Type A-3 cap: MASH vs Original. A pictorial review.

[coolhandluke]

Only three repros, actually: Bronson, MASH, WWII Impressions. The Bronson's currently undergoing a trial by fire down in Florida, and if it fails, it'll be replaced by a Papa Nui cap.

My apologies Jan. I thought that you had an ATF cap as well.

 

[mulceber]

My apologies Jan. I thought that you had an ATF cap as well.

None called for. I probably wouldn't remember either, except I'm the one who bought them.

 

[Clark J]

What’s their web site ?

 

[mulceber]

whose website?

 

[DenimCanvasCamo]

Images have been deleted. FWIW, the photos were openly found as Google image search results.

There's no need to delete them, I only ask that anyone who uses my images credits them. That's a fair request. Thanks

 

[DenimCanvasCamo]

whose website?

mine again... The Major's Tailor

 

[A2B3G1]

IMHO, it’s a pretty close label, although noticeably different fonts. Interesting as well that the original spec. label contains significantly more text than the repro. I also noticed that the repro label is placed precisely at the back of the cap, while the original is off-center. All the same, still an impressive repro

As marketing enters a more broad scale approach in the era before TV and radio, advertising increasingly uses different font styles and sizes to grab readers' attentions. It's easily visible in post-World War I editions of the Saturday Evening Post, available (if you can find them) in older bound print sets found in library collections. Prior to World War I, customers often bought goods from community hardware stores or mail-in catalog purchases; smaller newspapers of that era often did not feature large block ads for hardware store sales (expenses, I imagine). But catalogs -- especially trade publications marketing to deeper-pocketed businesses -- used different type, size and italicized fonts. Late 19th and early 20th century publications such as the Electrical Engineer feature multi-page advertising sections from makers selling products such as asbestos-insulated wire, alternating and direct current motor applications and arc lamps. Google Books has a nice selection of early industrial trade magazines where the advertising sections are easily viewed. The beauty of the early publications is, since they are more than 100 years old, they have moved into public domain so Google Books makes various editions available (readable) at no cost to the general public.

For example:

https://books.google.com/books/content?id=cPRGAQAAIAAJ&pg=PR25-IA8&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&bul=1&sig=ACfU3U1R7bOJwrTjhJT3r8gj87rMa8EWUg&ci=7%2C14%2C981%2C1563&edge=0

As radio became more prevalent, the attention-grabbing job of the text of newspaper and magazine ads became more of a moot point as radio took over. I don't know when there might've been a shift to more unified fonts in commercials/marketing other than to speculate this might've been in the late 1960s.

All this is to say that various font styles on early and mid-century clothing labels might not be surprising given the business environment of the era.

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Thanks for the "in depth" comparison @coolhandluke ...

I thought i had an original laying around somewhere but need to search a bit longer ...

 

[Clark J]

whose website?

Mash

 

[coolhandluke]

Mash

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