Adirondack Retro Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms

Throughout our website, we use various terms that are commonly referenced in the antique print and vintage advertisement industries. To make your browsing and collecting experience easier, we’ve compiled a glossary of terminology for you to reference when reviewing our listings or product details.

Vintage Advertisement Terminology

Vintage magazine advertisements—often called vintage print ads or period advertisements—are original pages taken from historical publications. These authentic pieces provide a tangible window into design, culture, and commercial art history. Below are some of the common terms and concepts used in describing and identifying these collectible works.

General Concepts

  • Nostalgia: A sentimental longing for the past that is frequently used in vintage advertisements to evoke feelings of warmth, familiarity, and appreciation for a bygone era.

  • Golden Age of Advertising: The period from the 1950s through the 1960s, marked by a surge in creativity and artistry in both television and print advertising—often epitomized by the style and storytelling seen in Mad Men.

  • Jingle: A memorable, catchy tune or slogan used in advertisements. Many iconic jingles—such as those for Oscar Mayer bologna and Tootsie Pops—originated during the mid-20th century.

  • Brand Mascots: Iconic characters created to represent a brand and establish emotional connections with consumers. Examples include the Pillsbury Doughboy and Ronald McDonald, both originating in the 1960s.

Print Advertising Terms

  • Bleed: An extra area of an image or background color that extends beyond the normal trim line of a page to ensure no unprinted white edges appear after cutting.

  • Body Copy: The main text of an advertisement, distinct from headlines, logos, or taglines.

  • Classified Advertising: Small, categorized ads typically found in newspapers, used for listing products, jobs, or services—especially popular in mid-century publications.

  • Typography: The visual style and arrangement of text. Vintage advertisements often used ornate or decorative typefaces compared to the cleaner, minimalist styles common today.

  • R.O.P. (Run-of-Paper): A newspaper advertising term indicating that an ad may appear anywhere in the paper, without a guaranteed position.

Persuasive Techniques

  • Slogans: Short, memorable phrases that capture the spirit of a brand or campaign. Nike’s “Just Do It” (1988) is an enduring modern example.

  • Sloganeering: The creative practice of crafting slogans to build brand identity and consumer recall.

  • Image-Based Advertising: A design-driven technique that prioritizes strong visuals and photography over heavy text—often seen in fashion and automobile ads.

  • Psychological Advertising: Advertising that appeals to emotions, desires, and aspirations rather than focusing solely on a product’s technical features. This approach became dominant during the Golden Age of Advertising.

  • Puffery: The use of exaggerated or unverified claims to promote a product. For instance, vintage cigarette ads once claimed that “More Doctors Smoke Camels.”

Common Terms & Definitions

  • Original Vintage Advertisement: An authentic, printed advertisement published in a magazine, journal, or periodical—not a reproduction or reprint. Each ad is a piece of original ephemera from its publication date.

  • Print Ad / Magazine Ad: A promotional artwork created for printed media, often highlighting automobiles, fashion, food, cosmetics, travel, or technology.

  • Two-Page Spread: A single advertisement printed across two adjoining magazine pages. When intact, spreads are highly collectible for their larger format and impact.

  • Reverse Side / Verso: The back side of a magazine page, which may contain another advertisement or article.

  • Full Page / Half Page / Quarter Page: Refers to the original printed size of the ad as it appeared in its publication. Full-page ads are typically the most desirable among collectors.

  • Ephemera: Printed material originally intended for short-term use, now prized for its cultural and artistic value.

  • Period Authentic: A term describing an ad that accurately represents the era in which it was produced, in both technique and content.

  • Offset Lithography: The primary printing method used in 20th-century magazines, producing smooth color gradients and sharp imagery.

  • Halftone Printing: A printing process using tiny dots to simulate photographic tones, giving vintage ads their distinctive texture.

Condition & Preservation Terms

  • Trimmed: The page edges have been neatly cut or cropped—often to remove binding holes or make framing easier. This is common and does not affect authenticity.

  • Binding Edge: The narrow inner edge of the page where it was originally bound into a magazine, sometimes showing staple marks.

  • Age Toning: Subtle yellowing or darkening of the paper due to age—an expected and often charming characteristic.

  • Foxing: Small, light brown speckles on the surface of older paper caused by humidity or age.

  • Mat Out: Indicates that small imperfections (edge wear or binding marks) will be covered by the mat when framed.

  • Paper Quality: Vintage ads were printed on thin, magazine-grade paper, so light waviness or minor edge wear is normal.

  • Original Publication Date: The year the ad was printed, confirming period authenticity. Adirondack Retro guarantees all ads are genuine originals.

Collectors, designers, and set decorators value vintage advertisements for their authenticity, composition, and historical storytelling. Each ad serves as a preserved piece of visual culture from its era.

Antique Print Terminology

Antique prints represent centuries of artistry and craftsmanship, ranging from early engravings to hand-colored lithographs. The antique prints in the Adirondack Retro catalog date from the early 1700s through the 1950s. Most of our prints are 100–150 years old, and as with any paper that age, there are typically—though not always—some condition nuances that we note in each description.

Common Print Sizes

  • Octavo (8vo): Foolscap 6¾"×4¼" | Crown 7½"×5" | Demi 8¾"×5⅝" | Royal 10"×6¼"

  • Quarto (4to): Roughly 9"×12" — about the size of a modern magazine.

  • Folio (fo.): Larger format prints, 15" or taller; variants include Elephant Folio (23"), Atlas Folio (25"), and Double Elephant Folio (50").

Condition & Preservation Terms

  • Foxing: Rust-colored spots caused by oxidation—common and usually minor.

  • Ink Spots: Tiny ink marks left during the original printing process.

  • Smudges: Margin marks from handling, often concealed once matted.

  • Offsetting: Light image or text transfer from facing pages; may range from faint to heavy.

  • Paper Toning: Subtle aging of paper to warm ivory or brown hues.

  • Tears or Rips: Minor tears along edges, typically hidden when framed.

  • Corner Fold: Small creases from page turns, flattened during matting.

  • Scuffs: Light abrasions, not affecting image quality.

  • Cockling: Slight waviness due to humidity exposure.

  • “Will Mat Out”: Imperfections hidden by matting once framed.

Printmaking Techniques

  • Engraving: Lines cut directly into a metal plate using a burin; noted for precision and clarity.

  • Etching: Acid-bitten lines drawn through wax on a metal plate, producing softer, more expressive lines.

  • Mezzotint: Creates rich tonal depth by roughening the plate’s surface, then smoothing lighter areas for highlights.

  • Aquatint: Produces watercolor-like tonal shading using acid-bitten resin patterns.

  • Photogravure: Transfers a photographic image onto a copper plate for deep, continuous-tone printing.

  • Woodcut: Relief print carved into wood, leaving bold, graphic shapes.

  • Steel Engraving: Similar to copper engraving but using harder steel for finer lines and greater durability.

  • Stipple Engraving: Uses dots instead of lines to create soft tonal effects, often for portraits.

  • Hand-Colored Print: A printed image finished with watercolor by hand, ensuring each example is unique.

  • Lithograph: Drawn with greasy ink on stone; inked and printed using the repulsion of grease and water.

  • Chromolithograph: Multi-color lithography using separate stones for each hue—requiring perfect registration.

Each antique print we offer is a genuine artifact of its time, crafted through skilled processes that defined the art of printmaking. Subtle variations and signs of age contribute to its authenticity and charm.

Explore More from Adirondack Retro:
Vintage Advertisements | Paper Ephemera | Antique Prints | Framing Options | Vintage Car Advertisements