Strange nineteenth century tobacco label featuring a bug-riding, pipe-smoking, jester-child.
This bizarre public domain tobacco label comes from the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. It portrays a young child in a red and white jester’s hat and matching striped pajamas smoking a pipe and flying on a large black beetle. This label was produced and distributed by Hatch & Co. of New York. The type reads “As You Like It.”
This advertisement was published in 1869. Because of this pre-1923 publication date this image is in the public domain.
4 megabyte TIFF. Hosted at the Library of Congress.
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Cool enough to pass along to your peeps.
03.22.10
subject of the image : As You Like It
Physical attributes : Right corner of the Image is stacked with the following colors from top to bottom Violet,Light blue, Green, Yellow, Red and Marroon respectively. A Kid is riding a flying bug using a sitck in its right hand and he is smoking.The kid is wearing a cap that has three horn like protruding garment that makes the kid looks funny, but his eyes is filled with happiness that he is doing things what ever he wish to do and enjoys his beetle ride. The Image contains the test “As You Like It” in the Background and is colored with Red, white, and brown color. Another text “HATCH & CO.N.Y” is displayed at the bottom of the image.The right top corner and as well as the left bottom corner of the image has a gray colored cross where as the other two ends has a white colored square boxes.
Reaction to the image : Thank god, that the beetle is good enough to carry and flew away with the kid.
Thoughts regarding the Subject of the Image : The kid in the image is riding the bug the way he likes it and enjoys his bug ride. Hey he is smoking too.
Fun Quote : “Catch me If you can!”
03.27.10
This image is an advertisement for tobacco or pipe products. The product might be called as you like it or those words might just be a suggestion of how you can enjoy the product. The subject is a child dressed as a jester while riding a black flying beetle. The child is smoking a pipe while on the back of the black beetle. This advertisement is very old since children are no longer considered a good way to sell tobacco. The jester outfit in addition to the child riding a flying beetle suggests a laissez-faire attitude and really tries to grab a hold of a persons more playful side. I really like this advertisement, because I feel like it is a very non-serious brand. You can enjoy it whenever, wherever and however! I also like it because it makes me think of how it might have been to live in the 1920’s-1930. I feel like this brand would have appealed to wealthy playboys disinterested in the finer tobacco products but more interested in having fun. I think the child suggests a very youthful tone and being a younger more playful woman, this ad definitely appeals to me.