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ephemera
Prohibition
According to the Bible, Noah was the first post-flood drunk.
He was not the first man on earth to overindulge in the fruit of the vine,
nor was he the last. Nowhere have I found it written in the good book:
“Thou shall not drink” as the eleventh commandment, and yet not that long
ago in this country, Prohibition was a way of life. Well, it was for some,
as it was the law, but then some people were inclined to not indulge in
any modicum or manner of alcoholic beverages.
“All things in moderation,” is a wonderful maxim. We are
not, however, discussing a disease, but a social movement, where the minority
made the majority follow in their footsteps. Or did they? The Roaring Twenties
wouldn’t have been roaring if it hadn’t been for bath tub gin, speakeasies,
and the smugglers that brought alcoholic beverages in from Canada and Cuba
and anywhere else they could smuggle it in from.
Carry Nation’s crusade to make America dry did just the
opposite as it made otherwise law abiding citizens break the law with a
zeal that was almost as if they felt it their patriotic duty. Yes, some
people spent much to much time in the saloons, some still do, and their
children suffered and their wives suffered, but they were a small segment
of the society. A segment more to be pitied than vilified. Perhaps, the
current movement against drinking and smoking is part of that earlier movement
that has had a revival. With repression comes a backlash, and that may
have something to do with the strong movement today, of people that would
like to see marijuana and hemp legalized. Politicians say they trust the
people and the voters are not stupid, yet they tend to vote opposite to
that conviction. They seem to lack common sense when it comes time to legislation.
The use of hemp for industrial reasons has been stymied
and the elderly and the ill suffer because this often misused, but beneficial
weed, has been banned. Except for the fact the stuff smells like sewerage
is there much difference between them and those that bought illegal hooch
from the agents of Bugsey Siegal and Al Capone? Take the profit and the
crime out by legalizing something and it will take much of the glamour
out and keep those who desire to use it in moderation from becoming criminals.
FDR’s family gained most of its wealth from smuggling
Opium into (not out of) China. There were more opium addicts in this country
at the turn of the century, than there are today. The difference is they
went out and purchased legally store products like Lydia Pinkham (made
in Lynn, Mass) which had, like most things of its time, a high alcohol
and drug content. It was mothers and grandmothers and aunts and sisters
that were addicted to these medicines which would be totally banned today.
Is your baby teething? Put Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup
on their gums. Totally unregulated a well meaning mother would apply it
liberally to the baby’s gums, and many a baby never woke from this soothing
treatment. Regulation is healthy but prohibition is inhibiting and a form
of censorship.
There is usually more “anti” ephemera than there is “pro”
on addictive substances. The exception is advertising for the liquor manufacturers.
The only Hemp cards we know of are either modern, sixties and 70s comic
or message type cards, or showing hemp growing in Kentucky etc. in the
days when it was a state flower and legal to grow.
Ever heard the expression chewing old rope? This comes
from growing hemp for the making of rope. Some theories are that the Salem
Witch Trial accusers were chewing on it, but even if they were, it would
not have caused such symptoms. This theory has been discredited.
Most of the hard liquor advertising was done in the chrome
period and is quite fun. Remember “That little old wine maker Me.” commercials
that Italian Swiss Colony did? They were great and the cards done by the
company aren’t that bad either. Liquor stores advertised themselves by
giving or sending out postcards of some of the products they sold. The
one illustrated is from the Tsairis Bros. of LI.
Beer advertising cards begin way before 1900 and the early
lithographed advertising trade cards and booklets are extremely desirable.
Carry Nation, with or without a hatchet in her hand, pro or anti her campaign
for a dry world, is interesting social history but has few ardent collectors.
The comic “On the wagon” cards fare slightly better because people still
find them funny.
Prohibition turned the average man into a criminal and
that is probably one of the reasons that it didn’t last long. Common sense
said that you couldn’t stop it, so regulate it. “They make it in the cellar
and carry it on the hip, but if you haven’t got the price ole dear, You’ll
never get a sip.”
It was estimated that during prohibition 90% of law enforcement
officers broke the law, themselves. One day they would confiscate the stuff;
the next, when they weren’t busy having their pictures taken with it, they
were either busy drinking it, giving it away, or selling it! Even the medical
profession joined in as individuals would go to their doctor who would
prescribe for medicinal reasons, medicines that would be hard pressed to
not be mistaken for whiskey or brandy etc., which were then filled by the
friendly druggist in a very legal manner.
Wine advertisements tend to sell higher as the artwork
and graphics are of such high quality. The posters and poster-art postcards
were very popular in their day and fetch great sums today. Fans, with each
section as a calendar month, were done with art nouveau designs and the
prices of these have soared to the point that they do raise eyebrows. Lithographed
sheet music like “Champagne Charlie” are now fetching about $75 where the
fans are worth $800 on up.
Willie Gluckstern, author of the “Wine Avenger” (1998
Simon and Schuster) is someone you see at all the ephemera shows. He is
buying and using some of the early graphic designs for new wines – labels.
These will be collectible in a very short time, as the designs are so classic.
Incidentally, this is the best no nonsense book I’ve read on wine and it
is good for beginners, advanced wine drinkers, and those that enjoy humor,
as Gluckstern, pulls the cork out and pokes fun at the foolish and pompous
in this no-nonsense, but very tongue-in-cheek book.
Fred Allen, the great American comic of radio, movie and
vaudeville, grew up in the Boston area. His father was an alcoholic, who
would come home and beat him, assuming he could catch him. This was the
source for some of the shtick he wrote. Many of Allen’s characters in “Allen’s
Alley” were drinkers. Senator Claghorn from the Deep South, so far south
that he thought the Mason Dixon Line was the end of the world, liked his
Mint Julep’s. Cassedy, the Irishman, was often talking through a half empty
pint of whiskey. Titus Moody, the Down Easter from Maine, who some of you
remember for his ads for Pepperidge Farms, “Liked a little bit of what
mother made in the back yard. Not that it was alcoholic mind you, but it
sure warmed the innards, if you know what I mean, Bub.”. Mrs. Nussbaum,
a Jewish Mrs. Malaprop who fractured the language, was not averse to a
drink. It was probably what made her able to cope with her husband Pierre,
who definitely didn’t mind indulging.
Remember Charlie Weaver? The battery-operated toy even
has a cocktail shaker in its hand.
What about WC Fields’, “Never touch the stuff -- water
that is.”
Duffy’s Tavern always began “Duffy’s Tavern, Archie speaking.”
It would never have survived as Duffy’s teashop or coffee emporium. There
is a wealth of items to collect on the subject and one could build an entire
library on the characters, real and imaginary, that populated the world
of Speakeasies and flapper girls. Photo stills of the radio actors, especially
signed ones, are hard to find. Every now and then a “find” from someone
who worked at the Blue Network will find its way onto the market.
Addictive substances are not limited to alcohol, cigarette
and hemp. Scientists are now saying Curry is addictive, which means that
most people who live in India, and many who live out of it, are addicts.
Caffeine is addictive. Therefore, soda and coffee drinkers are addicts.
Lastly, Chocolate is addictive. Now I think all of these thing should be
banned. As a Chocolate addict, whose mother ate at least a pound a day
of Fannie Farmers when she was pregnant with said author, I would like
to start a class action suit against the chocolate companies! Once all
of these substances which are detrimental to our well being are prohibited,
we can see what else the Puritans banned, including freedom of religion,
in early America.
Oh dear, are those the ghosts of Jefferson, Adams, and
Ben Franklin turning over in their graves? Let’s wait and see just how
much the next President trusts the American people.
A note from the author: The TASTES AND SMELLS OF HALLOWEEN is at the
printers and should be available about the time you read this column. This
is my 8th book, but the first one I have published myself. The printing
is being arranged by Granite State Printing of Manchester, NH (603-623-7825).
Todd Johnston who did the photography in my first Halloween book did the
design and layout of this book and he did an incredible job. The book is
all in color and is as zany as I am! It has three of my ghost stories,
50 recipes that Trick or Treat Trader subscribers and I have put together,
and it is full of the history of Halloween, hints how to celebrate and
decorate, and wonderful illustrations. The front and back covers are items
by artist Jack Roads, who is having a major exhibition of his works in
California right now. Jack was great about getting these to me in time
for the cover. The other illustrations range from vintage postcards and
candy containers to the works of some of the most important Halloween artists
today. You will see some of their work in “Collectible Halloween Decorations
and Games” which was published by Schiffer Publishing this year and was
my fifth book for them. Kathy Stacio Schorr, Ginny Betourne, Rebecca Venable,
Christine Gambione, Jack Roads, Rick Connant, and Debbiee Thibault are
some of the artists whose works will make this book special. We hope you
will be giving this book as a Christmas present this year! Or for Thanksgiving
gifts. The price is $20, but orders of a dozen or more get 25% off. Sure
hope you will tell all your friends about this. If this publishing project
is successful, we will be doing one a year as well as writing for other
publishers. The money from this project will all be put in a fund to finance
another book and/or to open the Halloween Museum. Shipping charges will
be extra and we will sign any amount of books for you, or if you want a
book signing set up, just let me know.
Blessings to all of you and thanks.
Trick or Treatingly Yours,
The Halloween Queen,
Pamela E. Apkarian-Russell
PO Box 499
Winchester, NH 03470
603 239-8875
http://adam.cheshire.net/~halloweenqueen/home.html