(by 3 people)
Paper advertising, such as magazine advertising, is an area of collecting that rarely gets talked about in the general antique books yet it is a fascinating and fun hobby.
Vintage and antique ads are great for decorating your home or office. They also make fantastic gifts, especially when you pick out just the right one that connects with the person you're giving it to.
Great Books About Magazine Advertising
All-American Ads 1900-1919 (Midi S.)
Amazon Price: $31.19 (as of 12/04/2008) 
All American Ads of the 20's (Midi Series)
Amazon Price: $26.39 (as of 12/04/2008)
All-American Ads 30s (Midi)
Amazon Price: $29.19 (as of 12/04/2008)
All-American Ads of the 40s
Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2008)
All-American Ads of the 50s
Amazon Price: $29.19 (as of 12/04/2008)
There's a Vintage Ad for Everyone
Here are just a few of the reasons why people I know have bought ads:
- An optometrist bought antique ads for sunglasses and binoculars to hang in his waiting room
- A woman bought and framed an ad for the coffee she always heard her grandmother talk about drinking during her time as a WWI nurse
- A museum bought old car ads for their collection
- A business owner selected antique ads related to each of her clients' industries or jobs, matted them, and gave them as unique holiday gifts
- Seth Godin bought an ad that he helped develop 20 years ago -- and then blogged about it
- A collector of snail items bought a vintage ad with a snail in it
- A designer of store window displays bought antique ads for a special Christmas scene
Vintage Ads Look Great When Matted and Framed
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Ads from the Past and the Stories They Tell
Yesterday's Clues: A blog about remarkable advertising from the last 125 years.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byWhat Is An Ad Worth?
- The size of the ad
- Whether the ad is in color or black & white
- The vibrancy and tone of the color
- The condition of the ad (clean, no damage)
- The artist who created the illustration or design
Other factors that can make an ad more or less desirable include:
- The age of the ad
- The rarity of the ad*
- The popularity of the product or company being advertised
- The rarity or specialness of the product or company being advertised
* Most magazine advertising from the 1930s onward is available in abundant quantities, so rarity is not usually an issue except with much older ads.
In many collector categories (toy trains, for example), the advertisement for an item can be as desirable as the item itself.
At the end of the day, though, it all comes down to you. You might really want a specific ad because it holds some special significance for you. You might think $15 to own it is a bargain. Someone else might look at the same ad, and have no interest in it at any price. Only you can decide what an ad is worth to you.
Shop Vintage and Antique Advertising
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byHow to Keep Your Paper Ads Looking Great
An Ounce of Preservation : A Guide to the Care of Papers and Photographs
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 12/04/2008)
The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New: A Simple Repair Manual for Book Lovers
Focuses on books but you'll find lots of great tips on cleaning and repairing paper that will work just as well for magazine pages.
Amazon Price: $11.86 (as of 12/04/2008)
Reader Feedback
BevsPaper wrote...
Nice lens. Looks like we share the same passion. I would love for you to add your lens to my Group for Ephemera and Paper Collectibles.
Posted October 17, 2008
