More Ads From The Now Dead 1939 Progressive Farmer

I was able to salvage a few ads from The Progressive Farmer before I chunked it yesterday. These were too cute to pass up.
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Those are some nice curves, if I do say so myself. I can almost hear her saying, “Toodles!”

And check out his curves as he arches into fresh running water.

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It IS important to have plenty of water in your barnyard and outbuildings.

It’s also important to have the “same refrigeration that a million city folks now enjoy,” according to this ad for a kerosene fridge. What the what? Have you ever heard of such a thing?

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19 thoughts on “More Ads From The Now Dead 1939 Progressive Farmer”

  1. Ahh, cars, water, refrigeration – all important arts of our daily life now. I had to lookup the kerosene fridge, I’d never heard of it. It is one of a type called “absorption” fridges that are now typically run by propane or natural gas in RV’s. Absorption fridges use a heat source instead of electricity to operate. They are still used in off grid applications or where there is waste heat available. They are only about 1/5 as efficient as a fridge with a compressor. They were using the kerosene as a heat source to run the fridge. They can be used very effectively in places with extra heat – say a geothermal environment like Iceland or places with say turbines producing extra heat that has to be dissipated (like your rocket propelled car or an aircraft- Ha!) They were invented back in the mid 1800’s and were perfected and marketed in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Electrolux originally acquired the business and manufactured them but sold the division in 2001 to an investment firm that created a stand alone company called Dometic, which still market absorption fridges but not kerosene.

    I actually knew none of this until I looked it up – thanks for the interesting piece Kerbey.

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    1. 1/5 as efficient is no selling point. egads. we don’t have kerosene anything. i haven’t seen a kerosene in lamps. in fact, the only reference to it I’ve heard this century is Miranda Lambert wanting to hurt a fool man.

      Thanks for sharing the info. I guess it makes sense for an RV to have an absorption fridge.

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      1. Image continued: Picture 1928 Allis Chalmers, it had two speeds, slo and slower. I would hold it in the furrow- thought I was driving at age three on Dad’s lap. I was nearly 13 before I was strong enough to start it with the crank.

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  5. Wow. Those are some neat old ads. I think it is amazing the things we take for granted. Running water and refrigeration just to name a few. If it weren’t for those ads who would know about kerosene refrigerators?

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    1. Now we are enlightened! Sometimes if our pilot light goes out and I get in a cold bath, I think, “This is what those people in the Titanic felt like when they hit the water.” Because that’s the closest I can relate to freezing water! I think of people going to outhouses in icy weather, or a cold shower–no, no, no! I want it scalding hot. Yes, we are spoiled now.

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