Advertising

Antique and vintage advertising can add a quirky, retro feel into the home both fashionable and unique, they are an interesting piece of ‘art work’ and commercial history to add to ones wall. There are plenty of types of antique advertising materials to choose from including ‘ephemera’, which encompassed adverts designed and printed for temporary use, such as newspapers, leaflets and coasters. There are also posters, signs, clocks, bottles, lunch boxes, enamel signs, porcelain signs, tin signs and mirrors to collect. One can choose a category of antique advertisements they wish to purchase, such as confectionary or companies merchandise, such as Coca Cola or simply an antique advert that catches the eye.

History of Advertising

Advertising is a form of marketing, a means of communication used to entice and persuade the public into either purchasing something, a voice for political purposes, to impose religious idealism or for propaganda means. Early forms of advertising were found in Egyptian times when sales were written on papyrus. Messages of commercial or political purpose have also been found in the ruins of Pompeii. In ancient Greece and Rome there were lost and found adverts found on papyrus. In Ancient China the earliest form of advertising was sound; bamboo flutes were used to entice people into buying candy.

In Europe adverts for tradesmen were originally simple imagery as most people were illiterate. Advertising increased in the 18th C namely due to the advent of frequent newspapers, due to the developments in the printing press world. Since this time platforms for advertising have increased to include radio, television and the Internet. Advertising as we know it today is very different from some of the original commercial campaigns.

In the 19th C Thomas J Barratt from London was famed for the first creation of modern advertisement, as we know it, with the successful branding and campaign for ‘Pears Soap’. It was the first legally registered brand and many companies quickly realised that by branding a product it became more familiar to the consumer and the advertising of which subliminally sticks in the mind and encourages sales.

Types of Antique Advertisements

It is important to note that there are many vintage adverts available to purchase, all of which have a unique charm but they will not be considered genuine antiques. Antique printed advertisements and porcelain signs can be very valuable, both of which make a nice item on ones wall.

Antique advertisements from well-known companies such as Coca Cola and Cadburys are highly sought after. Antique adverts can include any range of products from alcohol, cigarettes and petrol stations. It is also possible to pick up antique cinematic advertisements, although the majority in this category may be vintage. Those produced before the 20th C may be reflective of the realism style that was popular in the arts at the time. Rare antique posters advertising certain products are increasingly desirable and a good collectors item.

Companies quickly realised the benefit of producing adverts that would be on something that lasted and used, as opposed to disposable and discarded, and adverts were placed on mirrors, tobacco tins, clocks, trays, thermometers among other household items. These antique adverts were seldom used and can be of great value.

Porcelain signs are also highly sought after collectable antique adverts, made after 1880 for their durability and resistance to the elements a lot were destroyed during WWII when they were destroyed in order to use their base metal, hence they are somewhat rare and of value. This is the same with antique tin signs, however those that have survived are often not in good condition due to rust.

Antique adverts are a fun addition to any home, with a variety of styles and mediums of advertising to choose from, there is plenty of scope to brighten your home with one.