The National Lead Company used kids as a tool to help market & sell toxic Lead Paint to parents via booklets like this one.

The National Lead Company used kids as a tool to help market & sell toxic Lead Paint products to their parents via children’s activity booklets like this “Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book” (c. 1932?)

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A little background:

Historians David Rosner and Jerry Markowitz have discussed the marketing materials and strategies of The National Lead Company / Dutch Boy (& the Lead Industry in general) in their research and books. Rosner and Markowitz (professors at Columbia University and CUNY – in New York) are also featured in my documentary feature film “MisLEAD: America’s Secret Epidemic” discussing the history of the Lead Industry — and specifically, the Industry’s role in poisoning generations of children (in America and across the globe) – for more than a century. In the film they specifically discuss the marketing strategies of the Lead industry and their intentional focus on appealing to children and creating nostalgia in children in order to sell their products across many generations (much as the tobacco industry and fast food industry have done, following their example). To learn more about this, please watch the preview screening of my film right here on YouTube if you have not yet.

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This post contains photos of every page of the booklet pictured here.
Scroll down to see each of the images.

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Cover

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 2 & 3

Page 2

• Dolly’s house looked old, not new
• Until a little boy in blue
• Took paint and brush, as you can do
• Colored it outside; inside, too
• He then another house did spy
• Birdie’s home – ’twas way up high
• On it also did he apply
• You’ll guess what paint, if you will try

Page 3 – What To Do

1. Tear out the two center pages. Give the coupon to your parents. Keep the page of colors to paint with.
2. Cut page 5 into strips. Please each strip next to the question on page 4 it answers. If this is done right, the back of the slips will form a picture for you to follow in coloring page 7.
3. Do the same with the strips on page 9.

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 4 & 5

Page 4

• who is the boy on page 7?
• what is he doing?
• what paint is he using?
• why is he painting the doll’s house?
• will the paint last a long time?

Page 5

• he is painting the doll’s house.
• so it will look nice and new.
• he is the Dutch Boy.
• yes, because it is good paint.
• he is using Dutch Boy White Lead.

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 6 & 7

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 6

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 7, Coupon

SIGN AND MAIL 
THIS COUPON
TO THE NEAREST ADDRESS
NATIONAL LEAD COMPANY
NEW YORK, BOSTON, BUFFALO, CHICAGO, CLEVELAND, CINCINNATI, ST. LOUIS, SAN FRANCISCO, PHILADELPHIA, PITTSBURGH

National Lead Company
National Boston Lead Co.
John T. Lewis & Bros. Co.
National Lead & Oil Co. of Penna 

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 8 & 9

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 8

Hand this coupon to your parents

NATIONAL LEAD COMPANY 
COUPON

This coupon, properly filled out and signed, entitles the holder, if a home-owner, to one copy of a beautifully illustrated booklet filled with necessary information on house painting and decoration. Fill in your name and address below and mail this coupon to one of the addresses on the back.

I hereby certify that I am a home-owner interested in the best method of painting my home, as well as in the latest mode of interior decoration. Please send me one cop of THE HOUSE WE LIVE IN, postpaid, without obligation.

NAME__________________________

STREET & NUMBER______________

CITY & STATE ___________________

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 9

Use These Colors to Paint The Pictures

“These are real water colors. Use them with a wet paint brush just as you would little cakes of paint. Don’t use too much water. Blue and yellow make green, red and yellow make orange, blue and red make purple.”

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 10 & 11

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 11
Marked “Page 7”

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 12 & 13

Page 12

• what is the Dutch Boy on page 11 doing?
• what color is he painting the bird house?
• why is he painting the bird house?
• is he using good paint?
• why is it good paint?

Page 13

• so rain and snow will not hurt it.
• he is painting the bird house.
• because it does not crack and peel off.
• he is painting the bird house green.
• yes; he is using Dutch Boy White Lead

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Page 14 & 15

DUTCH BOY
WHITE LEAD

Dutch Boy Paint and Question Book: Back Cover

This is the Dutch Boy trade-mark – a
guarantee of high quality in paint materials

JOHN J. DEMAREST
Phone Closter 59
Closter, N.J.

This document stands on its own and I don’t think needs a narration or explanation at this time – however please do let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for reading and for sharing my posts. I will be posting more images of vintage and antique booklets from the National Lead Company and Dutch Boy soon – so stay tuned!

Click here to see more vintage books that I have posted about.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama