New-York tribune., 1921-11-27

Bicycle advertisements provided one Of the
most prolific lines on which the advertising de-
partment thrived In the days of the high
wheel the following testimonial was run as
part Of the copy Of a well established firm:
1T. J. Richardson, superintendent of draw
ing in Minneapolis, bought a Blank Bicvcse
disposing of his horse. For three years he has
used this bicycle, averaging ten miles day"
Ten miles day high wheel meant con-
sideraby more than the same number of miles
on the air-cushioned tires OF the Ford which
is now in possession of the average drawing
superintendent.
occasionally the advertisements of safety
bicycles OF popular brand were interspersed
with appeals for the purchase of strange look
ing machines called automobiles Those who
rode IN such machines usually looked as if they
were about to fall out. But all sorts Of claims
were made for these absurd vehicles. Onm
flrm printed a fanciful picture called "Brine
ing in the Yule Log" showing one of these
machines bringing in the major portion IF
tree that would not have felt out of its class
IN the Redwoods of California The caption Of
this advertisement really should have been:
Giant log falls on baby carriage. NARROWLY
missing occupants"
But 1t seems that these automobile makers
were strangely persistent lot TODAY tbev
BUY more advertising pages than all the adj
vertisers Of any and all sorts In the good old
days.
Modern cigarette advertising had its fora
runner in the lady who was trying cubebs for
a cold She was smoking as If she rather
enjoyed having the cold.
When 1T came to the advertising of won,ens
wear certain conservatism was evidencsa
which one does not find today. Uniop e,i+s
were union suits in those DAYS. Thew hevan
high at the neck and ended just a little he-
yond the wrist and ankle joints Nobody
seemed to consider stockings as a Christmas
gift. One wonders how some artists made n
living then.
Photographs had not come In, but thera
were all kinds of music boxes from which IA
choose. Some of these played set number ~
tunes from cylinders. A later device made Il
possible to insert disks and play anv rumber
of tunes. It looked as If that was to he the
last word in mechanical reproduction Of mpsi.
but just about that time the first phono-
graph appeared, and the man who invented the
disk music box found his dreams OF wealth
dispersed
There were typewriters Of all shapes and
keyboards-and one of them was named thu
Ford.
The first safety razor was called an Aelec.
trio"
splendid Christmas gift at that time was
folding bathtub, which was self heating and
operated like folding bed 1t was advertised
as an ''ornament to any room.p
1t was about this time that Lillian Russell
had her first serious attack of writer's cramp.
owing to writing testimonials for face pow
ders and other beautifying devices.
Mems full dress suits, made to order IRE
advertised at S25
Holders which would make ordinary cuff,
reversible and save half your laundry billss
were sure-hre things to advertise about Christ
mas time. -
So were adjustable reading stands and lamYs
and chairs combined. With one of these ar
rangsments one could lean back and pore over
the dictionary for hours at a tinae without
fatigue.
The mattress which is supposed to have sped
up the American morning smile was only SIC.
A few hundred years from now. when ali the
old publications have crumbled TO dust. except
those bound volumes which have had their
advertising pages cut out, all this invaluable
record will be lost Consequently, in order to
forestal such a calamity, it is suggested that
at all cornerstone layings where records are
entombed the back pages of any prominent
magazine Of the late sos or early '9os be sn-
GUIDED. But the present generation has no
need OF waiting for cornerstone to be opened
several centuries hence Just get a second
hand copy OF an old magazine and dig intb the
advertising pages yourself. Qualification Is
guaranteed.
49,