If a figure like this bowed to you from a store window, wouldn’t you want to go inside? Electric automata started appearing in store displays in the early 20th century. Photo Credit: Potter & Potter Auctions (c) 2024 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.
It’s difficult to escape holiday shopping, whether you’re buying gifts, stocking up for dinner parties or just taking advantage of a sale. And stores make sure to entice you with flashy, tempting displays. Even if you’re not a fan of the commercialization of the holidays, store displays can be works of art. But collectors of antique advertising have known this for a long time.
