Madras nalla Madras - vintage ads

I am sure Chennai (Madras) lovers like me would love the rare photographs taken half or even a century back. Planning to have a series under the label "Madras nalla Madras".

You will witness those enchanting, captivating and magical B&W days through few rare pictures, few of them we would have seen as forwards, but not paid much attention to.

Popular advertisements, as always has an aura of attitude towards it. Vintage ads are simple, straight forward and touches your heart...

Photo collection Courtesy: Mageshwar Anbazhagan  (Collector of the photos am planning to use in this short series)

Eco friendly awareness:
Good ole P.ORR & Sons, then selling jewellery, Arms and ammunition, sporting requisites, silver ware and manufacturer of scientific instruments
 Distance makes no difference.. WOW!!!
 Pharmaceutical Chemists:
Once tired; always used



 Enemy....? Re. 1 only and don't miss the "A scrap of paper with a British, not German, guarantee" part...
 Typewriters survived for quite a long period, it survived at least till I finished my typing course in 1987.
 Cigar smokers... "The best HINT of all"?





 Theatre ad...

Convocation Gowns and Hoods...


Whoa! 3 years non stop "running"... Can't help but hum "Manmadha leelaiyai vendraar undo"...


Lawrence and Mayo


New Year Bash at The Taj.... Chinese Ball, Costume Ball and tempting prizes... sounds tempting... 



People who can read Tamil, will be taken aback at a word, which is used liberally, which now is a swear word in Tamil...



 Komala Vilas - Hindu Restaurant; G. N. Chetty & Son - Wine and 'Spirits' merchant; Wiele & Klein's - ? photographic views (Amateur work carefully executed) Kodak film always in stock...



Life insurance ad...  nice pic and nice tag lines to think of a century back...



Snuff and the model sports a tie - Gentry, One 'tola' (measurement on those days) guess the model is the owner and don't miss the clock, a filler may be?


Ahem...! Electro tonic pearls... "Brain fag? Why, here's a positive cure..."


Interesting Ad of all... Buy one and get 15 items free... first Ad of this kind... Buy a Madras mail watch and get:
  1. 1 - Japan hand fan
  2. 1 -  Chrysanthemum for women to wear on their hair
  3. 1 -  Perfume bottle
  4. 1 -  Comb
  5. 1 -  A chain to hold the watch
  6. 1 -  Stone choker necklace (not gold)
  7. 1 -  Compass
  8. 1 -  Mirror
  9. 1 -  Perfumed oil
  10. 4 - Shirt buttons
  11. 1 - Handkerchief
  12. 1 - Ring for you fingers




Buy our medicine and you can forget your fear for scorpion bites...


For those who hated this post or found it boring.... Amrutanjan had the pain balm, Ringworm ointment, tooth powder and what more you get a calendar free, unlike us which was not loaded with engagements.  People kept their calendar free for guests, for friends and always had a minute to spare for even strangers.  No phone call appointments to visit your uncle or cousins... 



Viji

Some say he’s half man half fish, others say he’s more of a seventy/thirty split. Either way he’s a fishy bastard. Google

2 Candles:

Unknown said...

lovely...if one looks carefully one can see the growth and decadence of a city and its people...

Intresting and superb collection... thanks for sharing

wisdom comes with experience

At one, I learnt crawling was fun. At forty one, I still feel crawling is fun #blamemykneesnotme