Signature on Book Announcement - Ruth Ashmore

Original signature on beige paper announcement for an upcoming book, Side-Talks with Girls (1895). Signed, "Ruth Ashmore," in black ink at the bottom of one of the pages (likely the signed pseuodym of Isabel Mallon). No date, circa 1895. 5 3/4" x 3." Four pages (one leaf folded in half and printed in black ink on all sides). Announcement is very clean and intact except for light age toning, a few small wrinkles, a vertical fold line at center, and a few tiny spots of discoloration in the upper-right corner of one page. A Near Fine copy. Ruth Ashmore was the pen name of Isabel Mallon and Edward Bok. It is likely that this signature of "Ruth Ashmore" was signed by Isabel Mallon given that Mallon has been credited by various sources as the author of the book, Side-Talks with Girls, advertised on the announcement. Isabel Mallon (1857-1898) was an American author who is perhaps best-known for her "Ruth Ashmore" and "Bab's Babble" columns. The character of Ruth Ashmore was the brainchild of Edward Bok (1863-1930), a Dutch-American author and the longtime editor of the Ladies' Home Journal from 1899-1919. As editor of the Ladies' Home Journal, Bok had envisioned an advice column in which girls and younger women could write to a motherly figure who would help them with their questions and concerns. Bok named the column, "Side-Talks with Girls," and proceeded to write a sample article, signed, "Ruth Ashmead," to show a female columnist at the magazine what he was looking for in terms of writing style and content for the column. However, his article was misplaced in the editing room, and it received the accidental approval and commendation of staffers at the magazine who had begun to ready the article for publication. Following his staff's positive response, Bok changed the author's name to "Ruth Ashmore" and authorized his own article for publication. Thus, Bok was the writer behind the inaugural appearance of Ruth Ashmore in the Ladies' Home Journal whose column was an instant success. Ruth Ashmore's "Side-Talks with Girls" debuted in January 1890, and depending on the source, Bok may have written at least one more article for this column under the "Ruth Ashmore" pseudonym. With the rising success of the column and the numerous letters addressed to Ruth Ashmore, Bok requested that Mallon take over the role of the advice-giving columnist, apparently no later than the early 1890s. Mallon also wrote two books which were both published under "Ruth Ashmore," Side-Talks with Girls (1895), a compilation of Ashmore's advice columns in book form, and The Business Girl in Every Phase of Her Life (1898). The announcement briefly describes and promotes the Side-Talks with Girls book. One side of the announcement comprises a blank order form for the book. Another side lists the titles of articles and chapters in the book.…