Figure 1.--Here we see an Eastman Kodak advertisement from "The Youth's Companion" in 1925. This one for the popular Brownie camera, made by Kodak, and illustrating boys in above-the-knee knickers. |
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We note an ad from The Youth's Companion, August 6, 1925, p. 111. This one for the popular Brownie camera, made by Kodak, and illustrating boys in above-the-knee knickers. Two of the boys wear black long stockings while a third boy wears his knickers in below-the-knee style with cuffed knee socks of what looks like
light tan. One of the boys is blowing his bugle while a companion takes a snapshot of him and the other boy points laughingly. The setting is obviously rural, but the boys are dressed quite formally (probably for school) with shirts and ties.
Eastman Kodak is one of the great American corporations. The company was founded by George Eastman. The Brownie released by Kodak in 1900 revolutionalized photography and stiff studio shots were suplemented by snapshots that give up glimses of everyday like. The camera shown here is the company's Autographic model which I think used roll film. Kodak by the 1970s was no longer making quality camneras because of competition from Japan. It became dependant on film sales, but here was alo pressured by foreign competition, especially from Japan's Fuji film. Today Kodak is trying to make the transition to digital photography. Its dependemnce on chemical-based photography is making that transition difficult.
The Youth's Companion described itself as "An Illustrated Weekly Paper For Young People and the Family." It was established in 1827. The magazine was published in Boston, Massachusetts, by the Perry Mason Company, 201 Columbus Avenue. It appeared under this title until 1929. It was in the late 19th century one of the most popular weekly periodicals in America and known for the quality of the writing. The magazine catered to teen-age boys and girls especially, containing articles on sports, on hobbies, and on various literary and cultural interests. But it was really a family magazine and had many advertisements for clothing, both adult and children's. The magagazine had a very strict policy about the advertising carried because its readers were mostly children.
We note an ad from The Youth's Companion, August 6, 1925, p. 111. This one for the popular Brownie camera, made by Kodak. Since the boy with the bugle is just a beginner, the boys
have repaired to some remote place so that the screeching trumpet won't attract too much attention from neighbors. Kodak was obviously pushing the sale of their Brownie cameras to a boy audience. The Youth's Companion contains quite a number of Kodak advertisements in the 1920s. The ad copy reads, "Your Brownie Gets It. Your ears are tingling yet fromn Jack's first attempts
at the bugle. But it was a great chance for a picture just the same--and, as usual, your Brownie made the most of it. This EAstman-made camera is certainly easy to work--and there's a barrel full of fun in an album full of pictures. Brownie cameras, $2.00 up. At your Kodak dealer's. EAstman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., the Kodak City."
The Kodak ad shows boys wearing above-the-knee knickers. Two of the boys wear black long stockings while a third boy wears his knickers in below-the-knee style with cuffed knee socks of what looks like light tan. One of the boys is blowing his bugle while a companion takes a snapshot of him and the other boy points laughingly. The setting is obviously rural, but the boys are dressed quite formally (probably for school) with shirts and ties.
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