"A story you can hardly believe ..." : publicity booklet issued for Halibut Oil supplements by Crookes Laboratories Ltd., Park Royal, London NW10 : nd (c1950) : artist - Xenia : "if you could....

            I must be easily pleased - but, this small illustrated colour booklet of some 16 pages is so beautifully produced and is about such an esoteric subject as halibut oil that it is a gem! It was issued about 1950 I would say, given the style and 'feel', and was printed at The Fanfare Press, London, for The Crookes Laboratories who were based at Park Royal in north west London and from where they manufactured many vitamins and supplements including those made from halibut liver oil that provided Vitamin D.

Crookes have a fascinating history and they still exist as a multinational concern, based in Nottingham, as they had been for many years part of Boots the Chemists who had acquired them in 1971. Boots bought the company from the Park Royal 'neighbours' Guinness who had an interest in Crookes from 1960 when they'd jointly bought them along with a division of Philips. They're now owned by Reckitt Benckiser who took over Boots Healthcare manufacturing division in 2005.

The origins of the company go back to the eminant scientist Sir William Crookes, he of the Crookes Tube that allowed the development of many other technologies. It was his son, Henry, who started making colloids in around 1912 and whose concern became part of British Colloids in 1919, the name changing to Crookes Laboratories in 1951.

According to the booklet much clever technology was required from when the fresh halibut livers arrived at Park Royal until the purified capsules left! The charming illustrations and text look at the need for and importance of Vitamin D in such a sun-drenched country as the UK and the various demanding life and work styles encountered by many people. The illustrations are all signed "Xenia" and I'm tempted to think this is no other than Xenia Kashevaroff Cage (1913 - 1995?), the US born artist of some renown but whose work was overshadowed by her one time husband John Cage.

It seems a bit far fetched but Xenia, noted for sculptural forms and mobiles, did a series of posters for BOAC at around the same time and the style is so very similar. Hopefully this can be confirmed one way or the other! This page is striking - I'm not sure if this is Mr A D Green striding manfully along the street protected by  his hat, brolly, gloves and Vitamin D!

Taken on: March 12, 2022

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Mike Ashworth Collection

publicity

advertising

graphic design

lettering

script lettering

ephemera

manufacturing

vitamins

Halibut oil

halibut oil supplements

vitamin supplement

food supplements

Vitamin D

Crookes Laboratories Ltd

London

London NW10

Park Royal

Xenia

Xenia Kashevaroff Cage

Xenia Cage

1950s

advertising booklet

promotional material

illustrations

streetscene

businessman

umbrella

hat

gloves

barechested

pavement

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Sets appears in: • A story you can hardly believe - advertising booklet issued by Crookes Laboratories, London, c1950 • Some old advertising

Groups appears in: • Vintage Advertising • That Old Timey Feeling more » • Vintage Illustration • Golden Age of Advertising: 1950s - 1970s • Good Old Barefoot Days • PLANET EARTH BACK IN THE DAY • PLANET EARTH VINTAGE ADVERTISING « less

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Camera:	Brother MFC-J6930DW
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