Bavarian BonBon Bags

Kirstein cough drops originated in Nuremberg, Germany in 1899 when pharmacist Dr. Carl Soldan combined eucalyptus and menthol to create a soothing lozenge for sore throats. Malted sugar cough drops were added to the company product line in 1932 and are still being produced today from the original recipe of boiling the malt sugar over an open fire and breaking them into chunks. Soldan's cough drops have been enjoyed by many generations and long considered to be a Bavarian treat, however I would argue that their glassine bags are the sweetest treat. These examples have no date, but could be as old as the 1930s when anthropomorphic advertising characters were routinely popularized for marketing purposes. Early in the 1930s, the Soldan company began printing their paper bags in their own print shop which was considered as an innovative move at that time. I presume they also had a small in-house art department of accomplished illustrators and lettering artists as well. Each of these glassine bags are currently available from this Viennese dealer. Below is an undated advertising postcard for Kirstein's cough drops from Vintage Postcards.

Below are two metal signs introduced in 1955. These Bavarian malt sugar characters are taking to the hills to promote the Kirstein cough drop family enterprise. The images were designed by Margit Sidonie-Doppler (born Kovaks), a student of Austrian-born designer, Joseph Binder. Via Genuin.

And here are two more BonBon bags from another Viennese sweet treat manufacturer also available here.

Flags & Fireworks of Every Description

Some nicely illustrated advertising covers sure to spark a Fourth o'July holiday spirit. Dates of these extremely rare envelope covers from various fireworks manufacturers and importers, range from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

And one seven-star confederate flag cover printed with wood blocks, and an imprint advertising a Georgia bookseller and dealer in musical instruments.
All covers via Schuyler Rumsey Philatelic Auctions 

Typographic Trade Cards

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Timely Tutoring in Topics, Tastes and Trends of Typography from Bradbury Thompson

Westvaco Inspirations for Printers may be one of the most influential and highly prized series of paper promotions ever produced in the 20th century. The leaders at Westvaco, formerly named the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, believed their paper promotions should be an educational living record of advertising design and commercial art. What they often produced was something so entirely modern, that many issues still look contemporary seven decades later. Bradbury Thompson (1911-1995) was a key figure in their success. Beginning in 1939, he was responsible for the design and art direction of over sixty of the Westvaco Inspirations issues. Undaunted by minimal resources and budgets, he sourced out historic, public domain images and combined them with modernist effects. He relied on classic typography for the most part, but once went so far as to design a conceptual version of an U&lc alphabet he called Alphabet 26 which premiered in Westavaco Insprirations No. 180 in 1950. One of Thompsons' seldom seen art direction triumphs, issue No.129, is available here. This 16 page issue from 1941 is "A Primer of Typography, Including Timely Tutoring in Topics, Tastes and Trends." Thompson personally designed the front, back and 1st page spread. Other contributors were Charles Sheeler and Stow Wengenroth.

Talc Tins

I'm not a fan of talc, but I do take great delight in seeing some of the many ways it has been packaged over the years. Since 1893 talcs have been sold globally for use as a cosmetic, a baby powder and astringent to prevent diaper rash, and as a personal hygiene product for adults. During the latter half of the 20th century, talc gained a wider audience as manufacturers mercifully began marketing it to nearly any demographic. If you needed that perfect gift for the macho outdoorsmen in your life, Jolind Distributors marketed a gift set containing the manly Winchester After Shave Talc design with the pipe-smoking hunter, and the rugged Reel Man talc for the adventuresome pipe-smoking fisherman. For the gent whose idea of the great outdoors is a starlit lounge, there was a tin of Night Club talc with a mellow bar scene topped with some tantalizing brush lettering. 

Pretty Peach Talc by Avon, two sides with charming illustrations and decorative lettering | Source: Mable Rose

Mansco Baby Talc, Borated | Source: Advertising Antiques

Beauty Contest Talcum Powder, I believe to be from Nigeria, two sides | Source: Letterology archives

What the hell?

The talc in talcum powder; also known as toilet powder, after shave talc, or baby powder, comes from the crushing, drying and milling of mined talc rocks and contains minerals such as magnesium and silicon. Until the mid-1970s such products contained the toxic mineral asbestos, commonly linked to rare cancers of the lung. (Great! All of us baby boomers have been fully innoculated as babies!) Today, all talcum powders are essentially free of the naturally occurring mineral asbestos, however there continues to be reports of suspicious links between talc and ovarian cancer. Ongoing medical studies by the American Cancer Society and others have so far found claims to be inconclusive. Cornstarch is a great alternative to talcum powder people! 
     If this cautionary tale sounds bleak, it should; yet we have every reason to continue finding pleasure with the packaging of 20th century talc tins. They display a diverse overview of stylistic designs spanning more than a century. Tins vary as much in size and shape, as they do in design and lettering styles. If you happen to have an old pre-1970s talc tin, either keep it tightly sealed, or take care to empty the talc while wearing a face mask to prevent inhalation of any powder. You should then dampen the talc with water, and dispose as toxic waste. Do not put in trash! This concludes my public safety message on talcum powders.     

margo of mayfair's, With the Beatle's Talc (is that a piñata they are stepping on with their Beatle boots? And yes, we get the B is supposed to be a beetle.) | Source: Fellows Auction

Klein-Stillwell Borated & Perfumed talc | Source: Advertising Antiques 

 Lion Toilet Powder | Source: Advertising Antiques

 

Little Singer Mosquito Talcum (not sure I want to know what ingredients it contained) | Source: Advertising Antiques

Perfumed Talcum Powder for Infants & Adults | Source: Advertising Antiques

Prep Talcum (perhaps for the collegiate?) | Source: Advertising Antiques

Vantine's Sana-Dermal Talcum | Source: Advertising Antiques

Empress Toilet Powder | Source: Advertising Antiques

Humpty Dumpty Borated Talc and Baby Powder | Source: Advertising Antiques

Olivilo Velvety Talc | Source: Ruby Lane

Sweet Pea Talc | Source: Ruby Lane

The unusually economical Rawleigh's Talcum with balloon type! | Source: Decotique

A bit of talcum is always walcum. 

Ogden Nash