Friday, September 01, 2017
Wish You Were Here, from 'Dorgan'
When I purchased this postcard, it was under the assumption that it was by Tad Dorgan. The art didn't really scream "Tad" at me, but for the $1 investment I figured I'd take a chance. So it got filed away in my collection for years until now putting it on the blog gives me license to do a little research.
The postcard is an undivided back, no maker listed, and was postally used in 1905. So I did a search on "Dorgan Says" in 1905 on newspapers.com, and what should come up but a commonly recurring ad featuring that very tagline. There only seems to be one version of the ad, not a campaign:
The postcard drawing seems to be inspired by this one (the perspective on both is unusual, with the head tilted back at an odd angle), though several details have been changed and the cigar has been changed to a clay pipe in better keeping with the working-class Irish stereotype. Oh well. Not by Tad after all, but some anonymous artist. But I paid a buck for it, so I'm getting my money's worth by showing it to you today.
Labels: Wish You Were Here
Comments:
This is a design by Curtis Adv Co, Detroit. I have been interested in their comic cards for a few years and am compiling a checklist. Feel free to check out my facebook group for many examples. https://www.facebook.com/groups/funcards
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