1899 Concert Flyer, Aldershot Conservative Club

[amadoj0nes.livejournal.com]

Apologies in advance for the sheer length of this image.



A concert flyer!

This ad is very, very interesting in terms of both its content and style. Content wise, it's an ad for a "smoking concert", apparently some sort of cigar friendly guys-only party, judging from the funny hand-drawn cartoons in the bottom of the image, which depicts a man being bickered at by his wife. One even depicts him being tied to his chair by his wife who gives him permission to be out until 11 PM only.

Style wise -- Concert / Band posters have changed remarkably little over the past 100 years. Think about every band poster you've ever seen stapled to a telephone pole.. Notice of the event, time and date of the event followed by some last-minute hand drawn fun cartoony stuff on the bottom and in the corners.. This would fit right in!

The cartoons are actually in sequence, numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4. The wife finds out, the wife confronts her husband, her husband gives her the "Yes! But..." excuse, he makes his getaway, gets drunk/exuberant, and has to avoid what looks like a cop walking his beat on the way home. :)

Comments

[janenx01.livejournal.com]

I love how they have tactfully redacted the names of the men. "What? Has A---r also gone to the Club Concert!" "Bother F---d."

A----r and F---d are thus spared being publicly humiliated for their uxoriousness.

[hooverdam.livejournal.com]

"Smokers" still exist--I'm familiar with the concept as fundraisers for college alumni or fraternal groups. A bunch of guys get together, smoke cigars, perhaps someone from the alma mater will speak, they drink, etc. This is a neat find!