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Sea Crest Motors: 1977
... dealership on Route 1A in Lynn, Massachusetts. The Indian could be a reference to Pontiac, the Native American chief and namesake for the car company. Very impressive to gaze up to ... 
 
Posted by rizzman1953 - 05/20/2012 - 7:00pm -

Fall 1977. Sea Crest Motors was a Cadillac-Pontiac-Mazda dealership on Route 1A in Lynn, Massachusetts. The Indian could be a reference to Pontiac, the Native American chief and namesake for the car company. Very impressive to gaze up to at night; I don't think he sold many cars though. View full size. Big IndianOne of the early roadside advertising attractions(or distractions?) Read more; http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/30707 Where's the Chief?This place is still there, and was called Sea Crest until fairly recently. It's now called "Pride" but still sells Lincolns, etc. as well as Kias and Hyundais. No sign of the Chief, though... Good Old DaysWhen the Cadillac dealer put a late model Lincoln on his used car lot and the Lincoln dealer did the same. Two nice looking "personal luxury cars" there though. HeavyVictrolaJazz : For comparison, a milspec Humvee starts at 5,200 lbs! Those things were led sleds for sure. AvoirdupoisThe Eldorado - 4,955 lbs! The Continental - 4,652 lbs.! 11 MPG Highway / 7 MPG City We've come a long way, baby! That Indian was also a GiantThe mold for the large Indian was used for many customers, and sometimes painted as a Caucasian Giant, if that would better fit the name of the purchaser's business. TargetA Pontiac dealership here in San Antonio had one of those perched up very high. It became a common target for archers with it rarely not having a few arrows in the chest. Cars at NightI can recall shopping at that dealership, but why I have no idea. Living on the South Shore of Boston it would not have been convenient or smart to buy there. I do love photos of shiny new cars in the dark! Great photo Rizzman! Glorious Excess!The car directly under the indian is a 1978 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. The Biarritz was the top trim level, and is distinguished from the 'ordinary' Eldorado by the addition of chrome trim from the sides of the hood to the kick-up of the rear fender, as well as the 'coach' lights on the side of the C pillar, padded leather-grained vinyl roof, pillow-topped leather seats, and available gold plating on all emblems and crests. I have one, and believe me, it is the world's gaudiest, least useful car - the interior is small, and the trunk won't even hold two suitcases. Pure American in-your-face ersatz luxury, the sort of thing that put the American Auto industry on the ropes. Cadillac vs. LincolnNice display at this dealership. This is the used car (pre-owned in today's jargon) area as evidenced by the late model cars sitting around (I noticed a nice looking '74 or '75 Firebird in the background). I like how the dealer positioned the Eldorado next to the Lincoln Mark V. Those were some great years for cars (outside of the smogged down engines). Loungin' in the LincolnOh this pic of the Lincoln brings back memories. I had this exact used car in 1979. I LOVED that car. Ultimate smooth ride, luxurious interior, big, fast engine. Sure it was a gas guzzler, but for a 20 yr. old girl, I was the envy of all my friends, LOL! It was like driving a sofa! The Indians Are Coming!There are several statues of Indians in Maine, where I live. Probably the most famous one is known as the FBI, which is visible from I-295 in Freeport. Although the exact wording of the acronym FBI is the subject of much question and dispute, for purposes of keeping the text clean we'll call it the "Freeport" Big Indian. The locals have several more "colorful metaphors", as Mr. Spock would call them. There's an interesting web page that describes many of the statues located around the country. Check it out at http://www.agilitynut.com/giants/indians.html Another oneThere's one just like this big fiberglass Indian at a car lot on the southside of Parkersburg, WV. It's been moved at least a couple of times since the 1960's, but he's always been at a car lot. American ironI spy at least three Firebirds in the background; one is a 74 or so Esprit or maybe Trans Am, also the back tail of what is probably a four door 75 or 76 Grand Am (yes they used the name back then as well) as well as the smattering of Cadillacs. The Biarritz Eldorado is beautiful; I've only seen them as beaters, being a bit younger. There is also a station wagon on the sales floor, it's the debut of the new smaller midsized G-body for 1978 e.g. Cutlass, Monte Carlo, here in Pontiac Le Mans Safari trim. Cool pic. I love to see a dealership pic that's of a different era then those usually posted here. Of course I love the old ones as well. Cars of Eddie CoyleBuilding still stands on the Lynnway, selling furniture now. Mom grew up in Hyde Park and taught me never to go to "Lynn Lynn city of sin, you never come out the way you came in" Land YachtsMy uncle had a Caddy like that, except it was a rag top in triple-white! As a kid I just did not grasp the concept of "It's too hot to put the top down today!" As a "grown-up" I still don't buy that one. Oh, and I'm pretty sure that's a Mark IV (1972-76) as the Mark V (1977-79) had a slimmer, less bulbous roof. I wouldn't mind having a nice example of either one! Our '69 Lincoln Continental four-door featured a custom license tag that read "MYOT." Always got a grin at traffic lights! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Indian Scout: 1915
1915. "Indians, American. Red Fox James at White House." The young Blackfoot with the Boy ... Gallery in the far background in both shots. Masonic Indian Boy Scout, Patriotic Not only does Red Fox James wear BSA pins, he's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/27/2019 - 3:25pm -

1915. "Indians, American. Red Fox James at White House." The young Blackfoot with the Boy Scouts pin, last seen here, was in Washington to petition the government for a national day honoring Native Americans. State, War & Navy Building at far left. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Harris & Ewing's Favorite DC Shoot SpotThis Harris & Ewing photo seems to have been taken from nearly the same place as this Harris & Ewing photo: https://www.shorpy.com/node/15191. Note the tree-lined verge in the near background, and the roof of the Renwick Gallery in the far background in both shots. Masonic Indian Boy Scout, PatrioticNot only does Red Fox James wear BSA pins, he's got a BSA "Be Prepared" pennant mounted under his saddle. He's also got a Masonic pennant. The third pennant ends in "Battle Field". All topped by an Amerian flag. Wes Studi?Sure does look a lot like the actor. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Horses, Native Americans)
Three Indians: 1915
... relay to Frisco." Frank S. Long, F.L. Leishear (whose Indian store we saw here ) and Josiah McL. Seabrook. National Photo Company ... chairman of the competition committee of the Federation of American Motorcyclists and manager of the relay, to select the riders. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:57am -

Washington, D.C., July 1915. "Motorcycle team, relay to Frisco." Frank S. Long, F.L. Leishear (whose Indian store we saw here) and Josiah McL. Seabrook. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. California, screamin'They sure did take a circuitous route (NYC and then way up to Albany). The stretch from Reno down into Sacramento must have kept the lads awake with fear if that lap's bikes had no front brakes either. The first time I drove from Reno to Sacramento - and this was on a road they could not dream of, I-80 - one item that caught my eye was a sign, "Caution. Downgrades next 40 miles." Light fantasticThe one smart enough to put the light on his bike will win it for them. Gold mineThe guys from "Pickers" must be drooling. Maybe they could find out who these men are and see if their families have these bikes behind the barn. Safety first!At least for the fellow with the tossled hair. He has on his protective gloves! Rudimentary brakes.Emergency stops much have been pretty exciting on those old bikes- I don't think they even had front brakes. No stoppies for them! Nice!I've been sitting here soaking up this picture. Just fabulous! Great shot, great clothes, great bikes! Wish I could go for a ride with them. Thanks again Dave. Handsome BravesBeautiful bikes! These have many, many similarities to this amazingly restored model, snapped last spring in Charlotte, North Carolina. They may be a bit newer, with kick starter, no leg-power pedals, skirted fender, hand-grip clutch, an electric headlamp on the rear bike (as opposed to Prest-o-Lite [acetylene]), and "soft-tail" rear suspension. I guess any of this could have been optional equipment. DatingI believe that the date of this photo is probably 1916 and not 1926. The Indians pictured appear to be 1915 models. I believe that 1915 was the last year of the inlet over exhaust engine (which these bikes have)and the first year of the kick starter. [You are close -- the year is 1915. - Dave] World's Fastest IndianWhen you see these bikes it really is incredible that Burt Munro took a similar model, a 1920 Scout, modified it and drove it to several land speed records. In 1967, with his engine punched out to 58 cu.in. (950cc) he set a class record of 183.586 mph. To qualify he made a one-way run of 190.07 mph, the fastest ever officially recorded speed on an Indian. The hogs of their dayLaugh at the funny horn if you like, but those bikes are Indian "standards" with 1,000-cc engines. Too bad they didn't add front brakes until 1928. Murder Inc.Maybe these fellas were part of the traveling team of hit-men for Murder Inc. They sure look like they want to kill something. a-OO-gah!Although the braking wouldn't be the greatest, at least they'd be able to clear a path with a mighty squeeze of the horn. Silent RIt was Shorpy that taught me that these are "Motocycles." 119 Hours to FriscoWashington Post, July 18, 1915. RELAY RACE TOMORROW Motorcyclists to Carry Message From Capital to Pacific. START FROM WHITE HOUSE Three Washington Men Will Cover the First Lap, From This City to Baltimore -- Expect to Make Cross-Continent Run in 119 Hours -- Secretary of War to Start Riders. With all arrangements for the transcontinental motorcycle relay race completed, the riders for the first lap of the long journey await the starter's word. The start will be made from the White House at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. They will carry a message from the President to the officials of the Panama-Pacific exposition at San Francisco. The Washington team, which will cover the first lap, will be composed of Frank S. Long, F.L. Leishear, and J. McL. Seabrook, mounted on Indian motorcycles. These men will carry the message from here to Baltimore, where another team will take it up and carry it over the second lap which ends in Philadelphia. From there the route across county is via New York, Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Chicago, Davenport, Des Moines, Omaha, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, Reno and Sacramento to San Francisco. Fast Time Is Scheduled. On account of the absence of the President, the message will be handed to the riders by Secretary of War Garrison. It is due on the Pacific coast 119 hours after leaving Washington. The riders in the Eastern part of the country will have little difficulty in keeping up with the schedule on account of the good roads, but some of the Western relays are more than 200 miles in length. The longest lap will be between Elko and Fenley, Nev. This stretch is 274 miles long. One of the purposes of this relay is to demonstrate the utility of the motorcycle for military use. The relay is intended to show that the motorcycle is capable of delivering messages under all conditions of road and weather. There will not be one minute from the time the message leaves Washington until it is delivered to the officials of the exposition that it is not moving, day and night, rain or shine. The motorcyclists of this country have been as one volunteering their services as dispatch bearers, and it has been a task for John L. Donovan, chairman of the competition committee of the Federation of American Motorcyclists and manager of the relay, to select the riders. HornyThe furthestmost bike from us has an electric horn, but the others have the bulb variety; I'm guessing it was an optional extra or later add-on. Also interesting to note that heavy cardigans seemed to be the outer garment of choice for moto-cyclists at this time. I wonder when and why the black leather jacket took over. Front SuspensionIt's called a trailing link suspension as the arm pivots ahead of the axel axle. Not too common at all. I believe some early BMWs used this type for awhile as well. In All It's Its GloryHere is a picture of a restored bike that is exactly like the ones in the picture. Note the kick start is on the left side and there is no gear shift to the left of the tank. Apparently slightly later models had the space occupied by the kick start mechanism replaced with a transmission that included a gear shift from it to the left side of the gas tank. Front SuspensionThe Indian front suspension was designed so there was caster to the wheels. According to the old guys I knew 60 years ago, this caster made for very secure handling and less tendency to high speed wobble. You haven't lived until you have experienced a case of high speed wobble!!! UnpunctualThe messages were delivered 36 hours late according to the article below from The Salt Lake Tribune from July 26, 1915. Research indicates that the riders were trying to show that taking a dispatch on a motorcycle across the country would be faster than placing the same message on a train. As originally scheduled, the race would have gone through Sacramento during the national Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM) convention in Sacramento, but this did not happen because of the belated arrival of the dispatch rider. The FAM was the organization behind the race. All riders were asked to conduct a rehearsal ride on July 11th. The purpose of riding in teams of three was to ensure that if something happened to the primary rider or his motorcycle another rider would be immediately available to continue the mission to San Francisco. Of the three riders pictured here, Seabrook punctured a tire before reaching Baltimore, and he dropped out; Long ran into a pile of rocks in Baltimore, and he was injured; so Leishear became the only man to make it to the first transfer point. By Bryan, Ohio, near the Indiana border, the racers were five and a half hours late because of rains and bad roads. By the time the riders reached Chicago they were 12 hours behind schedule. Some time was made up on the way to Moline, Illinois as the deficit was reduced to just eight and a half hours upon arriving there, and seven hours at Des Moines, Iowa. In Nebraska the lead rider had an accident, but the other riders were far behind him. Consequently, by Rock Springs, Wyoming the riders were 19 hours behind their scheduled arrival, and at Ogden, Utah 18 hours overdue. I did not find where the other 18 hours were lost, but many sources mention the 36 hour late arrival. The official route, dates, and times as originally scheduled were shown in the Ogden Standard (Ogden, Utah) on July 17, 1915. Note the earlier start time than what actually took place. July 19: 6:00 AM, Washington. D.C. to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Poughkeepsie, Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester to: July 20: 12:45 AM, Buffalo, New York to Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, Bryan, South Bend, Chicago, Sterling, Davenport to: July 21: 3:15 AM, Victor, Iowa to Walnut, Omaha, Columbus, Kearney, North Platte, Julesburg to: July 22: 3:15 AM, Cheyenne, Wyoming to Pine Ridge Station, Rawlins, Rock Springs, Evanston, Salt Lake City, Ogden to: July 23: 12:45 AM, Kelton, Utah to Cobre, Elko, Rye Patch Station, Battle Mountain, Tenley, Reno, Colfax, Sacramento, Tracy, to San Francisco. (The Gallery, D.C., Motorcycles, Natl Photo, Sports)
Indian Court: 1939
... WPA posters by Louis B. Siegriest (1899-1989) promoting American Indian art at the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939. Available as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/27/2019 - 3:29pm -

Six of seven WPA posters by Louis B. Siegriest (1899-1989) promoting American Indian art at the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939. Available as Vintagraph fine-art prints, made from ultra high-resolution scans of the original serigraphs -- very detailed and quite beautiful. View full size | Shop the art. Simply BeautifulFantastic posters. Of these six my favorites are the Apache devil dancer and the Pueblo turtle dancers, both of which depict human energy and activity as I am partial to human figures. However, ALL of them are brilliant and very well done. Thank you Shorpy, now I'm going to "shop the art". A Hopi Memory is Triggered...Wow! The Arizona Pueblo Indian Turtle Dancers poster brings back memories from the summer of 1961. Two friends and I drove west from Philadelphia to San Francisco along a southern route and found ourselves gassing up in the Hopi Reservation near the Painted Desert in Northern Arizona. A small, weatherbeaten man approached us and asked if we were heading for the Grand Canyon, and if so, could he hitch a ride with us. His name was Otis Polelenoma, and he was a tribal elder from the Shungopovi settlement of the Hopi on one of the three Hopi mesas on their reservation. We asked him to hop in. He told ud he had nothing better to do that day than to go see a couple of his grandchildren performing with the Hopi Tribal dance troupe at the village of Grand Canyon on the south rim, about 200 miles west of Shungopovi. Off we went, and Otis spent the next 3 hours entertaining us with the history of the Hopi nation as it related to the Spanish Conquest, their historic conflict and rivalry with the Navajo, and their relationship with the US, Arizona territorial and state governments since about 1900. It was an unforgettable day, if not for Otis, then certainly for the three of us Caucasian boys from the East Coast. Great PostersThey are fantastic. Thanks (ShorpyBlog, Art & Design, Native Americans, Posters)
Up in Smoke: 1919
... I think I heard something about the swastika being an American Indian symbol for peace or something. Decorating Faux Pas Guess that rug ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 8:30pm -

New York circa 1919. The producer, playwright and director Stuart Walker, who had a long career in theater and film, spending a quiet night at home tossing scripts into the fire. George Grantham Bain Collection glass negative. View full size. Odd Choice of Rug for a New York PlaywrightAm I really the first one to comment on the swastikas on this rug? They are backwards swastikas (I think). They predate the Nazi era by at least 15-20 years. I think I heard something about the swastika being an American Indian symbol for peace or something. Decorating Faux PasGuess that rug wouldn't be a popular home decor accessory in a few years from when this picture was taken, all thanks to a certain bunch of Germans... It's amazing how many people think the swastika originated with the Nazis. How cozy.Interesting motif on the fireside rug. Interesting Indian RugVery interesting geometric designs on that rug, especially at the corners. Otherwise, it seems like a pleasant homey scene. Fireside rug motif..very interesting! Interesting rugLooks like an Indian rug from the Southwest. Those aren't swastikas, they're the four corners of the universe, I think. Or the Navajo called it the "whirling winds". What's withWhat's with the swastika rug design Adolf?? Carpet For SaleTwenty years or so later, the Indian patterns on his rug would mean something so very different! Nice swastikasProducer, playwright, director... and Nazi? Or is this a case of the older, perhaps Hindu, use of the symbol? Lucky rugNotice the swastikas on the rug, which were considered good luck symbols and certainly ubiquitous before its subsequent notoriety. Are they Swastikas?When one gets as old as I am, one's brain file is so crammed full of facts that we tend to be unable to remember things we learned. I do know that I did learn about the origin of the swastika, but in 1919 it was not yet a Nazi symbol. It might have been an early American Indian symbol but it had a different meaning than it does now. Also, that is not a very safe fireplace, it is an accident waiting to happen. Maybe he was destroying manuscripts he disliked since shredders were not yet invented. I love the swastikaI love the swastika rug.....must be from Asia, and is a symbol of good fortune since Nazis came later. "Good Luck" SwastikasStuart Walker's hearth rug is a nice tourist-quality Navajo wool rug of the sort that could be purchased in Santa Fe train station gift shops throughout the Southwest, as well as in East Coast department stores. From about 1895 to about 1930, Native American swastikas were a popular mainstream American "Good Luck" symbol, and were often paired with horseshoe and even shamrock motifs as good luck charms. Americans were also familiar with the many Chinese "Good Luck" swastikas seen on imported carpets, wood carvings and vases. During this period the silversmiths Daniel Low & Co., of Salem, Mass., manufactured thousands of small sterling silver swastika charms for bracelets, earrings, pins and watch fobs, which sold quite well in Low's mail-order catalogs. Almost all American "Good Luck" swastikas disappeared with the start of World War II, and the terrible meaning of the Nazi swastika has erased these harmless "Good Luck" swastikas from our collective memory. Now I knowNow I know why I never was published. What can I say? RuggedIt's almost certainly a Native American, probably Navajo, rug. I'm pretty sure the design in the center part is still used on them. And yes, if it was still around 20 years later that rug probably went in the fire, too. Unfortunate designThe first thing I noticed were the swastikas on the rug, but then I noticed the date in the caption. Strange how history can change the way we view things that were once commonplace. Interesting Swastikas....There are Swastika's in each corner of the carpet and the main emblem looks like a derivative. I wonder if it is an East Indian rug. They Runed ItIt's very sad, the way the Nazis usurped the swastika. The Nazis were very much into paganism, and used many pagan runes for their symbols as well. Floor covering designThe kitchen floor covering in my grandmother's old home was factory printed with swastika symbols. I think it was installed in the 1920's. Navajo RugThe one poster was exactly right that this is a Navajo rug woven by hand using wool from sheep raised by the family and probably mostly natural dyes. It would be worth a couple thousand dollars in today's market, swastikas notwithstanding. A little about the swastikaThe swastika exists in more cultures than just Native American or Hindu. Further, it's not so much that the Nazis were into paganism, but that they borrowed signs of power from a variety of cultures to symbolize and encourage their own power. The swastika and double lightning bolts, as examples, are symbologically memorable and strong, which is why they appealed to the Nazis. Further, the Nazis altered the symbols slightly to make them *more* powerful and unique to themselves, such as turning the swastika 45 degrees so that it appears to spin, and the arms are going clockwise. There's a fascinating chapter about who chose which symbols for the Nazi party, and why, in the book Dictionary of Symbols. Use of The Swastikawas so very common in design and in marketing. The Ladies Home Journal had a mail-in "Swastika Club" for young girls in 1910. Members got a swastika badge and materials teaching good homemaking practices. I think that the magazine had a monthly column aimed at members. SpringtimeMax Bialystock searches for the perfect flop... Pristine fireplaceThat's the most sparkling-clean fireplace I've ever seen. Any thoughts on whether this was a new home, a seldom-used fireplace, or whether Walker's housekeeper spent her days scrubbing bricks and mortar? My mom has a large decorative garden urn which has been in her family since the 1920s and is decorated with swastikas. Needless to say, we've always felt it prudent to keep it in a spot where casual acquaintances don't see it. [That might be asbestos board painted to look like bricks. - Dave] NOT a swastika.The swastika is made from four backward 7s (an easy way to remember) but what you see in the pictures is, among other things, is a Native American symbol representing the thunderbird. NOTE: made from forward 7s. [Incorrect. Swastikas can go either way; the Native American symbol is also a swastika. - Dave] (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Indian and Cowboy
My brother Marty and I (Dave) were the typical American ruffians, never missing an opportunity to try out the latest Christmas ... 
 
Posted by Westcoaster - 02/01/2021 - 7:26am -

My brother Marty and I (Dave) were the typical American ruffians, never missing an opportunity to try out the latest Christmas present weapons. Growing up in Paso Robles, CA, this photo was taken in San Luis Obispo, CA at our grandmother's. Circa 1956. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Television Screen: 1950
... homes are those of her clients. -Dave] Test Pattern Indian We got our first TV in 1951 when I was 3 or 4 years old. I remember ... NYC 1941. Hamilton purchased the Olympic trademark from American Bosch Radio the same year. In 1956 Olympic Radio & Television was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/16/2013 - 9:26am -

July 12, 1950. "Hilda Kassell, East 53rd Street, New York City. Father reading newspaper, two children viewing television." The test-pattern tone is especially hypnotic this morning. Photo by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Multiple photosOther Gottscho-Schleisner photos relating to Hilda Kassell can be found online. There's one from about this same time showing her nursing her baby in front of this window, one from 1948 of what I would presume was her former residence at 50 East 10th Street, and an undated interior view of what may be her country house in Croton, New York. As there also are some references to photos by her, my best guess is that she worked for Gottscho-Schleisner or at least was associated with the company in some way. Hence their interest in her domestic life. [Hilda Kassell was the designer whose business commissioned these photos. The people in them are models; the grander homes are those of her clients. -Dave] Test Pattern IndianWe got our first TV in 1951 when I was 3 or 4 years old. I remember spending a lot of time staring at the Test Pattern Indian, and even at that early age wondering what the hell an Indian was doing in our TV, and when was he going to DO something. Maybe I really WAS hypnotized by the tone. I Would Title This "Waiting for Howdy Doody" It's all relativeCompared to nothing-zip-nada, a test pattern was interesting, if only because it indicated that the set was ready to erupt into entertainment when programming began (usually, late afternoon). And it was our technological friend, enabling the painstaking setting of horizontal and vertical hold, contrast, brightness, and whatever quality brings about absence of "snow," all before Buffalo Bob and Howdy appeared. Did everyonehave a ship and brass baby shoes on top of the TV in the early 50's? I know we did. Good QuestionWonder why the Indian head shot was used. It seems fairly universal, but why? [A story about the original artwork and its survival is here. -tterrace] Thanks, wonder why the fellow in '38 made that choice. Just because? Line definition quality? Thanks again. Attention SpanAnd so it begins. The dumbing down of our children. There really is nothing on TVIn this case, not only are the kids staring at a test pattern, they're staring at a fuzzy test pattern. At first I thought this was because WJZ is a Baltimore station, but in 1950, it was the ABC flagship station in New York. Blank StaresThere's nothing quite like pretending to read the morning paper while the kids pretend to watch TV. $419.95Looks like a Zenith, Lexington model without cabinet doors. Cost is four weeks pay for the average factory worker in 1950. [It's an Olympic. -tterrace] Olympic Radio & Televisionwas a trademark of Hamilton Radio Corp., established NYC 1941. Hamilton purchased the Olympic trademark from American Bosch Radio the same year. In 1956 Olympic Radio & Television was still operating as a division of Unitronics Corp. of Long Island City. It probably disappeared the following year when Unitronics was absorbed by Siegler, which then merged with Lear Inc. Step UpOlympic was a recognized radio brand in the 1960s. Its TV line was strictly promotional. The attached ad shows a Radio/TV/Phono combo that probably sold in the $300-$400 price range. A comparable Magnavox unit sold for 2 to 3 times as much. Sitting that CloseI was a child in the late 1960s. Whenever I would watch television my parents always supervised me because they wanted to ensure that I didn't sit too close to the set. They were convinced sitting too close to the television would cause me to develope leukemia or it would ruin my eyesight. The first thought I had, when I looked at this photograph was the sound of my mother's voice "Don't sit so close to the TV!" By the time I was 16 years old, I did have to start wearing glasses which gave my parents an "I told you so." moment. They were convinced that my lazy eye was a result of sitting too close to the tv when I watched Captain Kangaroo as a four year old. The Ultimate Home Theatre!It's got both a small screen AND a big screen (for Dad to hide behind)! Subway foldDad - or the model playing dad - is probably a regular subway rider. That's the NY subway fold that I learned from my father. When you're on a crowded train, there isn't room to open the paper all the way. So you fold the pages in half lengthwise. PatternI hated daytime TV in the '50s. You'd be home sick from school and all that was on would be soaps and Queen for a Day. You'd be lying there bored to death with onions that your Mom put in your socks, I have no idea what they were supposed to cure but Mom must have known. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, Kids, NYC, TV)
Hamilton House: 1910
... the 1990s my wife had a job at the National Museum of the American Indian, one of several occupiers of this great building (Bankruptcy Court is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/05/2024 - 11:07am -

Manhattan circa 1910. "U.S. Custom House, New York, N.Y." The Alexander Hamilton Custom House, completed in 1907 at 1 Bowling Green. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Saved!Slated for demolition in the 1970s, after the completion of the World Trade Center put the customs office there. There was no longer a counter to take a sample to of a ship's cargo for testing and assessing. My father, as a young office boy, would take oil samples from the Standard Oil Co., then a few doors up Broadway, to be tested. The clerks stations survive to this day. In the 1970s I helped clean out the Merchant Marine Library there (a mariner could borrow a book and leave it at another library in another port on the honor system). They were dumping the books. I still have some, and others ended up at the museum library this 16-year-old worked at. In the 1990s my wife had a job at the National Museum of the American Indian, one of several occupiers of this great building (Bankruptcy Court is another, as well as the National Archives branch for NYC). Her office was the space that I cleaned out in the 1970s. If you visit, a look at the rotunda and its WPA murals by Reginald Marsh is a must. All in a building designed by Cass Gilbert. Oh - and the statuary out front? Daniel Chester French. Thanks, AleHouseMugPreservation of this building almost makes up for the loss of the original Penn Station ... almost. AwningsSome awning salesman must have made his yearly bonus on that building! History SavedGorgeous building. Everything else to left and right has been torn down. There's a wonderful display there which shows the design and construction of the building. Admission to the Museum of the American Indian, part of the Smithsonian, is free. Excellent bathrooms, btw. Italianate BowlingOff the left edge of the photo (to the north of the Customs House) still stands Bowling Green. So called because the Dutch played lawn bowling there. During the Revolutionary War, the iron fence around Bowling Green was melted down for munitions, including an image of the King's head. The Italian Palazzo-like building (complete with campanille and Romanesque arches) behind (to the east of) the Customs House now sports a boring glass tower with the address 2 Broadway. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Center Street: 1904
... getaway cars had scarely been invented. Cowboy and Indian Spotted this outside the cigar store ... The cigar store Indian ... Academy for two years, and then Harvard, majoring in American history and literature. He was the sixth generation of the Tuttle ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 10:48am -

Circa 1904. "Center Street, Rutland, Vermont." Our second look at this charming town. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Well, well, well ...The corner adornment might be an artesian well. There used to be one in my hometown of Kewanee, IL. The water was cool and tasted delicious. On the cornerTo the right, on the corner in the front of the bank, what is that? It looks like a running water fountain. Possibly an old municipal wellBefore the modern convenience of piped in running water, there were town wells, this may be what they did with one of them. There are a few such wells converted to fountains here in the South, such as the Old Well in Chapel Hill. Don't bank on it!My, those iron gates around the bank's entrance! When the bank was closed, it was REALLY closed! I bet it was not robbed very often, especially since getaway cars had scarely been invented. Cowboy and IndianSpotted this outside the cigar store ... The cigar store Indian AND a cowboy. Bubbler variantThe drinking fountain is an elaborate version of what is called a bubbler in Milwaukee, in Wisconsin, and in other isolated locations on our planet. For reference, see: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/lifestyle/31844089.html and/or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubbler Rutland, Vermont & Tokyo, JapanStudents of Japanese art and culture will recognize the Tuttle Company as the springboard of the illustrious Charles E. Tuttle publishing house, now Tuttle Books. An excerpt from Tuttle's obituary in 1993 outlined his roots: "Tuttle was born in Rutland, Vermont, in 1915, attended local schools in Rutland, Exeter Academy for two years, and then Harvard, majoring in American history and literature. He was the sixth generation of the Tuttle family born in Rutland, where the first Tuttle company opened for business in 1832. The early Tuttles were in printing, newspapers, bookselling, legal stationery and property. (Richard Tottel, a 16th-century ancestor, printed and published books in London between 1570 and 1590.) Charles's own father was an early publisher of black American literature, and also a noted rare book dealer, and Charles joined the family firm after graduating and working for a year in the library of Columbia University." The full obituary can be found here. Moving AheadI've seen Cigar Store Indian statues on Shorpy before, but never female and never on wheels. Was this the start of the feminist movement? The statues being on wheels and all. Oh, nevermind. Equine filling stationsThe water in the fountain is running down into a bowl. Not the most practical way to present driking water to humans. Instead, these fountains were located right next to the street so they could provide drinking water to horses. Carriage horses and wagon horses needed to be able to eat and drink during the work day just like their human caretakers. Feed bags covered the food part and these fountains took care of the water requirement. [Horse fountains usually looked like bathtubs or watering troughs. - Dave] A fountain to provide relief for horses, as wellPublic fountains during this time were for both humans and horses. That accounts for its odd appearance. In many towns, a ladle or cup would also be attached to the fountain for benefit of the human thirst-quenchers. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, Stores & Markets)
Heap Big Birthday: 1964
My nephews and I celebrating my Native American themed birthday. It's spring of 1964 in North Carolina as noted by ... Kodak Automatic 35 camera. View full size. Indian Guide I was a member of the YMCA-based Indian Guides and was proud to wear my feather headdress at age 10. ... 
 
Posted by PJMoore - 09/20/2011 - 10:24pm -

My nephews and I celebrating my Native American themed birthday. It's spring of 1964 in North Carolina as noted by the jonquils on the table. Kodachrome slide taken with my father's Kodak Automatic 35 camera. View full size. Indian GuideI was a member of the YMCA-based Indian Guides and was proud to wear my feather headdress at age 10. Enameled traysI actually have a set of 4 of those exact trays, but they have thin tube legs that unfold to make standing TV tray tables. I also love the coffeepot. I miss the soothing percolations ours made in the morning. Today's automatic drip just doesn't wake me the same way. The CakeThe birthday cake appears to be homemade and there's no writin' on it. Sealtest oh yes!Oh, I remember Sealtest Ice Cream! Great photo! I'm the same age and lived in Greensboro at the exact same time; we also had the very same table. By the way, what happened to your little brother's bolt-action rifle? I ScreamI remember that half-gallon carton of Sealtest so well -- cheap, good and consumed immediately! Always with Hershey Chocolate Syrup poured all over it. East Meets WestFirst of all, I'd like to know just exactly what our kitchen drawer pulls are doing back in North Carolina. Secondly, Sealtest was one of those brands we never had on the West Coast that, when I did hear about them, thought were the dumbest names ever. Everybody knows ice cream is supposed to be Foremost. And mayonnaise Best Foods, not "Hellman's." What kind of a name is that? Thirdly, did everybody have those black enameled metal trays with the floral motif? Fourthly, why can't I find Kleenex in blue and white boxes? Don't those people know the meaning of the word "retro"? Fifthly, and I need hardly point out the obvious: there's one in every crowd. Looks like homesweet home to me -- Mom's red nail polish, purse on the counter, best silver and dishes in the built-in china cabinet. I remember it well. CakedI wonder if those were accidentally clever teepees on the cake. FreebiesIn the early 50s my father owned a store about two blocks from a Sealtest plant. I would wander over (streets were safe for little kids back then) and the ladies would always give me a little cup of ice cream. As for dumb brand names my vote goes to Uneeda Biscuit. Still send shivers. Drum cakeLove the older brother (or nephew), obviously too old to wear a costume and headdress, but he still wants to be included. Also, love the DRUM cake! By that stack of plates, I'm guessing there is a large supporting cast of adults behind the scenes. Birthday Girl UpdateThe cabinet and drawer pulls are still there, as is most of the china. The cabinet is currently painted white. The area where we're all sitting was a breakfast nook. Now it's a pantry but still the same color. The little boy in the back is "Pinwheel Boy" from my post Kids' Table 1966. DecorI'm admiring the simulated woodgrain Formica table. Green paint flavorsI'm surprised I didn't comment on the paint color, since it looks like an exact match for our living room and dining room - whatever brand my father used called it "Mist Green." Flat latex for the walls, semi-gloss for the woodwork, like the china cabinet here. Oh, and white ceilings. I remember being amazed when Father first used latex paint over the fact that he could clean his brushes by just rinsing them out under the faucet. Get the Best...Great photo! These kids wouldn't remember, but one of our favorite Saturday morning TV shows was the "Sealtest Big Top", which aired from 1950 to 1957. Ed McMahon was a clown and a writer on the show. They nearly always had trained seals. Burned into my mind is the chorus of the jingle: "Get the best, get Sealtest. Get the best, get Sealtest." A Favorite FlavorThe cabinet and walls are the very popular color of the 40's through the 60's: mint green, a.k.a. Dr Pepper green. The latter name refers to the color of the coolers and vending machines of the time.The deco-influenced hinges on the cabinet would have been a matching chrome of the drawer pulls but, like so many households, they just painted over them. [Also called Seafoam Green. - Dave] Pinwheel BoyThis a funny, funny picture! Cracks me up everytime I see "Pinwheel Boy" poking his head into things. Little one perched on the counter doesn't look too happy, though. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids)
Bicycles, Cadillacs: 1910
... repair - the far side of the bonnet (or hood, as it's American) is open. I can't make out a manufacturer's name on the front: does ... up could be quite the adventure in those days. 1910 Indian single As far as I can make out the motorcycle is a Indian 1910 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:58am -

New Orleans circa 1910. A close-up of the H.A. Testard Bicycles & Automobiles storefront from the previous post. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. And Motorcycles Too!Sure is a motorcycle prominent at the end of the window. I can't tell what make it is (there were a lot). But, back in those days motorcycles had more in common with pedal bicycles than not. What a lovely old car!And it's under repair - the far side of the bonnet (or hood, as it's American) is open. I can't make out a manufacturer's name on the front: does anyone know what kind it is? [It's a Cadillac. - Dave] Move along, nothing to see here...Unless you want your SOUL to be EATEN! Still around.There are some of those cars around today thanks to collectors.It would be great if this car was one of them. French ConnectionCouldn't help but notice the similarities with this bike shop, still functioning in Montreal. View Larger Map Bugs in Your TeethHere's the Cadillac, with optional no windshield, snapped at Hershey, Pennsylvania, October 2009 General Store? Ah yes, autos, bikes and... funnels? I guess fueling up could be quite the adventure in those days. 1910 Indian singleAs far as I can make out the motorcycle is a Indian 1910 single. A current photo of one can be seen in Classic American Motorcycles by Tod Rafferty. According to the book they sold that year for $215. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, Motorcycles, New Orleans)
BFF: 1938
... stuff. You would not have likely found a more loyal American. Indian Summer Yes, this is probably going to end badly for these young men. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/08/2014 - 1:29pm -

1938. Stuttgart, Germany. "Von der 6. Reichstagung der Auslandsdeutschen (Hitler Youth in tent during festivities for the 6th Annual National Days of Foreign Germans)." Photo by Heinrich Hoffmann, Kochstraße 10, Berlin. View full size. FooledI got this in the email version, and was scrolling down happily, thinking, "Aw, what cute Boy Scouts," when the swastika armband appeared, and "Gaaaah!" Meanwhile, the Fates ConspireI wonder how many of these poor deluded kids ended up on the Eastern Front, making the world safe for National Socialism? Mandatory MembershipI concur with History Lover's assertion. While stationed in Okinawa in 1970, I knew a USAF Chief Master Sergeant who had been in the Hitler Youth. He came to the US in 1949 as a 19 year old and immediately joined the Air Force. He also indicated membership was mandatory for all boys. He did say that they occasionally had some para-military training and exposure to propoganda, but that for the most part, they built model airplanes, camped out and engaged in other typical scouting stuff. You would not have likely found a more loyal American. Indian SummerYes, this is probably going to end badly for these young men. Masonic LodgeYup, according to the sign with the skull and bones, these young Germans aspire to be Freemasons. But what's with the butter knife? More likeMaster Nerds. Heinrich HoffmannHeinrich Hoffmann, who is credited with this photo, was Adolf Hitler's personal photographer. He owned a photography shop and originally employed Eva Braun, and introduced Hitler to her. His involvement with Hitler and Braun goes back to Munich in the early days of the Nazi Movement. 6th Annual National DaysMehr Information hier. I don't likeSpeaking as a Pole, I want to state clearly that there is no positive associations and feelings, when I look at this photo. Sure, these guys were not guilty. Manipulated, fool, sorry, full of hope, the same as their younger Polish "friends" several years later: communists. It is very sad, i met few people, so excited about Nazism, people from USA, young girls from good schools, reach families, for example. A little bit scary, isn't it? MembershipThe two in front are members in the Hitlerjugend, the three in the back are members in the Deutschesjungvolk. Too sadAs was stated, how many of those kids ended up in a Soviet Gulag paying for the sins of their leaders. The uniforms are those of the Hitler Youth, which replaced the Scouting movement in 1933. A good friend of mine was taken to this fest by his mother (a naturalized German-American). When he started asking questions about the goings-on (he was 10 at the time), some of the older kids took him out and beat the crap out of him. When he went home to New York State, he never once looked back. I guess that they were well indoctrinated. No ChoiceI had a boss back in the early 1970s who's wife was born and raised in Germany. He met her while stationed there after WW2, around 1945. She claimed that all boys and girls of a certain age were required to join a Hitler youth group (don't know the exact name), with the emphasis on required. Anyway, she certainly did not seem to have a problem with marrying a soldier from the U.S., leaving Germany, and raising two children here. So I always had a tendency to believe her story. 85% mortality rateMy 90-year-old father-in-law was born in Austria and spent the war years there before emigrating to Canada. As with all other youth, he was in the “boy scouts,” then in the army. Of the twenty boys in his high school class, only three survived the war. (Camping, WW2)
Widder Vaught's: 1913
... Rodman Wanamaker's "Expedition of Citizenship to the American Indian." View full size. Indian Heritage Perhaps Rodman Wanamaker ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/27/2019 - 3:28pm -

1913. "Widder Vaught's family, Arkansas." 8x10 inch glass negative by Joseph Kossuth Dixon for department store magnate Rodman Wanamaker's "Expedition of Citizenship to the American Indian." View full size. Indian HeritagePerhaps Rodman Wanamaker talked to this family about their heritage. They all got together to take this picture, knowing that it was an American Indian Exposition. "Widder" is a slang for Widow. Mrs Vaught got her family together and it looks like her Sons and Grandkids came over for the shoot. Cherokee, for sure.....and a lot of other tribes inhabited this region. There has to be a reason this picture was taken for posterity. (The Gallery, Kids, Native Americans)
Floyd's Place: 1938
... the body, originally distributed to advertise the Newark Indian Mounds, has been redecorated." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative ... They're actually pretty important, sometimes called the American Stonehenge. Here's a great article . Floyds in Oblong The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/10/2008 - 8:55pm -

Summer 1938. More of Floyd's Place: "Roadside inn, Central Ohio. The figure of the body, originally distributed to advertise the Newark Indian Mounds, has been redecorated." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Ben Shahn for the FSA. Floyd's PlaceI found one in Seattle, in Amarillo, in Oblong (Ill.) and in Tennessee. Wish I could find the one in Ohio - I'm sure it's no longer there, but would like to know where it was. It looks familiar. Newark Indian MoundsThey're actually pretty important, sometimes called the American Stonehenge. Here's a great article. Floyds in OblongThe Floyd's Place in Oblong, IL is just a little dive bar. It doesn't really look anything like this place, although there are some shops in town that have that same sort of style. http://floydsplace1951.com/history.html (The Gallery, Ben Shahn, Eateries & Bars)
Metropolitan Life: 1912
... is the only structure in Michigan designed by the great American architect H.H. Richardson. Nice That is a very skillfully made old photograph - good architectural photography. Indian crossing The motorcycle the young man is walking across the street I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/29/2017 - 3:12pm -

1912. "Campus Martius, City Hall and Detroit Opera House." Other points of interest in this view along Woodward Avenue at Fort Street include the Bagley Memorial Fountain, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Majestic Building. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The Bagley FountainThe Bagley Fountain is actually a drinking fountain. It now sits a few blocks east of this view on Cadillac Square. The fountain was a bequest to the city from former Michigan governor John J. Bagley, who had made his fortune in the tobacco business and was one of the people most responsible for Detroit's status as a center of the U.S. cigar industry in the second half of the 19th century. He was also a temperance man, who felt strongly about the availability of fresh, clean drinking water. The Bagley Fountain is the only structure in Michigan designed by the great American architect H.H. Richardson. NiceThat is a very skillfully made old photograph - good architectural photography. Indian crossingThe motorcycle the young man is walking across the street I believe is a 1912 Indian twin cylinder single speed. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
The Inauguration: 1913
... Post, April 30, 1959. Fulton Wars on Capitol's Indian Statue Rep. James G. Fulton (R-Pa.) wants to make sure that the ... the sculpture a "constant reminder of ill will toward the American Indian" and introduced a resolution to get rid of it. The group ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/21/2013 - 4:53am -

March 4, 1913. "Inauguration of Woodrow Wilson as 28th President of the United States." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Reverse orderIn so many modern events, people arrive in order of their unimportance (with the most important arriving last). For this inauguration, at least, the incoming and outgoing presidents are already there, but the crowd of citizens before the podium that would appear in this photo (https://www.shorpy.com/node/4832) is apparently being held back for a time. Front doorIt wasn't until 1981 that inaugurations were moved to the Capitol West Front, more impressive visually and with more room for spectators (but at greater distance). Barely visible here, the two embarrassing sculptures (The Discovery and The Rescue) flanking the East Front entrance were removed in 1958 and more or less hidden away. The Rescue is said to be broken into pieces. Anybody seen Wilson? He's late.What? It's tomorrow? Aw Crap. [There he is, with outgoing President Taft. - tterrace] They did things differently thenOther than the incoming and outgoing Presidents already in place while others file in, the military are sloppily breaking formation to gawk at the proceedings. That would never be tolerated at a Presidential Inauguration now. The laxest they could hope for would be parade rest. Re: The RescueTip of the hat to GlenJay for identifying the sculptures flanking the east staircase. I was pretty sure they hadn't been there in my lifetime and I was wondering what they were. Washington Post, April 30, 1959. Fulton Wars on Capitol's Indian Statue Rep. James G. Fulton (R-Pa.) wants to make sure that the statue of the Indian that until recently stood on the Capitol steps permanently bites the dust. The white marble statue was part of a group of that was located on one of the stair blocks on the now dismantled East Front steps. Almost since it was place there in 1853, friends of Indians have been trying to get rid of it. The grouping shows a pioneer settler wresting a tomahawk from the hand of an Indian about to scalp a woman and her child. A snarling dog looks on. Fulton said he was approached by House Speaker Sam Rayburn (D-Tex.) about eliminating the group when the new extended East Front is unveiled in 1961. Rayburn offered encouragement, he said. One unsuccessful effort to get rid of the Indian was made 20 years ago by Rep. Usher L. Burdick (R.-N.D.). He called the sculpture a "constant reminder of ill will toward the American Indian" and introduced a resolution to get rid of it. The group is called "The Rescue" and was carved by Horatio Greenough in Florence, Italy. If the Indian goes there will be the equal problem of what to do with the companion sculpture that stood on the other side of the steps. Titled "The Discovery," it shows Columbus holding aloft the globe of the World while an Indian maiden shrinks back in fear and wonder. Silly me, I didn't know the phrase "bites the dust" pre-dated Queen. 100 Years OnI just visited Washington, D.C. for my first time ever and was astounded how large the Capitol is in reality. Even photos like this, with the throngs of people in front and - remarkably - allowed to stand on the roof, somehow don't do it justice. I was humbled nearly to the point of tears at the majesty of our Nation's seat of government. I am going to now add this shot, and another one of the same event previously posted on Shorpy, to a rotating set of desktop photos that grace my monitors. Thank you, Shorpy, for finding so many wonderful photos forgotten and put away in the Library of Congress. (BTW, I went there, too, and saw the awe-inspiring dome inside the Thomas Jefferson Building, also published here on Shorpy. Sadly, they won't let you take your own photos of that dome any more. But then the one in Shorpy is so much better than I could do that it's just as well.) (The Gallery, D.C., G.G. Bain, Politics, Public Figures)
The Reception: 1958
... of Columbus is about equal amount White and African American. Call the fashion police... Guy sitting at left...wearing sport ... own posture looks more like that of a boiled shrimp. Indian Head brass I believe I can identify the man in uniform as Major ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/03/2015 - 10:48am -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1958. "Reception." Where civilian bamboo meets Army brass. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the News Photo Archive. View full size. Invisible peopleYou'd never know it from this series of photographs but the population of Columbus is about equal amount White and African American. Call the fashion police...Guy sitting at left...wearing sport coat, tie, nice pair of slacks and white sox...white sox? Commanding OfficerHere are three candidates for the Major General role in our tableau with service dates for commanding Ft Benning. MG Paul L. Freeman May 1958 – Apr 1960 MG George E. Lynch May 1956 – Aug 1956 MG Herbert B. Powell Aug 1956 – Apr 1958 A review of Google Images points to Powell. (But, I've been wrong before.) [Freeman, Lynch & Powell. -tterrace] I Was Going to AskWhere is the obligatory overflowing ashtray? Then I spotted it. Hope the gentleman's jacket didn't get singed. Shiny, happy peopleWhatever kind of reception this is, the venue is probably called "The Bamboo Room". No originality but in every town or city in which I have lived, there is always a bar or lounge or restaurant with that name and similar furnishings. Also, I must say I have always been impressed with the "stand straight up" posture of military people and even now, living close to a huge air force base, while walking around the mall in the morning with mostly senior citizens, one can pick out the retired military people because they keep that proper posture into old age, while my own posture looks more like that of a boiled shrimp. Indian Head brassI believe I can identify the man in uniform as Major General Gilman Mudgett, division commander from February 1957 to June 1958. A second possibility is Major General Robert Wienecke, commander from July 1958 to February 1960. [Mudgett & Weinecke. -tterrace] It may be 1958But that bamboo furniture and lamp are right out of 1942-1943, officers' club stand-bys. Even the roll-down blinds were probably around during Pearl Harbor. Would have made good furniture for "From Here to Eternity". 2nd Infantry DivisionThe major general is wearing the patch of the 2nd Infantry Division on his right shoulder. This indicates that he served in combat with the division, either in WWII or Korea. When I was in the army the division was stationed in Korea still, but in 1958 it was being reorganized at Fort Benning. It's possible that he is the new commanding general of the division. The path on his left shoulder, which shows his present assignment, is not visible, but you can see the edge of it a little, and it seems to be the same size as the one on the right. The 2nd Infantry Division patch is quite a bit larger than most other division patches. He is also wearing his parachute badge and his Combat Infantryman's badge, but none of his (probably many) medals and decorations. Commander's Reception?A tradition in the military--well, the Army and Air Force, dunno about the Navy--is the Commanding Officer's Reception on New Year's Day. This doesn't look like winter (the general is in suntans) but might be a reception for a new Commanding Officer, or a hail and farewell for a departing C.O. The other folks, I'm assuming, are his family, which suggests a change of command reception, or a retirement. Thanks for reminding an old military dog of long-forgotten times. The Ear Test ...Suggests Wieneke. And my guess is that the seated woman is the General's Lady, to whom all other officers' ladies pay respect. Or else. Those badgesare the Combat Infantryman's Badge, and the Parachutist's Badge, but the Major General is not wearing any medal ribbons or corps insignia on his lapels which might help to identify him, and we can't see what patch is on his left (senior) shoulder. Other pictures of Maj. Gen. Powell (tterrace's favored candidate) do not show him wearing a Parachutist's Badge and nothing is mentioned about this qualification in his Army biography, so I wonder if this can be the same man. The Second Infantry Division, whose Indian-head patch he wears on his (junior) right sleeve, was not notably involved in airborne operations in WW2 or Korea, so this man probably earned this badge with another division before being posted to the Second Infantry (then a training outfit) at Fort Benning. [I don't have a favored candidate. -tterrace] Ear test 2Powell. Look to the ears, and you can rule out the others. Ears are like fingerprints. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Branding: 1939
... a good luck sign in both Indo-Asian and North Amnerican Indian cultures long before the Nazis perverted it. In those cultures, it was ... That brand that looks like a swastika is a Native American symbol representing the thunderbird. The 45th Division of the US ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/15/2008 - 10:18pm -

September 1939. "Hamburger stand with old cattle brands. Dumas, Texas." 35mm negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Swastika BrandI'll bet that swastika brand over the door disappeared fairly soon after this photograph was taken. Cola SignsI count five Coca-Cola signs vs. three Royal Crown signs. Coke wins, at least for these two sides of the building. Do you think one of the other sides has a Golden Arches brand? Give me a signThe bent cross/sun/good luck symbol (swastika) was used by Arizona on highway route markers well past World War 2. Check out the 1948 shield. Before National Socialists hijacked this symbol, it was used by many cultures and societies, including Native Americans. Drive-throughThat's the earliest drive-through I've ever seen. In-and-Out Burger says they built the first drive-through restaurant in 1948. Isn't there a sixth Coca-Cola ad on the strut/handle across the screen door? SwastikaThe swastika was a good luck sign in both Indo-Asian and North Amnerican Indian cultures long before the Nazis perverted it. In those cultures, it was usually rendered reversed from the Nazi presentation. It is still considered a "good luck charm' by some Asians which startles Westerners who encounter it. Them's Good BurgersI'm getting hungry just thinking about how good those burgers must've been. It being Texas, it's a safe bet to say the beef was fresh. RC ColaIn Dumas, Texas...TRUST ME...RC Cola sells better. As someone once told me in NYC---"RC Cola? That's what hillbillies drink!". I took offense at that as I dumped a nickel pack of Planter's Peanuts into my RC. BrandsIt's amazing how many ancient cultures used the swastika. Since this was taken in Texas, I'm guessing it was associated with either the Navajo or Hopi indians of that area. SodaAn excerpt from Texas writer Larry McMurtry's "Walter Benjamin in the Dairy Queen": In the summer of 1980, in the Archer City Dairy Queen, while nursing a lime Dr Pepper (a delicacy strictly local, unheard of even in the next Dairy Queen down the road Olneys, eighteen miles south but easily obtainable by anyone willing to buy a lime and a Dr Pepper), I opened a book called Illuminations and read Walter Benjamin's essay The Storytellers, nominally a study of or reflection on the stories of Nikolai Leskov, but really (I came to feel, after several rereadings) an examination, and a profound one, of the growing obsolescence of what might be called practical memory and the consequent diminution of the power of oral narrative in our twentieth century lives. How beautifully phrased, especially the bit about the lime Dr Pepper, and the passage introduces a discussion of the issues that make Shorpy images so powerful. Drive-ToThat doesn't look like a drive-in or drive-through. That car is parked next to it - probably the owner's. If it was a drive-through lane, there'd be tire tracks worn through the weeds. The little window in front with the small shelf is for walk-ups. Or at least that's how every Dairy Queen and walk-up food place I've ever been to works. "Ding Dong Daddy......From Dumas" was a song my father (who was not from Dumas) used to hum and sing when he was driving. We used to drive through, or near, Dumas on our way to Colorado from East Texas - usually inspiring a rousing rendition late at night. RE: Texas cola wars...Dublin, Texas is the only place you can still get original recipe Dr Pepper (a Texas drink) made with cane sugar instead of corn syrup. Good stuff. 10, 2, and 4. Uurrp. Goober Pea BrandsThere are some clever brands up there. The 'Bar' BQ and the 7UP brands caught my eye. Once upon a time I wanted a $ sign brand to put on my cattle. My old boss grew up in the Texas Panhandle in the 30s and 40s. He said as a kid you always bought RC Cola because you got two more ounces for the same money as Coke. Indian ThunderbirdThat brand that looks like a swastika is a Native American symbol representing the thunderbird. The 45th Division of the US Army in Oklahoma had that design on its shoulder patch. When WW II started, they changed the design to look like a stylized bird because they did not want it to be confused with Hitler's swastika. Dumas, TexasI was born and raised in Dumas and I can't for the life of me identify the location of this building. I wished I could so that I could walk around it and relive these simpler times. I am guessing that it was on Main street. There wasn't much here back then and the center of town consisted of the courthouse and some businesses and a few hotels. [Below: More from Dumas. - Dave] Spirit of '76I was a high school freshman in 1976, and I wrote the date on every school paper with a single-stroke "76" like the one to the left of the swastika. I hadn't thought of that in thirty years...until I just looked at this photo. Great stuffI broke a fan belt in Dumas in 1974. I stumbled into a local service station and got it fixed quickly and was on my way. Everyone was really friendly and they didn't try to rip me off. I have that great memory of Dumas. Mystery solvedI am from Dumas and I was curious as to the location of this hamburger stand. I asked the old timers and got no results for a couple of years of inquiries. Finally, I showed the picture to a friend of mine whose father has always lived here. He went to the rest home where his father, Jim Ed, lived and showed it to him. Old Jim Ed remembered the place, couldn't remember who owned it but his younger brother used to work there. It was located at 9th and south Main on the west side of the street. The building pictured is still there but the structure is the back portion of an operating restaurant called "Nana's". It has been quite the mystery. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Russell Lee)
Inter-City Beauties: 1927
... tim I think I've seen this image before on the american memory project. Is this where you are getting your images? What ... is what's the deal with the woman dressed like an American Indian? Was she part of the presentation, or was she a contestant who thought ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 02/20/2014 - 5:04pm -

Contestants at Atlantic City Pageant. View full size. Forgive me...I hope this isn't an average sampling of women in 1927. Some of them are pretty, of course, but others... man... How did they win? (For instance, look at the girl four down from the man in the center. Is that a drag queen?) Pay attentionAnd why is the woman to his left looking in a different direction than everyone else? Compare and contrast1927, 2006. Bitter pageant rivalry caught on film . . .Take a look at the woman directly behind the gentleman in the middle. She's about to sink a knife into the back of Miss Wichita. timI think I've seen this image before on the american memory project. Is this where you are getting your images? What about 8th down?The woman 8th to the right of the man looks more drag queen-ish than the 4th... but the REAL question here is what's the deal with the woman dressed like an American Indian? Was she part of the presentation, or was she a contestant who thought that get-up would give her the edge? At least . . .. . . they're not all anorexic appearing and their smiles seem genuine. They look real! Thanks, Shorpy, for sharing! most beautiful of them all...is the one in full formal native american dress... anyone able to link more about her? FascinatingI think it's a picture that brings out the feelings of the era. Not a blonde among them ...Interesting how much darker their hair was than your typical beauty queen of today. Drew BarrymoreLook at the woman 4th to the left of the guy in the middle. Either Drew Barrymore has a time machine, or that's her grandmother. ACTUALLY, POSSIBLY SEVERAL BLONDESWhile it appears there are no blondes, there were in fact several. This is owing to the likelyhood that the photo was taken on orthochromatic film, not panchromatic film. Panchromatic film was invented in Dec 1912 and did not take over popular photography as THE choice until the 1960's. Orthochromatic film stock—the only kind previously available—had good reproduction at the higher frequency (blue) end of the colour spectrum, low response to yellow and green and complete insensitivity to reds. Therefore yellows are represented as a dark grey. Beauty StandardsBeauty standards change from time to time. beauty standardsHey! There are some real hotties in that bunch. Re: Not a blonde among them ...More importantly, not a breast augmentation for any of them. And no capped teeth. Just as God made 'em. You'll never see a talent show like that any more. OopsI meant to the left as you're looking at him; actually to his right. PrincessLook at her banner, I think it says Princess American What are you fools talkingWhat are you fools talking about? I read the comments before I clicked through to the full size pic, expecting it to be shocking. There are some hotties in there, and most of them have a really attractive cute look. Yeah, there are a few mingers too (I'm looking at you, Miss Biloxi), but what do you expect in a competition where they throw Miss Biloxi up against Miss California and Miss New England? The winnerThe winner was Miss Illinois. Sort of a demure, cute look. Can you find her in the picture? In reply to Tipster No. 2"(I'm looking at you, Miss Biloxi), but what do you expect in a competition where they throw Miss Biloxi up against Miss California and Miss New England?" There are so many beautiful women in the South. Hush yo mouth! Let's see your picture! Old photos make me sortof sadOld photos make me sortof sad, and I get all philosophical and thoughtful and whatnot: Every one of these women have been dead for many, many years, the guys overcome with need for them are also gone, but that need lives on, or something. They sure are beautiful. Like the above comment, it's nice that there are no augmentations or nose jobs or whatever, just pretty women, their smiles glowing, life stretching out in front of them like a road without end. I hope that the road was good for them, and I hope your road is good for you, too. Peace. dancestoblue Austin Texas Annotate on Flickr?Anyone find this on Flickr with notes on each contestant where they are from? uhhyea except i'm sure most of them are still alive 1930 wasn't very long ago der. wellexcept that 1927 was 80 years ago and most of them may have been about 20 years old which would put them all at about 100 now. So probably not most of them are alive. nopeyes most of them are still living but in the other life. i agree with will said Don't be ridiculous!These women put most of the hussies to-day to shame! :) Are you my mother?I was born in Atlantic City 12 years after this picture was taken, so conceivably one of these could be my lost mother. Limited samplingTo be a beauty in 1927 meant being white. Anyone with one drop of (Arrgh! Gasp! Retch!) African blood need not apply. PageantI was watching the Miss Black America Pageant and I didnt find any blue eyes. I guess Germans need not apply. Interesting comment...Chances are at least one of the Miss Black America contestants has a bit of German heritage in her. Not enough, maybe for blue eyes, but probably. But your comment is interesting because these smiling young women competed in a system that informally screened blacks, Asians and others from competition. The informal understanding was later codified under the pageant's Rule Seven, which stated: "contestants must be of good health and of the white race." People with backgrounds other than strictly European began competing eventually. But the Miss Black America pageant was created in the 1960s, after years of informal exclusion, by those of African heritage seeking their own recognition. That they had to do so outside of the pageant was unfortunate. If you want to read more, PBS has material up on their website from their show about Miss A here. Not Miss AmericaThe photo is of the Miss Atlantic City pageant, not the Miss America pageant. Similar to the 1926 Inter-Cities Competition pic...I see a similarity to the previous year's picture with that year's contestants. Notice in the upper right-hand corner, Miss Yonkers wears rolled-up white stockings just like knee-socks...how cute and a little sexy. In the '26 photo, two contestants stood in that same corner and, lo and behold, they were the only ones in rolled up stockings. Unfortunately, that picture was obscure to the tags they wore in the front that you could not see where they were from...what a shame! But I love it!!! What an era in history!!! Did our grandmothers have fun or what? Miss Yonkers 1927Miss Yonkers was 16 at the time. All contestants were required to wear stockings, something she was unaware of, and she didn't bring any. She borrowed the knee highs because to pose with bare legs was not allowed and considered scandalous. How do I know? She was my Mom. SHe passed away in 1999. I have a whole album of photos from the event. Her 1st cousin, running as Miss Westchester County, won the bathing suit competition in 1941 and was 3rd runner up. 1941 was the first year that the competition was called the Miss America Pageant. Up until then it was called the Atlantic City Pageant. It started in 1926, I believe, as a way to extend the summer season in Atlantic City. (Atlantic City, Pretty Girls)
Wingman: 1943
... in January, the British plan had prevailed over the American preference for a cross-Channel move into France. So this B-24 likely ... They were rapidly phased out after the war, though the Indian Air Force flew them into the late 1960s. Snapshot ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/03/2023 - 4:39pm -

April 1943. "Airman on wing of B-24 bomber at U.S. Army 9th Air Force base somewhere in Libya." Nitrate negative by Nick Parrino for the Office of War Information. View full size. My IdolSomeone who has obviously logged a lot more flight time in a B-24 than the ~40 minutes I did in Diamond Lil back in 2014 (and he's dressed a lot snazzier than I was to boot). Of the 18,188 B-24s built, she's one of the only two still flying: http://commemorativeairforce.org/aircraft/3 'King Nine', is that you ?For those who have seen it, this scene will likely call to mind a memorably forgettable episode of the Twilight Zone Great compositionIf Nick Parrino was brought to Libya and back, just to take this single photo it was wort the effort. Mopping up and getting ready to jumpAfter the Battle of Kasserine Pass in late February 1943, the 9th Air Force was pounding Axis troops through Tunisia, where nearly a quarter million Germans and Italians would surrender in early May. Up next was the invasion of Europe. At the Casablanca Conference in January, the British plan had prevailed over the American preference for a cross-Channel move into France. So this B-24 likely was bombing Sicily in July. Over 18,000 B-24s were produced between 1940 and 1945. They were rapidly phased out after the war, though the Indian Air Force flew them into the late 1960s. Snapshot Office of War Information photographer Nick Parrino somewhere in the Persian corridor in the Jeep in which he rode to make a photographic record of the first run by an all American United States Army convoy carrying supplies for Russia (1943) https://www.loc.gov/resource/fsa.8d29649/ Under the Lend-Lease policy, more than 4 million tons of supplies, from canned food to warplanes, were carried by rail and truck from ports on the Persian Gulf through Iran to Soviet Azerbaijan. Additional photographs taken by Parrino during the war. "Little is known about photographer Nick Parrino. His surname reveals his Italian origin, but his date and place of birth are still unknown. He appears to have lived in Cleveland, Ohio, where he died in 1979. Before the war, he worked as a photographer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper. For the OWI Parrino has photographed on various war fronts, including North Africa, the Middle East and Italy. He worked as a photojournalist for Wide World Photos and, after the war, was the photo editor of Newsweek magazine. He was also director of the photography library of Cities Service Co. (later CITGO) where he worked until 1967." -- La Voce dell'Isola (The Gallery, Aviation, WW2)
Expert Truss Fitting: 1900
... It's fun to watch. The city is also the home of an American standard in every kitchen: Jell-O! Cars? Sign says "cars leave ... by a man named Pearl. CSI: Buffalo Nice Cigar Store Indian on the right. Oh that logo The Pan-American ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 12:35pm -

"Main Street, Buffalo, N.Y., circa 1900." The merchants of Buffalo, aside from making that fine city a haven for the herniated, also offered a wide range of "deformity appliances." Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Fireproof indeed!The fireproof tiles on the roof of the Iroquois were a big selling point after the horrific fire that destroyed the Richmond Hotel, which stood on the same site until 1887. Mirror Writing?The reverse lettering above the motorman's head looks like the back of a glass sign that says SMOKING ENTRANCE REAR SEATS ONLY, whatever that means exactly. [The signs says "Smoking on three rear seats only." - Dave] Safe CityThat is one safety-conscious city. Note the pedestrian catcher mounted on the front of the trolley. Niagara Falls!!!!Niagara Falls! "Slowly I turned...step by step...inch by inch..." From the Three Stooges short "Gents Without Cents" Oh MyWhat a picture. This is definitely a downtown scene. I am curious about the rides to Lockport, Lewiston and Queenston. Are they entrance cities to Canada? Perhaps they are tourist destinations like Niagara Falls. This photo will take a while to gather it all and to understand Buffalo as a major U.S. city at the time. [Those cities were excursion destinations. - Dave] Shuffle off to Buffalo...So much detail to take in. Wonder what a "Deformity Appliance" is. [I am thinking something along the lines of a super-dangerous cake mixer. - Dave] Bustling BuffaloNothing is more depressing than seeing the once-bustling major city that is now Buffalo. Interesting that the streetcar was the main mode of public transportation, and yet the newer "metro" line (consisting of one short rail from HSBC to the University of Buffalo) has contributed to the death of downtown. Martha!And "I Love Lucy." Your neighbor the sign painterBesides the five (or six or seven) signs of his own, Mr. Scott seems to have painted all the other signs on that building. I wonder if he traded signs for trolly rides, cigars, or deformity appliances. Trolleys Then and NowThe open-seat single-truck trolleys seen in this picture (with smoking allowed in the three rear seats only) have long been absent from the City of Buffalo. The line is now the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority's Buffalo Metro Rail light rail line. Interesting that the tracks on Main Street have survived, while those on Church Street, and all of the surrounding buildings, including the Iroquois Hotel, have all vanished. View Larger Map No heritage hereSo, is this was were the Main Street Mall now resides? Seems all these blocks were demolished. The Iroquois Hotel was torn down in 1940. The Perfect VignetteWhat a great photo! The "Signs" signs, the omnipresent hats, the fancy streetlight. I love the advertisement for the "tobacconist"--that would make a catchy little business card, I think. Some people are dentists, some are salespeople, and then there are the tobacconists. And I wonder what got thrown into the wires crossing the street? I also love the trolleys in the picture--somehow, my daily bus ride doesn't seem quite as cool as this. One question. What is the net in front for? I would guess it's for luggage or large packages? [The net would be for inattentive or careless pedestrians. - Dave] LockportLockport was and is a neat little city in NW central New York State where canal boats travel down a series of locks. It's fun to watch. The city is also the home of an American standard in every kitchen: Jell-O! Cars?Sign says "cars leave every 15 minutes"...I don't see any cars, it's 1900 (or so) What do they mean by "cars"? [Streetcars. - Dave] The GlobeSure would like to be able to see more detail on that globe painted on the left side - looks like the continents have been anthropomorphized into pinup gals. BuffaloCool! I stayed a night in Buffalo early last month. Had it still been standing, I would have chosen the Iroquois over the Holiday Inn for sure. Looks like a fun city, but you've never seen anything more depressing than Niagara Falls (the town) in winter. You Are HereIn response to the many requests seen in comments for a time machine: here you are. Absolutely fantastic picture. Pan-American ExpoThat's the logo for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition, held in Buffalo -- where President McKinley was shot and later died. Trolly carsThey mean Trolly cars. [Or maybe trolley cars. ("Cars" = streetcars.) - Dave] Look out above!The top three floors of the Iroquois were "superadded" for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. In 1923, owner Ellsworth Statler opened another hotel, and the Iroquois became the Gerrans Office Building. The building with the tower was transformed into one of the earliest movie theaters, the Strand. Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America Leroy not LockportLeroy is the home of Jell-O, not Lockport! Visit the jello museum in Leroy to learn more about the product invented by a man named Pearl. CSI: BuffaloNice Cigar Store Indian on the right. Oh that logo The Pan-American Exposition Company chose Raphael Beck's design from over 400 entries, awarded him $100. They copyrighted it as the official logo in 1899. At first the design was to be used only for "dignified purposes," but due to its popularity, the decision was made to license its use. The logo was soon available on souvenirs of every conceivable description and was plastered on "everything that didn't move and some things that did." Some unscrupulous vendors ignored the licensing process and sold unofficial souvenirs with the logo. Here is a plate and a watch souvenir (both official): Beck made sketches of President McKinley when the president toured the fair and made a speech there. After McKinley died Beck completed the painting titled "President McKinley Delivering His Last Great Speech at the Pan-American Exposition, Sept. 5, 1901." Beck went on to design the logo for the 1905 Portland, Oregon Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. His father Augustus—who designed the bas relief at the base of the Washington Monument—named his son after the famous painter Raphael. +122Below is the same view from September of 2022. (The Gallery, Buffalo NY, DPC, Streetcars)
Mom and Me: 1971
... dress, same wool coat, same purse. Just amazing. All American We moved to Massapequa Park in 1972 when I was 4. What a wonderful ... the days of modesty. Did you know Massapequa is an Indian word meaning "station wagon"? You were there honey I have WW2 ... 
 
Posted by gjoe - 10/06/2009 - 11:38pm -

My mother standing in front of our house in Massapequa, Long Island, in 1971. In six months I would be born. View full size. MassapequaLove this picture. I grew up in Massapequa around the same time (b. 1959). It's great to see a picture that, even though it is of a stranger, looks so familiar. World wide fashionI was born in 1970, thousands of miles away from Massapequa - in Israel, which actually was still quite a spartan society back then. Buy if I could find a decent slide depicting my mother at that time, I promise it would be a spitting image: same beehive hairdo, same dress, same wool coat, same purse. Just amazing. All AmericanWe moved to Massapequa Park in 1972 when I was 4. What a wonderful place to grow up. I can relateMy kids were born in 1973 and 1976 and I LOVE the clothes she is wearing!! Great pic!!! Oooo!I want her purse! It is so chic and up to the minute. I am serious--they are back in style! Siding curiosity The house looks like it has asbestos siding, popular in the late 40's and early to mid 50's. Am I right, wrong? The picture, regardless of the siding is great. Hey JalousieGreat shot. I'd forgotten those jalousie storm doors. Even more great memories! My Cousin gjoeFor some reason, I hear Marisa Tomei. HaberdasheryGreat picture. I love that coat. I couldn't help thinking though, that I have neckties older than you. ChicOf course, if the picture were to be taken today, she would be wearing a leotard, maybe something with a bare midriff, as that seems to be the style today. Oh, for the days of modesty. Did you knowMassapequa is an Indian word meaning "station wagon"? You were there honeyI have WW2 pictures of my wife and son and myself taken on the beach at Lompoc, California, and I love to tell my daughter, born September 5, 1946, a true baby boomer, that she was there with us. BeautifulI was 9 years old in 1971; my mother wore the same fashions and the same hairstyle. My mother was beautiful; I never knew how beautiful until I reached adulthood. These fashions looked good on this lady and they looked good on my mother. My houseI grew up in Garden City South (b 1975), only a few miles away from Massapequa. However, that door, those steps, and that siding looks like a thousand houses on Long Island. The great LI building boom started in 1939-1940, before Pearl Harbor, back when Grumman and many other smaller aerospace manufacturers were supplying the Allies. Most houses sported the same asbestos shingles until the mid to late 1970s when vinyl siding, most of the time, was installed right over it. Joe from LI NY Re: ChicSorry Marcus, leotards and bare midriffs are very much not in style now! Today, she would be wearing something similar, the clothing only slightly updated, looking absolutely tre chic and the envy of vintage inspired fashion lovers everywhere! You Bet Your Sweet BippyIf she were standing in front of a psychedelic wall, she could easily be mistaken for JoAnne Worley. Simply DivineHow could that sunny yellow coat not make you happy? I wish I could see more of her dress because the print looks wonderful. Re: Did you knowMassapequa is actually an Indian word meaning "near the mall." Coast to Coast..I believe that we now have the East Coast counterpart to our beloved TTerrace. Excellent photo, GJoe. I remember both my sisters having the same hairdo about that time. Ah, for the days of yore... Fellow PequanWhere in Massapequa was this house? I grew up on Division Avenue. Born in '62. ResponseIt was a 444 N. Syracuse Ave....Thank you for all the great responses to this image. I will have to forward this along to my mother... She will truly enjoy it! I apologize for being so lax in catching up. Joe Massapequa MomJust as a point of curiosity, was your mom a teacher? I grew up in Massapequa, and she looks vaguely familiar... just a few years older than me. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
The Gas Menagerie: 1927
... his dog Little Pocahontas, Walter Layman documented Native American culture with photographs that appeared in magazines including ... WALTER LAYMAN GIVING TRAVEL LECTURES HERE Indian Dogs Accompanying Lecturer Attract Much Attention Pocahontas, an ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/16/2012 - 10:29am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1927. "Nature Magazine -- Walter Layman." Traveling the country with his dog Little Pocahontas, Walter Layman documented Native American culture with photographs that appeared in magazines including National Geographic and Nature. National Photo glass negative. View full size. You might have a smoking problemIf you keep your pipe on a chain around your neck. Right around the corner The buildings in the background are 1216, 1218, 1220 and 1222 16th Street NW. Only 1220 has changed significantly with its Miami Vice skin of stucco. The block is right around the corner from the National Geographic headquarters. View Larger Map Big Game HunterPerhaps Walter "shot" more than just Indians. PETA would have been annoyed. Must have been quite an adventureTraversing the country alone, without a gas station every five miles, no interstates, a handful of highways, probably not much more than a dirt path in many cases, nights so dark few of us could really imagine them, and perhaps going days without seeing another soul. Throw in an open car and inevitable rains or even snow, and that had to be quite an adventure. PosingAs the owner of four dogs I know the trouble it is to have all the dogs pose at the camera at the same time! He's two for three! Oh-so-cute ladiesOh, so cute ladies (especially left *fell in love*)! And dogs are very nice too. But sculls are a bit frightening. Wonderful photo! Hunky PhotogYes, Walter did us all a favor when he stepped in front of a camera. Looks like he bagged himself a jackalopeI wonder if there were more pictures in National Geographic? BaldI'd suggest this guy should invest in tires when he gets his first check. Do Photographers have more fun?Wow, looks like Harrison Ford and a fabulous retinue. So, which one is Pocahontas? And are those his partners, daughters, or simply admirers? Must've been a good life - whe does the movie come out? Great shot, thanks! Ram toughSo this is, therefore, the original Dodge Ram! Must Have Tobacco Is his pipe attached to a string around his neck? Those windshield stickers call for X-ray vision. What was he thinking? A bit about WaltHere and here. I don't think the young ladies were his companions.Judging by their complexions and clothes compared with Mr Layman's. I suspect they were added to the picture for decorative effect - which they certainly provide. Pocahontas and Her DaughtersHagerstown (Maryland) Morning Herald, November 7, 1928. WALTER LAYMAN GIVING TRAVEL LECTURES HERE Indian Dogs Accompanying Lecturer Attract Much Attention Pocahontas, an Indian dog who has traveled all over the United States, and her three children, Minnehaha, Pocatello and Sacajawea, are centers of attraction this week for schoolchildren who are hearing lectures by Walter Layman, traveling artist and photographer. Mr. Layman obtained Pocahontas from Idaho Indians ten years ago and since then the dog has accompanied him on sightseeing tours to the most interesting spots in the United States. She is supposed to be part coyote. Her travel adventures are told in a book written by Mr. Layman. Mr. Layman shows lantern slides of the places he has visited. His canine companions are popular with children and drew a large crowd about his automobile when it was parked on Washington Street yesterday afternoon. Sacajawea, one of the three fluffy yellow pups, is named after the Indian girl who guided Lewis and Clark. Mr Layman is speaking with the endorsement of B.J. Grimes, superintendent of schools. His schedule this week will be at the Washington Street School this morning at 9 o'clock; at the Boonsboro School this afternoon; at Broadway all day Thursday; at Smithsburg Friday morning; at Halfway Friday afternoon. Shocking!I would hazard to guess that the young lady in the driver's seat didn't know that the photographer could see the top of her stocking. This was VERY risque for the times. As for the dogs, I suspect that Pocahontas is the one behind this young lady. This dog has the look of a general "Indian style" dog. the other two look to have terrier in them and, since Fox terriers were one of the most popular breeds during this time, this would not be a far stretch. WalterWalter loved traveling around the US and taking photos for National Geographic, mostly of the American Indians and the National Parks. He also painted many landscapes and Indians. Walter's cameraWalter's camera looks like a Graflex RB Auto. It's my favorite Graflex, because it has a double extension bellows. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Dogs, Natl Photo)
Native American Women: c.1910
... copy of this to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian to find out if they could identify what tribe they may be from. The ... 
 
Posted by D_Chadwick - 07/25/2016 - 7:13am -

Revised: 7/25/16 I sent a copy of this to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian to find out if they could identify what tribe they may be from. The reply I received reads: “There are not enough distinctive articles to make a positive tribal identification. However, the purses provide some distinction as coming from the plateau area of the country.” In my original caption I assumed the plateau was the Colorado Plateau since the negative came from Denver but thanks to Manidoogiizhig and his or her's insightful reply “Perhaps” the plateau area referred to must be the Oregon Plateau. Please read the full informative comment below. Scanned from the original 4x3 inch glass negative. re: PerhapsThanks for your interest and help. What you said makes perfect sense and I’ve revised my description. I scanned the negative at 1200ppi at 250% and this is the clearest image I can get of the purses. You can rule out Hopi and Zuni, for startersWrong kind of dwellings. The Hopi and Zuni built permanent pueblo-style buildings, as the weren't nomadic. They didn't move from season to season, ergo didn't need tipis, as seen in the background of the shots. The photo below is a multi-family Zuni dwelling. PerhapsAlthough I do not speak for my western brethren, but amidst the few details present and despite a somewhat unclear photo considering it was scanned from an original negative suggests that the photo was likely taken circa 1910. The woman in the middle has on store bought shoes that were popular at the time. The other two wear traditional native footwear. All three appear to be wearing store bought dresses in style also suggestive of the era. The one interesting factor is the hand bag being held by the woman in the middle and in particular the hand bag held by the woman on the right is quite similar in beadwork and design of the Umatilla people of Oregon. Possibly Umatilla WomenUmatilla women posing for photographs usually carried a beaded bag, had braided hair parted in the middle and wore round flat earrings that were sometimes beaded. Umatilla's also also lived in teepees. 1900's photographer Thomas Moorhouse made many Umatilla Tribe photos c. 1900 on the Reservation near Pendleton, Oregon. Definitely high plainsThey're not in the desert - the grass appears too thick for that - and the terrain is certainly consistent with that you'll find around the Umatilla Reservation. If they are Umatilla, they're relatives of the people still raising wool for Pendleton Woolen Mills, which might explain the blankets and the dresses of nicely woven fabric as well. Pendleton maintains a beautiful tipi outside their headquarters in honor of this partnership to this day. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Mr. Magazine: 1908
... grab some Barber dimes and quarters, Liberty nickels, and Indian Head pennies. You show this guy dead president coins and bills and he'll ... of Detroit. "EDWARD SIEVER. Pitcher of the Detroit American League Club. Edward Siever, the noted south-paw pitcher for the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 3:46pm -

1908. "Smallest news & post card stand in New Orleans, 103 Royal Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Next doorI see cabbages, bananas, oranges, apples, peaches, walnuts, and ... waffles? Re: BlueBookAnother bid for one of each! From Antiques Roadshow archive: APPRAISER: "This is one of the later ones-- there's no date here, I think this was done about 1915, 1916 or 1917.the last copy I was able to track down at auction, sold for more than $2,000, some years ago. GUEST: Wow. APPRAISER: My guess on this is it's worth somewhere between $3,500 and $4,500. GUEST: My goodness. APPRAISER: Not bad for something you picked from the garbage, right? Magazines and NewspapersI'll say what we're all probably thinking: I'll take one of everything on your stand, sir. Hey, there's a magazine for everybody. The Information HighwayBefore the internet was invented. Sagebrush Philosopher"Sagebrush Philosophy" was published by the Wyoming writer Bill Barlow: Shortly after locating at Douglas he began the publication of a little monthly magazine called Sagebrush Philosophy, which soon had a circulation that extended to all parts of the Union. His writings scintillated with wit, philosophy and optimism, and his vocabulary was both extensive and unique. Sagebrush Philosophy was built up on his personality and when his death occurred on October 9, 1910, it was realized that no one could continue the publication of the magazine, so its last number was issued in November following his death. The JewelThis photo has a great example of an Etched - Glue Chipped Glass doorway on the right. I would lay money down and say that the gilded wood letters (on the upper left & above clerk) are most likely manufactured by the Spanjer Bros. This photo would look great in color with all those magazine covers too. Dietz Sign Co.Saw that at the top of the picture. Googled it. Got as far as this page. Dietz Lantern Company. Read through it, you'll see mentions of places and things seen on Shorpy. I will start a-looking. The Big QuestionHow did he get IN there? ThurberesqueShe came naturally by her confused and groundless fears, for her own mother lived the latter years of her life in the horrible suspicion that electricity was dripping invisibly all over the house. It leaked, she contended, out of empty sockets if the wall switch had been left on. She would go around screwing in bulbs, and if they lighted up she would hastily and fearfully turn off the wall switch and go back to her Pearson's or Everybody's, happy in the satisfaction that she had stopped not only a costly but a dangerous leakage. Nothing could ever clear this up for her. -- James Thurber ("The Car We Had to Push") No Business Like ItPublications suspended under the ledge, below the proprietor, are The Dramatic Mirror, Billboard, Variety and Show World. Someone once said that everybody's second business was show business. Looking at these magazines for sale in 1908 New Orleans sort of reinforces that theory. Gimme the lot!I'd buy the whole lot. Can you imagine what all those are worth today? It looks like this may have been a cafe entrance once. June 1908The Saturday Evening Post in the lower right corner was dated 13 June 1908. I did a quick search online and voila, now I have that warm, fuzzy feeling one can get from a successful treasure hunt. Thank you, Shorpy, for the thrill of the hunt. My Order"Hey buddy, I'll take a bunch of bananas, two pineapples, some mixed nuts, five melons and a dozen postcards. By the way, do you have July's edition of The Railroad Man's Magazine?" Ex-PresidentGrover Cleveland--definitely him--has been out of office for nearly ten years. Why is he gracing the cover of the Chicago Tribune? [His uncanny impersonation of William Howard Taft. - Dave] Naughty BitsInteresting to note that on the bottom row is the notorious "Blue Book," the guide to houses of ill repute in Storyville, the area of New Orleans where prostitution was legal until WWI. Just CuriousHow did they close up shop for the night? It looks like this is right on the sidewalk. I can see that some of the display looks like it might swing into the opening where the proprietor is standing but it still looks like there's a lot of effort to open and close for the day. Tag SuggestionCould you also tag this and future images like it with "Postcards"? Images like this that depict the retailing of postcards are incredibly rare and of great importance to we deltiologists. Thank you. Taft of Ohio, Not ClevelandThe Chicago Tribune cover is graced by the future president, William Howard Taft. He was the Republican candidate in 1908. [I think you're right. At first I thought it was Cleveland, who had died on June 24, but this does look more like Taft. Especially the ear. - Dave] Oh yes, we have bananas!Didn't say they were fresh, just said we had them. For everybody, indeedCowboy Bill is surely referring to this. 1908.It took me a while, but here is the evidence. First, "The Railroad Man's Magazine" on the bottom cannot be from 1906, because it wasn't published until October of that year. I then found the cover for Collier's Magazine from June of 1908. Finally, there is an advertisement on the bottom left for the 1908 World Almanac! [I misread the date on the cover of the 10 Cent Story Book last night when I posted this, thinking the 8 was a 6. Thanks to all who set me straight! - Dave] Hardly Naughty The Blue Book Magazine displayed on the bottom row is not the notorious Blue Book guide to "sporting houses." It's a copy of a legit magazine that was published until 1975 featuring fiction by writers like Agatha Christie, Booth Tarkington, and Edgar Rice Burroughs. [This particular magazine, Stageland Blue Book, was a theatrical publication. - Dave] Re: Naughty BitsThe Blue Book would not have been sold openly at a newsstand. It was also very plain in appearance. Sugared SnacksThe stacked, flat items in the case on the far left could be beignets, the Official State Doughnut of Louisana, but more likely are New Orleans-style Pralines. Clean 'em outAccording to my rough count, there are about 100 different postcards on display. Figuring 10 of each at 15 cents per dozen, one could have the entire stock for just over $12. Great magazines, buttucked in among the postcards is a very interesting, small publication: Sagebrush Philosophy. It wasn't the magazine for everybody, but that's what made it so special. MoneyTime travel to this place in order to buy these itmes would be very interesting, just don't forget to first get into your family's coin collection and grab some Barber dimes and quarters, Liberty nickels, and Indian Head pennies. You show this guy dead president coins and bills and he'll have you hauled away by the police. Another ClueChecked one more thing on why that is probably Taft on the Chicago Tribune cover. The Republican convention that nominated him was held in Chicago from June 16 to June 19, 1908 which would coincide with the time frame here. It is interesting, however, that Grover Cleveland died June 24, 1908. Please note that the Tribune was a very Republican leaning newspaper in those days, so it's more likely they would feature the new Republican nominee that the recently departed former Democratic president. Dangerous leakagesWe can laugh at it now, of course, bit it was common during the early years of electricity for people to believe that electrical sockets "leaked electricity" if they didn't have something plugged or screwed in. Many families have stories of people insisting on removing the plugs or bulbs and putting in stoppers at night. People even complained of smelling the electrical "vapours" coming from the sockets. Closing up shopRegarding how they closed up shop at night. The middle section above the hatch flips down. The two shutters on either side close inwards. The magazines below are simply unclipped and taken indoors. Sidewalk CafeLOVE the tile sidewalk sign for the Jewel Cafe. It's the same type that some streets still have that say Rue Royale or Rue Bourbon. Very cool. Then and NowThis photo is featured in the 1996 book "New Orleans - Then and Now." In 1996, there's also a newsstand, just to the right of this one. In addition, I found a vintage postcard (postmarked June 1908) that shows this same newsstand. So it's a postcard of a postcard stand. (I know there's a name for things like this, but my coffee hasn't kicked in yet.) Speaking of post cards within postcardsWonder if any of the pictures featured on those postcards ever appeared on Shorpy? Now there's a heck of a scavenger hunt for you. Politically Incorrect Period HumorLook inside the kiosk to the left of the proprietor and you'll notice section of postcards devoted to those comical darkies and their antics. Very popular at the time, and very collectible now despite (or perhaps because of?) the transgressive stigma of racism. Now I understandI always wondered why they called it the Kelley Blue Book. Now I get it. It lets you know how the car dealer is going to #@$% you on the value of your car. Learn something every day on Shorpy. Cornucopia--The younger man on the right has the look of one not to be trifled with; --The cafe doors are almost identical to the doors on the front of Antoine's Restaurant; --I wonder who the ball player is on the front page of the Sporting News. Walter Johnson? Ty Cobb? Honus Wagner? --Among the many old framed articles and pictures on the walls of the main dining room at Antoine's there is a lengthy one about W.H. Taft and his eating exploits at the restaurant during a trip to New Orleans. Marvelling at his stature as a "trencherman," the writer tells that Taft had a great love of boiled shrimp but didn't like to have to peel them. Taft claimed there was no serving of boiled shrimp so large he couldn't finish it. In an attempt to test this claim, Jules Alciatore (the proprietor at the time) had 50 pounds of shrimp delivered the morning before Taft was to dine there. They boiled them and he and his staff peeled them all, yielding a seving bowl with 7 1/2 lbs. of shrimp meat. According to the article, Taft finished them all but was so surfeited that he could barely speak afterwards! --The items in the case look too big, flat, and uniform to be either beignets or pralines, but I'm not sure what else they would have been. They certainly do look like waffles, which would have kept all day in the case I suppose. About that ArgosyIt's the July 1908 edition. What fun hunting this stuff up! Cover BoyWhile the individual covers of Sporting News are not readily available, issues of Sporting Life can be easily found. The photo shows the June 13, 1908 issue of Sporting Life with Edward Siever of the Detroit Tigers on the cover. Five days after this was published Siever played his last major league baseball game although he played another two years in the minors. Less than a year earlier he had been in the 1907 World Series. A copy of the front of this issue of Sporting Life, along with the caption that goes with Siever's photo, is shown below. Note that most sources state he was born in Kansas in 1875 (not Illinois in 1878). He died in 1920 while coming home from his job as an inspector for the City of Detroit. "EDWARD SIEVER. Pitcher of the Detroit American League Club. Edward Siever, the noted south-paw pitcher for the Detroit American Club, was born April 2, 1878, at Lewistown, Ill. Siever was originally a locomotive fireman of the Grand Trunk. He made his professional debut with the London Club, of the Canadian League, in 1899, which, largely owing to Siever's fine pitching, won the championship. He was sold to the Detroit Club the following year, and sported the Tigers' stripes continually until the Fall of 1903, when he was transferred to the St. Louis Club. After a season with the Browns he was transferred for 1905 to the Minneapolis Club, with which he did such fine work that St. Louis re-drafted him for 1906. During that season he was sold to the Detroit Club for which he has played since. In the 1907 season he very materially helped Hughey Jennings' Tigers to bring to Detroit a championship pennant for the first time in twenty years." Jewel CafeThe Jewel Cafe, at 131 Royal Street, was listed in the program for the 5th Annual Sugar Bowl Classic in January of 1929 as a sponsor:         Jewel Cafe ... 131 Royal Street; Oysters 45 cents per half dozen; First time in the history of New Orleans, Oysters a la Rockefeller are prepared before your eyes. This deep mystery of the culinary arts is now almost within the price range of raw oysters. Louisiana's choicest cultivated oysters, served in all styles at our counters and tables; open all night. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans, Stores & Markets)
Fantastic Nantasket: 1905
... Nantasket? You can play "A-Tisket, A-Tasket"! An American game first recorded in 1879, this involves dancing in a circle, ... the name of their sweetheart. Unlike Nantasket, an Indian word meaning "place of low tides", neither "tisket" nor "tasket" has any ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/02/2023 - 12:00pm -

Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, circa 1905. "General view from Atlantic House -- Paragon Park and resorts." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Atlantic HouseAtlantic House is in this previous Shorpy entry. Was it taken on the same day (after a long walk!)? By the beautiful seaHere is Nantasket Beach today. If you spin around -- there is an old house on the hilltop that might be Atlantic House referenced in the 1905 photograph. Below that is certainly the rock outcrop in the photo. I just read the old house is not the famous Atlantic House hotel, which burned to the ground in January 1927. Here is a side-by-side comparison of the Atlantic House and the Atlantic Hill Condominiums, which now occupy the site. It's an interesting comparison of when a building wants to conquer the site it's on, and when it wants to blend into it. What do you do in Fantastic Nantasket?You can play "A-Tisket, A-Tasket"! An American game first recorded in 1879, this involves dancing in a circle, singing about a green and yellow basket, dropping a handkerchief, someone picking it up, someone catching that someone, who is kissed and/or tells the name of their sweetheart. Unlike Nantasket, an Indian word meaning "place of low tides", neither "tisket" nor "tasket" has any particular meaning, though some have been assigned to them over the years. Clutter Hillas opposed to the actual name - Atlantic Hill - seems like a good backup, given both the 'then' and 'now' scenes. (Yes, it's been a vistor to SHORPY before, and, yes, it burned...naturally!) On the rocksWhen I was a kid in the '60s and '70s there were not many homes left on the rocks. We'd climb them for the view. I have photos from up there of Paragon Park in 1984, the park closed and its fate unknown to me at the time. In summer every Wednesday my mother would take us there, she'd hang out with friends, and we'd be on the beach. On Wednesdays there was a band concert under the pavilion (still there) and afterwards she'd take us to Paragon. On the boardwalk was the penny arcade, restaurants and a Fascination Room, some sort of machines played by adults. What I remember was on a blistering hot day walking past this place, the door would be opened, and you could feel the ice-cold AC coming out. My wife and I still go to Nantasket a few times a year, mostly off season, it's peaceful. We drive through Hull to the Hull Gut channel. From there you can watch boats passing through, and off in the distance see planes leaving and landing at Logan International Airport in Boston. I've always thought Nantasket is sort of underdeveloped for what it is. Selfishly that's OK by me. Back in the '80s there was talk of a casino, it didn't happen, and the land still has nothing on it. (The Gallery, DPC, Swimming)
Freaks Museum: 1942
... about a glass blower or a tattoo artist or a Native American or a woman in shiny shorts? I used to stand in the crowd, listening ... represent the way tattoo art is made (roll my eyes). The Indian is wrong on many levels. Aside from Native Americans not being freaks, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/08/2022 - 2:41pm -

March 1942. El Centro, California. "Carnival attraction at the Imperial County Fair." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Times changeThose may have been freaks in 1942 but a stroll down the sidewalk in 2022 will turn up better examples. Look before you drinkI noticed the fellow at right seemed to be holding a refreshing drink in a glass jar until I noticed the goldfish swimming in it. Must have been a prize at one of the game concession booths. If I remember, you got five ping pong balls to throw at the little jars of fishies, and if one stayed in rather than ricocheting off the lip, you won the goldfish. I learned from hard experience the fish's life expectancy was only a few days before he took the inevitable trip down the commode. One step furtherLess than two decades later, Diane Arbus took her camera inside the freak show. An early focus for her were the attractions of Hubert's Museum on West 42nd Street in Manhattan. She took a disreputable carnival attraction into high art institutions. Hubert's closed in 1969, but can be briefly glimpsed in a street scene in "Midnight Cowboy." Have you "herd" of Ralph ?? Freaks?Judging by the hair (from behind), the audience is overwhelmingly female. A notable exception is the fellow on the right who appears to be scrutinizing the two women with almost identical hairdos on his left. And what’s freakish about a glass blower or a tattoo artist or a Native American or a woman in shiny shorts? I used to stand in the crowd, listening to the spiels, but I never paid to go in. Hurry, hurry, hurryAs I commented in a previous photo, the crowd at the 1942 Imperial County Fair in El Centro, California was nearly all female. Maybe because of WWII? I'm guessing the woman in shiny shorts is a contortionist and the pitch is she can fit inside the box behind the announcer. Few people in 1942 had tattoos, so did not realize the poster does not represent the way tattoo art is made (roll my eyes). The Indian is wrong on many levels. Aside from Native Americans not being freaks, he's holding a shrunken voodoo head, wearing a vest embroidered with a Mexican wearing a sombrero, and is generally dripping with Mardi Gras beads. But his presence causes me to notice the blonde announcer in the white t-shirt has an Indian Chief profile tattooed on his left forearm. Coincidence? The Sultan's DelightShe doesn't look particularly delighted. And that fellow's goldfish is gonna be dead as a doornail before too long. Time travelAnnouncer guy of the show can easily slip into any contemporary photograph and nobody would notice, despite eight decade time span. Guess who won a goldfish I wonder if the little fish survived the trip home. Goldfish BowlThe man on the right has definitely won the prize (you can spy the little fella in the glass jar he is holding), but may be miffed that his date seems more interested in the "freaks" than his achievement. One hopes that the goldfish avoided the fate of so many of its brethren and escaped the toilet bowl to live a long and happy life, peering at the wider world through a window of curved glass. Announcer guyHe's is actually part of the show, the incredible 'Man from the 21st century' Wally Is CorrectModern society has put these carny side shows out of business. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Native Americans, Russell Lee)
Klan Air: 1922
... the Incas, and the Aztecs use it. However, many of the Indian tribes in the southern parts of North America seem to have begun using ... of Karl May, a German author whose stories about the American West conflated Indians, swastikas and, interestingly, the Ku Klux ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/20/2011 - 12:52am -

March 18, 1922. "Members of the Ku-Klux-Klan about to take off with the literature which was scattered over the suburbs of the city." The date coincides with a Klan parade through Washington's Virginia suburbs. View full size. IndianaI attended a public KKK event about 15 years ago. It was held on the front lawn of the county courthouse in my home town, in northern Indiana. There was a major stink ahead of time on the question of whether it should be allowed on public land; but eventually it was ruled legal as long as they got the proper permits and played by the law, just like anyone else who might request the use of community property. The police had everything well organized. If you showed up and wanted to be within close range of the stage, you had to declare either that you were for or against the Klan, at which you were ushered to one of two fenced-in corrals. Before entering you had to surrender your belt (it could be used as a weapon), and everything in your pockets (coins in particular might be used as hard projectiles). Your surrendered articles were dumped into water-filled barrels and were not returned. The only thing you could keep was one key, presumably to your house or car. The Klan speakers were what you'd expect: bigoted, poorly-educated, and so on. However, they behaved themselves to the letter. The more interesting thing to me was that most of the anti-Klan spectators composed themselves rather immaturely. Many anti-Klanners (especially the younger men) were salivating for a knockdown brawl. After the presentation the two corrals were emptied in opposite directions, single file, and regulated so as to minimize the chance of the two camps meeting up while the blood was still hot. How ironic that the side which played its hand more deftly was a bunch of ignorant racists. This is an example of what the Founders of the United States meant by their vision of this being a country of laws, not of men. Not to worryWith the kind of technical expertise, management skills and risk taking which that kind of persons normally exhibit, that airplane probably did not fly very long. There are reasons why the Allies won the last world war, and they are not limited to vastly superior resources. On top of that, the Nazis and the Imperial Japanese also went out of their way to lose it. Same story with the Warsaw Bloc. Fly the friendly skiesWelcome aboard, we'll be your flight attendants. Only two seats, so you're on the wing with Frank. Someone, let me borrow a Sopwith CamelSo I can shoot down these punks. Who is that masked masked man?I had to look at it full-size before I realized why one guy had a slightly Batman shaped mask on. I'm not sure the FAA would let them fly like that now! DisgustingThese people were and are a disgusting disgrace. The Nazi sysmbol on the tail is a perfect fit. The end state of this ideology was played out during WWII. It is important to remember. Doug Santo Pasadena, CA Klan dartsI think that if you threw all four of them out of the plane, at least three would stick in the ground headfirst. The power of the pyramidA little-known fact about the Klan is that it was the first modern pyramid scheme. Members were constantly exhorted to come up with more and more money to support their local chapters, and were under pressure to keep recruiting new people. Cadets Oh, crap, they have their own Air Force? Way Beyond ChubbyI can't imagine the bozo on the right being able to even get into the cockpit of that biplane! And I'd wager they'd need every inch of runway available to sorta get into the air. I wonder if they had helmets on under that silly pointy head gear. It's amazing how extraordinarily dumb they look. Which one of these folks was named "Ace"? The guy on the rightwill have to pay double. 99.9% NOT NaziThe use of the swastika was very commonplace among aviators of this era as a symbol of good luck.The use of the swastika was used on many a school uniforms throughout the 1890-1910's too.I'm pretty sure the swastika on the tail is just an ironic coincidence. That portly fellow on the rightHey Bubba -- next time order the salad! OverloadingThe big guy on the right will need to purchase two seats. Bullseye!I notice the guy at second right appears to have a bullet hole right through the emblem over his heart - perhaps he inherited his bedsheet from the previous wearer. Kudos to the unknown marksman. And guys at each end forgot their flying goggles. It's official."Klan Darts" wins. Thanks, kirkbrewer; laughed myself silly. Just what I needed as a tonic to the absurdity of these goons and the hatred they represent. RE: CadetsI think jepkid's note vaulted into my Pantheon Of Best Shorpy Comments. Guilty pleasureThe last KKK photo you posted really gave me the willies, but this is hilarious, for many reasons! I feel a bit guilty for having fun laughing at these idiots, and the witty comments about them, knowing that some of the ancestors of my children and grandchildren were terrorized by them, but I can't help it! I am going to have to be sure to show it to my kids when they are all here, next! Klan AirIn the early 1920s, there was actually a concerted Klan effort to co-opt and essentially take over the Army Air Service. The idea of a Klan Air Force was no joke. I've run across newspaper articles on the above, but I don't know anything about Klan iconography. Their use of counter Swastika is new to me -- Nazis didn't exist yet in 1922. [Not so. The National Socialist German Workers' Party was formed in 1920. - Dave] The Klan was evil enoughwithout connection to the Nazi party. It is not the Nazi Swastika, which is the reverse of the symbol on the plane's tail. That symbol is ancient. In Japan during the Middle Ages, it was called the manji, a sign for great luck and protection against evil powers. The Nazis adopted the symbol for their own use, but used the mirror image. The swastika was used well before the birth of Christ in Iran, China, India, Japan, and Southern Europe. Whether it was also used that early in the Americas, however, is not known. There are no swastika-like signs on the oldest rock carvings there. Neither did the Mayans, the Incas, and the Aztecs use it. However, many of the Indian tribes in the southern parts of North America seem to have begun using the sign after the arrival of the first Spanish colonists. [The Nazi Party's use of the symbol seems to stem in large part from Hitler's affinity for the writings of Karl May, a German author whose stories about the American West conflated Indians, swastikas and, interestingly, the Ku Klux Klan. - Dave] Some ironyFrom Wikipedia: "The symbol was popular as a good luck charm with early aviators. A swastika was also painted on the inside of the nosecone of the Spirit of St. Louis." Good luck (I hope not)The swastika was a popular "good luck" symbol through the 1920s. I hope it didn't work for these guys during their plane ride. SurvivorThat "person" second from the right looks like he was shot through the heart. Apparently it didn't work. Too Bad. Not 1922The Swastika was virtually unknown in the U.S. in 1922 and would not have been used by the KKK at that time. I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that this picture is from the 1930s, not the 1920. [The photo is from 1922. - Dave] SymbologyIt does seem appropriate that there was a swastika on the plane in this picture, but I think it it was just a coincidence. The symbol has been around for thousands of years and didn't become unmistakably associated with the Nazi party, especially not in America, until a few years later. [The swastika on the plane is a "backwards" version of the Nazi symbol, whose arms point the other way. - Dave] Yes, and there were other variations, too, besides being either left or right facing. Sometimes the "arms" were rounded, and sometimes there was another little extension connected to them. There is a famous picture of Clara Bow in an outfit decorated with swastikas. On the hat, it faces right, like the Nazis used, and on the shoulder it was facing left. Of course, this has resulted in rumors that Clara was somehow involved with the Nazis, or even having an affair with Hitler! http://ajax1946.deviantart.com/art/Clara-Bow-Swastika-Colorized-10205803... Noble SacrificeShorty's the bombload. SwastikaIt is not a Swastika. Swastikas point to the right. This design was used quite commonly. [Swastikas can point either way. The National Socialist symbol points clockwise. - Dave] Birds of a featherThe Swastika either right or left facing has been used by Native Americans and and other civilizations going back perhaps thousands of years. It became the National Socialist symbol in 1920, predating this photograph. I doubt that the 1922 KKK was involved with them at that time. The tail decoration was just a bad coincidence. re: Not 1922Stan is both right and wrong. The Swastika as a symbol of Nazism was unknown in the United States in 1922. However the Swastika is an ancient symbol that seems to appear in many cultures including native American cultures as diverse as the Navajo and Penobscot Indian tribes. Not to mention being found in India. In fact the Swastika was a popular symbol of good luck for early aviators, which is probably the context in which it is seen here. (The Gallery, Aviation, D.C., Natl Photo)
Ornaments of a House: 1915
... aren't in the cheap seats, are we? Crack! pipe. The Indian war piece on the mantel looks like it's made of pipestone. A soft stone ... row of German beer steins atop the cabinets, the Native American decorations on the mantle and the wall, and the medieval fireplace ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 4:28pm -

Circa 1915. "Hallway with liquor cabinet and living room decorated with mistletoe ball and Christmas gnome by fireplace." Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. City gasI like the old gas logs in the fireplace. [They look brand new to me! - Dave] High-classWe aren't in the cheap seats, are we? Crack! pipe.The Indian war piece on the mantel looks like it's made of pipestone. A soft stone from an area in SW Minnesota. As the name implies, it was mostly used to make peace pipes. Not so this piece. Looks like it could put a big knob on your head. And the strands of hair? They look kinda blonde. Just sayin. Gah! Honey? Call the exterminator!If I were to find Christmas gnomes leering around my fireplace, I'd keep an Indian head-buster on the mantel, too. The Definition of "Bric-a-Brac"If an earthquake hits, it becomes "Bric-a-Broke" OrnamentsWell, the gnome is more than a little creepy (Kill it! Kill it now!), and the swords and shield a tad overwhelming, but I love the Arts and Craftsy touches: the two chairs, the wooden screen, the sideboard. Chinoiserie lamp shades right in keeping, too. The Simple Christmasheld the meaning for me. I remember them and they were good. As an old man, today, I no longer feel the glow. Dept store display?The iron staircase and motto above the door make it look like a store showcase more than a private home to me. Wall to Wall WealthThis is clearly a home of some wealth. Wall to wall carpet was quite a luxury in 1915. Common folks were left with area rugs on wooden floors. Amazing how times have changed ... I would take my 1920s oak floors any day over wall to wall. Functional EclecticI love the variety in the room, from Asian to European, and gauche to classic, as well as the decanter on the liquor cabinet labeled Forbidden Fruit. However, the accoutrements of war above the fireplace were a necessity, as, though not well-known, Zombie uprisings were a great threat even in 1915. DetailThis just might be a display. Note the steel post supporting a light beam to the left of the liquor cabinet. That's not terribly 'normal'. And that's a very small parlor for all the decorative bits and pieces. Interesting mix of decorative styles.The Chinese-style paper lamp covers, the row of German beer steins atop the cabinets, the Native American decorations on the mantle and the wall, and the medieval fireplace decorations. Lots of different stylistic elements. Given that it's clear whomever owned this house was pretty well to do, I wonder if all these things are a sign they traveled frequently, or just had eclectic taste. Single Guy's Dream Smoking Room This today would be a great "man cave" or more eloquently a gentleman's den. Obviously this room is filled with travel memorabilia that I must say that I would be proud to have my living room decorated the same. The steins really caught my attention because I have a couple with the same town crests and Brau HB is still brewed. Thanks for the very fun photo! Forbidden FruitThe Folks always had a bottle of it in their liquor cabinet in Larkspur. It seemed to last for years, so I guess it was only taken out for rare, important occasions. -tterrace's Sister EmersonI believe the quotation on the wall is based on a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson "The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it." The quote is all over the Internet, but I can't lay my hands on the source right now. The original quote can apparently be found over the fireplace in Samuel Clemens' house in Hartford, so perhaps these folk were fans of Mark Twain, rather than Emerson, or maybe the quote was popular at the time. Do any of you know which it is? At some time, during the violent thunderstormThe gnome had been waiting so long for his revenge. Every Christmas season, year after year, the humans who thought this magnificent home was theirs seemed to delight in ridiculing his mishapened body, his huge head, even the frozen smile he was forced to wear. For eleven months he found comfort and a kind of gnomish warmth in the storage trunk up in the attic but then, with no warning, he'd be dragged downstairs and put on display right here on this hard, drafty floor where all the human people could laugh at him. Little Gertrude especially went out of her way to add misery to his small world, giving out with a kick of a fancy patent leather shoe every time she walked by. It wasn't so much the rude kick as it was the mocking grin on that rich mug of hers, looking down at him with those blue eyes that reflected the opulence around her. She knew he was helpless to stop her. But she was wrong, oh, ever so wrong. The storm's intensity grew. Each flash of lightning was followed almost instantly by a thundering explosion. The big house seemed to tremble. The gnome got to his feet, and stood there while neglected bones and organs and blood found their form and brought his body fully awake. He lifted his big head and, still struggling to overcome the stiff muscles in his neck, raised his eyes up to all of the swords high above the mantel, waiting for him and the gnome friends he was about to unleash from behind the mantelpiece. From upstairs, between the violent noises outside, the gnome could hear the humans' faint snores and sleeptime murmurs, snug in their silken gowns and warm, fluffy beds. Young Gertrude's room with all of those innocent dolls held prisoner by their selfish mistress was the closest, right at the top of the fancy staircase. The gnome opened the secret tiny door hidden behind the mantelpiece. The gnome's many friends from throughout the wealthy neighborhood began to crawl into the room, each of them eyeing the deadly weapon they were about to seize. The gnome was smiling, but this time it was an evil smile full of expectation for the horror that was about to begin. As he led his tiny platoon to the stairs, the gnome reached way up with the gleaming sword he had chosen and slashed the canvas of the girl's portrait in half. Christmas TimeThe beer glasses and steins along the top shelf on the right look German. Things brought over from their family or part of their European travels? Hmm... And perhaps it isn't about how simple Christmas is but how you celebrate it. If you don't put your heart in it, it becomes shallow and meaningless, whether you make home decorations or buy an entire holiday catalog. That is why I love the Christmas Markets in Germany... Yes it is about selling/buying stuff too but the feeling you get out of it is pure joy and love. People come out just to drink a glass of Gluehwein and talk with friends. You feel the Christmas spirit. TrendyThe whole "quotes on the wall" thing is so trendy right now. I never would have thought that was something being done in 1915! One TreasureNot all of the steins on the shelf above the liquor cabinet are German - or steins for that matter. I noticed one rather nice porcelain tumbler (?) with the portraits of Kinge Edward VII and his wife Queen Alexandra. Perhaps dating to their coronation in 1902. He died in 1910 and in 1915 his son, George V, would have been King. Ein SteinOne of the beer steins is obviously from a German Studentenverbindung. (The upper right part is "sei's Panier". "Panier" means "banner" and "sei's Panier" is an expression of loyalty). [The bottom part looks Latin. - Dave] A closer lookAt least two of the pieces on the shelf in the nook are from Munich -- the stein with the HB logo is from the Hofbräuhaus brewery and beer hall, and the one to the right shows the Münchner Kindl (Munich child), the city's traditional emblem. Neither one is much changed in the knick-knack trade of today. Shed Some Light, PleaseThose are certainly odd shaped lampshades on that brass chandelier! They look like paper "cabbages!" What ARE they made of? How would any light shine through? War clubThat is not a peace pipe, it is a ceremonial war club. I think whoever decorated this house was brilliant. Corps Transrhenania zu München (Munich)Transrhenania sei's Panier! Nunquam retrorsum. Corps Transrhenania is a German Studentenverbindung in Munich, founded in 1866. Its Latin slogan "Nunquam retrorsum" means "never backward." http://www.transrhenania.de/ Studentenverbindungen are an important part of German history, especially of the history of universities and students. Thank you for this great blog, i am following it no since more than two years. Greetings from Germany, Pete Cordial wordsThat "Forbidden Fruit" decanter looks remarkably like today's Chambord bottle. A quick google search describes it as an American made citrus brandy, no longer in production. It's interesting that "wall words" or carefully stenciled or painted words or sayings are enjoying somewhat of a resurgence in today's interior design. [The words (individual letters, actually) are casting shadows -- glued or pasted on. - Dave] A Real Doll House?Could this photo and the one above it of the nursery actually be interior shots of a very elaborate doll house? Both photos have such an unreal sense about them. I know the objects and things are exremely detailed but it could be a doll house that is rather larger in scale. [No. - Dave] Maybe just a regular gnome.Give all of the other Germanic touches, maybe the gnome is a year round decoration similar to modern day garden gnomes. On the other hand, if the figure was called a Christmas Gnome in a contemporary label then perhaps there it was recognizable to period eyes as being of the Yuletide season. (The Gallery, Christmas, DPC)
On Second Thought: 1939
... road from me with its "Fresh" Vegetables sign. Native American The swastika had various innocuous meanings for Southwestern Indian tribes, hence the hotel theme. Resting assured I think the "rest ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/25/2017 - 4:45pm -

September 1939. "Sign along the road near Capulin, New Mexico." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Hotel YuccaThe building is now a bank but the swastikas remain around the upper perimeter. More info at Hotel Yucca history. "An interesting history"https://blogs.uh.edu/hotel-historian/2013/03/04/yucca-hotel-new-mexico/ "Freshening the Brand"... as we say in the marketing biz. "Rest Assured"Rest assured of what? Since it's in quotation marks, I guess it's no guarantee of whatever they have in mind. Kind of like the farmer's market down the road from me with its "Fresh" Vegetables sign. Native AmericanThe swastika had various innocuous meanings for Southwestern Indian tribes, hence the hotel theme. Resting assuredI think the "rest assured" means "you are assured to get a good rest here. Safely and comfortably." [Indeed. It's a pun -- a play on the common idiom "rest assured", the twist being that it's meant literally, in the sense of sleeping or relaxing, as opposed to the figurative sense of "be confident." - Dave] What They Did Not See ComingThis wasn't an isolated case. (The Gallery, Russell Lee, WW2)
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