<![CDATA[Retrofair - Retro Blog]]>

<![CDATA[Retrofair - Retro Blog]]>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:18:48 +0100Weebly<![CDATA[3 New Bird's]]>Mon, 24 Aug 2015 13:43:34 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/3-new-birds

1939 Bird's Blanc-Mange

1940 Bird's Blanc-Mange

1940 Bird's Custard

We've added 3 very stylish full pages in red and black, advertising Bird's desserts. A famous brand then and still a famed favourite today.

]]><![CDATA[Recently Added - 1958 Wall's Ice Cream]]>Sat, 22 Aug 2015 11:39:32 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/recently-added-1958-walls-ice-cream

Bright and lively late fifties advertising from Wall's Ice Cream - Check it out in detail here

]]><![CDATA[Frosty The Snowman is looking very tasty today ]]>Wed, 27 Nov 2013 11:38:39 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/frosty-the-snowman-is-looking-very-tasty-today

Thoughout the fifties and sixties Bird's custard was a year round family favourite dessert. In this lovely 1953 Christmas ad, the Bird's brand is beautifully represented by a snowman holding a flaming Christmas pudding and a large jug of custard and a poster at his feet declares ...
"Everybody knows Christmas pudding is always better with BIRDS Custard"
see this yummy visual treat in more detail here

]]><![CDATA[New John Bull Magazine Cover Index]]>Sat, 23 Nov 2013 11:41:59 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/new-john-bull-magazine-cover-index Here at Retrofair we specialise in giving you the chance to see and buy some of the finest vintage magazine ads published throughout the 20th century. But why should ads completely hog the scene when the very magazines that carried them had some remarkably striking and memorable covers and pictures?.
With that in mind we are now delighted to bring you our new John Bull Magazine Cover Index featuring the slice-of-life illustrations by some of the UKs finest commercial artists. Although dated in style and fashion the scenes they depict are in many cases just as relevant today.

Where possible we have included the expanded cover picture captions from the magazine editorial pages, so you can see the original context behind these startling images.

John Bull Magazine Cover 1955 April 09 Wedding Party

1955 John Bull Magazine Cover September 24 Picnic in the park

]]><![CDATA[It's in the paper! - Persil Washes Whiter]]>Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:14:01 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/its-in-the-paper-persil-washes-whiter

Before and After is a very effective creative device successfully used by advertisers over the years.

With this lovely 1950's illustrated campaign for Persil Washing Powder they have cleverly used before and after thinking and taken it a step further to physically demonstrate the brand quality through smart use of the magazines own white paper.

You can find a more examples from this fine campaign in the RetroStore Home and Garden Index and I will be adding a few more variations to the collection over the next few months

]]><![CDATA[The Wide World Magazine For Men - Rip Roaring Adventures - What Ho!]]>Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:51:45 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/the-wide-world-magazine-for-men-rip-roaring-adventures-what-hoWorld Wide Magazine for Men was a 20th Century publishing phenomenon - once accurately and humorously described in The Times newspaper as all about "brave chaps with large moustaches on stiff upper lips, who did stupid and dangerous things"

A British Monthly magazine started in 1898 and published right through to December 1965 with only 4 editions ever failing to make the presses. It featured wild tales of travel and daring adventures (mostly unbelievable) and all abundantly illustrated by eminent artists of the day such as Terence Cuneo, William Barnes Wollen, John Charlton to name just a few.

781 × 1070 1949 Wide World Magazine Front Cover - February

Exotic polynesian delights

773 × 1165 1949 Wide World Magazine Front Cover September

Thrilling sights

754 × 1063 1949 Wide World Magazine Front Cover - July

Dessert Islands

One of the hallmarks of the World Wide Magazine is it's wonderful colourful front covers that never fail to capture the imagination and raw the reader in

1458 × 1051 1949 Wide World Magazine Illustrated Spread

World Wide Magazine for Men Featured tales of bravery above and beyond the call of duty

1450 × 1040 1949 Wide World Magazine Illustrated Spread

What was worse, a raging tiger or a raging native?

No pictorial review of World Wide Magazine would be complete with a mention of the wonderful male focused vintage macho ads that packed each issue. No doubt taken very seriously at the time but now serve to raise a few laughs.

1482 × 1120 1949 Wide World Magazine Vintage Ad Spread

"Tighten your belt Wallace"

355 × 1025 1949 Wide World Magazine Vintage Tobacco Ad

Wide World men always smoke a pipe

For a more comprehensive historical view of this Wide Man's World I highly recommend you take a look at Greg Ray's excellent page
It's a Wide, Wide, Wide, Wide World!!!

]]><![CDATA[Not vintage or retro yet but definitely classics]]>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:56:52 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/not-vintage-but-definitely-classicsDreamt up for their client Maximidia Seminars. This set of highly creative amusing ads by Sao Paulo ad agency 'Moma', is just too good to ignore.
I wonder how things will look when these social giants really are as old as the average vintage ad I like to display here.

]]><![CDATA[A Little bit of Christmas Schweppervescence]]>Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:12:05 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/a-little-bit-of-christmas-schweppervescenceWhilst Coca Cola dominates the soft drinks vintage ad scene it's easy to forget Schweppes the huge soft drinks brand that was never afraid to break the mold with their quirky amusing Schweppervesence ads. Here's a couple of 'Schwepping days to Christmas' ad for now, and you can be sure I will be adding a lot more Scheppervescence to this blog

1952 Schweppes Christmas Ad

1954 Schweppes Christmas Ad

]]><![CDATA[Leslie Ragan Illustrator and visionary artist]]>Sun, 18 Dec 2011 13:06:09 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit Ever since I first set eyes on the towering image below I have admired the ads produced for the Budd Company during the late 40's and early 50's. They mainly featured specially commissioned works from the extraordinary illustrator Leslie Ragan. Sadly under appreciated in his time. These days Ragan's work could easily be considered as visual interpretation of scenes from Ayn Rand's futurist novel 'Atlas Shrugged'.

To see a lot more of Ragan's visions visit our Leslie Ragan gallery page. And to read a little more about this great commercial artist's work and influence I recommend these two excellent blogs Erratic Phenomena and Illustration Art

]]><![CDATA[8 Reasons why vintage ads make great collectibles]]>Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:53:19 GMThttps://www.retrofair.co.uk/retro-blog/8-reasons-why-vintage-ads-make-great-collectiblesAs a life long ad man, I have come to appreciate the craft and teamwork that go into pulling together a good ad or a even a bad one for that matter. And over the years I have looked back in awe at the creative quality and thinking that that went into some of the last century's brand building campaigns. As historical documents of modern living vintage ads still have a lot of going for them. Here are a few good reasons why I think they are still worthy of display. I'd love to hear your views about why original vintage ads are great to collect.

1935 Droitwich Spa Who today could resist a good wallow in a radioactive bath?

1. They can be hilarious, witty and full of nostalgic memories we often delight to wallow in.

2. Many ads are gorgeous with lovely illustrations and photography commissioned from the leading artists of the day.

3. They make perfect unusual individual gifts that can fit a personality like a glove.

4. They look great when they are framed and just as good in a scrapbook.

5. Some people even place them in family memory books for their senior members of family who have memory problems.

6.They are style icons and can brighten any room in the house, such as old food ads in the kitchen, cheesy toothpaste smiles in the bathroom or classy fashion ads in the bedroom.

7.Ideal collectibles and brilliant in your den to enhance your interests and hobbies.

8.Businesses of all kinds can use vintage ads and print to add interesting talking points for reception areas, themed restaurants and bars, or specialist store .

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