Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Just a 2¢ Stamp Away. And a Check.

As long as I'm on a vintage fashion kick... How about a Standard Mail-Order Catalog from 1918? I absolutely love this cover painting. I love the colors and composition, the subjects, the "painterliness" of it and, of course, the typography. The "Spring & Summer 1918" is especially attractive and evocative of that period now. I have a couple of these, and scanned a few pages for y'all tonight. Click on each image to enlarge. I tried to make the pages as readable as possible with respect to the web resolution.


$21.50 sounds like a lot of money for 1918. You could buy a Ford Model T for as low as $500. That's a bit higher than the Ford was in 1915-1917, I can only guess because of World War 1. Here's a great list of original prices for the T throughout its 19 year production run.
With their slim legs and 3 button jackets, these men's suits are almost contemporary. The hats not so much.
Quite a range in prices for these coats. I actually like the least expensive. That's the first time THAT'S happened! I love the styling of all of them.
These are perfect examples to use when I have new clothes made for my vintage dolls. I think most children in art from this period resemble small adults more than children.
I didn't realize before tonight when I looked it up that 'kid' leather was, in fact, made from the skin of young goats, or kids. I thought it was the tanning process that made the leather more supple.
I want every single one of these hats to hang on a wall. They're all works of art. I really think hats like this should make a comeback. If I was a fashion designer, hats like this would be in my new Spring collection for next year! 

I found  a table online, of the average prices of goods in 1918. It's someone's site about their father, but at the end of it they included a few prices. I can't verify they're correct, but they seem about right from the little I know:
• Average National Salary: $1,144.
• Average Price of a Home: $4,821
• Gallon of milk: 55¢
• Loaf of bread: 10¢

5 comments:

  1. I love those catalogue pages; I've also stumbled across old catalogues and they're amazing. I used to have a 1930s catalogue of magic tricks that was my father's but I think it's long gone. I wonder if it's one of the things that made me a graphic designer who has spent most of my professional life doing...catalogues.

    The hat page and the suit page are wonderful!

    I

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  2. hey Ish! I'm always in awe of the layouts, the wrapped type, the creative use of type, in vintage publications like this. Think about the technology then! Hot lead and moveable type! I can remember going to the newspaper (I would eventually work for in my 20s) that my Dad worked for, and he'd let me watch the typesetters. They were so fast adding lines of type and headlines, but I can't imagine doing so with so much art like these catalogs. Truly a lost art, as I fear paper publishing will be at some point in the not-too-distant future.

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  3. HI CASEY AND ISH [ALL],THE WATER HEATER LEAKED ALL OVER AND CAME THROUGH INTO THE HOUSE FLOODING THE [OFFICEBEDROOM]. BRAND NEW RUG AND FULL OF WATER. WHAT A MESS. JUST WHAT WE NEED. THE GOOD THING ABOUT TODAY IS THE SUN IS SHINNING.
    TODAY I FEEL LIKE RUNNING AWAY.

    GRANNY

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  4. it's one of those days I guess. My cable TV/internet/phone service has gone on and off 5-6 times since last night. there are 5 cable people walking around the yard and inside the house trying to figure it all out. Thought I'd squeeze this comment in while it's working!

    sorry about your flood, Granny!

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  5. I LOVE that cover, it just makes me feel GOOD! Everything about it.

    Back home from giving up a vile or two of blood. I've had my pumpkin spice latte AND some yummy oatmeal and got another book blog posted for anyone who is interested.

    Flu shot is on the afternoon agenda. For some reason today I feel like getting stuck by needles. lol

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