Antique 1888 Fleischmann\'s Yeast Advertising Calendar Complete Leap Year Baking For Sale

Very Rare Antique Fleischmann\'s Yeast Co. Advertising 1888 Calendar
Complete and in Remarkable Condition6.5\" x 5\" - Printed on Cardstock - ChromolithographicAn Authentic 1888 Item - Not A ReproductionCarefully Stored in My Own Collection Since 1993

Description:

A rare and exceptionally well-preservedoriginal 1888 advertising calendarforFleischmann & Co.\'s Yeast. This Victorian-era premium is100% complete, containing all 12 monthly sheets, each featuring a different charming lithograph of children and baked goods. Remarkably, the calendar is still held together by itsoriginal blue yarn hanger.

I bought this beautiful piece at a long-gone junk shop in Stamford, Connecticut called \"The Treasure Shop.\" I have kept it safe and stored carefully in my own collection for the past 33 years.

The colors are vibrant, and the lithography is crisp. Each sheet is printed on heavy cardstock. The original yarn hanger is intact and in good condition

Some Samples of the Monthly Pages:

TheJanuarypage (see above) features a beautiful young girl, pretty as a rose, holding a dish of fresh buns, with the slogan, \"Take one, they are lovely. Mama used Fleischmann\'s Yeast.\"

This charming page is your gateway to twelve months\' worth of vividly illustrated Victorian calendar sheets combining 19th-century themes and early American branding/advertising by Fleischmann\'s Yeast Co., a firm still in business 138 years later and a favorite of American bakers to this very day.

TheFebruarypage of this premium-tier Victorian advertising piece is absolutely stunning. The illustration is part of a \"World Traveler\" theme common in late 19th-century advertising, depicting an Arctic scene with Indigenous people (historically referred to in this context as \"Eskimos\") and a sled branded withFleischmann & Co Compressed Yeast. The use of vibrantchromolithographyto create the \"sunburst\" effect in the background is a hallmark of the high-quality printing of the 1880s.

The Leap Year Connection:Notice that the February calendar ends onFebruary 29. 1888 was aLeap Year, which is a detail specific-year collectors (and people born on Leap Day) will surely appreciate(and people born on Leap Day) look for

TheAprilpage (above) is another fantastic example ofVictorian social history. It depicts a domestic scene that would have resonated perfectly with the target audience of 1888: a mistress and her waitress discussing the quality of their baking.

The dialogue at the bottom is pure \"hard-sell\" advertising of the era:

Waitress:\"Yes, Cook tried that new yeast the grocer sent us yesterday.\"
Mistress:\"Well, tell her that in future, to use only Fleischmann’s Yeast and to look well at the label, there are so many imitations.\"

The \"Domestic Service\" Theme:Collectors ofBlack AmericanaandSocial Historyoften look for items showing the relationship between \"Mistress and Servant\" in the late 19th century.

Vivid Interior Detail:This page showcases a beautiful Victorian dining interior, including a sideboard and tea service, which appeals to collectors ofVictorian interior designandlifestyle ephemera.

Direct Branding:The explicit mention of \"looking at the label\" to avoid \"imitations\" is a classic example of early brand protection marketing.

Vibrancy of the chromolithographyis consistent throughout. The fact that the colors are so saturated (look at the deep red of the mistress\'s dress and the bright sky blue) indicate this calendar was stored in a dark, dry place for most of its life.

ThisMaypage (above) is arguably the most valuable for a collector ofGeneral Store Advertising, as it shows a direct interaction at a 19th-century store counter. It features a young girl returning a cake with a fantastic \"scolding\" marketing message:

\"Mama sent me back with this cake because it isn\'t Fleischmann’s Yeast even if it has a yellow label.\"

The \"General Store\" Interior:Collectors ofCountry StoreandGilded Age Retailhistory specifically look for images showing the shelves, the clerk\'s attire (note the classic waistcoat and tie), and the transaction over the wooden counter -- all of which are present in this beautiful illustration.

Brand Competition History:The mention of the \"yellow label\" is a fascinating piece of marketing history. It shows that Fleischmann\'s was actively fighting \"knock-off\" brands that were trying to mimic their famous packaging to confuse customers.

TheJunepage represents another important, though complex, facet of Gilded Age marketing. This image is a prime example ofBlack Americana advertising, featuring caricatured figures and exaggerated dialect to sell a product—a common practice for major brands in the 1880s.

The text on the scroll reads:\"\'Sperience hab overcome my aversion for Fleischmann\'s Yeast.\"

Visual Elements:The vibrant blue background and the use of a banjo and flowers in the border motifs are classic Victorian design elements that enhance the visual appeal of the set.

ThisOctoberpage is a fascinating \"companion\" to the April domestic scene. It features a conversation between a mistress and her cook in a Victorian kitchen, and like the June page, it falls into the category ofBlack Americana advertising.

The dialogue reinforces the brand\'s superiority through the lens of household management:

Mistress:\"Well, Cook: as long as buckwheat flour is in season we must have buckwheat cakes for breakfast. What yeast will you use?\"

Cook:\"Fleischmann\'s Yeast, Ma\'am, is my choice. I can make anything in de bakin\' line wif it. It\'s a right smart yeast.\"

Kitchen & Stove Detail:Collectors ofAntique ApplianceandCulinary Historylook for images of early cast-iron cookstoves. This page provides a great visual of a 19th-century kitchen setup.

Autumnal Aesthetic:The use of vibrantfall foliage(maple leaves) in the border makes this one of the most visually striking pages in the set. It’s perfect for seasonal display.

The \"Buckwheat\" Reference:Buckwheat cakes were a staple of 19th-century American breakfasts. This specific culinary reference adds a layer offood historythat appeals to specialized collectors.

This December page is a perfect holiday finale for your 1888 calendar. It depicts a festive Victorian family scene centered around a magic lantern show—the \"father of film\". The beam from the projector highlights the Fleischmann\'s brand, making it a masterpiece of early entertainment-based advertising.

The Magic Lantern Theme: Collectors of early optical toys and cinematic history specifically look for magic lantern imagery. Professional mahogany and brass lanterns from this era can sell for thousands, and high-quality paper ephemera documenting their use is very desirable.

Holiday Iconography: The combination of the Christmas tree with lit candles, the angel above, and the toys scattered at the bottom (like the ball and blocks) taps into the nostalgia of the Victorian Christmas tradition.

Unique Narrative: The text at the bottom, \"Change that picture. No advertisements,\" is a playful meta-joke on the nature of the calendar itself, which will appeal to collectors of clever advertising history.

CONDITION:VERY GOOD ANTIQUE CONDITION. Exceptional vibrant color; minimal foxing; complete with original yarn. Signs of light wear from use, such as at yarn holes near top. This high quality item has been carefully stored in my personal collection since 1993.

Track Page Views With
Auctiva\'s Counter