American patent medicine trade card for Castoria, c1882, featuring P. T. Barnums celebrated elephant Jumbo

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American patent medicine trade card for Castoria, c1882, featuring P. T. Barnums celebrated elephant Jumbo

JUMBO: PATENT MEDICINE.
American patent medicine trade card for Castoria, c1882, featuring P.T. Barnums celebrated elephant Jumbo

Granger holds millions of images spanning more than 25,000 years of world history, from before the Stone Age to the dawn of the Space Age

Media ID 8866491

1882 Advertising Baby Barnum Bottle Chromolithograph Cute Elephant Entertainment Fake Fraud Jumbo Merchant Mother Palm Tree Patent Patent Medicine Phineas Quack Taylor Trade Card Laxative

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EDITORS COMMENTS
This charming trade card from 1882 showcases the American patent medicine Castoria, featuring the beloved P. T. Barnum's celebrated elephant, Jumbo. The captivating image captures the late 19th-century fascination with both entertainment and quackery. The exterior scene depicted on this chromolithograph advertisement is filled with whimsy and cuteness. A mother elephant tenderly holds her baby while standing beneath a towering palm tree, creating an exotic backdrop for the product being promoted. The text boldly proclaims "JUMBO: PATENT MEDICINE" emphasizing its supposed efficacy in solving various health issues. However, behind this seemingly innocent facade lies a darker truth about fraudulent practices prevalent during that era. Patent medicines were often marketed as cure-alls but lacked scientific evidence or regulation to support their claims. This particular trade card serves as a reminder of how easily people could be swayed by clever advertising tactics. Despite its dubious nature, this print remains an intriguing artifact of American history and popular culture at the time. It reflects society's fascination with both Barnum's famous circus attractions and the booming patent medicine industry. The Granger Collection has preserved this piece of artistry for us to examine today, allowing us to delve into America's past where entertainment merged with deception in pursuit of profit – all encapsulated within one captivating image.

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