[Ads-l] Antedating of "Centerfold"

mr_peter_morris@outlook.com mr_peter_morris at OUTLOOK.COM
Wed Jun 26 09:44:18 UTC 2024


From the fragment, I got the impression that they charge  30s
for a small advert on the centre-fold,  not for the entire two pages.
The two pages can be filled with adverts, raising a total of £40.


------ Original Message ------
From "ADSGarson O'Toole" <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Date 26/06/2024 04:41:55
Subject Re: Antedating of "Centerfold"

>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
>>  >>  >
>>  >>  >
>>  >>  >
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