26 December 2018

From the collection of Marlene Pilaete: Female stars advertising products

Today at EFSP, a post by Marlene Pilaete of La Collectionneuse with a selection of postcards from her own collection. 

Marlene: "When Paul asked me to do a guest post at EFSP, we agreed to choose the theme of advertising. So, here are several vintage cards of female stars advertising different products. To my knowledge, only eight of these brands still exist today, without any interruption in their long histories: Lux soap, Dodge cars, Christian Jacques cosmetics, Van Houten cocoa and the following alcohols: Campari, St Raphaël, Pernod and Clacquesin (which is nevertheless produced today in much more limited amounts than it was at the height of its success). Furthermore, it seems that, after having closed its doors in 2008, Schwanen has been relaunched in 2011.
I hope you’ll enjoy my selection.


It gives me a feeling of intimacy and freshness


Betty Bird
German postcard by H.C. Stöckel, Hannover-Linden. Photo Ernst Schneider, Berlin. Austrian-born actress Betty Bird wearing a pullover made with Schwanen wool.


Carla Del Poggio
Italian 1954 postcard by I.G.D.A. Novara. Italian actress Carla Del Poggio advertising products made with hemp fibers. Caption: “At home, I prefer hemp linen: It gives me a feeling of intimacy and freshness that doesn’t vanish as time goes on”.


Corry Bell
German postcard by Lipp & Neuschüz, München. Photo Atelier Balazs, Berlin. German actress Corry Bell advertising Perusa cigarettes. Caption: "People all around the world should smoke my cigarette. You too".


Eloisa Cianni
Italian 1954 postcard by Ricordi S.p.A. Milano. Italian actress Eloisa Cianni advertising Chlorodont toothpaste. Caption: “Chlorodont anti-caries … What teeth!”.


Josephine Baker (front),

Josephine Baker (back)
French 1931 promotional card. Photo Waléry, Paris. Josephine Baker advertising Pernod anisette. This card was produced during the 1931 Paris colonial exhibition. Caption: “Josephine Baker sings : I have two loves, Paris and Pernod Fils”. This refers to her most famous song “J’ai deux amours” (“I have two loves”). On the back of the card, you learn that “Josephine Baker will sell books and records at the Pernod pavilion in aid of the colonial charity”.


Josephine Baker
French promotional card. Josephine Baker advertising Clacquesin aperitif. Caption: “I have two loves: my pleasure and my health, both perfect thanks to Clacquesin”.


Madeleine Carroll
British postcard by Prichard & Constance, London. Madeleine Carroll advertising Amami shampoos.


Lise Delamare
French postcard. French actress Lise Delamare advertising St. Raphaël aperitif. It’s interesting to note that there is no promotional caption on the card. The simple image of the St. Raphaël bottle was considered eloquent enough.


Madge Evans (front)

Madge Evans (back)
American postcard. American actress Madge Evans advertising her own brand of “Hats for Little Ladies”.

France triumphs once more 


Flora Le Breton
British postcard. British actress Flora Le Breton advertising Easter Foam vanishing cream.


Florelle
French postcard. Photo G.L. Manuel Frères. French actress Florelle advertising “Le Fruit vert”, a Florel perfume. Caption : “Oh how I love my Fruit vert”. It was a clever idea for the Florel perfume house to use Florelle in their advertising campaign, as the two names are nearly homonyms.


Isa Pola
Italian postcard by G.B. Falci Milano. Italian actress Isa Pola advertising Campari aperitif. Caption : “I drink Bitter Campari because it’s the best”.


Mary Marquet
French postcard. Photo G.L. Manuel Frères. French actress Mary Marquet advertising Yamilé cosmetics. Caption : “France triumphs once more with the Yamilé pencils”.


Mistinguett
French postcard. Illustration by Dolly Tree, who later became a famous fashion designer in Hollywood. French actress Mistinguett advertising Regals Cherry Brandy. Caption: “My darling’s cherry is my cherry”. In French, the slogan (“Le cherry de mon chéri est mon cherry”) sounds better as it plays with the homonymy between “cherry” and “chéri”.


Pauline Garon
Dutch postcard issued by Van Houten in conjunction with Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Hollywood star Pauline Garon advertising Van Houten’s chocolate and cocoa.


Yvette Guilbert
French promotional card. Photo Nickolas Muray, N.Y. French singer and actress Yvette Guilbert advertising Voxol drops and inhalers. Caption: “Your Voxol, dear Mr. Lerichomme, clarifies and strengthens tired voices. Saviour of the artists, it helps to endure the hard winters and the climate changes“.


Anita Page
Dutch postcard. Hollywood star Anita Page advertising German Constant table and dessert knives. Caption: "It is a well-known fact that beautiful women are always guided by the sense of beauty and practicality. The famous film star Anita Page of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer therefore prefers the tasteful stainless knives of 'Constant 1932'. Modern style, at the same time table knife and dessert knife."


Anita Ekberg
American postcard by Keating and Rider, N.Y. Shapely star Anita Ekberg advertising shapely DKW cars.

Alemite doesn’t even soil my white gloves


Annie Cordy
Belgian 1957 promotional card featuring the then sponsor of the first Belgian wine I.S.C.A.: Belgian-born singer and actress Annie Cordy. The I.S.C.A. cooperative was founded in 1955 by Belgian producers of dessert grapes who wanted to use the surplus of their production to sell wines and juices.


Audrey Hepburn
Belgian promotional card. Audrey Hepburn advertising Plaza nylon stockings. Caption : “Audrey Hepburn, star of the movie “Young Wives’ Tale”, always chooses the Plaza nylon stockings”. (The card refers to the British film Young Wives' Tale (Henry Cass, 1951) with a 22-years-old Audrey Hepburn in her fourth film, two years before Roman Holiday (William Wyler, 1953), PvY).


Barbara Stanwyck
Advertising card featuring Hollywood star Barbara Stanwyck advertising Lux soap. Their famous slogan was: “Nine out of ten stars use Lux”.


Betty Compson
American postcard. Hollywood star Betty Compson advertising Alemite lubrication system for cars. I especially like the slogan: “Alemite doesn’t even soil my white gloves”. A very feminine point of view.


Claudette Colbert
American 1937 postcard. Claudette Colbert advertising Dodge cars.


Gina Lollobrigida
Italian postcard. Gina Lollobrigida advertising Christian Jacques cosmetics and, especially, “Flowery, the first hair dye in the world without ammonia”. On the card, Lollobrigida is referred to as the president of the Christian Jacques company. I don’t know if it was an honorary title or if she really was then at the head of the firm.


Brigitte Helm
German postcard by Kosmosept G.m.B.H. Berlin. Brigitte Helm advertising Bubisan haircare products.


Marlene Dietrich (front)

Marlene Dietrich (back)
German postcard by H.C. Stöckel, Hannover-Linden. A pre-“Blue Angel” Marlene Dietrich advertising Bemberg stockings. She declares : “I only wear Bemberg stockings”.


Olga Tschechowa
German 1977 postcard by Olga Tschechowa Kosmetik München. Olga Tschechowa promotes her own cosmetics brand."

Thank you Marlène for this wonderful selection!

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