Retro Ad Friday: Magnetic Corsets!

1800s magnetic corset ad

There is so much that’s weird about this circa 1890 ad:

  1. I like how the “very thing” is in quotations marks. Unnecessary quotation marks always read to me as: The statement is the opposite of true.
  2. The brand name of these corsets is “Harness,” which seemed to me a very poor decision on someone’s part. But then I saw “C.B. Harness” in small print on the chair. Turns out, he was the president of the company who made these. What an unfortunate combination of last name and product….
  3. Also, have I mentioned? THESE ARE MAGNETIC CORSETS.
  4. The little drawings on the side of the corset demonstrating their magnetism amuse me. They make the models look like robots.
  5. The Medical Battery Company, Ltd. made these corsets. Why would a battery company ever be in the business of women’s underthings?
  6. The “Post Free” bit shocked me. It’s like a Victorian version of Amazon Prime!

I’m going to type out the small print at the bottom just as it appears, terrible grammar and all:

By wearing these perfectly designed Corsets the most awkward figure become graceful and elegant, the internal organs are speedingly strengthened, THE CHEST IS AIDED IN ITS HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT. And the entire system is invigorated.

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