The postcard above is one of a series of twelve postcards with 1912 monthly calendars and timely advertising of hardware products. The main illustration shows a person from the Colonial era engaged in an activity with a tool. A small image of a contemporary tool adjoins a written advertising message. This March postcard is about gardening tools and features a wheelbarrow.
The Colonial gentleman's garden was his recreation, his health, and his pride, as it is with good people everywhere today. Half the pleasure is in having the right tools – special hoes, forks, hooks, spades and trowels for different uses – post-hole diggers, garden plows, steel wheelbarrows, every modern tool and implement essential to a blooming garden or a well-kept lawn, including grass flower and vegetable seeds. Spring is here – the garden calls – come and get your tools! We'll make the price right.
The postcard below is one that was sent to my father about 50 years later (and 50 years ago now) from a local Nursery & Garden Center. A variety of garden tools are pictured. The tools look much like the garden tools still in use, but the design of the bagged products has a definite vintage look.
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Gardening hasn't changed much. You till the ground, add a little something to nourish it, dig a hole, plant a seedling, pack it in well, feed it a little something to encourage its roots, water it, & sit back & wait. Tools for that haven't differed much. The 'recipe' for what's in the bags probably has, however, since we've become more 'green' conscious. Interesting cards.
ReplyDeleteWell I've never come across postcards like these. What an interesting pair. The styling of the packaging is indeed typically 1960s, isn't it, but that's probably all that's changed.
ReplyDeleteI think the design could look very modern in current products...
ReplyDeleteI love the names of the products. Did your family collect postcards 50 years ago? I doubt anyone in my family would save an ad; we barely saved any postcards.
ReplyDeleteI was the one that saved any postcard that I could get. The garden ad one is one of the better ones.
DeleteThat 1960s card could equally well be from the present day.
ReplyDeleteSeeing that postcard reminds me that I haven't seen a "Gardener's" quilt in any quilt displays. I have seen some for other occupations, such a carpenter's quilt, appliqued with hammers, saws etc.So I could imagine a special Gardener's one done for the man of the house, decorated with examples of his tools of trade.
ReplyDeleteA great duo of cards.But I doubt George Washington ever pushed a wheelbarrow or chopped weeds with a garden hoe. It's interesting how fonts and typeface styles can date a piece of ephemera.
ReplyDeleteGreat postcards. Reading all these posts almost makes me want to take up gardening ;)
ReplyDeleteWow, that last card is so Hippie styled! I'm thriving on it!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting pair of postcards; the bags look very much of that era. Great names!
ReplyDeleteThose bag designs are definitely cool '60s designs. Love them. Mello Green. Doesn't get better than that for a gardening product.
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