When I first got this blotter it seemed unremarkable, though the use of the old ink blot disaster trope provided some amusement. It was only at second glance that I noticed the swastikas, used to highlight the slogan, "You Never Blot with a Conklin" (you'll have to click on the picture to see the larger version). The blotter may be dated to the 'teens, when the swastika was still an innocent symbol most closely associated with American Indian art and design.
Fascinating. I've never seen it used as a decorative element in commercial advertising. Unusual.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall seeing the swastika in advertising so much, either -- though I tend to look at earlier material in my recent research -- but it certainly does pop up in other settings, such as interior architecture and of course the decorative arts.
ReplyDelete