Why 'My Mink Betty'?

Why 'My Mink Betty'?
I'm not your common, everyday twenty-something year old and when I graduated from High School I got an equally uncommon gift. My parents found for me a beautiful 1940's mink stole at a garage sale. It had belonged to the woman's Great Aunt Betty who had married late in life to a man with money and had only allowed him to buy her this one luxury. The unusually styled stole has the name, Betty L. Jones, embroidered in the satin lining so that's what I call her. They never had children of their own and the mink was passed to Aunt Betty's niece and on to her daughter. Until it got to me, no one since Aunt Betty had worn it. Now Betty the mink and I go to the theater together on special occasions and I hope that someday I can take her to the Symphony or the Ballet. Although Betty hadn't been worn or loved for many years she was waiting for someone to love her again as are most other things I look for when thrifting.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Life Magazine, Nov 3, 1941

Several weeks ago, on one of my trips to The Goodwill Outlet with my friend Rachael, we stopped in the furniture section and this is what I found sitting on a chair:



Yes, please, I'll take an Exciting Pyrex Flameware teapot.  And I won't even insist on a price of $1.75.  Nor does it have to be new.  (Although, how cool would that be?)  I don't only love colorful vintage Pyrex,  I'm also a fan of Flameware.  I have a percolator and a double boiler, but the one piece I have always really wanted is the teapot.  And yes, I would actually use it to serve cocktails.  For now, I will have to content myself with this really cool full page color advertisement.  I need to get it framed so it can hang in my kitchen someday.  

The funny thing is, I was just telling Rachael the other day about Flameware teapots and how I wanted one.  And then voila, I get the paper doll version.  It's kind of like when you ask Santa for a pony and you get a Barbie one.  Not exactly what you asked for, but still pretty sweet.

The Flameware ad wasn't the only thing I found.  It was part of a 12-page section out of a vintage copy of Life magazine.  I don't know who picked it up and placed it in the furniture section just for me, but I'm sure glad they did.  After a little research online, I discovered that it was part of the Nov 3, 1941 issue.


Look what was on the back side of the Flameware ad:  a very cute Thanksgiving themed advertisement for Rice Krispies Marshmallow Squares, featuring Snap, Crackle and Pop as Pilgrims.  If you read it carefully, I'll bet you'll find out some things you didn't know.  Like, Rice Krispies cereal puts new sparkle into breakfast.  The Marshmallow Squares are thrilling, sensational and gay!  Sounds like an MGM musical.  No wonder it's America's cereal sensation

According to Wikipedia, Rice Krispies Treats are widely thought to have been invented in 1939 by Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day at the Kellogg Company home economics department, so these were a fairly new recipe. 

Included in the 12-page section were two articles: one about the new production of "Ah, Wilderness!" on Broadway and one about a topiary garden.  But it was the advertisements I was interested in.


This advertisement for Chatham blankets uses elegence, quality, economy and even patriotism to convince people to buy their blankets.  You could even buy stunning matching housecoats at smart shops everywhere!  I want one of those housecoats; they are pretty stunning, but I especially like the beautiful hats they apparently wear around the house as they are getting ready for bed.  Beats me in my terry cloth robe, any day, lol. Those closet boxes were pretty cool too.


Am I the only one who finds a vacuum cleaner with "magic fingers" a little creepy?  On the other hand, this reminds me of one of my favorite movies, "The Sandlot," so that makes me feel a little better.


"Your feet tell your station in life."  Boy, life was sure easier in 1941.  You didn't need the latest electronic gadget or a new car to impress people, you just needed a good pair of socks!


And here's a very cute little baby to tell you how to wash your lambskin gloves.
I wonder what those makers of famous gloves are doing now that ladies gloves aren't as fashionable as they used to be.


This is a pretty stylish ad for winter underwear.  Longjohns have sure come a long way from their representation in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  Look it up, it's worth it.


Another patriotic appeal not to waste things.

I have to keep searching for the Flameware teapot but I'm very glad to have found such fun advertisements that I hope you enjoy as much as I do.

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2 comments:

  1. What a great find! I love the graphics in vintage ads. Thanks for visiting me.

    I Enjoyed your My Mink Betty story. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Betty, how fun! I absolutely loved seeing the vintage images and ads :) Thanks a bunch for sharing with Roses of Inspiration. It's always a delight to have you at the party. Hugs!

    ReplyDelete

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