Mr. Magazine

A century ago, we were more culturally and artistically advanced. Magazines in the 1920s shined a very bright light on art and culture. One such magazine, albeit short lived, Art Lovers’ Magazine, is but one example of a cultural and artistic publication from 100 years ago when magazines ruled the media world. Here is its story:

Chapter 2, Part 1

A Bible Publisher Turns to Art

The beginning: A magazine for everyone

There was no indication in the first issue of Art Lovers’ magazine that the magazine was a Hubbard Publication.  The editorial page carried no masthead, and no table of contents. It served as a page, “In which we become acquainted with you, the reading public.”

The magazine was introduced as such: “ART LOVERS’ MAGAZINE will be published monthly, each month of the year, from their offices at 15 Park Row, New York, N.Y. It is owned and published by Art Publications, Inc., and is not connected, in any way, with any other publication at present.”

The only Hubbard name appearing in this issue was that of Freeman H Hubbard who wrote the short story “Yvonne” on pages 4 and 5.  Later, in issue 2 of Art Lovers’, a masthead appears announcing that the magazine is published monthly by Art Publications, Inc., 15 Park Row, New York City, (other Hubbard Publications were published at 21 Park Row) with Walter W. Hubbard name as president and an announcement of appointing Freeman H Hubbard as editor of the magazine.  It was not until issue 4 that the cover of the magazine carried the line, “A Hubbard Publication,” while the masthead continued to say it is an Art Publications, Inc. magazine.

The cover of the first issue of the magazine featured two women, one half naked, in a room setting chatting with each other. Nudity was present in abundance in the inside pages of the magazine that touted “Beauty, Fiction, Art and Life.”  With issues 2 and 3, the word Truth was added to the tag line reading, “A Magazine of Truth, Beauty, Fiction, Art, and Life.”  However, the word Truth did not last but for those two issues.  With issue 4, the word Truth disappeared from the tag line.

Unlike other art magazines of that period, Art Lovers’, in the words of its editors, “will, to the best of our ability, be ‘an all-around meal’ for every one in the family, especially to lovers of beauty, art, fiction, and the theatres. It will contain, each month, excellent stories; — mystery, love, adventure, and true-to -life tales; fully illustrated.”

The editors continue, “We have purposely avoided making this a ‘one-track’ magazine. It is something you can spend hours with; buy it before you go on a railroad journey this winter, for example, and see just how quickly time flies.”

No advertising in the first issue

Another point of differentiation from the rest of the magazines of that era, is that the editors decided not to accept any ads in the first issue. They wrote, “Before the magazine went to press at our rotogravure plant we were obliged to turn down slightly over two pages of advertising.  The editorial board decided that there must positively be no advertising in the initial number, and the business office has reluctantly yielded.”

However, the magazine’s editorial board was not completely against accepting ads in the magazine, for they were quick to add, “Future advertising will be scrupulously analyzed before it is accepted for these pages and every effort will be made to keep the highest standards possible. This means protection for us as well as for the readers.”

Another promise: Picture and fiction magazine

The editors added one more promise to the readers of the magazine, “Within the next few months the number of pages will be materially increased, and color covers will be added later. Every improvement possible will be carefully considered and acted upon, — in and endeavor to fill the need of a combined picture and fiction magazine. And in the meantime, –‘On with the dance,– let joy be unconfined.”

Next: The Hubbard Connection

And in case you missed the four parts of chapter one here are the links

Chapter 1 Part 1

Chapter 1 Part 2

Chapter 1 Part 3

Chapter 1 Part 4