Graphophone advertisements, 1900

   One of the fun things about browsing old catalogs is discovering a product you never even knew existed. For me, the Graphophone was one of these. The gramophone I've heard of; the Graphophone...not so much. So I had to look it up. If you're similarly curious, read on!

   The Graphophone was the name of an improved version of Edison's phonograph, invented by Alexander Graham Bell, Charles Sumner Tainter and Chichester Bell in 1886. The trademark was initially acquired by Volta Graphophone Company, and then passed through several companies before becoming part of the Columbia Phonograph Company—which eventually became today's Columbia Records.[1]

   These devices weren't envisioned for music entertainment at all. Inventors initially believed these "talking machines" would be ground-breaking for businesses, able to easily capture dictation that stenographers would later type up. [2]

   But by the time these ads were printed in a 1900 holiday catalog, the devices were being used in private homes, playing prerecorded music cylinders right in their living rooms.[3]

   It must have been amazing to hear recorded voices for the first time! Or to be able to listen to a favorite song on demand. It's something we take for granted, but how mind-blowing for a family in the late 19th century! 

Victorian-era Ads - Beautiful Typography, circa 1852-1876

   I came across some gorgeous typography in an old scrapbook at the Library Company of Philadelphia's online collection. My only regret is that some of the images were too blurry to share here. (Despite my best attempts to enhance them!) 

   But, on the plus side, I did find some great ones to share! 

   Specifically, these are from a scrapbook of print specimens and proofs dated circa 1852 to circa 1876. The library infers that they were "probably compiled by a printer associated with the Philadelphia lithographic firm Stein & Jones." Okay, we'll go with that. 

   McKnight & Co. boasts of their "chemically pure...lead" paint. You don't see that anymore! 

  I don't know about you, but I would have been tempted to stop by Williams & Coons to check out their "Fancy Goods". And not because of their lovely ad. Okay, not just because of that.

  All images are in the public domain. Click any image for a larger version, then save and enjoy! 

Three Children Playing Pretend, 1893

   

   These kiddos make me smile. I imagine them playing pretend, newspaper hats in place, the two older kids allowing little sister and her dolly to play along.

   This card has some scratches, but that just adds to the authenticity! This image was called “Keep to the Right” and was used as the cover of a calendar to advertise Scott’s Emulsion in 1893.

   I had to look up what that was. (Just had to!) The National Museum of American History has images of the packaging. 

   It was a tonic with an active ingredient of cod liver oil. (Yum?) It was intended for adults and also could be “given to children to help build resistance to rickets and to aid in growth of bone structure and development of teeth”.

   This one was found at the National Library of Medicine. 

Fancy typography ad, circa 1850s

   Ooh, this old ad for J. Hall Rohrman of Philadelphia is gorgeous! He was an ornamental japanner. I had no idea what that was but Merriam-Webster defines it as “a worker who applies coatings of enamel or varnish in making japanned leather or other japanned articles.”

   You don’t need to get it to enjoy the Victorian era typography!

   This was printed circa 1850-1870 and you can see the original at the Library of Congress.
 

   For a larger size file, download here or just click on the image and save!