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One of the fun things about writing a blog is getting to know readers a little better, and them getting to know me. One reader recently gave me a Mini Cooper — a remote-control model Mini Cooper, that is. Others have sent me bacon-flavored stuff. Many have pointed me to comic-book/personal-finance crossovers.
Last weekend, Robert M. forwarded another little something for me to enjoy:
While looking through some old newspapers I found an interesting bank ad I thought you might be interested in. It’s an ad from The Caddo Herald (Caddo, OK) in 1911.
Here’s the newspaper ad:
I love it: “The lean dog of despair never follows a man with a bank account.” This is a great ad. And here’s a little ad from elsewhere on the page:
Robert’s right: I love this sort of thing. I’m a big fan of vintage American pop culture, especially as it relates to money and self-improvement. (I have a small library of self-help books from the early 1900s.) I’ve shared similar bits here at Get Rich Slowly in the past:
If I ever get the time, I plan to turn Vintage Pop from a dead blog with one subscriber into a hopping place that highlights this stuff every day.
If you ever uncover old ads and articles about money, feel free to pass them along. Those from before 1925 are especially keen because there are no copyright issues involved in sharing them here.
This article is about Funny Money, Odds and Ends Saturday, 4th April 2009 (by J.D. Roth)
April 4th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Wow…my great-uncle’s name was John Schenk, spelled the same way and everything (some folks spell it Schenck), so that ad just jumped right out at me. My great-uncle was not even born yet in 1911 and my family is not remotely from OK (we’re from Virginia as far back as the American family roots go), but still…it’s not a terribly common name!
April 4th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I like the part about “Capital: 50,000, Surplus $15,000.” Guess that was some pre-FDIC thing…These ads are fun!
April 4th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Ditto on Kate’s observation. I would be great if all banks had to publish their capital and surplus. Talk about market driven transparency.
April 4th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
That doesn’t look like any dog I’ve ever seen! Looks more like a demon. Oh, and the horseshoe dude spelled “prepared” wrong. We’ve come a long way since 1911!
April 5th, 2009 at 4:20 am
I manage the Caddo, Oklahoma website and I’m glad you appreciate the old advertising. I love to read it!
April 5th, 2009 at 5:08 am
Interesting ads! I love looking at old National Geographics just for the ads!
April 5th, 2009 at 9:11 am
If that dog was following me, I’d be more worried about finding some Holy water than finding a tenner. O_O
April 5th, 2009 at 11:34 am
My family had very little in the way of luxury items, or anything not needed. They did start each child with their own bank account.
My parents only carried a loan on the house. They would buy a house fix it up with us living there and then sell. Several of the early homes they also rented out rooms. One house the kids bunked in the dining room. By the time I reached high school they owned our home free and clear. Though we had little we always helped our neighbors. Cleaning for the elderly, helping out with construction labor.
With 5 children we had a vegetable garden, surplus vegetables were sold to neighbors. First money was put away for next years seeds and canning supplies, then the rest was divided between the kids for the town homecoming, this usually amounted to $5 each. I worked the various stands at the fair and banked my share from the garden. The Monday after the fair I would walk to the bank and deposit my savings. Our parents encouraged us to save money.
Later I was old enough to baby sit. I had developed a good habit. I banked 50% or more of what I earned into the bank. I wanted to continue my education.
I was lucky in attending a state school where they rented the textbooks. My savings covered the cost of the books and I earned enough for tuition, room and board off campus.
After I got out of the military, I had the option of auto deposit. First I earmarked $50 to go into savings another $120 went to my car payment (I did not like odd numbers so paid $9 a month more than required paying off my car early). My rent was not more than 30% of my income. My first credit card I got at 25 and I still pay it off every month. I use it as a checking account. I made more money that year than my father did. I could not imagine how he raised 5 children on his income.
I was taught borrowing money for anything other than a house or car was obscene. New clothes were a treat not a necessity.
Now we were never millionaires, not ever middle class, but we were far richer in that we were taught to earn our own way, respect our neighbors, save for a rainy day, and share our labor by volunteering, Although not wealthy by dollar standards we were definitely wealthy in the way we felt about ourselves.
April 5th, 2009 at 11:37 am
@ 4 and 7 - no joke, that dog is terrifying.
April 5th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
That lean dog has a similar persona to the “wolf at the door” I’d say. Marketing through fear. It’s still used.
Re: the blacksmith ad, my SIL is a farrier (basically, a blacksmith who just focuses on horseshoeing, not making utensils, etc.). Like the old time blacksmith who also did woodworking, I’d say modern day farriers often do other jobs on the side as well. In her case, it’s barn management (taking care of people’s horses while they are on vacation and such).
Some of those old ads still make the rounds via email. They are very telling as far as how much as really changed in the last 100 years.
Shirley
April 6th, 2009 at 3:26 am
That lean dog is classic! I wonder if that was actually an expression at that time or if their copy-writers just made it up?
April 6th, 2009 at 4:11 am
I’ve recently been putting ads from old Harper’s Montly Magazine up on Flicker. My favorite is “Don’t be a Clam” I don’t know what it means, but love how random it is.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29257526@N07/
April 6th, 2009 at 9:43 am
What I love about these old fashioned ads is that there is no mistaking what is being advertised. Today, sometimes I watch a commercial on TV and think, “What the…? How does that relate to that product?” Or I even wonder what product they are advertising. Advertising has gotten so bizarre today. Back then, they explained clearly what it was they were advertising and what they wanted you to do, i.e., put your money into their bank, and give them blacksmith or woodworking business.
April 6th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Love those old ads! Looks like you and James Lileks (http://lileks.com/bleat/) have a similar nostalgia in that way.
April 6th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I just thought this was so funny when I saw it! I think it is a real bank in ireland
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2MsRX8D63E
April 6th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
That dog is scary especially with four shadows, one in each direction. How the heck does that happen?
That said it is a graet sentiment and I am sorry I did not see this ad as a younger man and take it to heart, my finances would be in much better shape.
April 6th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Your tomatoes are so much further along than mine! Mine only just barely have their first set of “real” leaves… and I planted mine on the 18th. What am I doing wrong?
April 11th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
If you like vintage American pop culture related to thriving, we could try and publish the entire text (or at least the highlights) of The Pleasant Art of Money-Catching (1730), a work sold by, among others, Benjamin Franklin. I have a copy missing the first few pages, which I bet could be found somewhere.