Old Magazine Scans

I invite you to explore my extensive collection of old magazine scans, offering a fascinating glimpse into history through the artistry, culture, and daily life of past eras. I’ve carefully gathered everything from elegant Edwardian fashion illustrations and 1917 crochet patterns featured in The Modern Priscilla to the dazzling 1920s advertisements found in the St. Louis Fashion Pageant. Each scan tells a story about the trends, innovations, and social ideals that shaped society during important moments in time.

Step back with me into the past as I share WWI-era homemaking advice, vintage recipes, and practical housekeeping tips that reveal the resilience and creativity of women on the home front. You’ll also discover how beauty standards evolved—from the iconic 1950s pin-up style to early 20th-century fashion changes—showing how women’s roles and representation in media transformed over the years.

My collection includes rare tatting and embroidery patterns as well as nostalgic advertising styles from over a century ago. These scans bring historical stories to life, making them perfect for history buffs, vintage lovers, crafters, and anyone curious about the origins of today’s culture.

Every magazine page has been personally scanned by me to preserve the original artwork and text quality. Join me in exploring this treasure trove and see how fashion, craft, and innovation built the foundation for modern trends and lifestyles.

The 1924 Sales Manual: Selling Cars by Face ShapeThe 1924 Sales Manual That Matched Cars to Face Shapes: A Bizarre Chapter in Automotive HistoryThe 1924 Sales Manual: Selling Cars by Face Shape

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

In 1924, Durant Motors trained its salesmen to do something extraordinary: sell cars based on facial features. Round face? You needed comfort and padded seats. Pear-shaped face with a pointed chin? You craved beauty and luxury (but might not make your payments). This wasn’t one salesman’s quirk—it was official corporate policy, codified in a training manual by character reading expert Edna Purdy Walsh. Step into the strange world where jawlines determined which automobile you’d drive home, and discover how pseudoscience shaped the cutthroat competition of the Roaring Twenties auto industry.

Edwardian Raffia Hat Making Instructions & 3 Collar & Cuff Sets

Old Magazine Scans, The Modern Priscilla July 1913

This one page illustrated hat making article instructs the reader on what kinds of crochet stitches and materials to use to make a basic fashionable hat out of raffia. Ads on this page included Instant Postum, C-B Cottons, and Hinds Cream.

Mother or Actress? The 1924 Struggle for Identity

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

In 1924, American women faced an unprecedented identity crisis. Just four years after winning the right to vote, they were caught between the glamorous “New Woman” ideal and traditional domesticity. A remarkable article from Character Reading magazine offered surprising wisdom: courage isn’t about being fearless everywhere—it’s about finding the role where you truly belong. Explore this timeless message about authenticity, confidence, and the struggle to be yourself in a world demanding you be everything to everyone.

Lyrics to 1930s songs pt 1

Old Magazine Scans, Popular Songs Magazine: October 1935

I wish that I could find more audio recordings to go with these 1930s song lyrics, but no luck 🙁 This page of lyrics, in particular, I wonder how the music to them went. How quickly culture is lost!

The Greatest Adventure is Your Neighbor: A 1924 Manifesto for Introverts and People-Watchers

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

A 1924 manifesto for introverts: W. Thomas Walsh’s poem about finding adventure in neighbors, not travel. Jazz Age psychology meets modern personality typing.

Dancing, Singing, NightClubs, and 1950s Stripper Stars

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

Wow. What a cool series of pinup and burlesque star history!

I’m not sure if there’s much of a point to the words in these pages, but the pictures show the history of fashion and burlesque with pictures including

1920s advertisements – mainly mens fashions

1924 St. Louis Fashion Pageant, Old Magazine Scans

These illustrated fashion advertisements from 1924 are so interesting! These ads seem primarily directed to retailers, rather than the consumer…. I’ve not peeked thru the pages further than I’ve scanned them, and I’ve not researched the Saint Louis Fashion Pageant yet, so maybe it was more of an industry thing like NYC Fashion Week?

1920s Mens Fashion and Hat Ads

1924 St. Louis Fashion Pageant, Old Magazine Scans

This starts out with a full page ad for The Snugset Clothes Company, which has an illustration of a fashionable man in a suit and alot of text (Men’s clothes that wear as well as they look!). Lion Hats by Langenberg Hat Co lets the picture do the talking. Bettmann-KleinHause Clothing Company (at 1204 Washington Ave.) has a full two page advertisement spread illustrating men and boys, and having on display: men’s suits, men’s overcoats, children’s suits, children’s knee pants, young men’s overcoats, young men’s suits, men’s and young men’s pants, and more.

Late Edwardian Fashion Illustrations, Style Advice, Recipes and Advertisements

Old Magazine Scans, The Modern Priscilla - April 1917

Discover the elegance and practicality of Edwardian fashion through the stunning illustrations and advice in The Modern Priscilla magazine from April 1917. From bridal styles and house dresses to children’s summer outfits and chic spring coats, this issue highlights the adaptable beauty of early 20th-century design. It even features a wartime baking powder recipe to substitute eggs, showing how homemakers balanced creativity and resourcefulness during food shortages. Dive into a fascinating snapshot of Edwardian life, complete with style, grace, and ingenuity!

History of Lingerie advertisements from the 1800s to the 1950s

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

Here are shown some lingerie and shapewear ads from the 1800s-1950s. The chemise replaced the corset cover by 1918, although shape wear was still worn in the 1920s to achieve that stylish “boyish” form. The inflatable bra of the 1950s replaced the “Victoria” bosom pad of 1879… such changes in lingerie styles and advertisements!

Pinup Gals of World War I and World War II: Mary Pickford and Betty Grable

CheeseCake Pinup Magazine 1953, Old Magazine Scans

In World War I, Mary Pickford became the favorite pinup of soldiers when she dressed in uniform and toured the nation selling Liberty Bonds. In World War II, “demand for it [pictures of Betty Grable”] ran as high as 20,000 per week…”. “Able Grable”‘s legs appear in Army topographic maps designed to teach recruits how to hit their mark.

How to Measure for a Victorian Pattern – and The back pages of the 1892 Delineator Fashion Magazine

Old Magazine Scans, The Delineator January 1892

Whew! Finally done scanning this lengthy Victorian fashion magazine! I broke the spine while scanning it, but atleast now it's all digitally preserved. These last few pages of this magazine include alot of advertisements and illustrations....

St. Louis Fashion Advertisements from 1924

1924 St. Louis Fashion Pageant, Old Magazine Scans

Here’s a captivating look at the August 1924 issue of the St. Louis Fashion Pageant, a local society and fashion magazine that reflected the roaring twenties in all its stylish glory. Featuring advertisements for flapper dresses, children’s shoes, and elegant coats, this issue highlights the city’s role as a hub of fashion and innovation. Many fashion companies were based on Washington Avenue, the heart of St. Louis’ bustling garment district, showcasing trends like beaded dresses, wash frocks, and non-wrinkle neckwear. Explore this unique time capsule filled with illustrations, ads, and photography from a pivotal era in American history!

Snake Oil & Success: The Wild World of 1924 Advertisements

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

Step into the wild world of 1924 advertising, where Americans could purchase brain-hacking courses promising 1,000% salary increases, follow diets based on eye color, learn telepathic mind control, and train for glamorous hotel careers. These extraordinary advertisements from Character Reading magazine reveal how the Roaring Twenties birthed modern self-improvement culture—complete with Pelmanism, iridology, “Pep Cocktails,” and correspondence courses promising to transform desperate strivers into successful elites. Discover how snake oil salesmen, legitimate opportunities, and pseudoscientific schemes competed for consumers’ dollars and dreams in an era before advertising regulation, when anything seemed possible and everyone had a secret to sell.

The 7 Rooms of Your Mind: A Guided Tour of Your Own Head

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

Step inside the mind as 1924 imagined it: a seven-room house where energy, intellect, artistry, and spirituality each occupy their own space. This captivating article from Character Reading magazine reveals how the Roaring Twenties understood personality through the now-debunked science of phrenology—offering a fascinating glimpse into vintage psychology, self-improvement culture, and the American obsession with scientific success.

What Your Handwriting Reveals: A 1920s Graphology Workshop on T-Bars and Loops

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

Step into a 1920s graphology workshop where your fountain pen strokes reveal hidden truths. Handwriting expert Hall Cameron’s 1924 analysis decoded personality through T-bars (the “barometer of courage”), the letter F (business mogul or missionary?), and disconnected script (surprise—you’re psychic!). Explore how Jazz Age Americans used handwriting analysis to understand themselves in an era of rapid social change, and discover what your own handwriting might reveal according to vintage personality science.

Do You Have the “Mental-Motive” Temperament of a High-Powered Attorney?

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

Before the LSAT and law school rankings, there was phrenology. This remarkable 1924 article from Character Reading Magazine reveals how career counselors determined legal aptitude by examining skull shape and facial bone structure. Real estate lawyers needed prominent “Locality” organs to avoid getting lost, criminal attorneys required heightened “Secretiveness,” and trial lawyers needed “Combativeness” bumps behind their ears. Explore this fascinating glimpse into Jazz Age vocational guidance, when your professional destiny was literally written on your face—and discover what the “Mental-Motive” temperament supposedly revealed about high-powered attorneys of the Roaring Twenties.

1920s Baby Readings: Determining a Career Before They Can Walk

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

In 1924, anxious parents didn’t just worry about milestones—they sent baby photographs to Character Reading magazine to discover if their infant was destined to become a banker, surgeon, or concert pianist. Explore the fascinating world of 1920s baby character analysis, where phrenology met parental ambition and editors confidently predicted careers based on skull shapes and facial features. From “Baby Dan the banker in the bud” to dietary prescriptions for chemical deficiencies diagnosed from photos, these vintage readings reveal the hopes, anxieties, and pseudoscientific beliefs of Jazz Age parenting. A charming and slightly unsettling glimpse into how every generation tries to unlock their children’s futures.

The “You and I” Faculty: Why Some Men Are Different When You Get Them Alone

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

In December 1924, Character Reading Magazine explored a fascinating concept called “Conjugality”—the brain faculty that supposedly explained why certain men seemed dull at parties but transformed into attentive, passionate companions in private. Rooted in phrenology, this “You and I” faculty offered Jazz Age women a seemingly scientific way to understand selective love, marital compatibility, and the distinction between romantic passion and parental devotion. While the skull-reading science has been thoroughly debunked, the behavioral observations reveal timeless insights about introversion, attachment styles, and the search for lasting love. Explore this captivating glimpse into 1920s relationship psychology and self-improvement culture.

Why Some People Love Storms and Mountains: The “Sublimity” Bump

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

Ever wondered why some people love thunderstorms while others prefer sunny days? In 1924, character readers believed it was all about “Sublimity”—a brain center that governed our love of majesty, grandeur, and the sublime. Explore this fascinating vintage personality theory featuring silent film star Alice Joyce, complete with practical lifestyle predictions and the pseudoscience that captivated Jazz Age America.

Is Your “Personality House” Crumbling? A 1924 Structural Engineer’s Guide to Character

1924-1925 Character Reading Magazine, Old Magazine Scans

What if your personality were a house—would it pass inspection? In December 1924, psychologist Honore Wright asked this revolutionary question in Character Reading Magazine, creating a metaphor that brilliantly merged America’s construction boom with emerging psychology. Walk through “Personality Town” and discover whether your foundation is crumbling, your lights are flickering, or your heating system needs repair. From calcium-rich diets for building “structural bones” to the wild world of 1920s advertisements promising everything from telepathic powers to “iriological diets” based on eye color, this deep dive reveals how the Roaring Twenties shaped modern self-improvement culture—and why these century-old insights remain surprisingly relevant today.

« Older Entries

Old Magazine Scans

The 1924 Sales Manual: Selling Cars by Face ShapeThe 1924 Sales Manual That Matched Cars to Face Shapes: A Bizarre Chapter in Automotive HistoryThe 1924 Sales Manual: Selling Cars by Face Shape

Edwardian Raffia Hat Making Instructions & 3 Collar & Cuff Sets

Mother or Actress? The 1924 Struggle for Identity

Lyrics to 1930s songs pt 1

The Greatest Adventure is Your Neighbor: A 1924 Manifesto for Introverts and People-Watchers

Dancing, Singing, NightClubs, and 1950s Stripper Stars

1920s advertisements – mainly mens fashions

1920s Mens Fashion and Hat Ads

Late Edwardian Fashion Illustrations, Style Advice, Recipes and Advertisements

History of Lingerie advertisements from the 1800s to the 1950s

Pinup Gals of World War I and World War II: Mary Pickford and Betty Grable

How to Measure for a Victorian Pattern – and The back pages of the 1892 Delineator Fashion Magazine

St. Louis Fashion Advertisements from 1924

Snake Oil & Success: The Wild World of 1924 Advertisements

The 7 Rooms of Your Mind: A Guided Tour of Your Own Head

What Your Handwriting Reveals: A 1920s Graphology Workshop on T-Bars and Loops

Do You Have the “Mental-Motive” Temperament of a High-Powered Attorney?

1920s Baby Readings: Determining a Career Before They Can Walk

The “You and I” Faculty: Why Some Men Are Different When You Get Them Alone

Why Some People Love Storms and Mountains: The “Sublimity” Bump

Is Your “Personality House” Crumbling? A 1924 Structural Engineer’s Guide to Character

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