What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago today? “A general Assortment of English and India GOODS.” For the third week in a row, Solomon Southwick, the printer of the Newport Mercury, distributed an advertising supplement because he did not have sufficient space to print all the news and notices submitted to … Continue reading June 7
What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago today? “EXcellent Bohea Tea, which for Smell and Flavour exceeds almost any ever imported.” Joseph Russell and William Russell ranked among the most prominent merchants in Providence in the early 1770s. Their mercantile success allowed them to construct an impressive Georgian house in 1772, … Continue reading March 13
What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago today? “At the Sign of the BOOT, SHOE and SLIPPER.” Joseph Gifford, a cordwainer, placed an advertisement in the May 23, 1772, edition of the Providence Gazette to inform prospective customers that he “NOW works in the Shop of Mr. THOMAS BURKET … on … Continue reading May 23
What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago today? “At the Sign of the Unicorn and Mortar.” On the first day of September in 1770, Benjamin Bowen and Benjamin Stelle advertised “MEDICINES, A full and general Assortment, Chymical and Galenical,” in the Providence Gazette. They informed prospective customers that they could purchase … Continue reading September 1
What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago today? “JOSEPH AND Wm. RUSSELL.” Joseph Russell and William Russell were among Providence’s mercantile elite in the decade prior to the American Revolution. They conducted business at a shop marked by the Sign of the Golden Eagle, a device that became inextricably associated with … Continue reading July 28
What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago today? “Dwelling-House (improved last by Messieurs Jackson and Updike).” Location! Location!! Location!!! An advertisement in the March 17, 1770, edition of the Providence Gazette offered a “House, Lot, and Dwelling-House thereon” for sale. That real estate notice focused primarily on location and amenities lending … Continue reading March 17
What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago today? “To be Sold at the GOLDEN EAGLE.” An advertisement in the February 24, 1770, edition of the Providence Gazette advised readers of “CHOICE FRESH LEMMONS To be Sold at the GOLDEN EAGLE, in Providence.” The advertiser realized that many prospective customers, especially those … Continue reading February 24
What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago this week? “Every lover of his country will encourage … American manufactures.” Benjamin Randolph, one of Philadelphia’s most prominent and successful cabinetmakers, was also a savvy advertiser. He inserted notices in the city’s newspapers, but he also distributed an elegant trade card that clearly … Continue reading January 21
GUEST CURATOR: Samantha Surowiec What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago today? “HOUSE, SIGN, and SHIP PAINTING, done by ROBERT PUNSHON.” Signs were very important in colonial America, since they served as a way for colonists to distinguish between private homes and those that served as taverns for the public. According … Continue reading April 26
What was advertised in a colonial American newspaper 250 years ago today? “To be Sold at the GOLDEN EAGLE.” An advertisement that ran several times in the Providence Gazette in the fall of 1768 informed readers quite simply of “TAR, PITCH and TURPENTINE, to be Sold at the GOLDEN EAGLE.” The notice did not provide … Continue reading November 19