Guess Who! - Sanitary Soda Fountain - Advertising Paper Mask (1903)

A remarkable survivor from the dawn of 20th-century American advertising, this 1903 “Guess Who!” soda fountain mask is both a novelty and a marketing artifact rolled into one. Issued as a promotional giveaway at a 20th Century Sanitary Fountain, the mask was meant to be worn right in the shop, drawing laughter, attention, and — most importantly — new customers.

Early Advertising Strategy
At the turn of the century, soda fountains weren’t just places to grab a drink — they were social centers and competitive businesses that needed to stand out. Masks like this were handed out to patrons (often children or families) as both entertainment and advertising. The bold sailor design with its anchor-emblazoned cap and piercing lithographed eyes helped link the brand with “modern sanitary practices,” a major marketing push in the early 1900s when cleanliness and health were buzzwords.

Lithography & Printing
Produced using fine chromolithographic printing, the mask still shows vivid color over 120 years later. The back bears the printed text: “Guess Who! Absolutely Pure Soda Water – 20th Century Sanitary Fountain” — turning the mask into a walking billboard. Surviving masks with this level of legibility and brightness are vanishingly rare.

Date & Patent
The mask is patent dated 1903, putting it among the earliest verified dated advertising masks in America — predating the Boston Sunday Post’s animal mask series (1904) and aligning it historically with the very first wave of paper ephemera designed for wear.

Cultural Context
The phrase “Guess Who!” tapped into a popular early-1900s fad for guessing games and novelty amusements. By handing out a mask that hid the wearer’s face, soda shops invited play, conversation, and return visits — all while embedding their branding directly into the community’s social fabric.

Measures 6 ½ inches by 8 inches.

This is more than a mask — it’s a window into the playful marketing tactics that defined American soda culture at the dawn of the 20th century.