Darkie Toothpaste Promotional Advertising fan mask (1930's-40's)

Darkie Toothpaste Promotional Advertising fan mask (1930's-40's)

Manufacturer: Hawley & Hazel Chemical Co.
Material: Lithographed cardboard with wooden handle
Origin: Hong Kong / U.S. distribution
Approx. Size: 12" tall
Condition: Excellent vintage display example with only light edge wear and natural patina to handle.

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A chilling relic from early 20th-century advertising, this double-sided lithographed fan promoted Darkie Tooth Paste — later rebranded Darlie — a product originally produced by Hawley & Hazel Chemical Co. in Hong Kong. The imagery reflects racially stereotyped design themes common in commercial art of the 1930s–40s, which today serve as powerful reminders of how mass marketing once mirrored society’s prejudices.

Printed in bold black and red ink, the fan depicts the brand’s original logo character with exaggerated grin and top hat, rendered in striking halftone dots and high contrast. The stick-mounted format was designed to be handed out at retail counters or used as a novelty display, part of a broader wave of “hand-fan” promotions that tied into early health and hygiene advertising.

Historical Context:
Darkie Tooth Paste debuted in the 1920s and remained on the market for decades throughout Asia and limited U.S. territories. Following global backlash, the name and branding were officially changed to Darlie in 1989. Surviving promotional fans from the pre-rebranding era are rarely encountered today, particularly in such well-preserved condition.

An unsettling yet important artifact for those documenting the evolution of racial imagery in commercial advertising. Frequently featured in museum and academic studies of branding history, this fan marks a transitional moment between early 20th-century caricature marketing and the modern global consumer era.