Phantom Kotex ad, with ad for Marjorie May's
Twelfth Birthday, a menarche booklet, 1932 - Kotex
doesn't show! 3 ads for Kotex menstrual pads, 1927, 1932, 1955 (U.S.A.)
Booklets menstrual hygiene companies made
for girls, women and teachers - patent medicine
- a list of books and articles about menstruation
- videos
 
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Full-page, both sides ad for
The New Victoria menstrual pad holder & belt (late 19th, early
20th centuries?, Chicago Specialty Co., U.S.A.)
(sanitary napkin, pad, menstruation, belt, pad holder, menstrual, period,
cycle)
Outrageous American advertising struts
through this ad for a menstrual belt (more belts
here), which is supported by customer testimonials similar to those that
got Mrs. Pinkham's patent medicine empire in trouble.
The testimonials themselves are similar in form to those of many patent medicines.
A similar belt, called the Victoria Band,
appeared in a Japanese publication in 1918. It might be the same one, an
import from England or America since it's hard to believe the Japanese would
create its own belt with such a name - but it's not unknown that Japanese
business people use English in product names. How about Hello Kitty? And
Japan has since the late 19th century turned to the West for ideas and imports
during the reign of Queen Victoria and later.
Strengthening the idea that the Japanese belt is an import from England
is this bungled copy of an Aubrey Beardsley drawing
for an ad for what is probably The Victoria. In a sense the pervasive
feeling of evil in many of Beardsley's drawings matches the feelings
of most women about menstruation.
I thank the donor for this and many other items donated to this museum!
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Below: Small versions
of the page, enlarged below & here.
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Below: Front of the black & white page,
which measures 8 x 11 3/4" (20.3 x 29 .8 cm).
Enlargement below.
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Below: Back of the page.
Enlargement next page.
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© 2010 Harry Finley. It is illegal to reproduce or distribute any
of the work on this Web site in any manner or medium
without written permission of the author. Please report suspected violations
to hfinley@mum.org
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