Were Ad Men Really Mad Men?

I found this magazine recently and as usual the ads within didn't disappoint. Aside from some of the vibrant colors and kitschy products, the pattern that I really noticed was the subtle abuse of Mom!  Do this! Do that! Many of the ads just seems to be tearing off the shoes of the American mom and tossing her in the kitchen...maybe that was the thing to do back then?

The last one is my favorite.  Smell your gelatin, dammit! Smell it!  I would think that the worst thing that could happen to gelatin was that it could get mold-y. (oh, that was bad!)

Is it too late to send these Xmas Cards?

There has got to be someplace I can search to find the age of these cards. I found them in a box lot at a Norwalk sale over the summer.  They are unique and colored a certain way that indicates their age. Just what age that is, I don't know.

 This next one falls into my favorite catagory: Coincidence.  Remeber this was a random box of papers I bought for $10 in the very last minutes of this sale. I had no time to review the contents. So, when I started looking inside, I thought I had some random cards.

I never expected to see my own last name listed on the card (No my name ain't Jenkins). Apparently, there is or was a large pocket of my kin folk who travelled up the Hudson River and settled outside of Albany and the surrounding area. Enough so that several landmarks are named for them. Wished I knew a few...

Hey! What the card said. I want to thank you for visiting and spending time with my finds. Happy Christmas!

Found Photo Foursome

Here is a nice scene from the 20's or 30's. Looks like a coupla couples hit the road for a journey. They have parked with other cars but it could be a road side stop because that suitcase doesn't look like a picnic basket.

So tell me... what clues can you pull from the scene?  Here's a closer shot of the foursome.

Thy don't look like the happiest bunch, but then it could have been an unplanned trip to go pick up the relatives.

Changing your "old" ways

I wrote my New Year's resolution to honor the tragedy in Connecticut on 12/14/12. First, here is my take on how this happened - 

Society went to college, enrolled in "Humanities -101" and instead of studying for the final exam - hosted a "kegger" completely flunking Humanities 101.   Now we have 28 dead innocents and over 100 directly affected by this tragedy.  Nice going society! (of which you and I are members!) There is no "Make-up" there is no Summer school there is no choice but to start over again and get it right next time.  

You can make a donation (which you should), you can sign a petition (Yes, all of them!) but I am also going to make a promise that I can accomplish right here in my community, my neighborhood. It is called "The Pledge of 28."  I hope you will make it your New Year's resolution too.

Cod Liver Oil Nightmare

Holy Carp! That's a scary fish. Actually I don't know what's more scary...growing up in the 30's or visualizing the process by which oil is extracted from a cod liver ...and then being forced to eat it. 

I love the placement of this ad...read the column heading on the top right..."twas the night before Xmas and all through the house"...not exactly visions of sugar plums...is it?

Butter! The "Other" White Frosting

I wouldn't exactly say that I "love" butter, however, I have been known to refer to it as frosting. There is still so much I don't know about the chemistry of cooking and for a while I was doing a lot of breakfast cooking with olive oil.  But then, there are "smoke points" and carcinogens and the smell of olive oil when the pan is too hot that has my family cranking open windows to exhaust the fumes.  So, now I am back to butter - it's simpler - like this ad from 1933. 

I was sort of hoping that there was some connection between my town of Brookfield and the brand name. All my research tells me no, but it also tells me that Swift is now part of a Brazilian company that is the largest meat producer/packager in the world with over 30 billion in annual sales....Moo!

All your 1933 Xmas wishes granted - Lady of the house!

Just what the puzzled lady in your life needs...'scuse me that's Puzzled, lady?

My favorite is the coffee percolator that looks like an oil lamp...

 ...or the Radio Toggle Toaster that turns the toast over with a twist of the knob ...whoa!

Look for more from this magazine....and on Christmas Eve I will feature the cover...corny? Absolutely!

Vintage Animation Uncovered - Robert Tinfo

I was searching for treasure at an Estate Sale in Danbury, CT and came across some old video tapes that were the reels of animation work of Robert Tinfo. Who was he and where did he work? When did he start and when did he end his career? By the clips I have found his work was prolific and popular, but I can't find anything about him. Watch the clips and you will see what I mean.

Muscular Dystrophy Ads
 
This was a generic channel ID, but no indication which Channel 5.
This piece for Gruman "Catware" is priceless.

A few more clips, demonstrations, and a commercial for Panther Lightbulbs



Who remembers the Grunt family of artists? anyone? A classic promo!


I was lucky to find this reel of Robert Tinfo's work. I am still amazed at his anonymity, and some day I hope to find the answer, though I fear I may not like it.

High School Fight Song and Secret Plays

I found this gem at a Norwalk, CT estate sale and I would really like to know its age. This was likely a cheat sheet carried by a member of the Darien HS football player during a clash with the Red Raiders. Derby HS football team is called the Red Raiders but I can't find a history of these 2 teams playing each other.  Here is the fight song:

 On the back are 4 formations with the "red Raider" name written below.  Was someone spying and handing the X,Y,Z, and super-secret "J" play over to the home team?

I hope someone can fill in the blanks here. I wish I went to Darien High School in the 50's or 60's...sounded like a real party place. Or, maybe it was all just talk?

Other Peoples Mail - Any stationery you can find

I found this at a Bridgewater, CT sale, I think I bought it because it borders on folk art. Almost unreadable as a letter, the author was clearly lacking proper stationary and used the only thing he had...the nearly white cover of a magazine. I can't imagine the recipient's reaction to this, unless it was a spouse who could decipher form practice, maybe. I could only glean a few salient points (excerpted below). I have tried to expand the paper in case you might want to try and translate it. However, I don't think it was that important.

In 1927, travel by rail was still very common. Roads were unraveling like spools of ribbon across America as more and more people found four-wheel travel more liberating. This would begin the death march for many common rail lines, but if you were going from New York to Albany or points north or west, there was nothing more regular and presumably safer than the train.

"The river above Peekskill is beautiful but misty. The Lady Cliff Academy for Girls, just below Garrison - is gorgeously situated - almost too good to be true. Like a castle on the Rheine - only Catholic."

If you tried, I hope you were able to make more sense than I was - readbale or not, I still think this time piece is a work of art.

Gadgetology 101 - A Sight for sore eyes?

I am thankful for the little things...that I find at estate, tag, garage sales and only cost a dollar. The things that mystify me and get to go home with me so I can ogle it and solve the nagging question: What the heck is (or was) it?  Case in point:

It is possibly a gun sight alignment tool about 5.5 inches long, yet it has nothing to affix itself to a rifle. The small hole above is the viewing port which came with a black cap with a pin hole in it - meaning that it can be viewed both ways. 

The manufacturer is Berger, and the unit has 2 float levels one on top and one that is viewed against the gradations on the glass at the opposite end. You can hold it level and confirm that it is level, but why?

That's all I have. The rest is up to you to solve, for which i would be most grateful. 

Four vintage gun ads you've never seen before

It takes some kind of strategy to compare a gun with a baby, but I suppose if you can do it successfully you're set for life - if you can't -No one will ever remember you anyway.

These are all from an edition of "Hunter, Trader, Trapper" from 1914. There was no cover, but no matter, the content made up for that.

Gadgetology 101 - Take a shot at this one (SOLVED)

These were found at a sale with a definite hunting motif ...They are gun cleaning rods.

Did you guess correctly, or did I need to provide more angles?  I thought they were unique, and for $5 dollars I thought they were worth taking and seeing if I could repurpose or wrap as a gift for a friend.

Fleeing through the flea market

When there are few sales, or just no "digs," I can usually rely on The Elephant's Trunk flea market in New Milford, CT. I rarely by anything there, but it is fun to look around. I always bring the camera and this time I decided to make a video. It's only 1:20 - won't even put a dent in your attention span.

The credits are shaky thanks to YouTube's offer to stabilize it. I didn't buy anything, but I did "find" something. You'll have to check back for that post...I hope you will.

1957 First Aid Booklet...could be your last.

Once upon a time we were so smart. We knew exactly what to do for every situation...and then something changed and now that information makes no sense - what-so-ever.  This was from a pack of consumer information guides and stood out because of the illustrations and seriously dated medical procedures...

I had to add balloons to some of these...

This one below is my favorite: The dispensing of Brandy for a heart attack has to have been updated since 1957 right? Otherwise I would think lots of of stressed males would be having heart attacks around happy hour...or maybe when it's about time to take out the trash. 

You'll need to click on these (especially this one) to get the full effect. Below are a list of poisons and the antidote. In most cases I recognize neither the poison nor the cure.

Taking the Pain out of Campaign Advertising

Like everyone else I am glad the election is over - mostly because the ads are over too. But maybe you can handle one more....from 1973.

Because politics is as much about who we are and what we do - it isn't uncommon for me to find old pictures of people being Republican or Democrat and being proud. 

 When I’m digging, picking or dumpster-diving I have no agenda, no political affiliations. I do, however, believe in the right to find things, take pictures of them and tell and re-tell the story of what it is and how I found it.

 Finding campaign memorabilia is just as good as all the other things I find. It’s a snapshot or milestone of local history, and if I’m lucky enough - national history.

My favorite piece is the last image of the Republic Club of Danbury performing the musical “HMS Pinafore” at the Empress Theater in 1921. This Danbury, CT building was built around 1850 and was known as the Princess Theater until it was converted to show movies and became the Empress. It’s still an entertainment venue today though it had been reduced in size from what is pictured here.

Games People Don't Play...anymore

In the aftermath of hurricane Sandy, there were almost no sales to dig through. I did find one Estate sale  in Roxbury, actually a "repeat."  Through no fault of the estate sale service there is sometimes more items for sale that can be handled in one weekend. I didn't buy anything, but I did find a few things worth photographing.

with as much volatility and alleged and actual corruption - a game like this from 1955 comes across as funny. "2 to six players of any age"  ANY!?  I think I found why there is so much trouble with today's economy....not that the stock market has anything to do with that. I wonder when they'll be coming out with "Hedge Fund - The Game!"

 Maybe this family has just played "The Stock Market" which is why they're "Bent Outta Shape." I snapped this shot because I am sure the cover art was done by one of the veterans of MAD magazine. They do like like they're hopped up on goof balls. Not much on the internet about this except a few versions for sale.  This one is from 1984.

I wished I'd looked to see the date of this, but judging by the graphics my guess would be mid-1940s. Although I'm not a cynic I love the fact that "Sorry" is over "Life." However, it turns out that they still do make this game.

Finally I will leave you with a little magic.

Not a game, but contains and element of play, unless of course junior decides to take up the black arts. I really like the mix of languages on the cover although "super" may be the same in may languages. If you can see the bottom edge on the box you will see the Canary Islands and the home of the company that sells this.