Rather Creepy
This is a framed advertisement for Lighthouse Cleanser, a brand of cleansing powder that is no longer extant. Depicted is a woman on her knees toiling away, scrubbing the floor. Poor lady doesn't even have the luxury of Playtex gloves protecting her hands though the manufacturer claims in their ads that the cleanser will not harm hands! It is an old advertisement from almost a century ago that has been framed and hung on a wall within a Cracker Barrel restaurant that we once visited.
Within the ad appearing in the window is an apparently animated figure in the shape of a harbor lighthouse coming to the rescue, with a can of cleanser, a bucket and a scrub brush in hand. I understand the intent of the illustration but it comes off as a bit creepy if you ask me, especially since the lighthouse figure appears to be showing a bit of a scheming “trust me” grin! The woman, gazing directly at the blazing beam emanating from the light source, is probably trying to remember the magic life-saving phrase as used in the 1950s science fiction movie The Day the Earth Stood Still to prevent Gort the robot from completely destroying the Earth with his death ray stare!
Anyone familiar with Cracker Barrel Country Stores/Restaurants in the US knows that the decor within the dining area comprises a multitude of items of historical or outdated things. Objects such as a washboard or a manual corn seed planter might be seen hanging upon the walls next to signs promoting Gold Medal flour or a long lost portrait of somebody’s kinfolk. The company must have thousands of items in their possession within the US, as hundreds of items adorn the walls within the many restaurants that make up that chain. One of our friends who used to manage a Cracker Barrel in Kentucky informed us that every antique/historic item used as decoration within any location has a property tag attached and is cataloged by the company at their headquarters office.
GORT! - Klaatu Barada Nikto!
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August, 2025 update:
I wonder, as a result of Cracker Barrel’s controversial re-branding and redecorating in the news now August, 2025, would this advertising art be removed to be replaced by something more generic (and uninteresting) that’s visible in those examples of the newly remodeled restaurants? Frankly, as odd as this cleanser example appears, it is exactly the type of interesting historical artifact that I found to be fascinating that adorned their restaurant walls before the remodeling. I would much rather see this than say panels of arrays of rolling pins, flour sifters or kitchen cutting boards that hold no depth of mystery.
Rather Creepy
This is a framed advertisement for Lighthouse Cleanser, a brand of cleansing powder that is no longer extant. Depicted is a woman on her knees toiling away, scrubbing the floor. Poor lady doesn't even have the luxury of Playtex gloves protecting her hands though the manufacturer claims in their ads that the cleanser will not harm hands! It is an old advertisement from almost a century ago that has been framed and hung on a wall within a Cracker Barrel restaurant that we once visited.
Within the ad appearing in the window is an apparently animated figure in the shape of a harbor lighthouse coming to the rescue, with a can of cleanser, a bucket and a scrub brush in hand. I understand the intent of the illustration but it comes off as a bit creepy if you ask me, especially since the lighthouse figure appears to be showing a bit of a scheming “trust me” grin! The woman, gazing directly at the blazing beam emanating from the light source, is probably trying to remember the magic life-saving phrase as used in the 1950s science fiction movie The Day the Earth Stood Still to prevent Gort the robot from completely destroying the Earth with his death ray stare!
Anyone familiar with Cracker Barrel Country Stores/Restaurants in the US knows that the decor within the dining area comprises a multitude of items of historical or outdated things. Objects such as a washboard or a manual corn seed planter might be seen hanging upon the walls next to signs promoting Gold Medal flour or a long lost portrait of somebody’s kinfolk. The company must have thousands of items in their possession within the US, as hundreds of items adorn the walls within the many restaurants that make up that chain. One of our friends who used to manage a Cracker Barrel in Kentucky informed us that every antique/historic item used as decoration within any location has a property tag attached and is cataloged by the company at their headquarters office.
GORT! - Klaatu Barada Nikto!
=================
August, 2025 update:
I wonder, as a result of Cracker Barrel’s controversial re-branding and redecorating in the news now August, 2025, would this advertising art be removed to be replaced by something more generic (and uninteresting) that’s visible in those examples of the newly remodeled restaurants? Frankly, as odd as this cleanser example appears, it is exactly the type of interesting historical artifact that I found to be fascinating that adorned their restaurant walls before the remodeling. I would much rather see this than say panels of arrays of rolling pins, flour sifters or kitchen cutting boards that hold no depth of mystery.