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A 1971 Montgomery Ward catalog featured what they called a “battery-operated facial massager”, advertised as delivering a gentle, penetrating massage for relaxation and circulation. Marketed as a beauty tool, it was meant to reduce tension and improve skin tone, sold for $4.99 with two C batteries included. This ad is a fascinating example of how products were marketed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when companies began heavily promoting household gadgets as both modern conveniences and wellness tools. Catalogs like Montgomery Ward and Sears were the Amazon of their day, and items like this were pitched with language focused on health, beauty, and stress relief. Interestingly, this “facial massager” closely resembles devices that later became better known for very different uses, which adds to its retro charm and why it often goes viral online today. At the time, however, massage devices were genuinely marketed as therapeutic. Advertisements emphasized increased blood flow, relief of facial tension, and even improved absorption of creams and lotions. Montgomery Ward, once one of the largest American department store chains, was a pioneer in catalog sales. © Reddit #archaeohistories