I nearly died when I first visited the website Paper Pursuits and if we have anything in common, you will too. A treasure trove of vintage magazines, books and advertisements from the early 20th century to the present day, the site is brimming with stunning images from a lost age. The colors and poses on the vintage covers, particularly those between 1900-1950, are absolutely captivating! When did fashion magazines ditch these creative covers with their fun, intriguing story-lines in favor of a bunch of repetitive, dull close-ups? If I were the magazine editor today I would look back to the early archives for some inspiration. After all, when did you last see a magazine cover that rivaled the red-head above in her sparkling blue hat? If ever, it was a very long time ago…
All these magazines are on sale on Paper Pursuits and range anywhere from $12 to the hundreds. As if the covers don’t sell themselves, the site also provides a detailed description of each magazine’s condition, contents, models, and photographers (many include the greats—Penn, Beaton, Stern, Avedon, etc.). Some even include photographs of the contents inside (see below). Doesn’t the blue, green and checkerboard cover above remind you a bit of Domino? What a wonderful birthday gift these would make for a fashionable friend!
(All images courtesy of Paper Pursuits)
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