The Designer and The Woman's Magazine, *Free Shipping

Rare Issue:
December 1925 "Christmas Number"

As many of my Juicy History readers know, most of my story ideas begin with a daily read from one of the hundreds of magazines in my collection. Most were once enjoyed by women and families; the earliest date back to the 1840s.

While creating a digital archive of the collection, I discovered that I owned a duplicate copy of this issue. That rarely happens. I have spent decades searching for magazines like these, and they seldom appear on the market.

Sadly, for decades, it became trendy to cut antique and vintage magazines apart then sell individual advertisements and fashion illustrations. Antique malls and shops often devoted entire booths to cut pages and tiny clippings mounted on scrap pieces of cardboard with adhesive tape, then tucked into plastic sandwich bags. Thousands of antique and vintage magazines were destroyed in the process, making intact examples far more scarce than they once were.
Some of the best documentation of daily life disappeared forever.

This magazine one of the special ones, and it is unique because it is a special Christmas edition.  Every page is dedicated to Christmas in 1925.

Offered here is the delightful December 1925 "Christmas Number" of The Designer and The Woman's Magazine, one of America's most popular women's and lifestyle magazines of the early twentieth century. Published by The Designer Publishing Company (founded in 1887) of New York City, with branch offices throughout the United States, the publication was closely affiliated with Butterick and became well known for its fashion influence, chic sewing patterns, homemaking advice, fiction, recipes, and ideas for gracious entertaining for the middle and upper class home.

Published monthly and profusely illustrated in both color and pen and ink, this magazine offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday American life during the Roaring Twenties. This special Christmas issue captures the excitement of the approaching holiday season just as American families were preparing for Christmas slightly over 100 years ago.

Reading this very issue beside the fire on Christmas evening is rather like opening a tiny door into another century, where laughter, the scent of cookies, and the flickering tinsel on the Christmas tree still seem to fill the room on every page.  This is a special kind of nostalgia.

The magazine contains 78 pages, all complete and intact. The beautiful full-color front cover was illustrated by Henrietta Augusta Meday (American, 1868-1967) of New York City, known for her fashion, editorial, and commercial illustration. Although relatively little has been written about her life, she was securing magazine cover commissions and competing successfully with many of the leading male illustrators of her day.

Inside are five Christmas-themed works of fiction together with articles on holiday decorating, entertaining, beauty (with how-tos), gift giving, home sewing, embroidery, and preparing the Christmas dinner. One particularly fascinating article, "Those Electric Things She Wants," explores the growing excitement surrounding modern electrical appliances, a subject I recently discussed in Juicy History.

Fashion enthusiasts will find pen-and-ink and full-color illustrations on every page featuring the newest styles for the 1925 winter and holiday season.  There are even directions for creating a Santa Claus costume for those expecting St. Nicholas at their Holiday party!

Throughout the magazine are dozens of recipes for cakes, candies, Christmas dinners, and holiday entertaining, many accompanied by beautiful illustrations and photographs.  If you are planning a 1920s themed party anytime soon, you will sincerely enjoy the recipes and decorating ideas in this special magazine.

This is not simply a magazine but a remarkable portrait of Christmas in America during the Roaring Twenties.

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Condition

Very good to near excellent antique condition. The magazine is complete and fully intact, with all 78 pp. in addition to front and back full-color covers.

The pages have the overall toning as expected of magazine publications from this era. The paper is supple, not brittle. Colors remain bright and attractive throughout. There are a few tiny chips, short edge tears, and occasional folded corners consistent with careful use and storage over the past century. The spine has slight splitting at the head and foot of the front cover but the binding is tight overall and strong. The front cover does not feel as though it will come off easily, in my opinion.  No pages are missing.

Measurements

Approximately 11 x 14 inches (about 27.9 x 35.6 cm).

Gallery Images

The opening gallery photographs show the beautifully illustrated front cover resting on an antique wooden tabletop, followed by the second image (also photographed on the table) of the full-color Royal Baking Powder advertisement on the back cover. As was customary during this period, both covers were printed in full color on heavier paper stock than the interior pages. The coveted back cover was reserved for premium advertising.