Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 07:07 am
Originally posted November 17, 2017. This is a huge collection of Fleisher’s Yarns advertisements dating from 1893 through 1963. There’s LOTS of images so this page may take a while to load. If you see broken images, just refresh the page; sometimes the server times out loading images if I’ve cleared the server cache recently. This collection started as a Word document way back in like, 2004 or 2005; it’s acquired a few formatting inconsistencies (and far too many missing cites/links) over the years which I’m slowly fixing!
1893
“No Yarn – but Fleisher’s German Knitting Worsted”, Farm, Stock and Home. Note the company name is listed as “Fleisher Worsted Works”.
The Last and Best Book on Art Needlework, The Brainerd & Armstrong Company
1895
“In buying yarn see that every hank”
1897
May 4, 1896: The Journal (New York), Library of Congress. Yeah, I know, the below aren’t technically advertisements by Fleisher but I found these business inventory/fixture auctions fascinating especially as it seems like there was a bunch of them all clustered in the short time period of fall and winter 1897 through spring of 1899. (I might move these to the history page.)
November 22, 1897: New York Journal and Advertiser (New York), Library of Congress
November 24, 1897: New York Journal and Advertiser (New York), Library of Congress
December 16, 1897: New York Journal and Advertiser (New York), Library of Congress
1900
“The only way to make a yarn department a permanent success”, Chicago Dry Goods Reporter July 21, 1900
“The supremacy of Fleisher’s over all other brands”, Chicago Dry Goods Reporter August 18, 1900
“It’s Fleisher’s I Want”, Chicago Dry Goods Reporter August 25, 1900
“Show me your Fleisher’s Shade Card.” Chicago Dry Goods Reporter September 1, 1900
September 15, 1900: Chicago Dry Goods Reporter. Fleisher actually advertised this contest for the best window display photos in every single issue of the Chicago Dry Goods Reporter in 1900 – which was published weekly! This was really quite the genius bit of marketing to get retailers to promote Fleisher yarns.
$300 in cash prizes to advertisement writers and window dressers.” Chicago Dry Goods Reporter September 29, 1900
October 13, 1900: Chicago Dry Goods Reporter
December 22, 1900: Chicago Dry Goods Reporter, the window dressing contest winners are announced!
1902
“This tag is on every skein of the best yarns made.” The Ladies’ Home Journal October 1902, Volume 19 Issue 11
“Why spend time and skill”, The Ladies’ Home Journal November 1902, Volume 19 Issue 12
“The severest tests”, The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1902, Volume 20 Issue 1; Hathitrust.org
1903
Harper’s Bazar
“Fleisher’s yarns are even and elastic”, The Ladies’ Home Journal January 1903, Volume 20 Issue 2; Hathitrust.org
“This tag on a skein of yarn means perfection in spinning and dying.” The Ladies’ Home Journal February 1903, Volume 20 Issue 3; Hathitrust.org
“These tags on a skein of yarn are a guarantee of perfection.” The Ladies’ Home Journal April 1903, Volume 20 Issue 5; Hathitrust.org
“The yarns that stand the severest tests”, The Ladies’ Home Journal August 1903, Volume 20 Issue 9
“Fleisher’s yarns are made from selected wools”, The Ladies’ Home Journal October 1903, Volume 20 Issue 11; Hathitrust.org
October 1903: Ad Sense. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Ad_Sense/2fRKAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
“Fleisher’s yarns are made from selected wools”, The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1903, Volume 21 Issue 1
1904
February, March and April 1904: Babyhood The Mother’s Nursery Guide
“Fleisher’s yarns are made from selected wools”, The Ladies’ Home Journal February 1904, Volume 21 Issue 3; Hathitrust.org
“Fleisher’s yarns are made from selected wools”, The Ladies’ Home Journal April 1904, Volume 21 Issue 5
“Fleisher’s yarns are made from selected wools”, The Ladies’ Home Journal June 1904, Volume 21 Issue 7; Hathitrust.org
“Fleisher’s yarns are soft, even and elastic”, The Ladies’ Home Journal August 1904, Volume 21 Issue 9; Hathitrust.org
“If you use the Fleisher Yarns you can have perfect confidence”, The Ladies Home Journal October 1904, Volume 21 Issue 11; Hathitrust.org
“As the Fleisher yarns slip over the needles”, The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1940, Volume 22 Issue 1; Hathitrust.org
December 1904: Babyhood The Mother’s Nursery Guide
1905
Good Housekeeping January 1905, also Pandex of the Press July and August 1905
“Every woman who uses the Fleisher Yarns in knitting and crocheting”, The Ladies’ Home Journal February 1905, Volume 22 Issue 3; Hathitrust.org
“The Fleisher Yarns are the best insurance”, The Designer April 1905, The Ladies’ Home Journal April 1905, Volume 22 Issue 5; Hathitrust.org
“The best cook cannot make good bread”, The Ladies Home Journal June 1905, Volume 22 Issue 7; Hathitrust.org
August 1905: The Designer; “The time spent” The Ladies’ Home Journal August 1950, Volume 22 Issue 9; Hathitrust.org
“The Art of Knitting and Crocheting”, The Ladies’ Home Journal October 1905, Volume 22 Issue 11; Hathitrust.org
“Nowadays every woman who gives thoughtful preparation”, Messenger Advertiser December 1905; The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1905, Volume 23 Issue 1; Hathitrust.org
1906
“Skillful use of knitting needle and crochet hook”, The Ladies Home Journal February 1906, Volume 23 Issue 3; Hathitrust.org
“Knitting and crocheting are essentially fireside occupations.” The Ladies’ Home Journal April 1906, Volume 23 Issue 5; Hathitrust.org
“Knitting and crocheting have an added charm”, The Ladies’ Home Journal June 1906, Volume 23 Issue 7; Hathitrust.org
“Utility and beauty make a very charming combination”, The Ladies’ Home Journal October 1906, Volume 23 Issue 11
“Machine-made garments do not have the distinctive elegance”, Vogue October 11, 1906, Volume 28 Issue 15
“Machine made garments do not have the distinctive elegance”, The Messenger, December 1906; The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1906, Volume 24 Issue 1; Hathitrust.org
1907
“Machine made garments do not have the distinctive elegance”, The Ladies’ Home Journal February 1907, Volume 24 Issue 3; Hathitrust.org
“Summer calls for Fleisher’s Yarns”, The Ladies’ Home Journal May 1907, Volume 24 Issue 6; Hathitrust.org
“Flash it on”, The Ladies’ Home Journal June 1907, Volume 24 Issue 7; Hathitrust.org
Good Housekeeping, Volume 44
“If you use the Fleisher Yarns”, The Chautauquan August 1907; The Ladies’ Home Journal September 1907, Volume 24 Issue 10; Hathitrust.org
The Chautauquan September 1907; The Ladies’ Home Journal November 1907, Volume 24 Issue 12; Hathitrust.org
“A Yarn for Every Use”, The Chautauquan October 1907; The Ladies Home Journal October 1907, Volume 24 Issue 11; Hathitrust.org
“Garments made of the Fleisher Yarns are distinctive.” The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1907
1908
“Bitter experience has taught the expert knitter and crocheter”, Vogue February 14, 1907, Volume 29 Issue 7
“To insure your work against failure”, The Ladies’ Home Journal February 1908
“The Vogue of Yarn”, The Ladies’ Home Journal March 1908, Volume 25 Issue 4, scan from Google Books. Hathitrust.org
March 1908: The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1907, Volume 25 Issue 1. Scan from Google Books. (This ad also appears in Harper’s Bazaar Volume 41, December 1907) [note to self move this to 1907]
December 10, 1908: Red Lake Falls Gazette (Minnesota)
1910
February 1910: “Fleisher’s Knitting & Crocheting Manual 7th Edition” Home Needlework Magazine
April 1910: “The Suisse Sets”, Home Needlework Magazine
December 1910: “Fleisher’s Knitting & Crocheting Manual 8th Edition”, Home Needlework Magazine
1911
February-March 1911: “Paris Toques” Home Needlework Magazine
February-March 1911: “Ostend Toques”, Home Needlework Magazine
November(?) 1911: Home Needlework Magazine, scan by Google Books
1912
“The Arden Jacket”, St. Louis Post-Dispatch January 26, 1912, Volume 64 Issue 159
November 1, 1912: The Duluth Herald (Minnesota)
November 8, 1912: The Duluth Herald (Minnesota)
Not really related to Fleisher Yarns, of course, but I found it somewhat ironic and also roll-eyes amusing that the second ad above was right next to the following commentary, “Women Should Stand Together for Higher Wages.” In 1912. When you adjust $6.00 per day for inflation, that’s equivalent to $146.70 a day in 2016 – or about $18.00 an hour. For 2016, the average daily wage for women in America was $149.40 – or about $18.67 an hour.
In other words, the average hourly wage for women in America, accounting for inflation, has only risen the equivalent of 67 cents an hour between 1912 and 2017. #StillFighting
1913
September(?) 1913: Home Needlework Magazine, scan from Google Books
“Princess Luise Scarf” Omaha Daily Bee October 10, 1913, Page 8
1914
“Jack Frost Set” The Salt Lake Tribune February 3, 1914, Page 5
February 1914: Home Needlework Magazine, Volume 16
April 1914: Home Needlework Magazine, Volume 16
June 1914: Home Needlework Magazine, Volume 16
October 1914: Home Needlework Magazine, Volume 16
September 1914: Korrick’s New York Store Formal Opening Edition
October 1914: Korrick’s New York Store Formal Opening Edition
November 30, 1914: The Duluth Herald (Minnesota)
December 2014: Home Needlework Magazine, Volume 19
1916
December 1916 – Boy’s Life – The Boy Scouts’ Magazine
1917
February and March 1917: Boy’s Life – The Boy Scouts’ Magazine
December 1917: “The Fleisher Yarns in Diamond Wound Balls Ready for Use”, The Ladies’ Home Journal, December 1917, Volume 34 Issue 12
1919
January 1919: Vanity Fair
January 4, 1919: Dry Goods Economist, Volume 73
“The Fleisher Yarns are keeping the boys warm over there”, The Ladies’ Home Journal January 1919, Volume 36; Woman’s Home Companion February, April, June, August 1919
Woman’s Home Companion; The Ladies’ Home Journal March 1919, Volume 36; McCall’s Magazine April 1919, Volume 46 Issue 8
Also in May 1919 Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair March 1919, Volume 12 Issue 1
“A new filet sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal May 1919, Volume 36
July 1919: Vanity Fair
“A Novelty in Knitting – An Easy, New Lace Stitch!”, The Ladies’ Home Journal July 1919, Volume 36
The “Greenbri” Sweater, the latest Fleisher creation
A Novelty in Knitting – An Easy, New Lace Stitch!
The Fleisher Yarns were used to knit this smart sweater. They are always safest yarns for any fine knitting, therefore the most economical; because infinite pains are used to keep them absolutely uniform in size, weight and finish.
And all women love the fleeciness of The Fleisher Yarns and the man, bewildering, beautiful Fleisher shades.
Learn how to make this – and many other exclusive Fleisher designs – in the newest Fleisher Crocheting and Knitting Book, 10c at your dealer’s. Or sent direct by mail for 12c.
S.B. & B.W. FLEISHER, Inc.
Dept. 241 B, Philadelphia, Pa.
The Fleisher Yarns
(August?)
“Always just the colors you want!” Broadmoor sweater. The Ladies’ Home Journal October 1919, Volume 36
“Beaumont Sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1919, Volume 36
October 6, 1919: Evening Star (Washington, DC), Library of Congress
1920
The Textile Worker
June 1920: Photoplay Magazine, Vol. XVIII No. 1
“How to Knit This New Imogene Sweater”, The Delineator January 1920 ; The Ladies’ Home Journal February 1920, Volume 37; color image from Hathitrust.org
April 1920: “Magnolia sweater”, The Ladies Home Journal, April 1920, Volume 37. Color scan from Hathitrust.org
June 1920: “Deauville sweater”, The Ladies Home Journal June 1920, Volume 37. Color scan from Hathitrust.org
“The Mentone Sweater”, The Ladies Home Journal August 1920, color scan by HathiTrust.org
“Engadine Sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal October 1920, Volume 37; Vogue September 15, 1920, Volume 56. Color scan from Hathitrust.org
October 28, 1920: “Mrs. E.P. Carle Announces Lower Prices on The Fleisher Yarns.” The Republican Journal Vol. 92, No. 44
“Maldon Tam and Maldon Scarf”, The Ladies Home Journal December 1920. Color scan from Hathitrust.org. The Maldon tam and scarf patterns also appear in the 17th edition of Fleisher’s Knitting and Crochet Manual (1920).
1921
February 1921: “Southampton sweater”, The Ladies Home Journal February 1921, Volume 38. Color scan from Hathitrust.org.
“The Toinette Sweater”, Vogue March 1, 1921, Volume 57
“The Diane Sweater”, The Ladies Home Journal April 1921. Wendi Dunlap of Slumberland.org blog has heavily annotated/”translated” this pattern, which can be read here: http://slumberland.org/wp/2007/11/13/pattern-diane-sweater-from-1921/ Read the comments on her post for some more good tips on knitting this pattern. Color scan from Hathitrust.org.
April 21, 1921: “George Wyman & Co. Fleisher Yarns Reduced”, South Bend News-Times Vol. 38, No. 102
April 19, 1921: “Marsh & Bachman Co. … These New Low Prices on Fleisher’s Yarns.” The Columbia Republican Page 10
“The Fleisher Blazer”, “You can make this new summer sweater so easily”, Vogue May 15, 1921, Volume 57
“Wimbledon sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal June 1921, Volume 38 (Wimbledon Sweater)
“The Dedham Sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal August 1921.
August 1921: “America’s biggest maker of yarns tells how to wash knitted things”, Cosmopolitan, Vol. 71, and also The Ladies Home Journal, August 1921 Volume 38
“Fourteen leading makers of fine fabrics tell you how to launder them”, The Ladies’ Home Journal October 1921
“The Plymouth Sweater”, The Ladies Home Journal October 1921. Color scan from HathiTrust.org
December 1921: “Langdon sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1921, Volume 38. Color scan from HathiTrust.org
1922
“The Berkshire Sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal February 1922, Volume 39. Color scan from Hathitrust.org
April 1922: “Dentwold sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal April 1922, Volume 39. Color scan by Google Books.
“The Warrington Sweater”, Vogue Volume 59 May 15, 1922; The Ladies’ Home Journal June 1922, Volume 39. Color scan from Hathitrust.org
“Washing tests made by nation’s biggest manufacturer of yarns”, The Ladies’ home Journal August 1922.
“The Stanton Sweater”, The Ladies Home Journal August 1922. Color scan from Hathitrust.org.
“The Kenilworth Sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal October 1922, Volume 39 Color scan from Hathitrust.org.
“Lake Placid sweater”, The Ladies Home Journal December 1922, Volume 39
1923
“Cheviot a New Creation in the Fleisher Yarns” (Bennington suit), The Ladies’ Home Journal December 1923, Volume 40
The Saturday Evening Post March 31, 1923, Volume 195 Issue 40
“Ardennes sweater in the smartest Jacquette style”, The Ladies’ Home Journal April 1923, Volume 40
“Early Summer’s Soft Freshness – Caught in the Color of this Lynndale Sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal June 1923, Volume 40
“Crisp days of autumn”, Thornhill sweater. The Ladies’ Home Journal October 1923, Volume 40
“Dudley sweater”, The Ladies Home Journal August 1923
“Little Red Riding Hood” Children’s Patterns: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, 1923 Volumes 27, 28.
This series of pattern advertisements in this children’s magazine are freakin’ adorable!! A genuinely charming magazine (to me, although occasionally it’s a bit uncomfortable reading but thankfully, we’ve had a lot of cultural changes since 1923), filled with stories, poems, puns, coloring pages, crafts, Greek history, puzzles, simple recipes and more. Found myself enjoying reading a lot of the stories (even though I’m 57 as I write this, lol!) I got a big kick out of the old advertisements for Jello, Keds, Crayola, Beech-Nut, Ivory Soap, and others; most all were advertisements wrapped around a shorty story, craft pattern, recipe or something else. Fleisher ran a series of advertisements, one per month for at least 10 months that I know of, with short stories of Little Red Robin Hood on one page and a simple knitting pattern on the next page that related to that month’s story page. Really quite clever (and pretty adorable), imho!
March 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 27. Little Red Riding Hood.
April 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 27. Grandmother’s Shawl.
May 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 27. For Cubby Wolf.
June 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 27. Little “Tams”.
July 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 28. The Stylish Wrap.
August 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 28. Bonnets for All.
September 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 28. For Chilly Dollies.
October 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 28. The Sport Skirt
November 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 28. For Skating Days
December 1923: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 28 – A Muff to Match
1924
January 1924: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 29. Her Own Sweater.
February 1924: John Martin’s Book The Child’s Magazine, Volume 29. The Stay-A-Bed Jacket.
“Arrendale sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal February 1924, Volume 41
“Bellefonte sweater”, The Ladies’ Home Journal April 1924, Volume 41
“Fleisher’s Knitting & Crocheting Manual” (21st edition), The Ladies’ Home Journal June 1924, Volume 41
“The Fleisher Yarns in Myriad Colors for Summer Loveliness” (scarf patterns), The Ladies’ Home Journal August 1924, Volume 41
1926
“Fleisher Yarn Account for N.W. Ayer”, Printers Ink December 16, 1926, Volume 137 Issue 11
1928
“Made of Fleisher XXX Yarn”, House & Garden April 1928, Volume 53 Issue 4
1936
“Knit Your Way To Hollywood”, Chicago Sunday Tribune February 23, 1936, Volume 95 Issue 8
“Tuesday Just 100 Model Handmade Knit Frocks”, St. Louis Post-Dispatch November 30, 1936, Volume 89 Issue 86
1943
“My mommy uses America’s finest yarn for me!”, Ladies’ Home Journal October 1943, Volume 60 Issue 10
Fleisher’s Yarn Salesman/Store Doll with knitted sweater and skirt, from the late 1930s, possibly the very early 1940s. It’s about 25″/63cm tall.
1944
“I love my sweater”, Ladies’ Home Journal January 1944, Volume 61 Issue 1
“I knit my sweaters of the best yarn”, Ladies’ Home Journal February 1944, Volume 61 Issue 2
“My mommy always knits with Fleisher’s Yarn”, Ladies’ Home Journal March 1944, Volume 61 Issue 3
“Campus favorite”, Ladies’ Home Journal September 1944, Volume 61 Issue 9
“It’s smart to knit your own handbag”, Ladies’ Home Journal October 1944, Volume 61 Issue 10
“There is no finer gift”, Ladies’ Home Journal November 1944, Volume 61 Issue 11
1945
“For all your knitting”, Ladies’ Home Journal January 1945, Volume 62 Issue 1
“Hand knit glamour”, Ladies’ Home Journal February 1945, Volume 62 Issue 2
“Fleisher fans start young”, Ladies’ Home Journal March 1945, Volume 62 Issue 3
“For all your knitting”, Ladies’ Home Journal April 1945, Volume 62 Issue 4
“Campus favorite”, Ladies’ Home Journal September 1945, Volume 62 Issue 9
“Knit this glamorous bed jacket”, Ladies’ Home Journal November 1945, Volume 62 Issue 11
1946
(I believe Fleisher since sold to Bear Brand by this time, so ads below are not from original Fleisher company.)
“I see you took my knitting tip, honey”, Ladies’ Home Journal September 1946, Volume 63 Issue 9
“Here’s a good yarn worth knowing!”, Ladies’ Home Journal November 1946, Volume 63 Issue 11
1947
1948
Women’s Day. Scan by ebay user fargostreasure
1949
1955
From Vintage Yarn Fandom
1960
“Visit Miller’s during needlework work!” Lincoln Star January 26, 1960
1959
“The big fashion news is Looped Mohair in Hand Knits of Fleisher’s Curlette and Bear Brand Curlicue Yarns.” Vintage Yarn Fandom
1962
1963
Daily Universe (Brigham Young University, Utah), January 8, 1963
The Times News (Idaho), September 23, 1963
1964
“A Treasure Album of Exciting New Hand Knits for Men and Women In Fashion’s Newest Pets: Alpaca and Looped Mohair”, Vintage Yarn Fandom
1965
“A brand New Sweater Kit by Fleisher Yarn”, Lincoln Star April 3, 1965
Like what I do? Help support my yarn fund by buying a pattern!