Tanglefoot 1904

General:

    This advertisement was directed at the druggists or other sellers, rather than the buyers.  This flyer spends significantly more time trying to convince the store owner to use Tanglefoot in their store to help convince their customers that Tanglefoot was a good thing to use, and to show that the store owner wants to keep their goods in better condition.  The price per box is still the same as it was in 1897 and 1898 (30 cents), but the price for a case had gone up from $2.55 to $2.80.

Front:

    The image on front depicts a young girl holding a screen door open while a cloud of flies fly into the room, but there is Tanglefoot flypaper laying on the table.  Many flies are already entangled.  The caption reads: "Flies carry contagion.  Tanglefoot catches the germ as well as the fly.

Back:

    The text on back reads: "If flies carry disease, as your customers well know, will it not offend your patrons if you offer them fly-blown and fly-speckled goods?"
    "Will it not be good policy on your part to spread out a few sheets of Tanglefoot in your store and shop windows to show that you are anxious to please your trade with clean, wholesome goods?"
    "Will it not make you many profitable sales to keep Tanglefoot constantly at work within sight of every person who enters your store?"
    "Prices for 1904.  30 cents a box - 25 double sheets.  $2.80 a case - 10 boxes."
    "The Toledo Merchandise Co., Toledo, O."
    Also notice that to the upper left is an image of the other advertising flyer for 1904 shown on these pages.

David A. Rider
Associate Professor of Entomology
North Dakota State University
202 Hultz Hall
Fargo, ND 58105
E-Mail: David.Rider@ndsu.edu

 
Published by the Department of Entomology 

Prospective students may schedule a visit by calling 1-800-488-NDSU.