Vintage Advertising

Vintage Advertising

Vintage Advertising

tracking down for its vibrant artwork, quirky slogans, and the nostalgia that it evokes for bygone days. From tin signs to ashtrays and novelties, there is a vast wealth of small advertising treasures to collect.

Vintage Advertising

Posters and tins weren't the only forms of advertising used by manufacturers during the first half of the 20th century. Packaging, catalogues, and a host of other small items helped them to establish their brands and imprint their company names on the public consciousness. Most of these promotional items were produced for a short time only, yet were familiar to many people at some point in the past. Often still inexpensive, yet rich in design and period detail, they are an ideal choice for a collection. Try focusing on a particular brand, era, or product.

Vintage Advertising

Art from the past

Vintage Advertising

The artwork is a vital factor to consider when collecting advertising ephemera. Usually bold and colourful, it reflects the style of the period in its imagery and lettering. An interesting collection might show how design developed through the decades. The style can be used to date a piece. A label or sign from 1900 may have traditional motifs, while 1930s artwork may be simpler and more modern, in keeping with the Art Deco taste of the period. The artwork also gives an insight into life in the past, showing what people wore and used in their homes. Such nostalgia is important to collectors


.Brand new

Vintage Advertising

The brand name also affects an item's value, particularly if displayed in a style characteristic of that brand. Some brands changed their look over time, and collectors can trace these changes. Familiar, long-standing names, such as Oxo and Ovaltine already fetch good prices. Lesser-known brands are generally cheaper, but their vast range and often excellent artwork provides plenty of scope for

collecting. Brand loyalty was vital to many manufacturers and they often usedcelebrities to promote a product. Their identity not only helps to date an object but can tell us who was famous at the time.

Vintage Advertising

Advertising materials featuring celebrities are often more valuable, as they appeal equally to fans of the celebrity. Some manufacturers also used fictitious characters to personify their brand, such as the Faiiy Liquid baby, or Kellogg's Frosties' 'Tony The Tiger', or their Cornflakes' cockerel: a 1960s advertising card for 'Cornflakes' can be worth around £10-15 today.

Signs of the times

Vintage Advertising

Lithographed tin and enamelled metal signs are highly collectable and were popular from the late 19th century until about 1950, when plastic signs and the promotional media of TV and radio began to take over. They fetch from around .£80 to more than .£800. A 1920s enamelled metal sign for Craven A cigarettes can cost around £150-200, and a 1910 Player's Navy Cut tobacco sign around £350.

Counter displays, known as 'point of sale material', were a popular form of advertising in shops. Card signs, known as 'standees', were usually made of thick cardboard with a stand or hanging device on the back. They carried the brand name and were sometimes also dispensers for small items. They used similar artwork to posters, but are less expensive and can be found for around £5-100 or more, depending on the date, brand name, product, and artwork. A 1920s card sign for Dubonnet, the French aperitif, can fetch around £40-60.

Vintage Advertising

Vintage Advertising

Manufacturers also advertised products with counter-top objects, ranging from dispensers to novelty figurines, often based on characters used in advertising campaigns. A large 1950s counter-top Cerebos Salt tin in good condition can be worth £30-50. From the 19th century to the 1940s, many small items were sold in glazed wooden counter-top display cabinets with gilt or coloured transfers showing the objects or naming the brand. These are usually valuable, costing £100-500 upwards. A glazed oak cabinet for Waterman pens in good condition can fetch more than £200.

Look out for novelty pieces, as these add variety to a collection. Plastic models of dinners and desserts used to temptpeople into a cafe may come into their own. Although not yet widely collected, they are kitsch, colourful, and can be found in car-boot sales or junk shops for about £3-20.

Vintage Advertising

The popularity of smoking spawned many advertising ashtrays promoting cigarettes or drinks. Those produced from the 1920s-60s can be worth £30 to £50, depending on the brand and artwork. Cigarette advertising itself may soon rise in value. A Craven A advertising calendar currently fetches around £30. If you do decide to collect cigarette memorabilia, the best-known brands are the most popular because of their innovative packaging designs and constantly changing advertising campaigns.

Cataloguing the past

Vintage Advertising

Product catalogues are also popular and are useful for reference. A Dinky Toys or Meccano catalogue from the mid-1950s may fetch around £8-12. Other makers' catalogues can fetch more, especially if scarce or from the 19th century. Small promotional objects, such as tin 'clickers' and whistles given to children from the 1910s to 1930s, are generally worth £10-40. Other novelty items include rulers and games, such as dominos, which usually fetch well under £100.