Delightful antique advertising chromolithograph portrait of a charming young girl that until recently hung in an old country store in Vermont. This image was used to advertise a variety of products, it is similar to what we call a ’stock image’ today. I have seen this particular lovely girl advertising Blue Stem Bourbon from the Bachtold and Achermann brewery. Can you imagine what would ensue if children were used to advertise alcohol today? Perhaps that’s why the shop owner who had this sign hanging for so many years trimmed off the advertising borders.

CONDITION is good with expected dings, pings, rust, and minor scratches. There is a scratch on the girl’s face under her right eye and the most prominent ding shows best in the photograph taken in raking light, please look at the pics carefully. There are three small hanging holes punched at the top, and the printer’s mark and Copyright date of 1904 appear at the bottom of the oval along with the title “Purity.” Measures 14” x 11”

Every child knows how much fun it is to play dress-up, and this little girl is clearly enjoying the game. Wearing a simple shift which she holds up as if it were a gown made of the finest silk, she has donned an elaborate bonnet dripping with blue dyed ostrich plumes, an extravagant grownup chapeau. In her other hand she holds a red and a white rose. In the Victorian language of flowers a red rose symbolizes ‘love’ while a white rose means ‘I am worthy,’ just the sort of sentiment a canny advertiser might want to convey to the public - that their product was worthy of love (and purchase of course).

This lovely girl’s ringlets are pulled high on her head with a wide red ribbon, tumbling down over her shoulders, the essence of childhood innocence and, well, ‘purity.’ She holds a yellow rose up to smell its delicious scent. In Floriography, the Victorian language of flowers, a yellow rose symbolizes ‘joy’ and ‘friendship,’ just the sort of message a canny advertiser might want to convey to a public well versed in the cultural milieu of their time, a subliminal message.

This lovely piece of original American advertising art is ready to grace your home. Enjoy!

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I have two of these lovely tin chromolith pieces. If you’d like to take a look at the other, search RL-1220 in my shop “Oh Art and Antiques LLC”