Thrifty Acres: Early 20th C Ads

Hello! The Garage Sale Gods were very good to me this morning - the weather was nice, buyers and sellers were all pleasant, and I found some great deals at a few sales close to home. What could be better? Well, if I'd had more money in my wallet...just as well I didn't, for I might have come home with more stuff!

So what did I come home with? A few decorative pieces for the garden, some vintage craft magazines, vintage matchbooks (I use these for crafting) and a spare mixing bowl for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer (only a buck for it!). 

My favorite find, however, was from the "free" box at one of the sales - a rather beat-up copy of the Second Edition W.H.M.S. Cook Book from Gibsonburg, Ohio. I think that the acronym  stands for "Women's Home Mission Society".

Had never heard of Gibsonburg, Ohio, but learned it's a little southeast of Toledo. As of the 2010 census, it only had around 2,500 people in it.

Unfortunately, I could find no publication date for the cookbook, but judging from the ads within it, I'd say it's at least 100 years old, probably even a bit older than that. There are phone numbers shown for a few of the businesses, but not a single mention of cars anywhere. 

Some of the cookbook's recipes are quite appealing and many are clear enough to make sense of, but it was the ads I liked the best. I found so many of them interesting that there'll be one than one blog post on them. 

So let's get started:

Had never heard of the phrase "manly bosoms" before, but then again I never had the opportunity to do my grocery shopping at Smith, Sander & Co. 

"We keep nothing but up-to-date goods..." No last season's markdowns for Mrs. Della Fox, evidently!

"Wise Wives make home pleasant" with a trip to M. G. Veh. And look! When the man of the house goes to meet his Maker, Mr. Veh can help with the undertaking and embalming too. 

But before the man of the house had expired, perhaps he had gone to E. A. Williams & Co, Druggists, for "Drugs, Patent Medicines and Chemicals" in an effort to get better. Couldn't help but wonder what was in those potions. 

"You Will Always Find the Newest Productions" sounds very exciting, especially when Sprenger & Bowser adds "Not a thing left to wish for. Prices within reach of everyone. Come in and be convinced." 

I found the ad's straightforward confidence rather charming. It was for women's hats, by the way. 

I thought the above ad was funny - after N. B. Ervin's first mentions that one should "Go To" them "FOR DRUGS" ("drugs" is the largest word in the whole ad), then the ad proceeds to list several other items for sale, some not related to health at all. Then at the bottom it's as if N. B. Ervin suddenly remembers the DRUG bit: "IN FACT EVERYTHING IN THE DRUG LINE. We always have a complete stock." 

Whew! Glad they cleared that up! Gee, should I still buy my paints there? 

In spite of the dopey puns by the animal pictures, Charles Herman appeared to be dead serious about the quality of his meats. "Our mutton is sold as mutton not as spring lamb. No lies - no misrepresentation. We simply guarantee our beef, veal, mutton, pork, etc., just as we say they are. If this is the way you like to do business call on CHARLES HERMAN." 

Yeah, you just better not go to that butcher over on Oak Street - I heard he skinned and cut up a possum and labeled it as grade A choice steak! 

I got a kick out of these ads and hope you did as well - for like I said, I'll be showing more of them from the W. H. M. S. Cook Book in the near future!