Item Identification

• What it is: A complete 1919 Monthly Calendar Ink Blotter Booklet.

• Brand: The Marinello Company (a major early 20th-century beauty and cosmetics empire).

• Theme: "The Marinello Good Luck Elephants."

• Content: The folder contains 12 individual ink blotters (one for each month of 1919), bound together with a decorative cord. Each page features a calendar, an inspirational quote (e.g., Theodore Roosevelt), and the Marinello branding.

Historical Significance

• The Elephant Mascot: The elephant was not just a random design; it was the specific trademark of Ruth Maurer, the founder of Marinello. She chose the elephant to symbolize "power and wisdom".

• Marinello's Legacy: Started in a basement with $300, Marinello grew into an international chain of beauty schools and shops. Items featuring the "Good Luck Elephant" are highly collected by beauty historians because they represent a specific era of the company's branding that disappeared in later years.

• 1919 Date: This is a post-WWI item. The quote on the January page is from Theodore Roosevelt, who actually died in January 1919, making the inclusion of his quote contemporaneously poignant.

• Completeness: Ink blotters were disposable items meant to absorb excess ink from fountain pens. Finding a single used blotter is common, but finding a complete, unused booklet of 12 is rare.

• Comparable Sales:

• Single, loose advertising blotters from this era typically sell for $5 – $10 each.

• A similar 3-month calendar blotter from 1919 recently sold for $34. Your item has 4x the content and the original cover.

• Marinello beauty items with the elephant motif (like compacts or bottles) are premium collectibles, often selling for $60 – $200 depending on the item.

• Cross-Collectible Appeal: This item appeals to three different groups:

1. Ephemera Collectors: For the 1919 date and mint condition.

2. Beauty/Cosmetics Collectors: Specifically looking for early Marinello/Ruth Maurer history.

3. Elephant Collectors: The "Good Luck" motif is a popular niche.

Next Step: Would you like me to look up how to properly store this to prevent the paper from becoming brittle or acidic over time?