02. December 2024
Original Chinese early-1930s advertisement sign for J & Baldwin's "BB" Beehive wool brand. From the MOFBA collection.
This gorgeous cardboard advertising sign from our collection recalls the era when Beehive Wools illuminated Shanghai with the world’s second largest neon sign. Amid the turmoil of the war, this iconic installation briefly revived the city's spirit with a glimmer of hope during the darkest of times:
28. October 2024
J.S. Staedtler ca. 1930s Chinese advertising card and original pencils. From the MOFBA collection.
Would you believe that a 362-year-old German manufacturer has been marketing & selling pencils to the Chinese for 100 years? Well, this ca. 1930s advertising card and original pens from our collection tell the story of how that indeed came about…
20. October 2024
Ca. 1937 Chinese Agfa Isochrom film advertisement sign featuring Liang Saizhu. From the MOFBA collection.
This magnificent 1938 advertising sign for Agfa films from our collection, connects several brands, celebrities and stories we’ve previously covered. It is also a reflection of the profound cultural & societal changes that transformed China during this period.
04. August 2024
1930s colorful print advertisement for "The Dollar Brick" by Hazelwood Ice Cream from Shanghai, China. From the MOFBA collection.
A colorful 1930s print advertisement for the Hazelwood "The Dollar Brick" ice cream. More on the Hazelwood brand and its manufacturer Henningsen Produce from Shanghai, China in our previous article here.
12. July 2024
1925 Chinese calendar poster advertisement for BASF featuring Mei Lanfang and designed by Hang Zhiying. From the MOFBA collection.
Cross-dressing KOL’s, German dyes and Republican China’s most prolific commercial artist: This gorgeous 1925 calendar poster for BASF from our collection, ties back to a lot of topics we previously covered. Follow along for a short but colorful review.
05. July 2024
1936 Shenbao newspaper advertisement for the Phoebus Cartel, represented by the China United Lamp Co. with an original Chinese Philips light bulb. From the MOFBA collection.
Behold an original 1930s Philips light bulb from our collection. If you look closely, you’ll however notice a strange ad behind it: A hint at the largest global business conspiracy you have never heard of and that found its end by what eventually unfolded in China.
25. April 2024
1930s Japanese postcard of the "West Bridge" leading to Shamian Island in Guangzhou, China with a May Blossom cigarettes billboard.. From the MOFBA collection.
This postcard from our collection shows a billboard ad for May Blossom cigarettes on the “West Bridge” leading to Shamian Island in Guangzhou, China. An opportunity to explore the charming former concession area that retains much of its historic atmosphere to this day.
15. April 2024
Ca. 1940 vintage Chinese advertisement for Max Factor Pan-Cake Make-up and Tru-Color Lipstick featuring actress Joan Crawford. From the MOFBA collection.
The “father of makeup” Max Factor created the signature looks of famous Hollywood icons such as Marlene Dietrich and Marilyn Monroe, but items from our collection show how his Oscar-winning cosmetics were not limited to American stars only and already enchanted common Chinese women since the 1930s.
28. March 2024
1940s Chinese hand fan advertisement for "Robin Hood" cigarettes by the Waterman’s Tobacco Co. (中國華明烟公司) from Shanghai, China. From the MOFBA collection.
Robin Hood, the legendary outlaw from English folklore, famously stole from the rich to give to the poor. This 1940s hand fan advertisement for cigarettes named after the swashbuckling hero is from our collection and shows that the iconic character even stole the hearts and minds of audiences in faraway China.
17. March 2024
Original ca. 1940 BASF / I.G. Farben Chinese advertising poster for Indanthrene dye featuring actress Nancy Chan. From the MOFBA collection.
This gorgeous 1940s advertising poster for Indanthrene dye from our collection, features acclaimed Chinese actress Nancy Chan. It also tells the story of a chemical innovation from Germany that deeply influenced the popularization of the iconic Cheongsam or Qipao dress in China. The Badische Anilin- und Sodafabrik, better known as BASF, was founded in Mannheim, Germany in 1865 and had already been actively marketing and selling its “Indigo Pure” dyes in China since 1885.

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