MIXED MESSAGE from Coca-Cola

This Coca-Cola ad is on the back of the October 1952 National Geographic. Again, I have no idea who the illustrator was, and it's a nice illustration, but it's a bit of a strange ad.

Click on image to see it larger.

Why put the headline cutting across her face? It literally looks like she's been slashed. Am I the only one to notice this? A disembodied head with this headline cutting from ear to ear. It works, but it makes me uncomfortable.

Then there is the idea that in 1952 a women is being shown having a job, in fact a career. By '52 women were supposed to be back in the home and most ads show them in domestic situations. I think it's interesting that Coca-Cola was pitching the idea of a woman with a career years after Rosie the Riveter was forced out of her job. I'd have loved to have heard the conversations between Coca-Cola and their agency. Who was pushing this idea? I think it's great, but highly unusual.

COCA-COLA AD June 1941

Here it is the end of August and we're finally getting some summer days. Of course, the trees have already started turning their fall colors which is screwing up my mind. Apple trees that were just picked two weeks ago, that should have ripened in mid-July, have already begun turning pumpkin color. Now, I love looking out in October and November across the orchard and seeing what look like hundreds of pumpkins on sticks, but not the first of September! This years weather has been insane. A warm winter and a cold summer. Perhaps the earth is off its axis and I'm suddenly now down under.

The only reason any of this is relevant to the ad below is that I really never did any gardening this summer. I feel like I missed the entire season. Each season missed is haunting because you know you'll never get it back.

Click image to see it larger.

This ad for Coca-Cola is from the back cover of the June 1941 National Geographic. It's been awhile since I posted any Coca-Cola ads. I thought this was a good one to start with. I have no idea who the illustrator is. If anyone knows drop me a line.

Love the illustration. Love the saddle shoes!

Kiss Me, Kate and WATCH FOSSE DANCE

Kiss Me, Kate is an MGM musical, music written by Cole Porter, released in 1953. Not one of my favorite musicals except for Bob Fosse's breakout number and Ann Miller doing "It's Too Darn Hot."

This LP of the film cast recording was purchased at an estate sale. I love finding these things. It's worn and a bit tired, but then it's nearly as old as me. I should look this good for only a buck.

Click on images to see them larger.

Originally done for Broadway:

Kiss Me, Kate is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It is structured as a play within a play, where the interior play is a musical version of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The original production starred Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang.

Kiss Me, Kate was a comeback and a personal triumph for Cole Porter. After several successful musicals in the 1920's and 1930s, notably Gay Divorce, Fifty Million Frenchmen, and Anything Goes, he experienced an equestrian accident in 1937 that left him in constant pain.

Following the accident, he continued to write songs and musicals but with limited success, such as Mexican Hayride, Let's Face It! and Something for the Boys, and some thought he was past his prime. Kiss Me, Kate was a response to Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! and other integrated musicals, and it proved to be his biggest hit and the only one of his shows to run for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway. It won the first Tony Award presented for Best Musical, in 1949. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

ROSEMARY CLOONEY and DUKE ELLINGTON

When you bought an LP you had more than just the music on the vinyl, you had the LP jacket. For those who've never experienced buying music this way I'm sorry for you. I think it increased your connection to the artist. You had something tangible to hold and often times the cover itself was a work of art. Just look at some of the old Blue Note album jackets. Beautiful work.

Yes, CDs have little jewel boxes with a reduced cover image, but there's something about being stretched out on the floor in front of the stereo listening to the album the first time as you read the liner notes and study the image on the front of a large cardboard jacket. Later you prop the album jacket up against something so you can see it until you replace it with your next favorite acquisition. Digital music isn't the same. The experience isn't the same. It's lacking physical connection.

I bought this LP at an estate sale. No, it's not in great condition, and in places the music is a little funky thanks to the previous owner and a bad needle. I will probably break down and buy a CD someday. But I like having the cover, shabby though it may be. It's tangible. I can listen to the music and actually read the liner notes without magnifying glasses.

Click on images to see them larger at Picasa via the magnifying glass.

I also like the ads they ran on the old albums of work by other artists. If they didn't run it on the back jacket they'd run ads on the inner sleeves. Each album became a special purchase. And yes, the back cover scan is pieced together and a bit funky.

I can say nothing about Rosemary Clooney other than pure perfection. A perfect voice singing perfect songs by Duke Ellington. You just have to relax with your eyes closed and listen. Put the world outside your door and forget about it.

The liner notes were written by Irving Townsend:

Irving Townsend (1920-1981) was an American record producer and author. He is most famous for having produced, in March 1959, the Miles Davis album Kind of Blue, which at #12, is the highest-ranked jazz album on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and according to the RIAA, is the best-selling jazz album of all time. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

All this for a dollar.

Pre-WAR CAR, LINCOLN CUSTOM SERIES

In July 1941 you could still buy a car, but not for long. Soon the metal and rubber of this beauty was being used to build planes, tanks, jeeps, and ships. If you needed a new car during the war, good luck with that.

Click on image to see it larger.

This is a really nice drawing. From the looks of it I'd say scratchboard.

I can easily imagine a driver at the wheel with a fussy matron in the back. I can also imagine some pompous politician in the backseat puffing on a cigar.

Once upon a time cars were very distinctive. Now, they're all silver and look the same. Oh well. At least once upon a time a car could be a piece of art when it drove by. Now, not so much. Pure function, no form.

1953 BUICK SKYLARK

I don't think I've ever seen one of these cars, but considering there were only 1,690 made that's not surprising. I'd love to see the interior up close, sit behind the wheel. Though I love my small car I do sometimes miss some of these land yachts.

Click on image to see it larger.

This ad is from the March 1953 National Geographic. There's something about this car that I find very interesting. It's very attractive and yet it sort of looks like two different cars stuck together. I wonder how successful this simple ad was? According to Wikipedia:

Introduced to mark Buick's 50th anniversary, the Skylark (a name previously used by short-lived Hupp for its sporty 1939 Cord 810-based Skylark) was one of three specialty convertibles produced in 1953 by General Motors; the other two were the Oldsmobile Fiesta and the Cadillac Eldorado. All three were limited-production vehicles promoting General Motors' design leadership. Of the three, the Skylark had the most successful production run with 1,690 units. This was considered an amazing sales feat, since the car had a list price in 1953 of slightly in excess of US$5,000. However, many of these vehicles languished in dealer showrooms and were eventually sold at discount.

All 1,690 regular-production Skylarks built in 1953 (and all in 1954) were convertibles. The 1953s were based on the two-door Roadmaster convertible, having identical dimensions (except height), almost identical convenience and appearance equipment, and a Roadmaster drive train. In 1953, the model designation for the Skylark was 76X, while the model designation for the Roadmaster convertible was 76R. The few options available on the Roadmaster convertible were standard equipment on the Skylark, albeit the base price for the well-equipped Roadmaster convertible was only about US$3,200.

The 1953 Skylark featured V8 power and a 12 volt electrical system, both a first for Buick, as well as full-cutout wheel openings, a styling cue that would make its way to the main 1954 Buick line. Also making its way into the 1954 Buick line was the cut-down door at the base of the side window line that bounced back up to trace around the rear window (or convertible top). This styling stayed with Buick for many years and can be found on any number of automobile brands to this day.

The 1953 Buick Skylark was a handmade car in many respects. The stampings for the hood, trunk lid and a portion of the convertible tub were the same as the 1953 Roadmaster convertible (and Super convertible, model 56R). The stampings for the front fenders, rear fenders, outer doors, and a portion of the convertible tub were unique to the Skylark. All Skylark convertible tubs were finished with various amounts of lead filler, so it is not unusual to find a substantial amount of the substance just behind the doors near the bottom of the window line. The inner doors of the Skylark were made from the inner doors of the 2-door Roadmaster and Super by cutting the stamping in half approximately parallel with the ground and then welding the two pieces back together in a jig at an angle that produced the necessary door dip.

Although there were many unique design features of the 1953 Skylark, one that goes almost unnoticed today is that the top and seating of the car were lowered a few inches below the Roadmaster and Super convertibles. This was achieved not by changing the frame, body or suspension, but by cutting the windshield almost three inches shorter and lowering the side windows and convertible top frame. To accommodate people without bumping their heads with the top up, the seat frames and steering column were lowered.

The wheels of the 1953 Skylark were true wire wheels, produced by Kelsey-Hayes, with everything chromed except the plated and painted "Skylark" center emblem. Although this was high style in 1953, the wheels were heavier than the regular steel wheels, would require periodic truing to keep them straight and, and required tubes within the tires just when tubeless tires were becoming the norm, as they were throughout the rest of the Buick line. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

And though it has nothing to do with it, I can't help but think of the Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer song when I hear the word skylark. I can imagine riding in this car along Highway 1 in California, top down, with this playing on the radio. Good times.

MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.

Not everyone carried one of these in their wallet. I did. Back in the '60s my best friend wrote the studio that produced Man from U.N.C.L.E. and got us each official UNCLE cards and this photo. It was a big surprise when it arrived in the mail. We were big UNCLE fans and carried on our long distance friendship through lots of mail, letters written in "code." Let's just say our parents were referred to as THRUSH. It wasn't a difficult code to break

Click on image to see it larger.

For years I carried this card in my wallet, long after UNCLE was over. I always thought how interesting it would be for the police to find my body with this as identification hidden behind all of my real cards. I would be listed as "strange woman dead" in the local papers. For the past thirty years it's been stuck in a drawer.

Click on image to see it larger.

Ah yes, Mr. Waverly, Napoleon Solo, and Illya Kuryakin. Illya in black turtleneck and slacks had me all a twitter. Eventually it reached the point where I just prayed they'd end the show. By that time I was interested in Laugh-In and could have cared less about UNCLE. I'd actually enjoy seeing some reruns of each show. Oh to be a teenager again in the '60s.

GOLD MEDAL Babes!

A vintage cookbook from 1916. Gold Medal is manufactured by General Mills, which was not always called General Mills:

The company can trace its history to the Minneapolis Milling Company, founded in 1856 by Illinois Congressman Robert Smith, which leased power rights to mills operating along Saint Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River. Cadwallader C. Washburn acquired the company shortly after its founding and hired his brother, William D. Washburn to assist in the company's development. In 1866, the Washburns got into the business themselves, building the Washburn "B" Mill at the falls. At the time, the building was considered to be so large and output so vast that it could not possibly sustain itself. However, the company succeeded, and in 1874 he built the even bigger Washburn "A" Mill.

In 1877, the mill entered a partnership with John Crosby to form the Washburn-Crosby Company. In that same year, Washburn sent William Hood Dunwoody to England to open the market for spring wheat. Dunwoody was successful and became a silent partner. Dunwoody would become immensely wealthy and went on to endow a Minneapolis hospital, Dunwoody Institute (now Dunwoody College of Technology), and a charitable home in Pennsylvania, Dunwoody Village.

In 1878, the "A" mill exploded. There was a flour dust explosion that resulted in the deaths of 17 workers and also destroyed five nearby buildings. Construction of a new mill began immediately. Not only was the new mill safer but it also was able to produce a higher quality flour. The old grinding stones were replaced with automatic steel rollers. These new rollers were the first used throughout the world. These new rollers also were capable of producing more nutritious flour. Winter Wheat Flour was replaced by this new flour.

In 1924, the company stepped in to take over a failing Twin Cities radio station, WLAG, renaming it WCCO (from Washburn-Crosby Company). General Mills itself was created in 1928 when Washburn-Crosby President James Ford Bell directed his company to merge with 26 other mills. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

And so it goes. I'll have to go through it and see if there are any interesting recipes to post.

Click on any image below to see it larger. I think it's a hoot!

STREETCARS in Elmira, New York, 1939

Each Sunday, Christine, at The Daily Postcard, posts a card showing streetcars. So today I thought I'd surprise her with one I just found in a box of streetcars in Elmira, N.Y. The card was mailed on August 11, 1939 from a grandma to Miss Inez Heffron, who was about to turn 6 years old.

Click on image to see it larger.

The card was published by the The Ruben Publishing Company in Newburgh, N.Y. Not finding anything online about the company. And I know nothing about Elmira or the streetcars.

What I do know about this card is that many of the people are fake. Fake folks. There are a few people who were actually in the photo, but the majority of them were drawn with funny little pointy legs. You might have to look at it larger to get the full effect. Unless perhaps there were people in Elmira in 1939 that looked like this. Nah, didn't think so.

Click on image to see it larger.

UCHIDA KYOTO post cards

I went to a very interesting estate sale this morning. Home of an antique dealer. Bought over 40 photos, an old girl's series book from early 20th century, an old slate school tablet, and these stunning post cards.

I wish I could read Japanese or knew someone who could. I'd like to know what the characters say. I'm imagining it is the artist's name along with a caption. If anyone out there can translate I'd appreciate the information. I'd love to give credit to this work.

Click on any image to see it larger.

These woodblock print cards were produced by the Uchida Art Company in Kyoto, Japan. You can read a brief bio here. I have no idea how old these are. I'm thinking the 1950s or '60s. Simply a guess.

And this is the front of the folder the cards are in.

Again, if anyone stumbles upon this and can enlighten me with information I'd be thrilled.

Click here to see another Japanese post card I posted early last year.

Faux RIN TIN TIN?

I have no idea where I got this. I found it recently in the bottom of a chest full of post cards. A very nice note card of a German Shepherd. Rin Tin Tin? I doubt it since there are no references to him on the card. Plus Rin Tin Tin was a star for Warner Brothers, not Paramount. No, I think this Parmount was some other company. I'm not finding anything online that shows their logo, but perhaps I didn't look hard enough. Perhaps someone will see this and recognize it.

Click on image to see it larger.

As to what is written on the back? I can't figure it out. Possible names, but just not worth worrying about. Stuck inside the card is a photo of some children lined up on a lawn taken in 1939. I will post it at my vernacular photography site down the line.

Is it HOT WHERE YOU LIVE?

I know people have been facing tremendous heat this summer all over the nation. Here, not so much. I think we had longer stretches of warm weather in March. I'm not complaining. The temperature is very comfortable, but it would be nice to get some heat so swimming would be an option.

For those suffering through the humidity of those places that don't have a "dry" heat I give you postcards to send along to friends when you leave town. These are also from the Asheville Postcard Company. Strangely, in small print, they say come to the mountains, but they never clarify which mountains. I'm guessing the sales staff had to have specific places in mind to sell these. And remember no %#*!*%# allowed. It says so right on the card.

Click on image to see it larger.

Stay cool daddy-o. See you on the flip side.

Mr. Speedy was LOOKIN' FOR TROUBLE

These two near mint cards were bought at a flea market a few years ago. Published by the Asheville Postcard Company. No copyright date is given, nor information about the artist. I guess you'd put it in the category of risque and humor.

Click on image to see it larger.

Strangely, when reading about the company no mention is given about these risque cards. In fact the two posts I read went on and on about the beauty of North Carolina and how this company captured it. I'm thinking, yeah, okay...what about this? Why no mention of these great humor cards?

Okay, they also did some tacky poorly drawn risque cards, one which I posted here.

Let these be a warning to any guy heading to Asheville looking for a good time. If you're stupid enough to ride a motor scooter with "Speedy" written on the side you deserve what you get.

I'm just sayin'. Makin' an observation.