A hundred-plus years ago, convincing was a vastly different art.

Since putting up that last post I’ve been digging around in various digital archives, on the make for further insight into Baltimore history. In particular I’ve been looking at items related to the Poole & Hunt company, an iron work foundry that operated here in the mid to late 1800s.

The curiosity comes naturally, since the Poole & Hunt building still stands about a quarter-mile from my house (the excellent design firm 4Thought is among its current tenants). Today it’s the cornerstone of a rather depressing gentrification effort, but enough of the history remains to keep it interesting.

That’s the history I went looking for, and the quest turned up several nice finds. The first is the advertisement above, which I find gorgeous beyond repair — how can you not savor that typography? It comes via the Baltimore County Public Library, which boasts a surprisingly deep digital collection. Then I dug up this gem, courtesy of UNC Chapel Hill, which likewise has a great archive.

What strikes me about these ads (besides the typography) is the way they’re making their point. Advertising has become such a complex undertaking that there’s something genuinely refreshing about stepping back to the days when it was all a little more innocent and simple:

Made of the Best Materials, and in the Best Style of Workmanship…Shipping Facilities the Best in all Directions

Such was the style of the time — highlight your product and explain it’s the best. Seems so quaint now.

It also makes me wonder if what’s old could possibly be new again…