Lee Manufacturing catalogue - early 1920s
with grateful thanks to Lance Hilkene
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There is no doubt that Lee Manufacturing was a big business - just look a the size of their operation featured so proudly on the front and back of their catalogue. Inside, they invited their agents to come and see them if/when they were in Chicago! One wonders how many actually took up the offer?
The image on the front promoted a well-off, cosy family, with an immaculately and fashionably furnished home, mum, dad and two children. This is the lifestyle they were selling to their agents and customers. Indeed many of the items in their catalogues played up to this image, but there was also great emphasis on the practical necessities - from antiseptic cleanser and black shoe polish to a cast-iron skillet and enamel-ware pans and kettles.
The image on the front promoted a well-off, cosy family, with an immaculately and fashionably furnished home, mum, dad and two children. This is the lifestyle they were selling to their agents and customers. Indeed many of the items in their catalogues played up to this image, but there was also great emphasis on the practical necessities - from antiseptic cleanser and black shoe polish to a cast-iron skillet and enamel-ware pans and kettles.
Imperial Carnival Glass appeared in many other promotions as well as Mail Order businesses like Lee Manufacturing. Shown below the another promotion for Imperial's Lustre Rose fernery - this was in the 1912 Washington Times - FREE with a 50 cents purchase!
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Imperial Carnival Glass featured in this catalogue.
Left: an Imperial Ripple vase and an Imperial Lustre Rose fernery could be yours. The fernery was described as "High raised floral pattern. Scalloped edge. Gracefully fluted feet" and "extra durable". Both pieces had "all the rich colours of the rainbow". Below: a set of six Imperial Colonial goblets. They had "extra wide octagonal base to prevent upsetting" and were "extra strong" and "hard to break". 
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Imperial Lustre Rose fernery
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Selection of Imperial Ripple vases
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Ripple vase, amber
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Also in this catalogue was a lone offering of Fenton Carnival Glass - this Orange Tree shaving mug that was said to "looks like burnished metal".
The ceramic cuspidor provides an interesting comment on the times. It was said to be "full regulation size", "Absolutely sanitary" and "Made with a wide rounded bottom so that it cannot tip over like many cuspidors do"! The idea of using a cuspidor - a polite word for a spittoon - maybe somewhat unexpected, but the clues are in the description as "Absolutely sanitary" and "regulation size". Chewing tobacco was widely produced in the USA and advertising proliferated, targeting men and women alike. Legislation prohibited spitting tobacco on floors, walls or carpets in churches, schools or public buildings, and so cuspidors became necessary (hence "regulation size"). There was also the deadly disease tuberculosis (TB) to contend with. TB was considered one of the most infectious diseases around, and it was the leading cause of death in many areas. As coughing up sputum was a symptom of TB, "sanitary" ways to contain were needed, and indeed public spittoons were provided.
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