A WHO’S WHO OF ASHFORD

An Illustrated Guide to

The Rooles of Society

In Ashford, everybody knows their place. The trouble begins when somebody tries to change it.

Welcome to Ashford, a bustling American city in the 1880s, where fortunes are made, reputations are guarded, and the rules of society are understood by everyone—except, perhaps, the Rooles.

Meet Ben D. Roole, a fabulously wealthy industrialist whose fortune has purchased nearly everything imaginable.

Everything, that is, except social acceptance.

His wife, Golda, is determined to remedy that unfortunate oversight.

And so begins The Rooles of Society, an original comedy of manners, money, ambition, and the absurdities of social climbing.

Now, for the first time, explore the extraordinary world of Ashford in this beautifully illustrated, 66-page collectible magazine.

A CITY FULL OF CHARACTERS.

AND EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO PROVE.

Behind the elegant mansions, fashionable drawing rooms, bustling businesses, and working-class neighborhoods of Ashford lives an unforgettable collection of personalities.

The Rooles

New money. Enormous ambition. Questionable social instincts.

Ben D. Roole and his family are determined to climb to the very top of Ashford society—even if they have to rewrite the rules to get there.

The DeMerchants

Education, accomplishment, and dignity.

Henry DeMerchant, a successful pharmacist, and his family have earned their place in the world. But in 1880s America, achievement doesn’t necessarily open every door.

The Bells

Hard work, family, and everyday life.

Lucy and Bo Bell, along with their mischievous triplet sons, bring warmth, humor, and a working-class perspective to the world of Ashford.

Mrs. Constance Ashford and the Old Guard

Old money. Old families. Old prejudices.

For Mrs. Ashford and her exclusive circle, social standing isn’t something one purchases.

It’s something one inherits.

And they intend to keep it that way.

STEP INSIDE THE WORLD OF ASHFORD

A Who’s Who of Ashford is more than a collection of character portraits.

It’s an illustrated introduction to an entire fictional world.

Within its pages, you’ll discover:

The Characters: Meet the families, servants, socialites, and personalities who inhabit Ashford.

The Households: Explore the grand residences and more modest homes that reflect the city’s social divisions.

The City: Discover the businesses, streets, institutions, and gathering places that give Ashford its character.

The Society: Enter a world of extravagant fashions, social ambition, unwritten rules, and the perpetual struggle to belong.

The Comedy: Get acquainted with the personalities and circumstances that make The Rooles of Society a world of endless possibilities.

Every illustration helps bring this imagined 1880s American city to life.

A COLLECTIBLE MAGAZINE FOR LOVERS OF ART, ANIMATION, AND STORYTELLING

Beautifully illustrated and presented in a large-format publication, A Who’s Who of Ashford celebrates the visual imagination behind The Rooles of Society.

Inspired by the charm of classic television animation and the extravagance of America’s Gilded Age, its pages are filled with colorful characters, elaborate costumes, period architecture, and a generous helping of social satire.

Whether you’re fascinated by animation, historical comedy, character design, or simply enjoy discovering an imaginative new world, Ashford welcomes you.

Although Mrs. Ashford may have something to say about that.