Golden era men's magazines?

[green papaya]

did they have men's magazines like Play boy back in the 1920's ? or earlier?

it would be interesting to see some pics :)

[MK]

Hugh didn't start making his pornography until the fifties. Please don't refer to that is a "men's magazine". It gives men a bad name.....and I won't allow photos of that stuff here. I run a respectable joint.

[The Wolf]

Back in the day there were Wink, Titter and Beauty Parade. There were probably others as well.
They were basically burlesque in photos. I've read about them but haven't seen the actual item.

As far as non-naughty men's magazines Esquire and True were very popular. Both had a Vargas or Petty pin-up and articles of interest to men.

The Wolf

[MK]

Now Esquire was a proper men's magazine.

[Mycroft]

Now Esquire was a proper men's magazine.

I have read a few old Esquire books, they were good, but the new issues of the magazine are not that good from what I have read of them. Does anyone know where I can find the old Esquire books or back magizines in book form?

[Slate Shannon]

Hugh didn't start making his pornography until the fifties. Please don't refer to that is a "men's magazine". It gives men a bad name.....and I won't allow photos of that stuff here. I run a respectable joint.
Glad to hear that, MK. One of the things I like most about this place is that it's respectable. The kind of place where you wouldn't be afraid to bring a lady.
One of my pet peeves is when strip joints call themselves "gentlemen's clubs". I consider it an insult to the true English gentlemen's clubs that were common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

[MK]

One of my pet peeves is when strip joints call themselves "gentlemen's clubs". I consider it an insult to the true English gentlemen's clubs that were common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

We share that peeve. Good to have you here. Love your avatar.

[Baron Kurtz]

One of my pet peeves is when strip joints call themselves "gentlemen's clubs". I consider it an insult to the true English gentlemen's clubs that were common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Imagine the situation when an British male comes to the USA for the first time. He sees advertisements for his local 'gentleman's club' and he walks in the door, and the horror begins. Believe me, i've been there :rolleyes: Just don't order Brandy or Sherry or any other permutation on a woman's name ;) And for the love of God, don't smoke a cigar!!!

Gentlemen's clubs are still popular in the large urban areas in Britain, though some of them now do admit the ladies ... into a small room ... on friday evenings ... sometimes.

bk

p.s. As for golden era men's magazines. I remember lileks.com had some archived. He archives tons of pointless ephemera from the 30s-50s. I'm sure they'll still be on his web page. Even if you're not interested in the magazines, his other stuff is well worth a look.

[scotrace]

Lileks is a fantastic daily read (the Bleat). He shares so many of our tastes here, I'd be stunned if he wasn't an occasional lurker.

Men's Magazines:
I think the original post was referring to girly stuff.
The story goes that the first thing to be phontographed when Daguerre invented the process was a Paris street scene outside his window. The second thing to be photographed was a nude Parisian prostitute. Chalk it up to being French. Perhaps this has some odd connection to the French ability to smoke and drink and eat fatty food and not get fat or cancerous.
At the turn of the 20th century, the red light district of New Orleans was called Storyville after a parish councilman attempted unsuccessfully to get the area shut down. His name was Story, and the place came to be named in his tongue-in-cheek honor. The women advertised their services with photographs in a publication called the Storyville Blue Book. Again, a poke at the wealthy class that kept track of family who's-who in a social register ("Blue Book"). Copies of any of the Storyville Blue Books that survive fetch thousands of dollars today.
With an amateur historian's sordid interest, I have seen copies of both the early 20th century burlesque-oriented magazines as well as Esquire. Without a shred of doubt, Esquire is far more interesting. There are few things as ultimately boring as pictures of nude people. Maybe live baseball.

Add my voice to those who are grateful for the FL's gentlemanly conduct and civil discourse. There are, after all, a lot of children here.

[Slate Shannon]

Imagine the situation when an British male comes to the USA for the first time. He sees advertisements for his local 'gentleman's club' and he walks in the door, and the horror begins. Believe me, i've been there :rolleyes: Just don't order Brandy or Sherry or any other permutation on a woman's name ;) And for the love of God, don't smoke a cigar!!!
Too bad the old Monty Python comedy troupe are no longer around. I can just see John Cleese as the befuddled Englishman!

[Baron Kurtz]

Too bad the old Monty Python comedy troupe are no longer around. I can just see John Cleese as the befuddled Englishman!

Was thinking more along the Benny Hill lines. See the original Italian Job for his unique brand of dirty old man comedy. I find him incredibly un-funny, but he'd be great in that role.

http://www.annotatedmst.com/episodes/screamingskull/benny%20hill.jpg

[nightandthecity]

These places are called GENTLEMAN'S clubs?? I am horrified. I think I will pour myself a stiff gin and retire to my library.

[MDFrench]

Speaking of Esquire, here's the most famous Esquire girl...

http://www.frenchbrosreviews.com/images/g-61.jpg

Mike

[Jessica]

She's wonderful! That image gives me inspiration for my upcoming photo shoot.

[shamus]

I bought a bunch of vintage 40's Titter, Beauty Parade, and the like.

It's mostly just black and white snap shots of "bad girls". I don't remember ever seeing nudity. Then they'd have some crime story too. Plus, ads in the back for shoe lifts and the like.

I bought them for the great painted covers!

There were even some trading cards of the covers a couple of years ago.

As to early Playboy. The 50's issues were as "pornographic" as any ladies fashion magazine is today. Plus, they did actually have real articles and stories by the greatest writers of the times.

Hugh really had a great idea at the time.

[Twitch]

For my part the men's mags of the 50s-60s had great war combat stories.