Subject guide

Antique Advertising Subjects

Browse antique advertising by industry, product, service, venue, and collecting subject.

Start with the exact physical object, then narrow by printing, material, date, business, place, originality, and condition.
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Patent Medicine and Pharmacy

Proprietary remedies, almanacs, trade cards, labels, cabinets, druggists, testimonials, and claim context.

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Tobacco and Cigar Advertising

Cigar boxes, labels, tins, store signs, tobacco cards, cabinets, trays, and counter displays.

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Beer and Brewery Advertising

Pre-Prohibition breweries, trays, signs, labels, tip trays, calendars, bottles, and distributor pieces.

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Soda and Fountain Advertising

Syrup brands, bottlers, serving trays, signs, glasses, menus, coupons, and drugstore fountain material.

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Food and Grocery Advertising

Canned goods, flour, cereal, candy, spices, coffee, tea, dairy, grocers, and packaging.

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Soap and Household Products

Laundry soap, stove polish, cleansers, sewing products, furniture, housewares, and home routines.

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Farm, Seed, and Feed

Seed catalogs, implement literature, feed sacks, fertilizer cards, livestock remedies, calendars, and dealers.

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Railroad and Steamship

Timetables, travel posters, dining pieces, route maps, freight advertising, depots, and excursion notices.

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Hotels and Restaurants

Menus, luggage labels, trade cards, match safes, postcards, signs, table pieces, and resort literature.

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Early Automobile and Bicycle

Automakers, bicycles, tires, lamps, oilers, dealers, repair shops, catalogs, and road travel.

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Early Gas and Oil

Gasoline, kerosene, lubricants, service stations, garages, cans, maps, signs, and dealer equipment.

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Hardware and Tools

Tool makers, hardware stores, locks, stoves, scales, cutlery, farm tools, and industrial catalog material.

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Sewing and Textiles

Sewing machines, thread, needles, fabric, corsets, collars, shoes, tailors, and dry-goods stores.

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Beauty and Perfume

Cosmetics, hair tonics, perfume, soaps, powders, mirrors, boxes, labels, and salon advertising.

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Insurance and Banking

Calendars, blotters, mechanical banks, office signs, policies, premiums, and local financial institutions.

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Department Stores and Retail

Catalogs, shopping bags, boxes, trade cards, receipts, window displays, and grand-opening material.

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Circus and Theater

Posters, heralds, programs, handbills, lithographs, tickets, venue cards, and touring-show advertising.

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Black Americana Advertising Context

Historic objects depicting Black people, including harmful stereotypes, documented with context and without endorsement.

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World’s Fairs and Expositions

Trade cards, souvenirs, guidebooks, product exhibits, fair advertising, maps, and international design.

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Local Business Advertising

Druggists, dairies, grocers, undertakers, banks, hardware stores, theaters, restaurants, and short-lived merchants.

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