Vintage Eastman Kodak Girl Store Display Advertisement Sign 32 inch 1930s. For sale Vintage Eastman Kodak Girl Store Display Advertisement Sign. This is a Genuine vintage Kodak store display advertisement from the 1930s. This literally dropped out of the ceiling while rehabing an 1880 store front building in 2005. I believe the building was originally a Kodak photo shop then changed into a lithographic printing shop and then a Gallery. The display advertisement hangs nicely by itself on the wall, however it looks to be a counter display item that was never used.. Never opened up or unfolded to full potential. That said this is a two-piece item that has been taped in the back through the middle of the yellow ball that is main distraction. There are a couple of minor nicks here and there the most significant one being in the model’s hair (pictured). It has been taped across the back some time ago. The girl holding the’Baby Brownie’ I believe is the original Kodak Girl and silent film star Eleanor Boardman (I might be wrong on this). Great Kodak collector’s item. Size: 32″ X 19″ Date: Original Baby Brownie Kodak camera originated in 1934 and was manufactured through 1941. Condition: Is in VERY GOOD condition for vintage store display. Collectors Weekly: When did Eastman create the Kodak Girl? I’d say in the 1880s. I think the first Brownie was released in 1888. I know for sure there was a Kodak Girl by 1900. I believe Kodak’s first ads were just text ads. They didn’t show any pictures at all, or maybe just a little drawing of the camera. This was in the earliest days of advertising, as well as the early days of photography. It wasn’t like there were advertising companies that would design your ads for you. I think Eastman thought the early Brownies would be easy for women to use because they were snapshot cameras-that was his contribution to photography, as I understand it. He was marketing the cameras for amateurs and he correctly understood that women were the ones who wanted to take family photos and make the albums to preserve the family history. So the Kodak Girl is always holding the camera. She looks like she’s taking pictures and is not just standing there and smiling.
