Throughout the 500-year history of slavery in North America, enslaved people tried to escape. Once newspapers were common, enslavers posted “runaway ads” to try to locate these fugitives. When fugitives escaped, enslavers often placed runaway notices in newspapers. Such ads included any kind of information that might help readers identify the fugitive: the name, height,Continue reading “24 Amazing Runaway Slave Ads From the 19th Century”
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Unbelievable American Slave Sale and Auction Ads From the 19th Century
The legal institution of human chattel slavery, comprising the enslavement primarily of Africans and African Americans, was prevalent in the United States of America from its founding in 1776 until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment on December 6, 1865. The Amendment prohibited “slavery [and] involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime.” Slavery wasContinue reading “Unbelievable American Slave Sale and Auction Ads From the 19th Century”
The Volkswagen Theory of Evolution – How the VW Beetle Changed Over the Years
Here’s a scan of a Volkswagen advertisement from 1963. The ad features a grid of black and white photos of the VW Beetle from 1949 to 1963 in order to highlight how little the Beetle’s design changed during that period. The ad is titled “The Volkswagen Theory of Evolution.” Can you spot the Volkswagen withContinue reading “The Volkswagen Theory of Evolution – How the VW Beetle Changed Over the Years”
27 Fantastic Vintage Circus Posters from the Late 19th Century
A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclists as well as other object manipulation and stunt-oriented artists. The term circus also describes the performance which has followed various formats through itsContinue reading “27 Fantastic Vintage Circus Posters from the Late 19th Century”
30 Strange and Hilarious Vintage Feminine Hygiene Ads From the Early 20 Century
In the late 1800s, disposable cloth towels to be worn during menstruation were introduced as a product category marketed to middle- and upper-class women. Before then, even the wealthiest women had made their own menstrual supplies from yard goods. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the practice of birth control was rarely discussed publicly,Continue reading “30 Strange and Hilarious Vintage Feminine Hygiene Ads From the Early 20 Century”
19 Vintage Ads for Fashion Wigs and Hairpieces From the 1960s and 1970s
Everyone remembers the hairstyles of the 60s – afros, long hippy hair and the perfectly bouffanted look all go together to create an incredible era of hair. Whilst you might not have the hair you need for your costume; in the 1960s and ’70s, these fashion wig ads for you to use and complete theContinue reading “19 Vintage Ads for Fashion Wigs and Hairpieces From the 1960s and 1970s”
Swimming Taught Far From Water
“No fear of water can keep the pupil from learning to swim in this apparatus.” This appeared in Popular Science Nov, 1931. It was definitely a perfect device to make kids detest swimming.
12 Interesting Vintage Telephone Advertisements in the 1930s
Although the greatest number of ads will be for the Bell System or Western Electric, the independents will have a presence as well. Considering that they were part of the Bell System, an organization that wouldn’t seem to require any self-promotion, Western Electric advertised particularly heavily in the periodicals of the day.
Ford Edsel 1958 Car Models: The Wrong Car at the Wrong Time!
Edsel was a brand of automobile that was marketed by the Ford Motor Company from the 1958 to the 1960 model years. Deriving its name from Edsel Ford, son of company founder Henry Ford, Edsels were developed in an effort to give Ford a fourth brand to gain additional market share from Chrysler and GeneralContinue reading “Ford Edsel 1958 Car Models: The Wrong Car at the Wrong Time!”
30 Outrageous Vintage Cigarette Ads Claimed That “More Doctors Smoke Camels Than Any Other Cigarette”
One common technique used by the tobacco industry to reassure a worried public was to incorporate images of physicians in their ads. The none-too-subtle message was that if the doctor, with all of his expertise, chose to smoke a particular brand, then it must be safe. Unlike with celebrity and athlete endorsers, the doctors depictedContinue reading “30 Outrageous Vintage Cigarette Ads Claimed That “More Doctors Smoke Camels Than Any Other Cigarette””
