CHEAP FRILLS

Putting on their top hats, tying up their white ties, getting in her personal space, giving her the pervy eye...

We’ve looked at some art deco styled publications over the years, usually Paris Plaisirs. Last year in Lisbon we picked up another magazine of that ilk—the above copy of Le Frou-Frou published today in 1911. The title translates from French literally as “frilly.” It isn’t quite as frilly as Paris Plaisirs, but it was inexpensive so we grabbed it. Because it appeared during the upswing of classic U.S. pulp magazines (which began around 1896), we think of it as an interesting addendum to what was happening across the Atlantic.

The cover of this issue, which is in pristine condition by the way, looks to be signed V. Mégeeres or V. Mégüres. Or maybe the first initial is an “N”. Whatever, we can’t locate an artist with any of those names, or anything similar. We like the illustration, though, of a woman beset by two gents who both have top hats and monocles. It’s her duty at this point to say something risqué that makes both their monocles pop out.

Beyond the cover, there are eight pages of humorous stories by authors like Jean Gravigny and Victorien du Saussay, and many pages of cartoons. It’s all signed, but unfortunately we can read only the scrawl of Jack Abeillé, who was fairly well known in his day. The others consigned themselves to oblivion with their artful but illegible script. That’s the way it goes sometimes. If we learn anything about them we’ll add it here later. Au revoir jusqu’à demain.

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HISTORY REWIND

The headlines that mattered yesteryear.

1976—Gerald Ford Rescinds Executive Order 9066

U.S. President Gerald R. Ford signs Proclamation 4417, which belatedly rescinds Executive Order 9066. That Order, signed in 1942 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, established “War Relocation Camps” for Japanese-American citizens living in the U.S. Eventually, 120,000 are locked up without evidence, due process, or the possibility of appeal, for the duration of World War II.

1954—First Church of Scientology Established

The first Scientology church, based on the writings of science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, is established in Los Angeles, California. Since then, the city has become home to the largest concentration of Scientologists in the world, and its ranks include high-profile adherents such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

1933—Blaine Act Passes

The Blaine Act, a congressional bill sponsored by Wisconsin senator John J. Blaine, is passed by the U.S. Senate and officially repeals the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution, aka the Volstead Act, aka Prohibition. The repeal is formally adopted as the 21st Amendment to the Constitution on December 5, 1933.

1947—Voice of America Begins Broadcasting into U.S.S.R.

The state radio channel known as Voice of America and controlled by the U.S. State Department, begins broadcasting into the Soviet Union in Russian with the intent of countering Soviet radio programming directed against American leaders and policies. The Soviet Union responds by initiating electronic jamming of VOA broadcasts.

1937—Carothers Patents Nylon

Wallace H. Carothers, an American chemist, inventor and the leader of organic chemistry at DuPont Corporation, receives a patent for a silk substitute fabric called nylon. Carothers was a depressive who for years carried a cyanide capsule on a watch chain in case he wanted to commit suicide, but his genius helped produce other polymers such as neoprene and polyester. He eventually did take cyanide—not in pill form, but dissolved in lemon juice—resulting in his death in late 1937.

Unknown artist produces lurid cover for Indian true crime magazine Nutan Kahaniyan.
Cover art by Roswell Keller for the 1948 Pocket Books edition of Ramona Stewart's Desert Town.

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