Vintage Maidenform bullet BRA Corsetiere SALES MANUAL 1950s illustrated Book

Description

This is a rare vintage booklet for corsetieres or lingerie salespeople. The booklet is a Sales Manual issued by Maiden Form Brassiere Company Inc., who went by the name Maidenform. Based on the fashions in the booklet and the date of a similar subject booklet I bought from the same estate, I estimate that this book is from the late 1950s. This auction here also includes a small undated folded brochure I found inside that is entitled “How to measure your customer for a perfect maidenform fit.”
The illustrated sales product booklet provides a fascinating look at the variety of bras available to the woman back then, with several pages devoted to garter belts, girdles, and how-to information too. (See photo of Table of Contents, which also shows the various style names covered in the book.) The book is written from a sales point of view and addresses the benefits of Maidenform lingerie as well as figure types and issues. For each bra, girdle or garter belt, the book shows the style number, type of fabric (if embroidered, it is identified as such) and sizes available; note that there is NO pricing information provided. Many of the bras are what are considered bullet bras today, although referred to in the booklet as spoke-stitched, circular stitched or tic-tac-toe stitched.
Closed, the staple-bound booklet measures about 7 inches wide and 4 inches high. Excluding the covers, there are 48 pages. The booklet is organized into 12 main sections: Introduction; Facts about Figures; Facts about Maidenform; Short Length Bras; Full Length Bras; Strapless and Six-Way Bras; Pre-Lude Once-Overs; Teenage Bras; Padded Bras & Bust Pads; Nursing Bras & Problem Figures; Garter Belts & Junior Girdles; and “How To” section.
As folded, the included 4-panel brochure measures about 3.75 inches wide and 5.75 inches high. Main subjects include: How to measure the correct bra size; How to measure the correct cup size; How to put on a Maidenform bra; Does the bra fit perfectly? Check the following; Tell your customer how to launder her Maidenform bra; and Fabrics.
Condition Details
: The booklet is in very good condition, showing some signs of usage, handling and age. The previous owner wrote her last name in pencil on the front cover and there is an erasure underneath; the front cover also has some slight tiny foxing on the right edge. Both covers have slightly yellowed from age and have some bumping or paper loss along the edges and spine fold. The inside pages have slightly yellowed from age and as can be seen on the photo of the Table of Contents, there is a small 1/2-inch stain on the first page and similar slight staining around the staple areas on the same page (as well as on back page opposite back cover.) Perhaps this is from the staples, which are fully intact but maybe are slightly rusted. The inside pages show typical signs of handling or usage such as small stray marks but have no handwriting or highlighting. The brochure is in almost excellent condition, with just some slight yellowing from age and some 1/4-inch creasing in the lower outer corner.
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