In 1902, Richard Fenton Outcault developed a cartoon character by the name of Buster, who quickly became an advertising phenomena. In 1904, the Brown Shoe Company purchased the licensing rights to Buster for $200, and Buster Brown began to sell shoes like there was no tomorrow. A rich little kid with a dog named Tige made a household name of the Brown Shoe Company and by 1917, with updated and more life-like features, Brown made Buster their permanent logo. Advertising art from a cartoon character? Literally, this was just the beginning.
5 feet in the air looks like much more fun than 4 on the floor, or 6. Wasn't Buster a boy? Or maybe that's who she's winking at.
ReplyDeleteBuster was a boy. For a fairly decent perspective sneak a peek at this NPR article from 2002.
ReplyDeleteThis was the only kind of shoe I bought if I got a "new" pair of shoes. We had to somehow get to the country seat, Greenville, Ohio, to their Buster Brown store there. It was the only shoe store where you could stand on a thing that looks like a set of scales with a pedestal so you could read the pounds at eye level, except here you could look in and see your x-rayed feet. Like looking at a skeleton. You can imagine how far those would get today. Outlawed and lots of law suits. But they were extremely popular in the early 1940s.
ReplyDeleteI do have some old signs you call ghost signs on the sides of old buildings. I still photograph them when I see them. I guess I will have to post a few.
Battle Axe was either Flour or Baking powder. I have to go back and take another photo or find the original. So far I haven't had a chance. There was a word Antiques there.
ReplyDeleteMy wife just looked it up and Battle Axe was plug tobacco.
ReplyDeleteOh how I remember those shoes....I love your old paper, designs, etc. I'd love for you to follow me on my blog, being as I'm so new...I only have two followers...waaaaaa
ReplyDeletenoahmakesmemories@blogspot.com
Thanking you in advance...haaaaa have a wonderful afternoon...noah