Purple No. 3309, Red No. 2904 and Black No. 113

October 2, 2019 12:59 PM

The Public Domain Review recently showcased the work of Massachusetts illustrator Augustus Jansson. At the beginning of the 20th century, he created a series of vivid color advertisments for the Queen City Printing Ink Company in Cincinnati, the results of which look like a cross between classic playing card designs and the Beatles' Pepperland.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI (4 comments total)

I've always loved these ads. What a treat to see so many of them together, including ones unfamiliar to me. I'm always happy to see PDR up on the blue.
posted by Hypatia at 3:03 PM on October 2, 2019 [1 favorite]

I appreciate this because I have always loved the graphic style of Yellow Submarine, while being unsure where Heinz Edelmann developed it from (aside of course from the obvious Victorian engravings + day-glo).
posted by Countess Elena at 3:05 PM on October 2, 2019

Fantastic, thank you!
posted by mwhybark at 3:32 PM on October 2, 2019

These are charming as heck.

Yellow elephants! Heliotrope cows! Queer people! Queerer costumes! Gaudy trappings! &c &c!
posted by Glier's Goetta at 4:03 AM on October 3, 2019 [2 favorites]