What a Cake of Soap Will Do (1890)

From Open Collections Program: Women Working: 1800-1930--an interesting collection of old catalogs targeting a primarily North American homemaker readership--the below comes from Proctor and Gamble: What a Cake of Soap Will Do. This illuminated manuscript is a twenty-three page ad in rhyming verse, flowery prose, with printer's ornaments, drawer-ly illustrations.

Loads of pause can be had herein at the generous scribbler's verve expended on, in one instance, the scene of attendees at a magic lantern show (beloved pets + circus animals) exchanging stories about Ivory Soap's purity.

If Ivory's point has not been landed  by the time the Elders of  Brownies have commented about the scourge of dandruff afflicting country fairies, then one is either likely not the intended audience--or dead inside.

Mark also the family doctor who tests the validity of product claims himself; the village of trades cast as characters--like main street America back in the day was verbatim smurf village; the liberal sprinkling of Gibson girls, English lords, and a whole host of by-the-numbers fancy stock types. An enjoyable, only slightly sinisterly commercial, testament to a time when ads were not solely a *visual* medium. Also, a case for, maybe, why they should be.