it's so incredible to see what unusual and rare things people come across ... who would have guess that BF Goodrich was making this version of a hot water bottle

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=26649068554793757&set=gm.4674179812859260&idorvanity=2695731877370740

the first car tires.... were ordered by Winton, from Goodrich, Here is his account of how getting car tires made, for the first car, went.

I went to the Goodrich Company, in Akron, and told them I wanted something bigger than their biggest bicycle tire, something that would fit the wheels of a horseless carriage.

“That’s a new one on us,” cried a man to whom I had been directed.

“A horseless carriage, eh? Hmph! Will it run?”

“You bet it will.”

“Well, I guess we can make them, although we never have.”

“That’s fine.”

The man hesitated, rubbed his chin, and observed: “We will make them, but you will have to pay for the molds.”

“Do what?”

“Yes, sir. There won’t be enough call for tires for horseless carriages, and we can’t afford to pay for the molds. Also, you will have to pay for them in advance — and the tires too. We’ll have them on our hands if you don’t get them.”

I paid.

They were single-tube affairs, and were pretty expensive. It wasn’t long before I got a puncture, and while I thought of patching the tire I figured out what I considered a better idea. Molasses was heavy and would stop leaks if they weren’t too large, so I began pumping it into the tube. I pumped too hard. The rubber gave way and the molasses came out too quickly to be dodged.

https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/sep-keyword/winton-motor-carriage-company

BFG billboard, hand painted the ol fashioned way

https://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A186132

the service station on wheels.... hmmm

https://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A262008

I imagine that there was a lot of opportunity at the time, when AAA was out there making road signs, and maps, for competition to do the same for some publicity, here the Touring Bureau of the B.F. Goodrich Company was getting the work done, just like Michelin, to get people to wear out their tires

B.F. Goodrich Tire Company starting around 1910 on the East coast, finishing in 1917 on the West Coast, to help motorists navigate early roads and use up the tires on their cars so they'd need to buy new ones (like Michelin already figured out), featuring branded signs at intersections and detailed Goodrich Route Books with maps and sign locations

The company placed a sign post every three miles along the main highway routes. Over 10,000 Goodrich Road signs were installed throughout the United States.

The earliest road signs were made from sheets of metal with dimples in them to create letters and numbers. Later versions were then coated with porcelain and painted bright colors to help them stand out and last longer. 

Warning signs were typically round with a red background and white lettering for things such as railroad crossings. Signs giving directions were also circular but had a blue back-ground. Arrows would then point in the direction of a town with the town name and distance in miles printed on them. Lastly, all of these signs had the words Goodrich on top and Tires on the bottom to help promote the rubber tire maker. 

https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1143&context=books_pubs

 https://forums.aaca.org/topic/341211-period-images-to-relieve-some-of-the-stress/page/255

https://curtiswrightmaps.com/product/goodrich-route-book-san-francisco-and-los-angeles-coast-route/

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3252074278283852&set=gm.1718885405478965&idorvanity=892215761479271

https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=RMD19130713-01.2.181&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7CtxCO%7CtxTA--------0------

https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_1914_goodrich_long_island_route_book

https://morphyauctions.com/auctions/

Huh... Goodrich would make tires in whatever color the customer wanted, I guess is the point of this ad

https://forums.aaca.org/topic/341211-period-images-to-relieve-some-of-the-stress/page/326/

Goodrichs test trucks, note the one on the left has a couple BIG tires strapped down

https://forums.aaca.org/topic/341211-period-images-to-relieve-some-of-the-stress/page/543/

authentic vintage advertising all over this car, so much more than most

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=25571027305832692&set=gm.3326993607466285&idorvanity=196642123834798

BF Goodrich tire caliper, for properly inflating tires

https://www.proxibid.com/Goodrich-Tire-Caliper-Gauge-w-Original-Case/lotInformation/75956212

The B.F. Goodrich Co. Annual Motorcycle Race trophy of 1911, 5 mile race

 

https://www.proxibid.com/The-B-F-Goodrich-Co-Annual-Motorcycle-Race-5-Miles-1911/lotInformation/74874491

As always, skip the first minute of this video, and then enjoy the 1978 BFG Performance Team at the Mint 400

via https://bringatrailer.com/2023/03/10/bat-video-inspiration-bfg-blazers-going-big-at-the-1978-mint-400/

or read about the BFG Blazers:

Wanting to dominate off-road racing, Chevrolet approached Parnelli Jones in 1976 with the opportunity to create a very special race vehicle–the BFG Blazer. Of course, Parnelli accepted the task and took to the project with his build team, creating the famed Blazer with their extensive knowledge of the off-road race world at the time.

Unlike other off-road racing rigs of its day, the BFG Blazer made use of a full tube-frame chassis, custom one-off suspension components, a fiberglass body and a Big Oly-inspired wing across the back of the roof. Built specifically for off-road competitions, the suspension system of the BFG Blazer was a custom IFS system with unique stamped A-arms, Summers Brothers hubs, and Gabriel shocks in the front. Out back, the truck made use of a unique six-link system and Jacobs Ladder setup fabricated and massaged by Dick Russell and Jones.

https://www.bfgoodrichracing.com/mint-400-1978-bfg-documentary/

https://www.offroadxtreme.com/features/vintage-monday-frank-scoop-vessels-original-bfg-blazer/

cool way to get the idea across (thanks Billy O !)

https://antiqueposters.com/le-ballon-goodrich/

nice eye catching way to get people to look at what you're selling. 1935

https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM15770

nice example of how photos were manipulated before Photoshop

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-shots-from-days-gone-by.428585/page-6665

a couple Geo Ham advertisements and paintings I haven't seen before, and it turns out, there is a facebook page for Geo Ham art

https://www.facebook.com/groups/163823467902648/

Jean d'Ylen poster art

Jean d'Ylen (1886 - 1938), a French painter, illustrator and poster designer, one of the few designers to use imagery very close to surrealism. Born Jean Paul Béguin, he took the pseudonym of Ylen in 1912.

From the age of twelve, his particular talents for drawing became apparent and in 1898, he obtained gold and silver medals from the City of Paris.

After the war, he quickly opted for a poster career and joined the printer Vercasson in 1919. At the Advertising Fair in 1920, it is written that "since Chéret, we have never seen such talent and Jean d'Ylen is truly the master of the modern poster.

In 1922, he was recruited by the Vercasson advertising agency, for which he produced more than 200 posters, some of which are now part of the collection of the National Library of France.

 Influenced by his mentor Leonetto Cappielo, his work is distinguished by the use of graphics inspired by surrealism, to produce drawings borrowed from a certain exuberance. Defined as "the master of modern posters" by the newspaper La Publicité, he exhibited his work at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1937.

 He designed them for the Waterman, Ripolin, Jacquemaire, Shell, Bally and Sandeman brands.

In 1934 a disagreement with Vercasson led him to work directly with Weiner in London, for Esso, BP, the Daily Herald, Power Ethyl.

He was widely recognized as a master in his field.

http://blog.kermorvan.fr/2019/09/17/affiches-de-la-quinzaine-jean-dylen/
http://www.artnet.com/artists/jean-d-ylen/  for a gallery of his colorful paintings that were used as poster art
https://www.invaluable.com/artist/ylen-jean-d-a90ekug2ar/sold-at-auction-prices/