At the turn of the 20th century, New York City offered just about any service a person could imagine, along with quite a few that most people probably never would.
A 1904 newspaper article collected some of the stranger signs spotted around the city, revealing businesses that boarded birds, trained ill-tempered cats, corrected round shoulders, taught “perfect grace,” repaired black eyes, rented babies, and even promised to reveal the occupations of young women’s future husbands.
Some advertisements were practical, some were questionable, and others were unintentionally hilarious.
One undertaker may have had the most memorable sales pitch of them all, asking passersby why they should continue walking around in misery when he could bury them for just $18.
Some of the Queer Industries and Trades Carried on in New York
The mystery of “how the other half lives” means, in part, the question how it gets its living. The most out-of-the-way occupations are found in the largest cities. Placards and signboards show some of the queer industries and trades carried on in New York.
On East 34th Street a sign in the window of a house informs the public that “Birds are boarded here by the day, week or month.”
A little further downtown a sign in a basement window announces, “Dogs’ ears and tails cut in the latest fashion.”
A sign in the same locality reads, “I educate cross cats and dogs to be gentle and well behaved.”
“Young ladies are invited to come in and learn the name and calling of their future husbands,” on West 23rd Street, near 8th Avenue.
“Round-shouldered people made straight,” is announced on East19th Street.
Near 19th Street, on 4th Avenue, “Perfect grace is taught in twelve lessons,” and “satisfaction guaranteed.”
On the Bower, near Houston Street, “Ladies deficient in wardrobe are fashionably dressed on easy monthly installments.”
“Sore eyes in poodles effectually cured here,” is a message displayed on East Broadway.
In Catherine Street, “Babies are hired or exchanged” — for the use of professional beggars, of course.
In Hester Street, “Black eyes are artfully pained over,” and “False noses as good as new and warranted to fit,” are advertised near Chatham Square, conveying the impression that assault is not an uncommon crime in some quarters.
On Chatham Street the wayfarer is told, “Dine here, and you will never dine anywhere else” — a somewhat ambiguous statement.
And, on Mulberry Street an undertaker makes a bid for business with a sign in his window which reads:
“Why walk about in misery when I can bury you for $18?”
Source: The Camden Chronicle. Camden, Tenn. August 12, 1904.
