Gary Hornseth

@garyhornseth

Minnesota ephemerist. History, music, visual arts, a bit of baseball. Work = PR. Posts = else. Also the westerly half of Trademark Issues 🎸

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Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 17d

Four trade catalog covers, 1928 Source: Catalogs Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/cata...

Beauty Parlor Equipment
Emil J. Paidar Co.
Chicago, Illinois

A dark, blue-green, textured surface features a gold rectangle border. Inside, a decorative gold crest framing a central shield depicts a substantial-looking barber chair. A ribbon banner reading "The Chair with the Longer Life" wraps beneath the shield. Below the graphic, stylized gold-and-black text reads "Beauty Parlor Equipment, Catalogue No. 31"

Ar-Ke-Tex: The Standard of Textured Tiles
Clay Products Co., Inc.
Brazil, Indiana

The cover image is a straight-on view of a flat, tiled wall. The top of third the wall is light tan tiles, with reddish-brown tiles below. A window in a wood frame is set into the wall, off-center to the right. Lettering on the top section of the reads "Ar-Ke-Tex ART-KERAMIC-TEXTURES, THE STANDARD OF TEXTURED TILES." The bottom section reads "CREATED AND DEVELOPED BY CLAY PRODUCTS COMPANY INCORPORATED, BRAZIL, INDIANA."

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 21d

What’s your sign?

The Telesign, a giant, electronic news scroller that sat atop the Foshay Tower in Minneapolis from June 1939 until being dismantled in, best I can tell, the first half of 1944.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 21d

Four trade catalog covers, 1927 Source: Catalogs Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/cata...

Lupton Projected Sash Windows
David Lupton’s Sons Company
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

On a dark green background, a brightly colored illustration of what may be a classroom or library setting, with one person sitting at a desk reading a book and another standing in front of a large, multi-paned steel window wall, holding a similar book. The windows are styled to pivot outwards. Below the illustration, bold text reads: "LUPTON PROJECTED SASH FOR OFFICES, SCHOOLS AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - B DAVID LUPTON'S SONS CO. Philadelphia".

Columns and Pergolas
Union Metal Manufacturing Co.
Canton, Ohio

An orange, black, and off-white cover. The left features a high-contrast illustration of a row of classical columns in front of a building. In the background, a domed building sits behind a smaller pergola structure, framed by tall, slender trees under an orange sky. More trees or shrubs in the foreground.

Illustrated Price List
American Lead Pencil Co.
New York, New York

Text included in a central, vertically oriented rectangle includes Illustrated Price List, American Lead Pencil Co., and April 1927. It’s framed by illustrations of drawing tools, featuring four large sharpened pencils pointing inward from the corners: a green "Venus," a brown "Velvet," a dark brown or black "Venus Copying," and a red "Unique Thin Lead." The background is an artfully composed array of erasers, mechanical lead refills, and drafting instruments.

Laundry Chutes
The Pfaudler Co.
Rochester, New York

The cover framed in black shows a white, black and light blue cross-section view of a multi-story building where silhouettes of workers are seeing carrying linens toward a central blue chute into a basement collection cart. The text at the top reads "PFAUDLER" while the bottom text reads "LAUNDRY CHUTES." A circular stamp on the top right reads "Bulletin 678."

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 21d

Exterior color options, 1972 Pontiac General Motors Corp. Image: Car Brochures and Adverts Facebook Group via @archive.org; archive.org/details/1972...

A 1972 Pontiac exterior paint color chart featuring 21 paint swatches alongside text detailing model availability across the vehicle lineup. Color names are: Cameo White, Brittany Beige, Shadow Gold, Brasilia Gold, Springfield Green, Wilderness Green, Adriatic Blue, Revere Silver, Cardinal Red, Julep Green, Starlight Black, Quezal Gold, Lucerne Blue, Anaconda Gold, Monarch Yellow, Sundance Orange, Cinnamon Bronze, Antique Pewter, Cumberland Blue, Spice Beige, and Arizona Gold. Accompanying copy outlines specific restrictions for each color grouping. For instance, the Firebird Trans Am is limited to two options, while certain hues are reserved for Ventura II models or full-size cars and station wagons. The document concludes with information regarding interior coordination options, a standard color fidelity disclaimer, and 1971 printing codes.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 22d

Sales brochure cover (Netherlands) Fiat 1956 Image: Car Brochures and Adverts Facebook Group via @archive.org; archive.org/details/101_...

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 22d

Keiko Minami (Japanese, 1911-2004) Cherry Tree (Cerisier) 1959-62 Etching with aquatint; ink and color on paper Minneapolis Institute of Art, this afternoon

A stylized, leaf-shaped tree filled with groupings of thin horizontal lines, hanging black cherries, and two small red birds perched on a branch. The background is a textured, light beige color with two thin, golden clouds at the top. Three cherries on the ground. The print is numbered 3/50 on the bottom left and signed by the artist on the bottom right.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 22d

Rubber tile patterns Simon Manges & Son, Inc. New York 1928 Image: Avery Library Architectural Trade Catalogs Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/segn...

20 square swatches of marbled, textured rubber tile arranged in a four-column by five-row grid. Each sample is labeled below with a color number, a descriptive name, and a list of its component colors printed in a serif typeface. The swatches showcase various color combinations, including deep blues, mottled greys, rich reds, earth-toned browns, and vibrant greens, all swirling with contrasting elements of white, black, or cream.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 22d

(2) It had a wood-lined cargo surface.

The rear cargo area of a 1958 Volvo P445 wagon. The cargo floor is lined with narrow wooden strips set in parallel.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 22d

Sales booklet cover Volvo P445 Station Wagon 1958 Image: Car Brochures and Adverts Facebook Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/1958...

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 22d

Above post’s “Saint Paul wall” image with St. Paul’s iconic First National Bank Building “1” sign superimposed over the top of several vertically stacked squares on the wall to suggest, with generous allowance, an abstract skyline.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 22d

Trade catalog cover, phonographs Pathé Frères Paris 1931 Image: Catalogs Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/Path...

An olive-green cover featuring a variety of text styles in blue. The upper section contains the lowercase phrase "les meilleures machines parlantes” stacked in delicate lettering, with “l” and “h” characters joined in a straight vertical line running off the top of the cover. In the center, the large name "PATHÉ" in large block letters has "OLOTONAL et DIAMOND" running through the middle. The bottom section lists the address "PATHÉ, 79, AVENUE DE LA GRANDE ARMÉE, PARIS." An elegant monogram-style “1931” with gracefully swooping and overlapping numerals sits in the top right corner.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 23d

No. 13 (White, Red on Yellow) Mark Rothko 1958 Image: Metropolitan Museum of Art; www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...

A painting featuring horizontal bands of color stacked on a golden-yellow background.The top band is a large, rectangular block of muted grey. The middle band is a warm, bright yellow rectangle that’s very close to the main background color, The bottom band is a dense, solid rectangle of deep red. With a generous allowance, the color palette approximates the colors of the image in the original post.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 23d

A question, this week in 1924, Minneapolis Star

A small display ad for the Tait Wall Paper & Paint Co. At the top, an illustration shows a man and a woman in evening attire looking at various draped rolls of patterned wallpaper. Below the illustration, the bold headline reads: "After Every Party do you wonder if your friends have noticed your wallpaper?" Body copy: "The right wall paper is a matter of good taste, not one of great expense. A selection is easily made in our modern display room. All the latest patterns are here for your approval." At the bottom, the company name is featured prominently as "The Tait Wall Paper & Paint Co." followed by the address "1700 EAST FRANKLIN". July 20, 1924.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 25d

Four trade catalog covers, 1929 Source: Catalogs Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/cata...

“H&H Fine Switches and Wiring Devices”
Arrow-Hart & Hegeman Electric Co.
Hartford, Connecticut

The illustration features a stylized cityscape, factory buildings, and residential homes connected by a swirling, ribbon-like pathway. Prominently displayed along the path are two large electrical items: a cylindrical switch and a rectangular wall toggle switch. At the top, large initials "H&H” are prominent, with the small text "Catalogue 'U'" printed in the bottom right corner. The color palette consists of muted blues, grays, and accents of orange.

$Upson Relief Ceilings Upson Co. Lockport, New York The cover image shows a beige square ceiling design divided into a nine-panel grid, framed by a light blue border and outer gold trim. Below the graphic, blue cursive text reads "Upson Relief Ceilings" with the tagline '"THE ARISTOCRAT OF CEILINGS"' beneath it. A small decorative logo is centered below the text, followed by the cursive slogan, "All the beauty of hand-modeled plaster at a fraction the cost," written at the bottom.$

Pattern Book: Armstrong’s Linoleum
Armstrong Cork Co.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Cover titled "Armstrong's Linoleum, Armstrong's Quaker Rugs and Floor Covering." The text is displayed inside a beige rectangular box with a thin red border, positioned in the upper left quadrant of the cover. The background features a repeating geometric pattern of interlocking block shapes in shades of green, dark teal, and muted yellow-beige accents.

Mercoid Controls for Heating Equipment
Mercoid Corporation
Chicago, Illinois

A grey background. At the center, a stylized graphic features a black switch bulb icon enclosed in a rounded frame, radiating five orange, geometric light rays. Below, dark silhouettes of industrial heating machinery, pipes, and pressure gauges line the bottom edge.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 25d

July 22, 1964: Crowds on Nicollet Avenue before the Aquatennial Torchlight Parade, Minneapolis. “The weather, cooled by an afternoon rain, was in the pleasant 70s,” according to the next day’s Star. Image: Hennepin Co. Library; digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/coll...

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 26d

Trade catalog cover Hauserman Movable Partitions E. F. Hauserman Co. Cleveland, Ohio 1929 Image: Avery Library Architectural Trade Catalogs Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/haus...

A catalog cover illustration in a warm, muted tan background. The right two-thirds of the page displays a flat partition wall with prominent typography reading “Hauserman MOVABLE PARTITIONS” followed by "Types T & R" in an elegant script. On the left third, the illustration depicts a partially open door, allowing a glimpse into an office interior. Inside the office, a portion of a desk is in view. It holds a telephone, while a paneled wall, a framed picture, and a hanging chandelier are partially visible in the background under a soft light. No people shown. The illustrator does not appear to be credited.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 26d

Cover, trade catalog Fenestra Hangar Doors and Windows Detroit Steel Products Co. Detroit, Michigan 1929 Image: Association for Preservation Technology via @archive.org; archive.org/details/Fene...

An architectural illustration of what looks like a lovely day. The artwork features a bird's-eye view of a large airfield facility with multiple orange-roofed hangars. An airplane flies low across the scene. People walk around the tarmac. A couple of planes are parked in the hangars. The company name is written across the front of the hangar structures, and the catalog title is displayed in a stylized circle on the asphalt at the bottom right. A small village is seen beyond the airfield, with rolling hills receding into the background. There appears to be no artist’s signature, and catalog does not credit the illustrator.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 28d

(4) Various other catalog illustrations (credits as above).

A package labeled MODERN THUMB TACKS showing an assortment of tacks.

A crystal glass inkstand, cube shaped with beveled edges, with a spherical inkwell embedded within.

A pointing-finger stamp reading YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS

A cardboard countertop display of oval key rings.

WILLIAMSON’S IMPROVED KEY RINGS

PRACTICAL *** CONVENIENT *** USEFUL

NICKEL PLATED

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 28d

(3) Cuff protectors (credits as above).

Catalog page for "Keepklean Cuffs," described as transparent cuff protectors. Images show: 1) A line drawing of a man in early 20th-century business attire sitting at a desk near a door labeled “OFFICE,” looking down at his sleeve cuffs, 2) A detailed sketch of a hand writing with a fountain pen, showing a clear protector slipped over a striped shirt cuff, 3) A detailed sketch showing one hand pulling a clear, band-like protector over the cuff of the opposite sleeve. Copy emphasizes that the product keeps cuffs comfortable and clean during business hours or travel, saves on laundry bills, and shows the colors of the underlying cuff. Packaged in display boxes of one dozen pairs, priced at $4.00 per dozen pairs.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 28d

(2) Rubber stamps (credits as above).

Catalog layout of various text stamps used for business and accounting documents. At the top center, an illustration shows a wooden display rack holding individual rubber stamps. 23 stamp designs are shown, such as "PAID," "COLLECT," "RUSH," "PLEASE REMIT," "C. O. D.," "IMPORTANT," and "PAID IN FULL," displayed in various bold, serif, sans-serif, and outline fonts. The bottom of the page lists pricing details: "Price of card of 24 stamps... Each, $4.00" and "Price of refills... Per dozen, $1.50."

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· 29d

Items, trade catalog “Inkstands, Stationers' Supplies and Specialties” Frank A. Weeks Mfg. Co., New York 1912 Images: Winterthur Library via @archive.org; archive.org/details/inks...

Image of a "Ready 'Phone Index" attached to a candlestick telephone. The index is a small, rectangular book or card holder hanging directly below the telephone's mouthpiece. At the bottom of the index, small tabbed sections show alphabetical groupings.

Copy:

The ready phone index is a very handy and complete index, its use on the phone is not objected to by the Telephone Co.

Ready phone indexes . . . . . Per dozen, $1.50

Special prices for orders with advertisements printed on front. This is a good advertising medium.

Landis Erasing Shields

An illustration of a transparent, rectangular celluloid erasing shield with rounded corners, with various cut-out shapes and slots. The text highlights the tool's benefits for precise erasing of typewritten copy.

“Can be washed like a dish.”

Landis celluloid. Per dozen, $2.00
Landis draftsmans. Per dozen, $2.50

Inkwell carriers

Illustration of a basket with a handle. It carries two trays with 18 round spaces for holding inkwells.

Copy:

Used for carrying ink wells in schools; has two trays and will hold 36 wells; is a very convenient article for the purpose. Adopted by many boards of education, and is in use in many private schools.

Price.... Per dozen, $10.00

Eye shades

Shoulder portrait of serious-looking chap in business attire wearing a translucent visor eye shade and looking directly at camera.

Featherweight...Per dozen, $3.50

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· Jul 18

(2) Plot twist. From @minnpost.bsky.social: “Hennepin County officials, bribes and 74 barrels of hidden whiskey: the Winnipeg Liquor Conspiracy,” by Paul Nelson, Sept. 24, 2018 www.minnpost.com/mnopedia/201...

Martinson served one year at Leavenworth, then returned to Minneapolis and opened a detective agency. Soon he moved to southern California, where he worked briefly for the Salvation Army and as a traveling evangelist. Then he found the movies. He became chief security officer for the motion picture company town Universal City. His local obituaries, in 1935, recorded that he had worked as a "motion picture studio director."

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· Jul 17

Free film noir screenplay prompt, today in 1922, Minneapolis Star

DETECTIVE AGENCIES

NOTICE
I HAVE OPENED UP A HIGH CLASS DETECTIVE BUREAU AT 431 PALACE BUILDING.

Geneva 5266
OSCAR MARTINSON

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· Jul 16

“Why get out of bed at night to dash down stairs to answer the telephone?” Extension telephone marketing in the Minneapolis Star, today in 1924.

A black-and-white illustration of a dapper gent in a dressing gown and slippers hurriedly rushing down a curved wooden staircase. At the bottom of the stairs, a candlestick-style telephone sits on a small table near a fireplace, with jagged lines drawn around it to indicate it is ringing loudly.

Copy:

"An Extension Telephone Saves these Steps.

Why get out of bed at night and dash down stairs to answer the telephone?

An extension telephone upstairs saves these trips. It costs but a few cents a day.

Just call our Business Office and say that you want an extension telephone. Northwestern Bell Telephone Co."

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· Jul 15

A seasonal reminder from this morning in 1919, Minneapolis Tribune

Illustration of dapper chap in straw hat

Your second straw

MOST of us, at this time, are looking for a new straw; the first is beginning to look a bit shabby. Our stock is ready for you; new ones are coming right along. Sennit straws are very stylish.They're $5

No weight felt hats and caps for those who want change from straws.

Maurice L. Rothschild
Palace Clothing House
Minneapolis and St. Paul

Money cheerfully refunded

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· Jul 14

Four color samples from “The Carriage Painters' Companion” John W. Masury, paint manufacturer New York 1871 Image: Smithsonian Libraries and Archives via @archive.org: archive.org/details/carr...

A grouping of four paint samples. Each panel contains a large vertical rectangle of a distinct paint color framed by a thin, double-bordered outline.

A typed label centered below each color names the specific pigment.

Top Left: A vibrant yellow called "Naples Yellow, Light."
Top Right: A bold red called “Pure English Vermilion, Deep.”
Lower left: A dark, rich forest shade titled "Masury’s New Green."
Bottom Right: A deep, dark reddish-brown hue labeled "Superfine Burnt Sienna."

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· Jul 12

Directness in headline copywriting, this morning in 1922, Minneapolis Tribune

Small ad

—
People Drink Coffee Because They Like It

When you buy Holstad’s A Grade you get your money’s worth. A good coffee in a good package. Sold by 800 Minneapolis grocers at 45c a pound.

S. H. Holstad & Company
The Coffee House—Minneapolis

July 12, 1922

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· Jul 12

Seven Sisters Waterfall (De Syv Søstrene) Geirangerfjord Norway 🇳🇴 May 20, 2026, 4:17 pm

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· Jul 11

Flåm, Norway May 23, 2026 3:01 p.m.

A low-angle shot of the Flåm location of the Mall of Norway store, which is a single business specializing in clothing and souvenirs. It has red wood siding and gabled roofline. Above the building, a massive, steep mountain face rises into a cloudy, overcast sky, with numerous wispy waterfalls cascading down the rock and mist shrouding to the peak.

Gary Hornseth@garyhornseth· Jul 11

“And, like hundreds of other busy American cities, Minneapolis is predominantly Barrett-roofed.” Trade ad The Barrett Co., New York The Architectural Forum October 1936 Image: US Modernist Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/usmo...