For sale is a professionally framed 1887 ANTIQUE BEECHAM’S PILLS ADVERTISEMENT which features the iconic Seaside Beecham Pills Wild Waves Girls. The Victorian England Ad features a young girl pressing a seashell against her ear. The top of the ad reads: “What are the Wild Waves Saying TRY BEECHAM’S PILLS”. A fitting slogan and illustration for a medicinal laxative. This advertisement was taken from page 403 of “The Graphic” published on October 8, 1887. The wood frame measures 17 inches by 13 inches. A great Victorian age collectible perfect for display in or near your bathroom.
In 1842, Thomas Beecham developed and started selling Beecham’s Pills in Wigan, Lancashire, England. In 1859, Beechams Pharmaceutical Firm was founded and through advertising became a global success. Two slogans used in Beecham’s advertising were “Worth a guinea a box” (the world’s first advertising slogan which first appeared in a Beechams advertisement in the St Helens Intelligencer in August 1859), and “Beecham’s pills make all the difference”.
Beecham pills were a combination of aloe, ginger, and soap. Initially advertised as a cure-all, like all other patent medicines, unlike other patent medicines, they actually did benefit the digestive process. Their effectiveness made them stand out from other medicinal remedies for sale in the mid-19th century.
