This Week: A reminder that some things should remain forgotten.
First, notes from Sitemeter. Reading Vintage Vogues has outgrown the free version! And it was the most international week so far, I believe, on Reading Vintage Vogues. Most interesting hits - Reader at Cairo Starbucks searching for Maril*n M*nroe w*dding dr*ss . . . in fact readers in downtown Ankara, Turkey, Prague, Brighton, Sydney, Warsaw, Izmir, London, Copenhagen, Madrid and Moscow all searched for that asterisk-laden phrase. (We don't really have it.)
My favorite was a reader in rural South Africa who came looking for Chanel v. Shalimar and left with a virtual pet.
Only Humbert Humbert could do justice to this ad. This is the stuff Mrs. Haze might give her maid.
And yet, from an eBay guide I see that the Allen B. Wrisley company of Chicago began making perfumes in 1901. I am guessing they were created for the dime store market. Digging deeper:
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| From c 1900 |
In 1950, it was announced in the New York Times that the company would market soap in plastic bags. Sub head: "Container Said to Have Many Uses Around the House."
Purex acquired the company in 1958. A few references in the business pages, but no mention of perfume.
What did these hideous cartoon people get for Christmas?
She gave him Wrisley Spruce For Men. "Richly spruce-scented favorites in shave lotion and a he-man cologne." $2. I can only think that it smelled like Lysol.
It only looks as if he's going to strangle her with her necklace. He gave her Wrisley Grecian Vase Bubble Bath. "Queen's Guard (pink), Blue Fern (turquoise) and Enchant (maize) fragrances in hand-blown, gold-decorated glass vase. $3.
Fey little boy gave creepy little girl "Wrisley Magicolor Bubble Bath. "Colors bath water pink, blue, green, yellow: will not stain tub, towel or youngster; 20 envelopes: $1.
Spelling Superb with an "e" makes up for it, though.
Unidentified person holding Pod Mother and Daughter at bay with transmitter concealed in gift box.
She's eating out of his hand because he gave her Wrisley White Flower Cologne and Wrisley My Heart Cologne, "a brilliant new fragrance with a tender mood. In gold-touched dresser bottle, a daily reminder of you."
This is a woman who clearly expects a lot: Wrisley Spray Colognes in Blue Fern, Enchant and Queen's Guard AND Wrisley Hobnail Cologne in a milk glass dresser bottle that "becomes a bud vase, lamp base, candle holder." You can hardly make a lamp out of a bottle of Chanel No. 5!
You know who does this sort of thing so much better than me? "Rex Parker" at Pop Sensation. I think here we are seeing one of the paperback cover illustrators that come in for praise or evisceration three times a week over there.
Let's go to the movies!
* The Man in the Net. Better keep those New York bohemians out of Connecticut - for their own good. Cue dramatic hamster.
* A sad and comatose Alan Ladd, overly vivacious Carolyn Jones (at least she keeps you awake while she's on screen). Directed by Michael Curtiz, I was very sad to see. (Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, Yankee Doodle Dandy - some favorites.) No one's heart was in this. Doesn't show up in 1959 Wikipedia lists. Just found it on Netflix.
* Stick with the trailer.
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