Judge, 1891-03-28 · page 14 of 22
Judge — March 28, 1891 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Williams' Shaving Soap advertisement** disguised as editorial content in *Judge* magazine. It uses a satirical "dream sequence" format to sell premium soap by warning against cheaper imitations. **The "Dream":** Shows an elegantly dressed woman surrounded by cherubs/putti, apparently representing the luxurious result of using genuine Williams' soap at a quality barber. **The Satire/Sales Pitch:** The accompanying text feigns concern for consumer safety, claiming cheap soap imitations contain "diseased fats, impure oils, dangerous mineral substances" that cause serious skin conditions like eczema and "Barbers' Itch" (a real fungal infection). **Historical Context:** This reflects late 19th/early 20th-century advertising practices—using fear-based marketing about product quality and purity. The warning against counterfeits suggests Williams was a premium, well-known brand competing against knockoffs. The reference to barbers underscores that professional endorsement was valuable marketing. The advertisement essentially weaponizes health anxiety to justify premium pricing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
t VA DREAM of the man whose BARBER uses WILLIAMS’ SHAVING SOAP. BEWARE —lest for the sake of cheapness,” your Barber be tempted to use some of the vile, dangerous imitations of Wittiams' Suavinc Soar, The “cheap” imitations contain “cheap,” diseased fats, impure oils, dangerous mineral substances, all of which, finding lodgment in the pores of the skin, cause untold misery. Such soaps are the prime cause of Sycosts—Barners’ Itcu—Eczema, and most of the distressing cases of Factat ScroFuta. loom LOOK AT aT. ASK—demand—INSIST— For Toilet Use 1 Barber uses bears our imprint as follows ‘ Nothing is as delicate as WILLIAMS' BARBERS’ SOAP. |__4. B. WILLIAMS & COS BARBERS’ BAR SOAP, that your Barber use WILLIAMS’. Buy a pound package of your BARBER. All the world knows of Williams’ famous ‘Genuine Yankee Shaving Soap.” Don't forget the name when you're at the Drug Store. CENUINE YANKEE SOAP, ISc. WILLIAMS’ SHAVING STICK, 25c. WILLIAMS’ BARBERS’ SOAP (Pound package, 6 cakes) 40c. Sold by all Dealers, or Malled on Recoipt of Prine 'n Stamps by ‘Tur J. B. Wittiams Company, Giastonsury, Conn, comicbooks.com