Top 15+ Fascinating Ads From the Early 20th Century

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

If you want to get a glimpse of life in the early 20th century, just look at advertisements from the era. These vintage ads were printed at a time before “Mad Men” and the Golden Age of Advertising, and often used hand-drawn illustrations, a focus on modernity, and patriotic sentiments to appeal to consumers. The following ads, which span over two decades from 1914 to 1939, are a telling depiction of life in America at the time. Oh, and they might make you want to buy Listerine toothpaste or Cracker Jacks, too.

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

3. U.S. Navy (1915)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

5. Interwoven Socks (1920s)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

6. Comet Rice (1921)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

7. Jell-O (1924)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

8. Oreo (1924)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

9. Mystikum Parfum (1925)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

11. Ivory Soap (1931)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

12. Buick (1933)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

13. Kenwood Mills (1939)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

1. Colgate Shaving Stick (1914), 2. Cracker Jack Baseball Cards (1915), 3. U.S. Navy (1915), 4. Montgomery Ward & Co. (1916), 5. Interwoven Socks (1920s), 6. Comet Rice (1921), 7. Jell-O (1924), 8. Oreo (1924), 9. Mystikum Parfum (1925), 10. Roosevelt Five-Passenger Sedan (1929), 11. Ivory Soap (1931), 12. Buick (1933), 13. Kenwood Mills (1939), 14. Gary Cooper in ‘Beau Geste’ (1939), 15. Listerine Toothpaste (1939)

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