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williamsburgers1 OP t1_iv8ifl5 wrote

Doing a reno in my apt. Found this on a wall. Building is from the 1860s. Unsuccessfully tried to find out what it was. Based on another poster next to it, looks like it’s from the 1880s.

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dhdhdfjffjj t1_iv8jkre wrote

There is a blog where the dudes dig up old advertising building billboards, forgot the name now but search around building billboards might turn something up. While not directly related they may know someone who can help I’d it

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ooouroboros t1_ivdpayg wrote

Must be from a "dime museum" - kind of like combination museum of curiosities and theatrical 'freak shows' like what later would be sideshows in the circus or Coney Island. There would be a stage where the 'performers' would do their thing. Also this might be seen as an early form of Vaudeville which did not exist yet in the 1860s.

Barnum's Museum (which predated when he took his show on the road as a 'circus') was like a super-size version of a dime museum.

I wonder if that wall in your picture was once an exterior wall - does not like the kind of thing people would glue to their room like that unless someone much later than the 1860's put that up on their wall.

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willothewispy t1_iv8jlay wrote

Wow, this is fascinating. Seems like Holmes’ Standard Museum was advertising a Tuesday matinee starring a Miss Ruth in a play about somebody’s checkered life...? Wish we knew all that it said and when it’s from exactly!

Edit: Also possibly says “week of Sept. 19th,” so that maybe narrows it down a tad.

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dhdhdfjffjj t1_iv8k9lq wrote

Well found an ad from what looks like 1884 same theater not same performance, but start

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35122960/holmes-standard-museum-featuring-in-gb/

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williamsburgers1 OP t1_iv8ks1l wrote

This is so damn awesome. Thanks for finding this. Time to do more investigating.

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Helpy___Helperton t1_ivbnc2o wrote

"hey buddy can you spare a dime?"

"spare an entire theatre entrance fee!? begone you shiftless lout!"

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dhdhdfjffjj t1_ivbnk9a wrote

Haha let’s not forget in those days you could buy a house for like 2k

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dhdhdfjffjj t1_ivbnn6x wrote

To be fair tho average daily pay was like a dollar

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williamsburgers1 OP t1_iv8k2zx wrote

You made out more than I did! I would post the other one right next to it but you can only really make out part of a logo (sheep) a few words and a date that is 188_

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onlyletters999 t1_iv8pb9j wrote

A few years ago in Manhattan, I seen a building being demolished. It was next to another building that had been built before the building that was being demolished was built. One of the abutting walls had a huge advertising mural , back from the same time period as your find when they actually painted them. It was of a laundry detergent and had a lady hand washing clothes in a tub with the wavy metal plate with the two rollers on it. Was pretty cool to think that had not seen the light of day in well over 120 somthing years and was preserved between the brick walls.

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williamsburgers1 OP t1_iv8q0x0 wrote

That sounds amazing. Have a pic of it? Would love to see it. Things like this was so cool.

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onlyletters999 t1_iv8qeph wrote

It was like 15 yrs ago , sorry. Was down by Holland Tunnel entrance if I remember correctly. I think Greenwich St.

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RaisedByMonsters t1_iv8y2mx wrote

Whoa. Dope find. You should post this over on one of the design subs. R/typography or r/design.

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williamsburgers1 OP t1_ivb619r wrote

The building was some sort of factory so maybe someone hung the poster next to their work area 🤷🏻‍♂️

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ooouroboros t1_ivdqr7d wrote

that does not look hung but pasted the way 'bills' still are

Usually that would mean that was once maybe an exterior wall that faced the open air. Possibly this 'bill' was used to seal a hole in the wall a draft was coming through.

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Helpy___Helperton t1_ivbnm1k wrote

it would be nice to get it released from the wall and then place it over an acetate with the missing portions illustrated in so that, sandwiched in a frame it is wholly visible as an complete artifact.

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MC_Gullivan t1_iv8qiy8 wrote

Still wrapping my head around this. Amazing!

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Fopdoodle420 t1_ivag7xp wrote

You should contact the Poster House museum, they love stuff like this!

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flyerhell t1_ivat0kw wrote

Why would someone put this on their wall? Did people hang up posters like this like college kids in dorm rooms do now? Maybe the person who lived in the apartment was in the show?

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ooouroboros t1_ivdq407 wrote

Maybe it was once an exterior wall which a newer building used as a shared wall?

But could be like, someone in the 1940's found a poster from the 1860's and thought it would be cool to glue to their wall, who knows.

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