[Ads-l] Antedating of "Centerfold"

Wed Jun 26 03:41:55 UTC 2024

Nice work, Peter. There is a 1932 edition of "The Modern Technique of
Bowls" accessible via the Internet Archive. So a 1932 date for sense 1
of "centre-fold" (i.e., page(s), picture) seems solid.

Yet, the cost listed for the centre-fold is odd. The cost should be
more than double the cost of a single page; assuming the two-facing
middle pages are treated as a unitary object.

Instead, the two pages of the centre-fold are being sold separately,
it appears. Nevertheless, the two pages still qualify as a
centre-fold, I guess.

Year: 1932
Book Tile: The Modern Technique of Bowls
Authors: H. P. Webber and Dr. J. W. Fisher
Chapter XVI: Tournament Bowls
Quote Page 157
Publisher: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, London
Database: Internet Archive

https://archive.org/details/moderntechniqueo0000unse/page/n6/mode/1up?q=%22centre-fold%22

[Begin excerpt]
This official programme should draw a good revenue. Care must,
however, be taken not to swamp the official items in the programme
with advertisements. The most sought-after positions for
advertisements are the covers (outside and in) and the centre-fold.
The value of the cover page or centre-fold is about 30s.; an ordinary
page would probably bring in 21s., a half-page 12s. 6d., and a
quarter-page 7s. 6d. At least £40 can be raised by these means.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Tue, Jun 25, 2024 at 10:41 PM mr_peter_morris at outlook.com
<mr_peter_morris at outlook.com> wrote:
>
> Possible 1933,  Google dating caveats apply.
>
> https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Modern_Technique_of_Bowls/UESk9gWlphkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=centre-fold&dq=centrefold&printsec=frontcover
>
> The most sought-after positions for advertisements are the
> covers (outside and in) and the centre-fold. The value of the
> cover page or centre-fold is about 30s.
>
> ==========================
>
> This one is certainly from 1891, but I'm not sure if it counts.  It's
> talking about
> a single printed card, in three parts, rather than the centre page of a
> magazine.
>
> https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_British_Printer/5PYdAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=centrefold&pg=RA1-PP1&printsec=frontcover
>
> (left column, 20 lines down)
>
> "On the outside a broad band of rich arabesque border in green and gold
> extends diagonally from corner to corner appearing twice on the outside
> when folded and enclosing the line "Yuletide 1890" in large script type
> in gold; inside the centre fold is occupied by the portrait which
> appears
>   in our last issue ,"
>
>
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> From "ADSGarson O'Toole" <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
> To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Date 25/06/2024 22:25:39
> Subject Re: Antedating of "Centerfold"
>
> >The OED definition of centerfold (sense 2) with a 1969 citation refers
> >to the model and not the picture.
> >
> >[Begin OED excerpt]
> >centrefold centerfold NOUN
> >2. A person, esp. a woman, who appears or has appeared nude or
> >scantily clad in a photograph on the middle pages of a magazine.
> >
> >1969 I was the centerfold—the playmate for December, 1966.
> >Los Angeles Times 28 March iv. 25/1
> >[End OED excerpt]
> >
> >The early instances of centerfold refer to the picture and not the
> >model. Sometimes there is ambiguity.
> >For example, in the following 1960 citation the noun "centerfolds"
> >might refer to the models, but I think the most likely referent is the
> >pictures (or postcards) themselves and not the models depicted.
> >
> >Date: December 29, 1960
> >Newspaper: The Swanton Courier
> >Newspaper Location: Swanton, Vermont
> >Article: Who started all this?
> >Author: Chandler L. Mason
> >Quote Page B-6, Column 6
> >Database: Newspapers.com
> >
> >[Begin excerpt]
> >Horsley must have been horrified at the turn taken in the eighties,
> >when British cards blossomed out in a rash of colorful nudes; not too
> >unlike the "Playboy" centerfolds of today. Kate Greenaway, the famed
> >illustrator of children's books designed many cards and is on record
> >as having received an average of three pounds per design.
> >[End excerpt]
> >
> >The following 1965 citation for "centerfold" refers to the model and
> >not the picture. This was the earliest match I could find with the
> >desired sense without ambiguity.
> >
> >Date: November 15, 1965
> >Newspaper: The Tipton Daily Tribune
> >Newspaper Location:
> >Article: In Hollywood
> >Author: Vernon Scott (UPI Hollywood Correspondent)
> >Quote Page 2, Column 2
> >Database: Newspapers.com
> >
> >[Begin excerpt]
> >While Mamie is changing her professional image, in person she is still
> >the centerfold of a girlie magazine.
> >[End excerpt]
> >
> >The 1966 citation mentioned by LH in the previous message, I believe,
> >refers to the picture and not the model. So it corresponds to sense 1
> >of centerfold and not sense 2 in the OED.
> >
> >The first issue of Playboy was published in December 1953. Hence,
> >earlier instances in which "centerfold" corresponds to a model might
> >exist. Maybe a list participant can find one.
> >
> >Garson
> >
> >On Mon, Jun 24, 2024 at 2:25 PM Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at yale.edu> wrote:
> >>
> >>  I suspect the more specialized sense--
> >>  OED s.v. centerfold, 2:
> >>  A person, esp. a woman, who appears or has appeared nude or scantily clad
> >>  in a photograph on the middle pages of a magazine.
> >>  --can be antedated back from the 1969 first cite, given that both the
> >>  layout and the "persons, esp. women" featured therein in (at least) Playboy
> >>  predate 1969, as some list members will recall.  (The OED includes a 1966
> >>  entry for "center fold", with space, from a piece in McCall's Magazine.)
> >>
> >>  LH
> >>
> >>  On Mon, Jun 24, 2024 at 10:55 AM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu>
> >>  wrote:
> >>
> >>  > centerfold (OED 1941)
> >>  >
> >>  > 1938 _New York Daily News_ 23 Aug. 1 (Newspapers.com)
> >>  >
> >>  > Other pictures of subway crash on centerfold and back page.
> >>  >
> >>  > Fred Shapiro
> >>  >
> >>  >
> >>  >
> >>  > ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>  > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>  >
> >>
> >>  ------------------------------------------------------------
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> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------
> >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
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