vintage antique pocket mirror celluloid Duffy\'s Pure Malt Whiskey advertising for Sale

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vintage antique pocket mirror celluloid Duffy\'s Pure Malt Whiskey advertising For Sale

$vintage antique pocket mirror celluloid Duffy\'s Pure Malt Whiskey advertising$
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vintage antique pocket mirror celluloid Duffy\'s Pure Malt Whiskey advertising:
$20.00

Terrific vintage antique pocket mirror from the 1870\'s with a fascinating provenance! The mirror was an advertising giveaway for Duffy\'s Pure Malt Whiskey. Fun, celluloid design on front that pledges this whiskey would \"make the weak strong!\" A very early example of what we now would call false advertising. Made in Rochester NY during the late 1800\'s & into the turn of the century, Distiller Walter Duffy patented his malt whiskey as a medicinal tonic. Not only was that unusual, he actually claimed it had whiskey in it, as other remedies tended to hide the fact that they contained alcohol. On top of that, Duffy alleged that his malt whiskey could not only make you strong, but cure many illnesses such as bronchitis, influenza, consumption & even aging! Rumor was Duffy was marketing his whiskey under false pretenses to save his business from bankruptcy. By the early 1900\'s, Duffy & his product were exposed as fraudulent & his malt whiskey was proven as nothing more than sweetened whiskey with no medicinal value. His scandal revealed others throughout the US & eventually lead to the Pure Food & Drug Act established in 1906. This little mirror is a wonderful & highly collectible piece of advertising memorabilia & history!! Would make a great gift for whiskey lovers & advertising buffs!Mirror measures 1 3/4\" around. Advertising image side is slightly faded with an aged patina, however all images & lettering are still visible & legible. Celluloid is in good shape, fully intact with only a few bumps & faint scratches. Mirror side is as found with patina to the mirror & heavy rusting around the metal edges of the frame. The text on the outer edge of mirror front reads: \"Take Duffy\'s Pure Malt Whiskey When You Are Not Looking Well. Makes The Weak Strong.\" Surrounding the main image, the text reads: \"Absolutely Pure and Unadulterated. Trade Mark.\" Overall in fair to good antique condition. Price is reflective of it\'s history & desirability. Speaking of false advertising, it would behoove a shopper to know that there are a lot of reproduction Duffy\'s mirrors out there that are not true antiques. You can tell by the lighter coloring & whether celluloid material was used on the front. So look carefully & ask questions. This one is an original - the real deal! CHECK OUT MY MANY OTHER VINTAGE LISTINGS BY
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