Everyone needs a towel, including my mom who was just in town visiting and I went to grab her a towel for a shower and…no towels. WHAT?! How is this possible? No clue, but how embarrassing that I had to use a pool towel for my mom? Oh Liz. Ha!

This dilemma inspired me to explore the world of vintage towel advertising from the 1920s to the 1950s. Towels are an everyday essential—whether it’s hand towels, beach towels, or shower towels, we all use them. So, let’s dive into the these ads!

1940s vintage advertisement for Cannon Towels from a McCall's April 1943 magazine.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase

Vintage Towel Advertising 1920s-1950s

“Color Magic-with Cannon!” “$0.39 to $2.95” for the towels. 1950s advertisement.

Disclaimer: There is going to be quite a few Cannon towel ads in this post.

1950s vintage advertisement: 1950s cannon towels print ad-"Color Magic -with Cannon!". Fun vintage ad for your bathroom decor.

Source: Etsy-AmericaCenturyShop

1924 ‘Martex Turkish towels, bath mats & wash cloths.

1920s vintage advertisement for Martex Turkish Towels bath mats and wash cloths. Ad is from 1924. Fun vintage ad for your bathroom decor.

Source: Etsy-AmericaCenturyShop

1939 Smart hand loomed finger towels. Handwoven by girls who earn while they learn. Berea College Student Industries Berea, Kentucky.

1930s vintage advertising: Smart Hand Loomed Finger Towels Berea College Student Industries Berea, Kentucky Handwoven By Girls Who Earn While They Learn Date: 1939

Source: Pinterest

“New quick luxury drying at popular prices”. “Cone Towels with the super-spongy texture and bath-beauty colors”. 1951 advertisement.

Love the cute towel fishes in the ad.

1950s vintage advertisement for 'Cone Towels' "with the super-spongy texture and bath-beauty colors'.Fun vintage ad for your bathroom decor.

Source: Etsy-AmericaCenturyShop

1932 Cannon Towel ad. “Good news-for the friends of the bride-to-be….This Spring’s Cannon Towels are sweet and low!”

Further Reading: The Wedding Gift that keeps on giving-Vintage ads for the future bride

1930s vintage advertisement: 1932 Cannon Towels for the Bride-To-Be.

Source: Etsy-AmericanCenturyShop

1940 Cannon Towels ad. The 1940s fashions and the colours and designs for these towels are fantastic.

1940s vintage ad from 1940 for Cannon Towels featuring different women in 1940s fashions doing different things with their towels. Fun vintage ad for your bathroom decor.

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

Dundee Beach Towels, 1950.

1950s vintage advertising for Dundee Beach Towels from 1950 featuring two women with 1950s sunglasses wearing the towels.

“Dreamhouse Perspectives. Exactly as you pictured it!”. Here is another fun 1950s Dundee towel ad, this time for your home.

1950s vintage advertising for Dundee Towels for your dream home featuring a closet full of towels.

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

Helping the war effort is hard & grimy work and women factory workers need a towel that can make them feel wonderful after. Thanks Cannon! 1940s advertisement.

Further Reading: World War 2 Women’s Contributions & Homefront Posts

1940s vintage advertising for Cannon Towels featuring a woman having a shower after doing her part for the WW2 war effort

Source: Pinterest

1926 Martex Towels “helps you not get a cold”, at least according to this ad.

1920s vintage ad for towels from Martex featuring images of 1920s people

Source: Etsy-RelicEclectic

1930s vintage ad for bathroom towels from Cannon. I love the towels featured in this ad.

1930s vintage advertising from Cannon towels for bathroom towels. The ad features a 1930s bathroom and a baby.

Source: Etsy-AmericanCenturyShop

1952 Christmas ad for Cannon Towels. “Merry Christmas with Cannon Gifts Sets”. How fun are the sets? So 1950s kitschy.

1950s vintage advertisement: 1952 Christmas ad for Cannon Towels. "Merry Christmas with Cannon Gifts Sets". How fun are the sets? Love it! So 1950s kitschy.

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

“For smart & useful gifts, bath towel sets by Martex”.

I like the patterns for these bath towels in this 1931 ad.

1930s vintage advertisement for bath towels from Martex-1931 ad.

Source: eBay

“Where does all the wet go, Mum?”. 1945 Ausmill towel ad. “The Guaranteed Towel”.

1940s vintage towel ad from 1945 for Ausmill towels the guaranteed towel featuring a kid getting dry

Source: Archive.org

Question: Was Cannon Towels the only brand doing advertising during the time periods in this post? I found it kind of odd that it was so hard to find other brands to share. Any insights welcome! Comment below.

Further Reading (archived):

Vintage Advertising 1920s-1960s
Vintage Home Inspiration (archived collection of blog posts)

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

One of my favourite things to do in the summer time in Toronto, is to attend the ‘Canadian National Exhibition AKA the CNE’. It’s been around since 1879 and it is just a giant fair filled with yummy foods, exhibits, rides, music and loads of people watching. Love it!

Due to my love on this topic, I have done several blog posts on the subject that you can see & read at the end of this post.

Today, I am delighted to present another round of captivating vintage photos from the CNE. After all, can anyone ever really have enough fun images from fairs and exhibitions? Let’s jump in and explore together!

1930s vintage sign: This sign, of the new glowing type, invites all to the 1938 Canadian National Exhibition-Diamond Jubilee Year 1938

Source: Toronto Public Library

History of the CNE

The Canadian Encyclopedia has a great easy to read article on the history of the CNE. I recommend taking a read when you have a chance.

Fun Fact! In 1879 the fair was originally called the Toronto Industrial Exhibition, and all but one of the 23 wooden buildings – the Crystal Palace – were devoted to agriculture. The fair was officially renamed the Canadian National Exhibition in 1912. At that time, the hope was to better reflect the scope of this always diverse fair (Source).

Vintage CNE Photos 1920s-1960s

1968-Bavarian Garden Restaurant that was under the Alpine Way ride at the CNE.

I adore this photo because my dad is from Germany and I love a good schnitzel.

1960s vintage photo from 1968 at Toronto's CNE-Canadian National Exhibition featuring an image of the Bavarian Garden Restaurant in 1968.

Photo Source: CNE Heritage has an amazing collection of images & advertisements from its archive.

A group of young men in 1959 holding their midway prizes for the photo. 3 stuffed animals and one marionette doll.

1950s vintage photo of CNE Visitors and their midway prizes in 1959. The image is a group of boys holding a doll and stuffed toys

Source-Pinterest: CNE

1920s vintage photo of the Canadian National Exhibition Dufferin St. Gate (designed by G. W. Gouinlock in 1910). So Grand!

The Dufferin Gate was the primary entrance to the CNE grounds until the 1927 opening of the Princes’ Gates on the east end of the grounds (Source).

Source: Toronto Public Library

In the 1950s, the 1910 gate was demolished to make way for the construction of the Gardiner Expressway. This 1959 Gate was built 15 metres south of where the first two Dufferin Gates stood.

The 1959 Dufferin Gate (below) is a parabolic arch built of reinforced concrete. Its design is similar to the St. Louis Arch, which, although technically built after the Dufferin Gate, had been designed earlier. It was built at a cost of $265,000 (Source).

1960s vintage photo of the Arch at the Dufferin Gate for the CNE-Canadian National Exhibition

Source: Archives of Ontario

Cotton Candy..pure sugar but oh so good! Fun photo from 1961 youth day of a young girl enjoying her own cotton candy on a stick.

1960s vintage photo from Toronto's CNE Canadian National Exhibition youth day in 1961 featuring a young girl eating cotton candy in a Bavarian hat

Source-Pinterest: CNE

1930s photo of different dogs that entered a contest at the exhibition. Which one is your favourite?

Further Reading: Vintage photos of people with their pets.

1930s vintage photo from Toronto's CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) featuring images of dogs in a dog contest.

Source-Pinterest: CNE

Hop on let’s check out the CNE! 1950s vintage photo of a group of older adults taking a ride on the tram around the park. Back of the photo has writing saying “Toronto Exhibition”.

1950s vintage photo of a group of older adults taking a ride on the tram around the CNE-Canadian National Exhibition. Back of the photo has writing saying "Toronto Exhibition".

Source-eBay

1941 photo: C.N.E. crowds see first showing of ‘Britain at War’. Nearly an hour before the doors of The Star’s theatre on the balcony of the Automotive building opened for the premiere showing of the film Britain at War a great audience had gathered (Source).’

1940s vintage photo: 1941 photo: C.N.E. crowds see first showing of 'Britain at War' in Toronto (Canadian National Exhibition). The image features 2 women in nurses uniforms and 2 men in uniforms.

Source: Toronto Public Library

TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) buses serving the CNE, August 1930.

Super late 1920s / early 1930s fashions on our ladies leaving the bus.

1930 vintage photo of a TTC Toronto Transit Commission dropping of people in late 1920s fashions at the CNE.

Source: CNE Heritage

Talking Budgies & Bingo! Welcome to the late 1960s (maybe even 1970s?) CNE!

1960s / 1970s vintage photo of Toronto's CNE-Canadian National Exhibition featuring an image of people standing outside of the Bingo Buidling.

Source: Etsy-ThatWasLife

1947 photo. Daredevils Aerialists, Betty and Benny Fox, brother and sister, are a breath-taking feature at the C.N.E. They are seen reading an edition of The Star on their 18-inch-wide platform. They are high paid air artists, getting $375 daily.

1940s vintage photo from Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition-1947 photo. Daredevils Aerialists, Betty and Benny Fox, brother and sister, are a breath-taking feature at the C.N.E. They are seen reading an edition of The Star on their 18-inch-wide platform. Highest paid air artists, they get $375 daily.

Source: Toronto Public Library

Family taking a break at the CNE in 1926. Love seeing the 1920s fashions in the background and on our resting family.

1920s vintage photo from Toronto's CNE Canadian National Exhibition of a family in 1920s fashions sitting down and taking a break in 1926

Source: CNE Heritage

An evening out at the CNE in the 1940s. This looks to be a fashion show in the stadium grounds but I’m not 100% sure. Love the 1940s fashions in this image.

1940s vintage photo from Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition featuring a stylish couple in 1940s fashions/ The man is in a tuxedo and the woman is wearing a fur jacket, black dress and a hat with a veil.

Source: CNE Heritage

Louis Armstrong and his stuffed koala buddy enjoying some taste testing at the 1954 CNE.

1950s vintage photo: Louis Armstrong and his Koala buddy enjoying some taste testing at the 1954 CNE (Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto). The woman holding the stuffed Kola Bear is a flight attendant.

Source-Pinterest: CNE

Possibly photo of Elfrieda Mais in the 1920s at the CNE. Elfrieda was an airplane wing walker and stunt driver who sadly met an early end doing what she loved.

Read all about her short but incredible life HERE.

1920s vintage photo at the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto) featuring a woman in a race car. It is believed to possibly be Elfrieda Mais a female race car / stunt driver you have never heard of.

Source-Pinterest: CNE

Tap dancing demo in 1937. Some great 1930s fashions in this photo as well.

1930s Vintage Photo from 1937 at Toronto's CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) of a tap dancing demo. 1930s fashions on display.

Source: CNE Heritage

Kids on the CNE Midway, 1940. They look like they are having a wonderful time!

1940s vintage photo of Kids on the CNE Midway, 1940. Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition.

Source: CNE Heritage

Did you enjoy the photos? Will you be attending the CNE or a like exhibition /fair where you live? Share any comments you have about this topic in the section below. I love hearing from my readers.

Further Reading:

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase

Month: August 2024

Vintage Towel Advertising of the Early 20th Century

Vintage Towel Advertising 1920s-1950s

See Vintage Photos from the Canadian National Exhibition

History of the CNE

Vintage CNE Photos 1920s-1960s