I'll let this piece speak for itself. I cannot figure it out. It's from a 1919 high school yearbook. I kid you not. I bought this yearbook a few years ago specifically because of this ad. It leaves me speechless.
Click on image to see it larger.
"The Correlator" was published by the University High School of Chicago, Illinois. I'm trying to imagine what the store was thinking when they placed this ad. I really do wish I knew the back story.
I was on my school's yearbook staff my senior year. I was pretty good at selling ads. In fact, I was the first and only person that year to sell a full page ad. It was for a motorcycle shop. I hated selling ads. I found I had to be a bit of a liar to sell the blasted things. When I went into the motorcycle shop, cold call mind you, the guy said, "Yeah, sure. I'll take a full page ad if I can have a photo of a girl in a bikini on a bike." Wish I had a shot of my face when he said this. These days girls wouldn't bat an eye at this. I stood there staring at the guy, my mind spinning, nodding my head. "Ohhhhhhhhhhkaaaaaaaaay. Let me ask the teacher."
So next day at school I hesitantly went up to the teacher and told her what the guy wanted. I figured it would get shot down. Nope. She loved it. Well, she loved the money. I think the ad cost $100. Nobody else sold a hundred dollar ad that year. And when the teacher wondered what girl they could ask to pose all the boys started grinning and nodding. They all said the same name. Yup, she was the school slut. And yes she enthusiastically agreed to pose.
The reason I tell this is I'm trying to imagine when the high school kid walked into the Leopold store in Chicago, in 1919, did the guy behind the counter say, "Sure kid. I'll take a full page, but I want a cross-dressing boy in my ad." Ohhhhhhhhkaaaaaaaaay.
Seriously, talk amongst yourselves. You're on your own in the weird world of 1919 ephemera.
UPDATE: I just found the following two ads online for Langham-High Clothes. They definitely had a specific market in mind. And it's all a little strange for the time period.
Okay, I just made a rather startling discovery about this yearbook. Ever heard of the Leopold and Loeb murder? Two University of Chicago boys who killed a 14 year old just for fun? Well, Richard Albert Loeb is in this yearbook I have. And yes, I will do a post about this. Hitting my head against the wall never having any idea.
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"The Correlator", that would be a good name for a reality show character.
ReplyDeleteYes, with these two chipper fellows the first contestants.
ReplyDeleteIt would be so interesting to know how this was received.
ReplyDelete"Younger Younger Men"?? WTF? I was doing all I could to justify the drawing - maybe trying on Altar Boy clothing, etc., but the shoes...well, you just can't explain them away...
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Barbara
http://ifididnthaveasenseofhumor.blogspot.com
Exactly! I really want an explanation.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is the seller on eBay had this for sale for a few months. They featured this ad thinking it would draw people in with its weirdness. I kept watching it, wanting it because it is so weird. Twice they listed it and twice no interest. Meanwhile I'm sitting here thinking "I really want this stupid book!" Finally the third time round there were again no bidders so I stepped in and got it. It's just so odd. And now with the whole Leopold and Loeb connection, and them being supposedly gay lovers...well it just gets odder.
Speechless! You do have an eye for the weird!
ReplyDeleteI can't make out the words on the sign, but it suggests they may be getting ready to be in a play or skit with an all male cast.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it could be an all male revue, but....to sell cloths to young boys? Of course now I just look at them and think of Leopold and Loeb so anything goes.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine trying to put either of the ads in a year book now? Love your story about the bikini biker, those boys probably wouldn't have been too interested in seeing your year book :o
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