The Joys of Making Something – Original 1920s Hobby & Beauty Triple Advert Featuring Hobbies Ltd, Price’s Soap, and Oatine Face Cream

Description

Description:
This fascinating vintage print from the 1920s features a trio of advertisements from British brands promoting creativity, hygiene, and skincare. The main heading, “The Joys of Making Something,” encourages boys and girls to take up fretwork as a hobby using tool sets from Hobbies Ltd., Dereham, Norfolk. The ad highlights affordable kits, all made in Britain, with designs that enable children to craft functional household items. With prices starting from 4 shillings and a complete starter set at 9/6, it was an accessible and educational pastime.

Beneath the main ad are two smaller features:

• Price’s Old English Lavender Soap, described as a refined touch for any guest room, known for its natural lavender perfume and enduring fragrance—“the only one true to nature.”

• Oatine Face Cream, marketed for “dainty complexions”, claims to nourish skin even after long days of work or exposure to the elements. With endorsements and a free toilet outfit offer, it was targeted at health- and appearance-conscious women of the time.

The graphic design, fonts, and line art are typical of early interwar period advertisements, full of charm and informative detail. Though the illustrators are not named, the ad style reflects the era’s standard approach to commercial publishing for family magazines.

This original advert has been mounted on black cardboard and measures approximately 12 x 15 cm (4.7 x 5.9 inches), perfect for collectors of vintage British advertising, early 20th-century craft culture, and historical beauty products.

Condition Note:
This authentic 1920s print may show light signs of aging including slight discoloration, minor creases, or edge wear consistent with its age. These natural imperfections add to the item’s charm and vintage appeal.