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New York Telephone: 1950
February 15, 1950. "N.Y. Telephone Co. headquarters and the World-Telegram building, from a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/07/2020 - 2:00pm -

February 15, 1950. "N.Y. Telephone Co. headquarters and the World-Telegram building, from a helicopter." Photo by Al Ravenna for the New York World-Telegram & Sun. View full size. No longer on the waterfrontToday the N.Y. Telephone Co. headquarters is known as One Hundred Barclay. [Which is the designation for the residential part of today's Verizon Building. - Dave] Built in 1927, the building has survived a lot: a major fire in 1975, very seriously damaged in 2001 by both collapsing World Trade Center towers and Seven World Trade Center, then flooded during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. See: https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/search?q=ralph+walker%27s+1927 The piers and Lackawanna Railroad have been replaced by new buildings on landfill. Narrow escapeThe New York Telephone headquarters became the Verizon Building. On September 11, 2001, it was immediately adjacent to 7 World Trade Center and across the street from 6 World Trade Center, both of which were destroyed. The Verizon Building's thick-walled masonry construction saved it. The Barclay-Vesey buildingThis building is a masterpiece by architect Ralph Walker. It was heavily damaged by the collapse of the WTC buildings on 9/11, but repaired at a cost approaching a billion dollars. Half of the building has recently been transformed into residences. Here is the original lobby: TodayLooks like both buildings are still there, although they're not as imposing now that they're surrounded by newer, taller skyscrapers. The telephone building is on the West Side Highway at Vesey Street. Washington MarketYou can read a little more about the demise of the Washington Market (across the street from the NY Tel building in the picture above) at WNYC
J-Ride: 1950
Publicity photo from late 1950 for the Kaiser "Henry J," a small car (named after company chairman Henry ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/04/2013 - 7:50am -

Publicity photo from late 1950 for the Kaiser "Henry J," a small car (named after company chairman Henry J. Kaiser) that was a few years ahead of its time. By 1954, the Henry J had tootled off into oblivion. View full size. Basic transportation for sureApparently Henry J. Kaiser hoped to become known as the next Henry Ford, or American answer to Adolph Hitler, when he wisely sought to produce a low-priced new car for low-income folks shortly after World War II ended. But the first models of the Henry J. had no trunk lid, so you'd access that area by folding down the back seat. Also, the rear windows didn't roll down, there was no glove compartment and no arm rests either. A friend of mine owned a used Henry J in the early 1960s and it was a fun car to buzz around in. But our OSHA and highway safety people wouldn't let Americans even near one if they tried to market them now. They were made and sold for only four years. Quite possiblythe worst looking automobile in history, and there were plenty to choose from. Darrin influenceAlthough the Henry J prototype wasn’t a Dutch Darrin design, he did tweak it a bit. The signature ‘Darrin Dip’ at the trailing edge of the door betrays his involvement. As well, he is credited for insisting on the rear fender mini fins. AllstateIf you didn't like the bare bones austerity of the Henry J, then beginning in 1952 you could buy a more nicely equipped variant at your local Sears store with the name Allstate in its place. Most of the Allstates came with trunk lids and glove boxes and also had a higher grade interior. They could be had with a 134 cubic inch four or 161 cubic inch six, which probably resulted in a nice power to weight ratio for the 2,300 lb. car considering that the almost 600 lb. heavier Studebaker Champion only had eight more cubic inches. 1566 were built in 1952 and only 797 early in 1953 when Sears discontinued the program of selling a car through its stores. The top priced six was only $100 less than the lowest priced Studebaker, which had four doors and even in the base model Champion seemed like a better buy. Today the Allstates are far rarer than comparable Henry J's. Airbrushed photoThis photo was retouched by an artist as can be seen by the white line around the left front bumper guard. See also the outline painted on the rear edge of the fender. This practice was very common in the '50s when photos were used for ads in magazines. This prototype car seems to be missing the top part of the doors. [That kind of retouching was meant for photos appearing in newspapers, which is how this picture was used. - Dave] Henry JMy parents bought a Henry J in 1952. It was the worst car they ever owned. You couldn't get it started in the morning at least once a week without fiddling with it for 10 or 15 minutes. I remember my father kicking the door and cursing at it, and my mother getting so upset at him. We had it for about two years. Popular for drag racingThey were popular bases for drag racing cars - as were any small, inexpensive cars that could be stuffed with a bigger engine. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Fortress of Gunk: 1950
... in the hands of a young boy: mud. This is probably around 1950, so my brother is about 13 and I'm about 4 as we put the finishing touches ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 6:06pm -

Once again it's time to head up to the Russian River and some vacation fun with the most awesome toy ever to be placed in the hands of a young boy: mud. This is probably around 1950, so my brother is about 13 and I'm about 4 as we put the finishing touches on our impregnable shoreline fortress. Well actually, even more fun was in store when the River Queen motor launch (think Disneyland Jungle Ride boats) came along and its mini-tsunamis destroyed the ever-loving heck out of it. This shot also reveals the limitations of snapshot cameras everyone had to put up with back then, even a comparatively good one like my sister's Kodak Duaflex: we're not really that close but we're still out of focus, and the slow shutter speed meant additional blurriness from just the jiggle of pressing down the shutter release. But with the standard 3x3 print you got back from the drug store, you probably wouldn't notice. Interesting that, proportionally speaking, my gut is roughly in the same state today. View full size. D'ja ever get out to Jenner?To watch the sea lions and seals? The tide pushing the river back up to Guerneville through its cut in the sand bar. Then the river pushing the sea back where it belonged, usually through the same cut, but not always. Nature sure made some nice sand castles at the confluence. Regarding Your GutMine too. Great descriptionYou have summed up the vacation snapshot perfectly. Fuzziness is sometimes a virtue in amateur photography. Notice how many people these days are running their 10 MPixel digital photos through software that applies the Duaflex aesthetic? Next to his big brothertterrace has gotten a little pail. Your fortresslooks a little like a whale wearing a fez. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, Travel & Vacation, tterrapix)
Shady Rest: 1950
Columbus, Georgia, or vicinity circa 1950, and another snap from the "Housing" series. 4x5 acetate negative from the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/25/2015 - 2:43pm -

Columbus, Georgia, or vicinity circa 1950, and another snap from the "Housing" series. 4x5 acetate negative from the News Archive. View full size. Take the Money and Run ... er, Roll!Had it peradventure survived to the present in that condition, that Schwinn would be by far the most valuable artifact in the photograph. The baby boom certainly hit that tiny community.I count at least ten kids among the houses. What goes up might not come downLooks like a mischievous tyke made a toy parachute from a handkerchief and Dad's tobacco pouch, then managed to get it hung up on an overhead wire. Sell only 24 cases of salve!That shiny bike has pride of place in this humble scene. What a story that must has been. "Stay in your own yard"That's something my mom always told us if we were have a temporary tiff with neighborhood kids, but these people had, literally, only about one square yard of space on their own porches. Somebody (maybe a visitor) appears to have a new, nifty bike but otherwise this is a stark picture of the "have-nots" as they have absolutely nothing to do and look bored beyond words. Hot, humid summers in Ga. with no a/c, no TV, no nothin', jammed in small, run-down homes, too close together, really must have been difficult. And talk about "airing your dirty laundry in public", it's all out there for all to see, although it looks very clean. Reminds me somewhat of the old "Petticoat Junction" intro without the happiness. Hope things got better for all of them. River livingLooks like the house that my mother lived in back in the 30's & early 40's. First Ave on the Chattahoochee River at the intersection of 21st St. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Ragged Point: 1950
Chesapeake Bay (Maryland) ca. 1950. "Water scenes. Boat in foreground, lighthouse in distance. Made for Mr. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/02/2021 - 11:15am -

Chesapeake Bay (Maryland) ca. 1950. "Water scenes. Boat in foreground, lighthouse in distance. Made for Mr. Sharpe of Potomac Electric Power Co." Ragged Point Light in the Potomac River. 5x7 inch nitrate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. Une barque sur l'océanI suppose it is appropriate a fine exemplification of littoral imagery would be captured by a man named Theodor Hydroczak. [my apologies] Y thoThe Shorpy logo going down to the depths? Never! Chesapeake Bay, MarylandWell that's kind of vague. [Try reading the rest of the caption. - Dave] Not a Screw Pile AnymoreThe lighthouse is now a traditional light house on dry land. Screw-pile lighthouseRagged Point Light was a so-called screw-pile lighthouse. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, D.C., Landscapes, Theodor Horydczak)
Candid Camera: 1950
Circa 1950 comes this news flash of Mom from the "Linda" Kodachromes, somewhere in ... under the impression that nobody was having a good time in 1950. It is good to see that the exuberance being shown by this happy lady, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/09/2013 - 8:49pm -

Circa 1950 comes this news flash of Mom from the "Linda" Kodachromes, somewhere in New England. The 21st century says hello! View full size. Something WrongSomething has to be wrong with this image. I was under the impression that nobody was having a good time in 1950. It is good to see that the exuberance being shown by this happy lady, proves that particular rumor is entirely unfounded. 1950s Photo Techniques #439bSay something funny to the subject, then focus on the uvula! (Linda Kodachromes)
Extreme Makover: 1950
March 9, 1950. Washington, D.C . "White House renovation. Second floor Oval Study above ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/25/2013 - 10:50pm -

March 9, 1950. Washington, D.C . "White House renovation. Second floor Oval Study above Blue Room. North wall and part of floor removed for installation of steel shoring columns." Photo by Abbie Rowe. View full size. I Wonder?Considering the date, the U.S. was in the beginning stages of the post WW2 cold war, with the fear of nuclear annihilation all around us. Given the fact that they were adding "steel shoring columns", this begs the question of whether this was just a simple renovation, or an attempt to better protect the President in case of nuclear attack. [The interior of the building was on the verge of collapse. - tterrace] There's a famous storyBefore this renovation, the White House was still the building, to all intents and purposes, built in the 1790s, prior to gassification, running water, electrification, telegraphy, telephony, radio, interior kitchens becoming normal, modern building reinforcement, etc. As such the White House was stone and wood, with patchwork upgrades (well done, but patchwork nevertheless) to add features for the convienence of the President. However, it was still an essentially a building that had been built with wood using 18th century construction and had been continuously occupied and used for about 130 years; maintenence of key areas had never been able to be performed. Bess Truman played the piano, and so they had a piano brought into what is is now the "Formal Family Dining Room" (there are four dining rooms the First Family uses; that one, also called the Prince of Wales room, is used for intimate, but not private, meals, and is the second most public). The floor, however, eventually gave out while Harry was playing. Harry used that as an excuse to strong-arm Congress (which had just canceled the then-planned West Wing expansion due to cost) to rebuild the entire White House except the East Wing. Here is a link to see some history of this specific room. That ceiling gives me the heebie jeebiesI've never seen those types of terra cotta blocks used for ceiling construction. My neighbor has a garage with walls built of those. I can't imagine building long horizontal expanses such as a ceiling with them. Surely they wrap structural beams of some sort and serve the purpose of insulation, more than anything. I'd certainly hope they aren't in any way load-bearing, and surely would not want to be under them during an earthquake. Re: tterrace commentIndeed! One of my all-time favorite Weekly Reader stories back in the 60's was on the renovation of the White House. One particularly fascinating picture showed a part of the interior that had been gutted down to the sandstone walls and a front end loader driving around inside. Simply out of habitI remember reading somewhere the explanation that by this time "the floors were holding up simply out of habit!" The Terra Cotta Block CeilingIn 1927, the roof of the White House was raised and a third floor inserted where the attic had been. The terra cotta blocks in the picture look like products from the 1920s and probably were installed in 1927. Although the White House likely was weakened by various alterations over the years (e.g., cutting through beams for plumbing and wiring, moving a load bearing wall to enlarge the State Dining Room in 1902), I have read that the added weight of the 1927 third floor addition probably was the straw that broke the camel's back. (The Gallery, D.C.)
A Pounding Headache: 1950
September 13, 1950. "Pendulum pounding into a plastic helmet worn for testing by Dr. Charles ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/05/2019 - 2:39pm -

September 13, 1950. "Pendulum pounding into a plastic helmet worn for testing by Dr. Charles F. Lombard, director of the University of Southern California Department of Aviation Physiology. Testing is part of a program being worked out to improve equipment, especially headgear for football players, to cut down fatalities and injuries among gridders." Acme Newsphoto. View full size. Not what he had in mindwhen they named him "Head of the Testing Department" At least he's nicely dressedI wonder if wearing a necktie skewed the results. He needs an AnacinFights your headache three ways – it got rid of the hammer in your head, the static in your cerebellum and the cracking steel balls in your cranium. Thump ThumpOne wonders if Dr. Lombard is getting hit from the right and left, rather like Newton's Cradle. School of Hard KnocksThe opening paragraph from his L.A. Times obituary, November 1990: "Charles F. Lombard, who developed a revolutionary crash helmet used by test pilots, police motorcycle officers and a famous rocket-sled daredevil who helped pioneer seat belts, has died. He was 83." The obit doesn't specify the daredevil. Maybe Joseph Kittinger? He did rocket sled experiments in the 1950s. I mean, reallyI went to college for this? (The Gallery, Bizarre, News Photo Archive, Sports)
Blue Apron: 1950
... ungrateful family." Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950. "Mrs. D.L. Randall." 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/15/2017 - 6:59pm -

        "Remove from oven. Place on platter garnished with parsley and passive-aggression; serves your entire ungrateful family." Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950. "Mrs. D.L. Randall." 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size. Mix it upwith the old Model 3 Sunbeam Mixer. I use a newer model Sunbeam and they are the workhorses of the kitchen. Cheese Stuffed Baked Potatoes?Three potatoes, cut in half. The cheese grater is by the sink. She does have a peculiar look but I just think she's shy. Strike a poseMy favorite thing about this is it looks like she's mimicking the pose of that little figurine on the bottom corner shelf - the one with the little lamb or perhaps Elsie the Cow standing next to a tiny stove. If that was a just a coincidence, it's a funny one, but I'd like to think she did it on purpose. Swing-A-Way can openerI seen it first. Knife holderMy grandmother had the exact same knife holder (above the already-spotted can opener) in her kitchen. After going through the Depression in west Texas, she kept track of every penny spent, even into the 1980s. Living through such tough times led one to watch every penny - as it might be the different between going hungry and your next meal. Let's eat!I particularly like Mrs. Randall's home-sewn apron. She's holding a matching piece of gingham in her hand, so she may have made a matching potholder or napkin. Since women continuously wore aprons then, they had everyday aprons and "good" or hostess aprons for special occasions. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kitchens etc., News Photo Archive)
Crystal Motors: 1950
Feb. 15, 1950. "Crystal Motors, business at 5901 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, New York. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/30/2013 - 3:31pm -

Feb. 15, 1950. "Crystal Motors, business at 5901 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, New York. Exterior I." The Oldsmobile emporium last glimpsed here. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Old HorizonThe worst car I ever owned came from here. A Plymouth Horizon. I know this eraIt was in the days before whitewalls. A combined look Here is the combination of the two photos of the "Crystal Motors" car dealership. Stuffed fish and tricky lightingI see someone's collection of large trophy fish hanging on the wall of the far showroom. There's a light stand or tripod next to the tree on the right edge of the photo. Did it hold the light that might have made the odd reflection of the front door onto the brick wall? Or was that lighting effect more direct, coming as a result of a light placed at floor level inside the showroom, behind the foliage and column in the near showroom? [The latter; it's the shadows of the door handles and door frame on the bricks. -tterrace] A very striking building design to be a showroom for "Rocket-Action" Oldsmobiles. Very "mid-century moderne" and I'm sure an inspiration for other architects' ideas. WhitewallsWhitewall tires had been available for cars since the 1930s; postwar America (II and Korean) suffered a shortage. Across the street?Must be a Chevy dealership across the street -- I see the backwards reflection of "Chevrolet" in one of the windows? --RJ-- (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Appointment With Dentistry: 1950
Circa 1950, it's the latest installment of the exciting new reality series "Dental ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/24/2015 - 10:04am -

Circa 1950, it's the latest installment of the exciting new reality series "Dental Office." Medium-format negative of unknown provenance. View full size. "Waddya Mean?""I have to pull as well? Isn't that your job? And, STOP SMILING!!!!" Appointment?The kid in the chair looks like if it is more of a disappointment. Marathon ManThe gleeful expression on the Dentist's face reminds me of Larry Olivier doing a job on Dustin Hoffman's molars. See him in action!I'm not convinced of the wisdom (pardon the pun) of having a storefront window - wouldn't that drive some potential patients away? Also, note how the kid has his hand on the dentist's arm -that's not a good sign. [I suspect the dentist is letting the kid be "in control" during an extraction. - Dave] True-Life AdventureI never grabbed my dentist's arm, and he never grinned at me maniacally, but the kid's expression is oh-so-convincing. (The Gallery, Kids, Medicine)
Dept. Store Noir: 1950
June 8, 1950. "Fields department store, business at 37th Avenue and 82nd Street, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/16/2017 - 10:16am -

June 8, 1950. "Fields department store, business at 37th Avenue and 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. Exterior, by night." (Daytime view here.) 5x7 inch acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. "The After Hours"The photo reminds of this "Twilight Zone" episode where the mannequins came to life! Re: Your WishAwesome! Thanks, DaveA. Night PicturesI love taking night pictures. And I can't do as well as this. Beautiful photo. Another title for the animated gif might be "Night Moves" Unintentional artI know that Gottscho-Schleisner were commercial photographers working for paying clients, and didn't intend for their work to be art, but that's what it is today. I think Horydczak's work falls in that category, too. What I'd like to see now is an animated GIF combining the daytime shot with this one. Your WishIs my command (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Smoking in Venice: 1950
"St. Mark's Square," circa 1950. From a set of Kodachrome slides I found in an antique store, apparently ... dated, but the mounts are the type used by Kodak from 1950 to 1955. View full size. Coat du jour Judging by the lady's ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 11/07/2018 - 11:16am -

"St. Mark's Square," circa 1950. From a set of Kodachrome slides I found in an antique store, apparently taken by American tourists. The slides aren't dated, but the mounts are the type used by Kodak from 1950 to 1955. View full size. Coat du jourJudging by the lady's coat (i.e. the shoulders, which were popular in the '40s), I'd say it's nearer the earlier end of your slide mount's life. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
There's Always Money: 1950
"Banana Burt and Lil at Buzzards Bay Dairy Queen, 1950." Brought to you courtesy of United Fruit. Photoprint by Drink a Banana ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2018 - 1:19pm -

"Banana Burt and Lil at Buzzards Bay Dairy Queen, 1950." Brought to you courtesy of United Fruit. Photoprint by Drink a Banana Inc. View full size. Still ServingThis building is still around, though it has been Betty Ann's Dairy Freeze since 1955. It looks a little forlorn in the street view, which shows it closed for the winter, but during the season it's still a local favorite for burgers and soft serve ice cream. Banana BurtHe was evidently a bit of an entrepreneur. He also ran a motel in Bourne. Dredged up a memoryTill I saw this photo, I'd forgotten how some Dairy Queens and other summer ice cream places used waxed paper cups as outdoor decorations. I didn't live anywhere near Buzzard Bay, but I remember our local ice cream shop also hung cups outdoors on a gibbet-like support, as shown here. I also remember how those cups - - those which remained - - looked after being outdoors in the wind, sun, and rain - - yikes. I wonder whatever became of the giant bananas after the "Drink A Banana" campaign ended. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Eateries & Bars)
Newark Lunch Counter: 1950
... counter/cigar store image appears to be from Newark, NJ in 1950. The lower right corner shows the Newark Evening News. The World Series ... Yankees pitched against Robin Roberts in Game 2 of the 1950 World Series. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery) ... 
 
Posted by sledworks - 11/10/2011 - 10:59am -

This lunch counter/cigar store image appears to be from Newark, NJ in 1950. The lower right corner shows the Newark Evening News. The World Series headline shows pitcher Reynolds vs a pitcher whose name we cannot completely read. With a little online detective work I discovered that Allie Reynolds of the New York Yankees pitched against Robin Roberts in Game 2 of the 1950 World Series. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Bunny Huggers: 1950
Somewhere in Wisconsin circa 1950. "Mike and Mr. Rabbit." Happy Easter weekend from Shorpy! 35mm Kodachrome ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/31/2018 - 4:41pm -

Somewhere in Wisconsin circa 1950. "Mike and Mr. Rabbit." Happy Easter weekend from Shorpy! 35mm Kodachrome slide. View full size. By the labor of his handsGoing by the state of his shirtsleeves and his hands, Daddy works at a job that involves lots dirt and grease, so much that it won't come off no matter how he scrubs. (Perhaps a mechanic; a welder; a machinist.) [Daddy is a professional who's building the cottage he's in. - Dave] Hey, kids, what time is it?Does anyone else think Dad looks a little like Howdy Doody? Definitely has the haircut for a Doody.Plus he's a two-ashtray man. When smoking was king. Man cave?Could this be in dad's basement man cave? Cinder block walls with no paint. Stacks of wood/ moldings about the area. Pencil sharpener attached to the door jam. Definitely not the living room. [wet_powder nailed it. It's the living room of a vacation cabin. - Dave] Vacation CabinWith the unpainted block walls, shuttered windows and rustic furniture, I'm guessing this was a hunting fishing cabin. Happy Easter fellow Shorpyites. (Easter, Kids, Wisconsin Kodachromes)
Mormon Boys: 1950
October 1950. Salt Lake City, Utah. "Mormon boys receiving Communion." Acetate negative ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/21/2020 - 1:04pm -

October 1950. Salt Lake City, Utah. "Mormon boys receiving Communion." Acetate negative from photos by Jim Hansen for the Look magazine assignment "Mormons: We Are a Peculiar People," written by Lewis W. Gillenson. View full size. Style and seasonSuch a variety of styles: double-breasted suit, V-neck sweater and pleated trousers, untucked rumpled shirt. And seasons: wool, tropical shirts. But snappy hair on all the lads! That tall fellow on the left does scare me a bit, though. Never fear, Smith (lookalike) is here!Maybe it's just me, but I'm getting a young Jonathan Harris (Lost in Space's Dr. Smith) vibe from the fellow on the left – the one in the natty Norfolk jacket. Sacrament MeetingEvery LDS Church's wards and branches have Sacrament meeting on Sunday. Nowadays, it's generally about an hour long. Members of the congregation give talks. We sing, as well. The bishop conducts any ward business. The most important part is taking the sacrament, which is bread and water, signifying, of course, the body and blood of Christ. These boys are deacons, who are usually ages 12-14. The older priests behind them have just blessed the sacrament, and the deacons are going to distribute it to members of the congregation. This has been going on since the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized in 1830 by Joseph Smith. (Kids, LOOK)
1950 Volkswagen: 1967
... My then-girlfriend, Madeleine, is standing next to my 1950 VW, which I had restored the previous year. I think I was one of the ... VWs were rare (only a few hundred were sold in the US in 1950). I paid $85 for it in late 1965. It would be worth a bit more today. ... 
 
Posted by Born Too Late - 06/03/2016 - 7:43pm -

August 1967, in a small parking lot next to my parents' home in Agawam, Massachusetts. My then-girlfriend, Madeleine, is standing next to my 1950 VW, which I had restored the previous year. I think I was one of the earliest to take an interest in "vintage" VWs -- when the car was a mere 15 years old. But even then the earliest split window VWs were rare (only a few hundred were sold in the US in 1950). I paid $85 for it in late 1965. It would be worth a bit more today. View full size. What a gem!I love the layering of plans, the copice next to the house, the beautiful beetle, the electric lines (a mere whim of mine), the perfect colours, the lovely young woman and her sandals! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Facts on File: 1950
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950. "Library -- Jean Hollis." Cited by one source as "head of Reference ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/12/2017 - 3:28pm -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950. "Library -- Jean Hollis." Cited by one source as "head of Reference Division, Bradley Memorial Library." 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size. Big DataFacts were a smaller genre back then. Birthdays, Presidents. Stuff that went in reference books. Reverse lookup was missing. W.C. BradleyMr. Bradley was the John D. Rockefeller of Columbus, Georgia, building an empire that lasts to this day. At one point he was wealthy enough to purchase the Coca-Cola Company along with a few friends. His family home and property were donated to the city of Columbus and converted to a museum and the library that you see here. Information, pleaseI wonder if this reference division was like the one in the main library where I grew. I hope so. I phoned with all sorts of questions, and - - no matter who answered - - the initial response tended to be something such as, "Yikes!" Then the person would rise to the challenge and talk while looking for the answer to my query. Sometimes I could hear the person call to another worker to "put another man on the job." I could even whistle, hum, or sing a phrase of a piece of music to find out the name of it. I sure did miss that library after I moved to a different part of the country. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Carousel: 1950
... trip to Folly Beach, South Carolina in the summer of 1950. Not sure if the old carousel was at Folly Beach or if this was perhaps ... 
 
Posted by Roachmotel - 10/13/2016 - 12:38pm -

This is my mom, Dorothy Porter, and my two older sisters, Madge and June, on a family vacation trip to Folly Beach, South Carolina in the summer of 1950. Not sure if the old carousel was at Folly Beach or if this was perhaps taken at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion. 35mm Kodachrome slide. View full size. Painted carousel horses Painted carousel horses must have always had a thing about looking all chipped and worn. Every carousel I've seen since has had the paint worn and chipped, noses and teeth with chunks broken off, seats that had been polished by the squirming of many, many pairs of Lee Riders or Wranglers, and the marks from so many pairs of sandals with the tiny holes poked in the leather. Many had plaster patches to keep some semblance of 'horsiness' or 'tiger-ness' in shape if not in color. But. They all were well-weathered. I never saw one of the old carved-wood critters, except on one of the 'picker' type shows, where they are as treasured as gold. Some were very intricate and ornate, and were real artwork. Would I want one in the living room? No, but they are fun to look at, just as Shorpy is, and engrossing. Great ImageOf the two locations this would have been Folly Beach. I don't have an entry for Folly Beach in my data files. The carousel was made by Spillman Engineering and circa 1920's. Thanks for posting this great image. Are there others that show the carousel or other rides? Patrick Wentzel - National Carousel Association Census Chairman/NCA Director Charming!What a wonderful photo, your Mom is beautiful. You are very fortunate to have these Kodachrome Slides. Hope there's more! Antique CarouselsHere in Buffalo, we have two (or soon will). Both were built by the Herschel Co. in Tonawanda and are completely restored (and available for rides), one at the site of the old factory and the other soon to be in place at the Canalside Park in downtown Buffalo. According to the news reports about them, there are currently 26 such carousels that are operational in the country. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Fireside Lad: 1950
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950, and another snap from the "Housing" series. 4x5 inch acetate negative ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/13/2017 - 3:39pm -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950, and another snap from the "Housing" series. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the News Photo Archive. View full size. DIYThey started DIY at a young age back then. AnybodyKnow what he is doing. I see a bottle cap on the floor but not sure what that means? BigThat's a big restoration job he has got there. Missing fireplaceLooks like all of the fireplace bricks have been removed. Probably used to make a fireplace somewhere else. Would like to have a straight up view to see how they patched the roof. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive)
Wilmington Trolley Garage: 1950
... in Wilmington, DE. The photo was taken in August 1950 by my father, then 18 years old, who stayed at a friend of the family ... 
 
Posted by jan_1968 - 09/19/2011 - 11:17pm -

The garage of the Delaware Coach Company (1939–1957) in Wilmington, DE. The photo was taken in August 1950 by my father, then 18 years old, who stayed at a friend of the family residing at 1413, Delaware Avenue, Wilmington. View full size. Trolley BusesSan Francisco Muni has an extensive fleet of trolley buses. Although the overhead wiring is expensive, they have relatively spirited acceleration and hill climbing compared to noisy roaring diesel buses, and they can maneuver around obstacles better than rail cars. The newest ones have on board auxiliary power units that allow short runs "off the wire". I remember seeing an operator trying to restore contact once as a kid when we went to the big city. The power comes from Hetch Hetchy Dam, and is therefore non-polluting. Off the gridThese were electric-powered vehicles that drew their energy from overhead wires, but ran on rubber tires without steel tracks. Novice drivers sometimes took 90 degree turns too sharply, and the power poles disconnected from the wires. In such cases, he (or she?) had to diembark and reconnect the poles to the wires using a rope connected to each pole. Wilmington trackless trolleysThe coach in the center is a 1939 Mack. It's in my historic transit vehicle collection. The other two coaches were built by J.G. Brill. All three were originally built for the Delaware Electric Power Company. DEPCo. was forced to sell off its transit operations. It was purchased by the Delaware Coach Company. That company was sold to a public transit authority known as DART several years ago. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Three Musketeers: 1950
Circa 1950. "Musketeers party." Our second look at the activities of this Columbus, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/06/2018 - 2:12pm -

Circa 1950. "Musketeers party." Our second look at the activities of this Columbus, Georgia, social club, where the bar tricks include juggling ukulele, cigar, bourbon bottle and girl. 4x5 acetate negative from the News Photo Archive. View full size. High end social clubThe last two drinks are named after the Bradley and Turner families, two of the wealthiest Columbus clans and both descended from Mr. W.C. Bradley himself. I know JDs when I see 'emThe next thing you know, these wild kids will be dancing the Bristol Stomp and ruining their eyes reading 3D comic books. What has America come to?!?!??! Party is overAll those bottles appear to be empty. [I wonder if that's a clue? -tterrace] You don't look 21None of them do, and that was the usual legal drinking at the time. I realize this is a social club, which are often not subject to the same regulations as bars, but I never guessed they might be able to circumvent the drinking age. [As tterrace intimated below, this is a Halloween-type party or skit where the kids are just pretending to be at a bar (which, under the paper, is a Coca-Cola snack bar). The empty bottles are props. - Dave] (Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Just Married: 1950
... taken on my parents honeymoon at Niagara Falls, in July 1950. At the time of this photo, I was almost three years away and my brother ... 
 
Posted by HankHardisty - 06/24/2011 - 7:15am -

This 35mm Kodachrome slide was taken on my parents honeymoon at Niagara Falls, in July 1950. At the time of this photo, I was almost three years away and my brother George, 5 years. This year, my parents will be celebrating their 60th anniversary. View full size. How many A's?It's NIAGARA, not "Niagra." Heaven help us. CongratulationsHank, be sure to convey our best wishes on your parents' 60th anniversary. We can tell by your photos that your folks have meant a lot to you over the years. Thanks for sharing! Classic HoneymoonNiagra Falls was THE place to go on your honeymoon back then. Congrats to your parents for making is sixty years! Dad's tieReally short and wide. I've seen that a lot in movies from those days. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Look at the Time: 1950
Wellington, New Zealand, circa 1950. "Household appliances including washing & sewing machine, mixer, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/26/2014 - 5:19pm -

Wellington, New Zealand, circa 1950. "Household appliances including washing & sewing machine, mixer, toaster, polisher and heater." Also a control-robot with three hands -- hour, minute and left. Photo by K.E. Niven & Co. View full size. For want of a nailWe could have hung the clock on the wall right about here. Can we get a close-up on the plugs?It would help solve the raging controversy of Princess Unplugged. Edit: Thanks! Hmm. Looks like it could be the current (ha) standard Australia/New Zealand plug, but it could also be a US-standard plug with U-shaped ground (earth) pin. (Kitchens etc., New Zealand)
The Egg and I: 1950
The little man in the nicely-pressed pants on Easter Sunday is me. Given the state of our lawn, you can see how hiding eggs in it was a snap. View full size. Easter Cutie! tterrence, That has got to be one of the cutest pictures. ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 6:14pm -

The little man in the nicely-pressed pants on Easter Sunday is me. Given the state of our lawn, you can see how hiding eggs in it was a snap. View full size. Easter Cutie!tterrence, That has got to be one of the cutest pictures. Good For You!In spite of having been a tyke plagued with never-rectified amblyopia, young tterrace has found the egg nonetheless. Happy EasterHappy Easter to all!! The reel deal Didja ever have to cut springtime grass with one of those old reel-type push mowers? Well, didja ever wonder why old timey city yards were so small & full of flower beds & rock gardens? If your first answer was yes, your second one will always be NO. Just Like Easter CandyThis is one sweet picture. Thanks, tterrace. The making of a young manClearly if you've the sharpest creases in your trousers that'll help you find eggs every time. Great Easter pic. Are you SUREyou aren't Ralphie's younger brother? The one who came AFTER Randy ("Christmas Story"). This is one seriously cute pic! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Easter, Kids, tterrapix)
The Label Makers: 1950
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950, and a print shop making fruit crate labels , back in the days when ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/25/2017 - 10:06am -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950, and a print shop making fruit crate labels, back in the days when apples and oranges had something like brand identity. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size. Cutting remarksTwo cutter operators working in tandem. Nearest cutter is taking the long trims through the press sheet (and removing the waste from the outer long edges), farther cutter is taking the final trim on the finished pieces, which are then being stacked behind him. At the foot of the near operator is the pedal that brings down the clamp to hold the stack of paper firmly while the blade makes the cut. The blade comes down when the operator places each hand on the two widely spaced control buttons. If the paper is not clamped adequately, the stack pulls ("draws") as the blade comes down, leading to inaccurate cuts. A cutter operator in the course of day can easily pick up a total of 4000 lbs of paper. "Back in the days"?My last gig from which I retired (yet again)just a few years ago was running a shop that made labels for anything & everything, from fighter jets to bananas. We made millions of labels for produce boxes in quantities that filled 18-wheelers. Some apples & oranges may have no individual identity when they hit the supermarket bin, but the growers are still proud enough to mark their boxes & crates when they leave the farm. Their orders for labels gave us our record-profit months and paid for two of my five Jaguars. It was that particular market segment that made our business attractive to a much larger outfit for a merger. Last I looked in 2011, those growers were still VERY picky about the design & printing quality of those labels. Stacker!Years ago when I was just out of High School in England, one of my first jobs was a stacker in a print shop. To this day I can still "fluff" fan and line up a ream. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga.)
Just Married: 1950
Dick and Barbara Clark, July 31, 1950. Taken prior to our Honeymoon at Big Bear, California. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by dclark26 - 08/24/2012 - 9:43pm -

Dick and Barbara Clark, July 31, 1950. Taken prior to our Honeymoon at Big Bear, California. View full size. We'll always have Big BearThe lovely Barbara looks like she could be Ingrid Bergman's sister. Dick & Barbara ?I assume we're talking about *the* Dick Clark here, right? Multiple sources show his marriage to Barbara Mallery was in 1952. ?!? [This Dick Clark is the submitter, dclark26. - tterrace] From the given camera angle, Dick could pass for ... Dick! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Tijuana: 1950
Alfonso R. Salcido in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1950. View full size. Eternal Tijuana Looks like the same photo-prop ... 
 
Posted by jsalgts - 12/09/2010 - 4:33pm -

Alfonso R. Salcido in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1950. View full size. Eternal TijuanaLooks like the same photo-prop stand was still there 15 years later. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Orts Expo: 1950
... "Massachusetts Sports Equipment on Parade" sometime around 1950. Also, carrots and "Mass Apples." View full size. The Big E? ... 
 
Posted by John.Debold - 07/07/2015 - 1:04pm -

A print I bought about 20 years ago showing "Massachusetts Sports Equipment on Parade" sometime around 1950. Also, carrots and "Mass Apples." View full size. The Big E?Looks like it may have been part of the the Eastern States Exposition, known as the Big E which began around 1917 and is still an annual event now in Springfield Mass. Eastern States ExpositionThis is an interior shot of the Massachusetts Building at the Eastern States Exposition, commonly called the Big E, held in West Springfield, MA every September. The Avenue of States includes a building from each New England state, displaying the particular products made/grown/raised in the state. RI has quahogs, Maine has baked potatoes, and Vermont has maple products. Massachusetts has lobsters, and Connecticut has Timex watches. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
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