Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Vintage Print Ads Make Awesome--and, yes!--Inexpensive Gifts

1942 Coca-Cola Vintage Print Ad
(Hawaiian Odysseus Photo)

Smack dab in the midst of high school and college graduation season, with Father's Day and the 4th of July just around the corner, and with a myriad of birtdays, anniversaries, reunions with loved ones or fellow classmates of an honored alma mater, and other special occasions on the horizon, you're left wondering, What kind of gift can I get?

There's really no need to look any further. Take your pick of hundreds of gorgeous nostalgic options at http://stores.ebay.com/Lords-of-the-Fly/_i.html?_fsub=2623719010 .

What are vintage print ads? They're commercial advertisements carefully removed from old magazines--say, from the 1970's and earlier (although the term vintage is often loosely interpreted to include even more recent items). These ads are then placed in acid-free plastic sleeves along with acid-free backing boards and then mailed in large flat or padded envelopes to their respective customers.

The top photo is a great example of a potential gift for dear old Dad. It not only piques the nostalgic strings of an older generation's collective heart; it also has intrinsic value in a sub-niche of its own--Coke memorabilia.

Here are three more examples of ads from three different sub-categories--automobiles; World War II; and sporting goods.

1946 Ford Mercury Vintage Print Ad
(Hawaiian Odysseus Photo)

1942 Lockheed Aircraft Corporation World War II Vintage Print Ad
(Hawaiian Odysseus Photo)

1945 Wilson Sports Equipment Vintage Print Ad
(Hawaiian Odysseus Photo)

Why settle for the old humdrum annual necktie, bottle of cologne, golf club, fishing pole, or stationery? Sure, these gifts are great, and we're certainly not knocking them. But if you're looking for that unique and very special item that's sure to elicit a grin from your favorite family patriarch immediately upon its removal from the envelope, we invite you to check out what might turn out to be the gift that special man remembers for years to come.


Who knows? In browsing through these lovely yesteryear memorabilia, you might very well develop an interest in becoming a collector of vintage ephemera. There's something very appealing about the way the ad agencies of the past combined gorgeous art and/or picturesque photographs with clever  text construction that you just don't find in today's high-tech advertisements.

Why Collect Vintage Print Ads?
  • To preserve Americana
  • To understand our heritage
  • To appreciate our social, cultural, political, and economic roots
  • To enhance our grasp of history
  • To compare and contrast the past with the present
  • To leave as a legacy for future generations
  • To own as antique collectibles
  • To acknowledge the art and artists of yesteryear
  • To frame and craft into attractive gifts
  • To utilize as decorative household pieces
  • To buy, sell, and trade
  • To enjoy a good return on investment
1946 National Confectioners Association Vintage Print Ad
(Hawaiian Odysseus Photo)

The folks at eBay's Lords of the Fly store would be delighted to have you drop in for a visit. Browse through their vintage print ads selection and feel free to share your comments and questions with them. Their responses, like their delivery time, are prompt and courteous.

http://stores.ebay.com/Lords-of-the-Fly/_i.html?_fsub=2623719010

You'll find more information about this collectible gift specialty in the following articles. Thanks for dropping by, and--yes, by all means--your comments are always welcomed and appreciated.


http://hawaiianodysseus.hubpages.com/hub/VintageKeala

http://hawaiianodysseus.hubpages.com/hub/Raising-the-Baron-eBay

http://hawaiianodysseus.hubpages.com/hub/Giving-People-the-Time-of-Day-on-eBay


2 comments:

  1. Wow, surprisingly I never knew this.I have been reading your blog a lot over the past few days and it has earned a place in my bookmarks.Thanks for sharing with us.

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    1. Thank you very much for dropping by and sharing in the experience with your kind comments. Do you keep a blog as well? I saw your beautiful website and definitely know that there's a lot I can learn from you. Blessings and aloha from the beautiful Pacific Northwest!

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