Fading Ads of Chicago

Like the Cheshire Cat, much of Chicago¡¯s history fades away while perched in plain sight. For more than a century, the brick walls of the city served as a ready canvas for advertisements that married artistic experimentation and commercial endeavor. Intrepid painters planted signs for horseshoers and Hamlin¡¯s Wizard Oil in places where they would outlast the way of life they represented. Since author Joseph Marlin began documenting the city¡¯s advertisements more than thirty years ago, many of them have completely vanished beneath the onslaught of blizzard and bulldozer. From national brands to mom-and-pop shops, his collection offers the last glimpse of a bygone era. Format: Softcover Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.3 in. Pages: 224