NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—It was almost like unearthing a sexual time capsule. Employees at novelty manufacturer Doc Johnson recently came across a company catalog from 1977 and saw just how far the sex toy industry has come.
The catalog, which sold for $5, was titled “Marital Aids,” even though the sexual revolution had been going strong for close to a decade. An introductory letter also refers to the inclusion of “‘Doc’ Johnson Signatured Products.”
“Signatured Products represent the finest quality in their field,” the letter reads. “Highly specialized items that represent years of research and product perfection. You may be assured that all ‘Doc’ Johnson Sexual Aids are precisely manufactured, employing the highest grade of material available with your complete safety in mind.”
The letter also refers to the company’s Triple Star Symbol of Exceptional Quality to denote the Signatured Products.
“Looking back, it amazes us how far Doc Johnson, and the novelty industry as a whole, has come since these early beginnings,” Doc Johnson Director of Product Development and Licensing Chad Braverman told AVN. “While our original brochure exemplifies the nature of the adult industry at its inception, it reinforces how many walls have come down over the past 30 years. It’s exciting to envision what the future has in store for us.”
For a look at some of the pages from the 1977 Doc Johnson catalog, visit AVN.com/Galleries.
