New England Journal of Haughtiness, May 1909

Month in, month out, this staid journal never was one to cross any line in the sand that it had drawn for others.  In May, 1909, the Editorial Board launched an ill-fated war on contractions, feeling that they were at the root of society's ills.

SVENGALI, April 1909

Copyright 2009 Stuart J. Koblentz

Svengali, The Magazine For Those in The Know and Know They Know It, was a niche market publication favored by soothsayers and those who enjoyed being in the midst of machinations.  In addition to personality profiles and how to articles, the magazine also included grocery coupons and a popular puzzles sections. The APril 1909 issue featured a personality profile on the latest rage in Russia, RASPUTAN, a mad monk who made cassocks momentaily popular.  He was, however found to be some what of a egoist, and serenaded the Czarina at the annual Surfs Up Ball with with an all too personal version of Sexual Healing.  Chaos ensued.

ZESTY, THE PICTOGRAPHIC WEEKLY, February 28, 1909

ZESTY, THE PICTOGRAPHIC WEEKLY was the periodical to tell stories through pictures, with minimum verbage.  For its February 28, 1909 cover, the magazine featured the richest penny pincher in the world atthe time, Mrs. Hetty Green and her daughter on occassion of her daughters marriage to a man willing to sign a prenuptual agreement.  That he was an heir to the Astor name (not so much the fortune, but he did have money of his own) was about the best she could say about him.   The cover showed the three principle parties and is noteworthy for Hetty's rapatious express of joy over the situation.  

ZESTY would fold in 1913, claiming that it had covered anything and everything worth covering in the world.  Today, ZESTY is but a mere blip on the screen of epehmeria.  Antique malls alway have one booth, laden down with old copies of ZESTY, arranged by date, and large signs inviting shoppers to buy the issue that came out the week that great grandmother was born.  "Its the gift she'll love to get!" the signs state.