MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME
Home

Search Shorpy

SEARCH TIP: Click the tags above a photo to find more of same:
Mandatory field.

Search results -- 30 results per page

Winter in Bedford: 1950s
... Love this image, you all look right out of a scene from "Christmas Story"... Beautiful color Those slides are a treasure! Were ... 
 
Posted by Islander800 - 02/16/2014 - 9:26pm -

The winter of 2013-14 may seem brutal, but as a kid in Bedford, Quebec (just a few miles north of Vermont), in the late 1950s, I loved winter. We played outside all day, summer and winter (no electronic distractions!), and this shot shows a bunch of us on a twelve-foot pushed-up snow pile on the laneway of a neighbour. Many snowball fights and slides ensued. This is circa 1957 and I'm the little guy in the front with the slippery plastic boots, great for traction (not!). View full size. Scut? Grover?What are you two hoodlums doing in Quebec? Kodachrome!They give is those nice bright colors. Hope to see more 50's Canadian Kodachrome shots, Islander. [More in the Member Gallery. -tterrace] Snowball TargetsI can see two caps that would have been great targets for snowballs. Back in the "Hood!"Boy does this shot take me back! I was raised in Ottawa (Ontario not Kansas) at just about this same time. (I was 10 in 1957.) We were told to "go outside and play" any day we weren't in school! Digging snow forts out of snow banks, snowball fights, sliding on toboggans and sleds, skating at the elementary school rink, we always had activities to keep us occupied and lots of kids to do it with. I live in northern Vermont now and still love to play in the ice and snow, skating and skiing as often as possible. Thanks for the great memories! Dynamic RangeI am so impressed with the dynamic range of Kodachrome, and the photographer who took the photo. It is rare to see snow exposed so that it is white with noticeable details, and yet still have the other subjects well lit and colorful. I have a professional $6000 full frame SLR camera and lens set that I would have to use either a double exposure/ Photoshop or HDR techniques to get this dynamic range. The quality of the photos is a pleasure as well as the story the faces tell. The snow kidsWho are the others--family, friends? I don't mean names but do you still know any of these children? Cool image. Mountains of Fun!Love this image, you all look right out of a scene from "Christmas Story"... Beautiful colorThose slides are a treasure! Were those the rubber boots that you had to put on over your shoes? Those were a MAJOR pain in the neck, for both kids and moms! Putting them on was a production and so was taking them off. Your feet usually came out of your shoes and then you had to struggle to pull the shoes out of the boots. It was worth it, if you stayed out for hours, but many kids would get cold and go back in after 15 minutes. I didn't realize what a drag that was for moms until my own kids started doing it! I wish my family would have done slides, rather than color prints. The prints are in such bad shape now, that it looks like we were kids several hundred years ago, rather than 40-50 years ago! Bedford!if you have any photos of Bedford, QC you would like to share, check out this Facebook page. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Tires and You: 1942
... round and had once been made of rubber." Quote from A Christmas Story. Late '30s Ford This is a late 1930s Ford, judging ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/22/2014 - 9:57am -

Summer 1942. "Good citizenship and plain common sense. This man is performing a duty every car owner owes to himself and to our fighting men. In having his car adjusted to prevent excessive tire wear -- and in observing the simple rules that make tires last longer -- he is making a valuable contribution to our war effort. The man who wastes rubber is a poor citizen and blind even to his own personal interests." View full size. From photos by Martha McMillan Roberts, Howard Hollem, Albert Freeman and Howard Liberman for the Office of War Information. Our Tires, Our SelvesI adore WWII-era social directives. The guilt if you waste rubber! That's a fine tire."Actually the Old Man loved it. He had always pictured himself in the pits of the Indianapolis Speedway in the 500. My old man's spare tires were only actually tires in the academic sense. They were round and had once been made of rubber." Quote from A Christmas Story. Late '30s FordThis is a late 1930s Ford, judging from the transverse leaf-sprung solid front axle ... I can't tell from the photo whether the brakes are mechanical or hydraulic. Ford didn't use hydraulic brakes until the 1939 model year. I'm guessing the car's a 1936 from the bottom of the grille and the shape of the bumper, but I could be (and likely am) wrong. Edit - the grille's too wide to be a '36, but the width and shape look right for 1935... Example (different angle) May-pop tiresIt was very common to reuse bald tires during and after the war. People called them tires "may pop" tires. They could pop anytime from excessive wear. When the treads began showing, they simply recapped. This was practiced well into the mid 1950s. WWII-era social directives. . .At least it made sense to exhort people to conserve resources during wartime, in contrast to the current social directive that NOT shopping, spending and consuming means you are unpatriotic. (The Gallery, Albert Freeman, Cars, Trucks, Buses, WW2)
The Egg and I: 1950
... Ralphie's younger brother? The one who came AFTER Randy ("Christmas Story"). This is one seriously cute pic! (ShorpyBlog, Member ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 6:14pm -

The little man in the nicely-pressed pants on Easter Sunday is me. Given the state of our lawn, you can see how hiding eggs in it was a snap. View full size. Easter Cutie!tterrence, That has got to be one of the cutest pictures. Good For You!In spite of having been a tyke plagued with never-rectified amblyopia, young tterrace has found the egg nonetheless. Happy EasterHappy Easter to all!! The reel deal Didja ever have to cut springtime grass with one of those old reel-type push mowers? Well, didja ever wonder why old timey city yards were so small & full of flower beds & rock gardens? If your first answer was yes, your second one will always be NO. Just Like Easter CandyThis is one sweet picture. Thanks, tterrace. The making of a young manClearly if you've the sharpest creases in your trousers that'll help you find eggs every time. Great Easter pic. Are you SUREyou aren't Ralphie's younger brother? The one who came AFTER Randy ("Christmas Story"). This is one seriously cute pic! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Easter, Kids, tterrapix)
Winter Light: 1920
... and bit of holly around each horse's neck, it could be a Christmas card, all just black and white as is, but with the green holly and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/22/2014 - 1:15pm -

"Boston Common, 1920, Park Street side. Horses pulling snow plow." 4x5 inch glass negative, photographer unknown. View full size. Golden dome not picturedThe steps you can see beyond the horses lead to the Maasachusetts State House, on Beacon St. at the top of the Common. Beautiful New England pictureThe picturesque trees look like they are painted instead of photographed. The person clearing off the driveway in the background slightly left of the horses lends a touch of realism. The horses' clomping shoes are silenced by the cushion of snow. With just the addition of a red bow and bit of holly around each horse's neck, it could be a Christmas card, all just black and white as is, but with the green holly and red bow adding seasonal festivity. I love this picture. TimelessWith the right weather conditions and a cooperative pair of horses, a nearly identical re-take could be done this Winter. All of the structures partially visible in the background - the cast-iron fence along Park Street, the Union Club and its iron balconies and horizontal flagpole across Park, the Massachusetts State House and its 1917 expansion, the statute of Joseph Hooker and his horse on the State House grounds, and the Memorial to Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment (of "Glory" fame) - are essentially unchanged. The canopy of large trees is well-maintained at this end of the Common. At most, someone might need to shoo away tourist-filled "Ducks" and other modern vehicles from Beacon Street. Horse-pulled snow plowI've often wondered how snow plowing worked in horse-powered days. You'd think the plow would have to be the leading edge, and would therefore have to be pushed, but you can't put the cart before the horse (so to speak), so here the horses are pulling the plow, which means they have to tromp through the snow in advance of the plow. LovelyI really wish we could still see such scenes today. Is a howling snowblower such an improvement? Most certainly timeless!jsmakbkr put it exactly right, in calling this "timeless"! That was my reaction, too. I've been around for 60 years and lived in a wide variety of places. Regardless of where you are when given the opportunity of experiencing it, a new snowfall always sounds, smells, and generally feels, the same. It is always comforting and delightful! (The Gallery, Boston, Horses)
The Paper and a Smoke
... 1950 Judging by that ad in the magazine, it's around Christmas 1949. Thank Dad You have this man here to thank. He and his ... 
 
Posted by delworthio - 06/25/2008 - 10:23pm -

My dad around 1948, Valparaiso, Indiana. View full size. Honoring slide-takersI've been trying to think up some suitable honor to bestow upon everybody who took color slides before 1950. And maybe one only slightly less exalted for before 1960. And another for all the people responsible for their survival to the present day. Sainthood maybe? Welcome 1950Judging by that ad in the magazine, it's around Christmas 1949. Thank DadYou have this man here to thank. He and his brother, who took this shot. Dad always liked taking slides over prints because of the quality and now we reap the benefits. I have dozens and dozens more Shorpy-worthy slides to scan! RadioThat radio looks like it was getting to be quite an antique by the late '40's. Can any radio buffs i.d. it? It looks 1920's vintage to me. Dad's radioThe radio was made by the Grigsby-Grunow Company marketed under the Majestic name. In 1928, the Model 72 sold for $167 which is roughly equivalent to a $2000 purchase today...a sizable investment. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
That '70s Slideshow
... had the same reindeer and pink cat-eye glasses seen in the Christmas pic.) I think I found my doppelganger...or am I hers? That ... 
 
Posted by delworthio - 09/22/2011 - 6:37pm -

First Holy Communion in 1971 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Rochester, Indiana, from a 35mm slide. View full size. Separated at Birth?Ok, now you're just freaking me out! That could be St. Cletus in Warren, Michigan, and while I don't have brothers and am the big sister...I did have that exact pair of brown octagonal glasses and hairstyle. (I'm also the one who had the same reindeer and pink cat-eye glasses seen in the Christmas pic.) I think I found my doppelganger...or am I hers? That 70's DressI looooooove that b & w dress!! Ultra coolThose 70's dresses made a huge comeback in the late 1990's. The one on the left with its thin belt and clasp buckle, exposed zip and oversize collar is similar to the ones Prada was doing in black nylon. Ah, the 70'sAs James Lileks describes it, it was a time when even the rats parted their hair in the middle. I could totally be the girl on the right, glasses and knobby knees under the polyester doubleknit dress and all. Ah, the 70'sYour first line cracked me up for a full five minutes. One can see these siblings are Catholic (as am I), there are five kids just about two years apart. The best thing about triple-knit polyester was Mom did not have to iron anything. The fabric of the 70's was so resilient that it never wrinkled and water beaded up and could be brushed off. My son had a Goretex-type jacket that was labeled "blizzard proof" but he always called it "buzzard proof" (which it possibly was). To tell you the truth, I preferred not ironing versus the fabrics of today that need dry cleaning and/or extensive ironing. Thanks for the laughs. Double KnitThe trouble with double-knit polyester was that it lasted, and lasted, and..... Now you don't think the fashion industry would go along with that, do you? They told everybody it was ugly and old-fashioned and a whole lot of other things but, as a working mother, I adored the stuff. Sigh P.S. I still would if I could get it. Thanks!Have thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of Delworthio's photos -- thank you so much for sharing them. Yours are just as important as all the others, for they still show us what "life" looked like during a particular era. I was born in 1973, so it's fun for me to see what the world looked like just a few years before I came along. I would also like to say that I am a little jealous of the sister in the dark dress, with that lovely, slender figure and those long legs! She could have been a runway model! p.s. I also cast my vote for keeping a mix of color and B/W photos. History is still history, even in color. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids)
You Better Watch Out: 1953
... observed a strict lid-down protocol. In any case we have a Christmas party to get back to, but business before pleasure. Excuse us for a ... secretly open it in the privacy of the "Bunk House" (Christmas, Linda Kodachromes) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/19/2013 - 1:49pm -

From around 1953, in a bathroom somewhere in New England, comes this curious Kodachrome from the "Linda" series of slides that your webmaster found on eBay. This would be a much less precarious scenario if the household observed a strict lid-down protocol. In any case we have a Christmas party to get back to, but business before pleasure. Excuse us for a sec, will you? View full size. Matter over MindI'll be the first to say it: I cannot imagine that poster helps with the, umm, business at hand. CautionBe careful when you remove present from tree - or you may(?) lose it in the bunk house(?) Thank you very much Part Owner(?) XXX not responsible for any ??? by fire or water. That's what I see anyway. Forget The GiftsI'm swiping the pinup poster. Decipher that note!Or this. "Be careful when you remove presents from tree or you might lose it in the Bunk House Thank you very much Part Owner p.s. Parents not responsible for any accidents as by fire in water." It's a hint at what the gift is and a warning not to secretly open it in the privacy of the "Bunk House" (Christmas, Linda Kodachromes)
Big Ho Santa!
... thoughts about this poster. (ShorpyBlog, The Gallery, Christmas, Posters) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/07/2012 - 4:14pm -

Based on circa 1950 fruit crate label artwork. (More examples here.) This sassy Santa print is guaranteed to put you in a holiday mood. View full size. Sounds funnyWell, that was really "innocent times", now I've got a strange thoughts about this poster. (ShorpyBlog, The Gallery, Christmas, Posters)
Winter Lights: 1909
... Not what it seems Somebody got a Spirograph for Christmas! Superb Just simply a breath-taking photgraph! What more need be said! A very Merrye Christmas and a Rousing New Year to all the Shorpy Family! Thank you, Dave! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 3:17pm -

1909. "Mid-winter carnival, 'storming the fortress,' Upper Saranac Lake, New York." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Not what it seemsSomebody got a Spirograph for Christmas! SuperbJust simply a breath-taking photgraph! What more need be said! A very Merrye Christmas and a Rousing New Year to all the Shorpy Family! Thank you, Dave! You've made 2011 a treat, I wonder what new adventures await? Night of LightsWishing all who enter this wonderful website a Merry Christmas and a Happy, HEALTHY, New year. This beautiful picturecould easily have been taken in the present day! Winter FestivalNotice in the background the "Ice Palace" constructed of blocks of ice harvested from the lake. The 2012 "Saranac Lake Winter Festival" will mark the 114th anniversary of this great northern New York Adirondack Town's mid-winter tradition! The Palace was originally referred to as the "Ice Tower" and evolved to the Palace name. It is constructed largely the same way today as it was 114 years ago, albeit with some improvements in saw technology! History buffs might enjoy this link: www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com/history/ (The Gallery, DPC)
The Flavor Lasts: 1909
... workhouse and had a baby daughter there the day after Christmas 1870. Meanwhile, my great-grandfather, her son, was in another ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 07/18/2011 - 1:03am -

Well-dressed pedestrians glance at a "beggar-peddler" holding a small child and a box of Wrigley's Spearmint Gum on Broadway, in New York City. View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. IDI'm relatively sure that this is David Brenner's grandmother. Unpleasant RealitiesThe shopkeeper undoubtedly was annoyed that some disgusting, vermin-like person was standing in front of his shop. How dare she drive business away? The photographer probably paid her for allowing him to take her picture and the more fortunate bystanders were amused and curious as to why somebody would want to waste their time and equipment doing that. Then there's the irritated woman in the big hat, walking toward us. She's annoyed, too. I imagine that she's thinking "Why doesn't someone do something about these awful people?" Oh, and does anybody notice that the "beggar-woman" looks pregnant. Whatever becomes of people like her? In researching my Family's genealogy, I've recently discovered that my great-great-grandmother spent some time in a London workhouse and had a baby daughter there the day after Christmas 1870. Meanwhile, my great-grandfather, her son, was in another workhouse, along with his brother, in a different part of the city. I can only wonder how people can survive these kinds of experiences and not be destroyed by them. Everytown?Update the clothes, add a few more "beggar-peddler" types and this could be the mall in downtown Santa Cruz. Haywire Time MachineLook at the disapproving glower on the dour face of the woman to the far right. If that is a glimpse into her soul, it puts a permanent kibosh on my efforts to create a time machine. The plan has been to go back into a Shorpy photograph to retrieve a beautiful mate. With one false move, haywire construction or faulty coordinates, I'd end up with her and not Rue the Cover Girl. Not worth the risk. I can just picture that look on her face every time I asked her for....nevermind. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Kodak Moment: 1926
... (the newest). And one sister, Carol, born just after Christmas. (Why not Joy??) What a Doll Little girl on the right is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 12:59pm -

1926. "Jimmie Jr., Jane, Joan, Jean Davis (Lee Hart job)." Dad James Davis was Secretary of Labor in the Harding, Coolidge and Hoover administrations before being elected to the Senate. National Photo glass negative. View full size. Great pictureImagine if the picture that Jimmie Jr. took could be matched up with this one. The expressions on all four children are priceless. The doll less so. BTW this was the year my mom was born .. about same age as Jewell and still going strong! [Jimmie Jr. is holding a movie camera. - Dave] What every house with kids needsA sun porch a mile long! Location = Eastman House?Ya know.... I'm still trying to find a picture, but that "sun porch" actually reminds me a LOT of a long glassed hallway at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. It kind of a long glassed sunroom that connects portions of the mansion and looks out onto the gardens. Maybe it REALLY was a Kodak moment! Does anyone know where this was really taken or have better familiarity with the Eastman House? I found some pix of the interior, but none of the room I have in mind. [This was taken at the family's home in Washington. - Dave] Jimmie, Jane, Joan et alJimmie, Jane, Joan & Jean. I hope the children grew up duly resentful. [There was also baby sister Jewell, not pictured. - Dave] The J's have it!My parents did the same thing to us and it continues through the generations: JoAnn, Judi, Jackie -- then Jennifer and Justin -- then Joey, Jonathan, Julian (the newest). And one sister, Carol, born just after Christmas. (Why not Joy??) What a DollLittle girl on the right is holding a Kathe Kruse doll. (The Gallery, Kids, Natl Photo)
Going to Town: 1940
... lovely town. A Festive Note What a great Christmas card this would make. Perhaps Shorpy should branch out from selling ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/13/2019 - 9:38pm -

March 1940. "Going to town. Woodstock, Vermont." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. River StreetWhat a lovely town. A Festive NoteWhat a great Christmas card this would make. Perhaps Shorpy should branch out from selling photo prints and add cards to his offerings. Another Lovely PhotoLove the simplicity here and the fact the horse and buggy seem out of place in 1940. Is our subject wearing some kind of earmuff device? A nice momentI faintly recall a couple of buggy rides in the snow myself. Ranch neighbors gathered kids and went out for a bit now and then. Long gone days. I don't think the lady is wearing a thing on her ears, at least not the thing asked about. It's the buggy whip just positioned in a way that makes a modern viewer wonder about the appurtenance. 1999 -- Still in UseContribution from my wife: To the best information I was given when I bought this runabout at auction in Ocala, Fla., in 1993 -- this is an Amish built Florida buggy, dating to possibly around 1895. I’ve repaired and restored it to the best of my ability as I’m proud to own and use this tiny piece of history. (Wish our cars would last as long). It’s being pulled by my OTT Standardbred mare in our pasture. This photo is from 1999. The vehicle is still operational. Not 1890Most followers of Shorpy will recognize several of the signs that this is not a 19th century scene, but instead edging well toward the middle of the 20th: the electrical power transformers, the US 4 route shield, and the yellow octagonal stop sign. But there's another telltale sign that we are well into the automotive age. The road has been plowed. Norman Rockwell! Norman Rockwell! Please call ...If this is not a Norman Rockwell opportunity, I don't know what is. New England. Snow. White church with steeple. Horse and buggy. Cold. How could it miss? tom It's not Charlie BrownWho or perhaps what is the cartoon character face behind the snow drift on the right? Charlie Brown did not appear until 1950. (The Gallery, Horses, M.P. Wolcott)
Far Horizons: 1943
... and there were tons of toys destined for the shelves for Christmas that were scattered all over the place. Also very noticeable getting ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/04/2014 - 12:24pm -

March 1943. "Duoro, New Mexico. Rounding a curve in the sheep and cattle country along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe between Clovis and Vaughn, New Mexico." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Miles and miles... of nothing but miles and miles. Those must be emptiesLoaded tank cars could not be coupled immediately ahead of a caboose. What a tripHas any trip ever by any American photographer produced more great photos or more photographic history than this trip by Delano? Maybe the only competitor is Russell Lee's visit to Pie Town, not all that far from where Delano took this photo. And this New Mexico countryside isn't mere emptiness, it's the medicine for too long in the mountains and forests. That's One....long train. I would hate to be waiting at a grade crossing for this train to pass.... Probably looks the same today.The Google man has not been there, but you can get there by traveling up County Road 3h between US-285 and US-60 about half way between Roswell and Albuquergue. The road on the left is County Road 3h and the tracks are bending to the west northwest towards Albuquerque. Wished I lived closer. Andrews SistersHeh! Am I the only one to hear the Andrews Sisters singing the "Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe" when I look at these pictures? The CurveGreat picture. In the early eighties, there was a huge train wreck in this same area past Vaughn. Since my father was a truck driver he was contracted to pick up trailers reloaded with product and bring them back to the rail yard in Clovis. One thing that stuck with me going with him, were all of the items they didn't take back. If the entire rail car was damaged and even though some of the contents were slightly damaged they buried everything right there next to the tracks. They brought out backhoes and buried items that were brand new with minimal damage, washers, dryers, rolls of linen, and toys. I remember the toys since it was mid fall and there were tons of toys destined for the shelves for Christmas that were scattered all over the place. Also very noticeable getting close to the wreck was the smell of men's cologne. One car had some in it and you could smell the wreck before even seeing it at over 10 miles from the scene. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Landscapes, Railroads)
Dauphin Street: 1906
... Here's Dauphin Street, circa 1940, probably around Christmas time, from two blocks behind today's photo, then further around the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2012 - 11:57am -

Mobile, Alabama, circa 1906. "Dauphin Street." Shoes to the right, hats to the left. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 110 In The ShadeI'm guessing that the roll down shade that is shielding the storefront windows of "Schwartz The Hatter" (also a guess) is keeping the fierce Alabama sun from baking or discoloring the merchandise. When the world was youngI rather miss the Main Streets and endless assortments of specialty shops from my youth, as pictured in this photo. I miss the sidewalks and greeting familiar people, crossing small streets and stopping for a soda or cone at the sweet shop. The town in which I was raised was still like this in the early 1950's but is now a restored Disney-like collection of antique boutiques and curiosity shops. The newer stores are "big box" emporiums surrounded by huge parking lots where one can buy everything from dogfood to diamonds, tires to tofu. I find them overwhelming and much prefer the "one thing at a time" simple life as I am incapable of multitasking. Also can't help but notice the New Orleans style wrought iron balconies and living quarters upstairs over the businesses, which add a soft touch of hominess and humanity. Bienville Square on the LeftRoyal Street is the next cross-street away and you can also see the building with the rounded steeple here, here, and here. The "New Orleans style wrought iron balconies" are actually found all along what was once the French Gulf coast; many cities along this coast are older than New Orleans, including Mobile, the first capital of French Louisiana. Here's Dauphin Street, circa 1940, probably around Christmas time, from two blocks behind today's photo, then further around the left corner in the 1930s: WirelessI don't see a contact wire running above the track, so I surmise that this is for either a horse car or a railroad. [The contact wire is there. -tterrace] TodayView Larger Map Sign says Dauphin and St. Joseph's, but not much remains. I wonder if there was a fire or something? Maybe notjasonepowell: >Sign says Dauphin and St. Joseph's, but not much remains. >I wonder if there was a fire or something? I don't know... It looks to me like that's the same building on the left, only now "boxed in." (The Gallery, Mobile, Stores & Markets)
Dime-Store Jewels: 1941
December 1941. Washington, D.C. "Christmas shopping. Salesgirls at Wool­worth's." Photo by John Collier, ... for under $5. Woolworth's was the best. (The Gallery, Christmas, D.C., John Collier, Stores & Markets) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/12/2017 - 11:48am -

December 1941. Washington, D.C. "Christmas shopping. Salesgirls at Wool­worth's." Photo by John Collier, Office of War Information. View full size. Upstretched armToday that might be a dramatic gesture of stretching out a knot, or an arm that fell asleep. But I assume this gal is calling for a supervisor? (And aren't the two of them just so darn cute?) EarbobsThat's what my grandmother called these. Some were hinged and some screw back. My shopping days began in the 1950s at Woolworth's. It had a particular aroma (odor?) of popcorn, nuts, and various toiletries I remember to this day. InflationMy wife currently sells earbobs of this vintage anywhere from $1-$40 a pair. Lots of these show up at estate sales. Inflation 2$0.25 in December 1941 would be $3.94 in 2017 dollars. The girl in the glasses is stunningly beautiful. The other is beautiful too. Good ValuesAh yes, the good old days, when a guy could satisfy all the females on his gift list for under $5. Woolworth's was the best. (The Gallery, Christmas, D.C., John Collier, Stores & Markets)
Filling Station: 1924
... round and had once been made of rubber." -- Ralphie, "A Christmas Story" The good old days? I seem to remember those devices in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/02/2020 - 10:56am -

Washington, D.C., 1924. "Flat spare tires are numerous around Washington these days due to the youthful football players who have found an easier way to inflate the pigskin than using their lungs. 'Billy' Friel shown inflating his football." 4x5 inch glass negative. View full size. Liberating airThat’s hugely clever. First time I’ve seen such a thing. (No fun for the driver, though: You kids get off my car!) What’s next? – siphoning gas? A Bit Bare"My old man's spare tires were only actually tires in the academic sense. They were round and had once been made of rubber." -- Ralphie, "A Christmas Story" The good old days?I seem to remember those devices in a catalog as a kid in the early '70s. And the illustration showed filling a ball from one of the tires ON THE CAR. Talk about no fun for the driver. Car IDModel T Ford. That's F-O-R-D as in Football Oxygen Reserve Device Inflategate.Photo shows a young Tom Brady actually putting a little air back INTO the spare tire. 15 Years Later --The thing that caught my attention is how very well dressed this 1924 boy was. He could simply be a resident of a wealthy neighborhood whose parents could afford to buy him nice clothes, and later send him to a prestigious college, and eventually make him a vice president in Daddy's company. However, I can't help but think of the many Shorpy pictures that photographers took fifteen years later in which the children were barefoot, their clothes were torn and threadbare, and often needed a bath. On one hand, this photos represented the difference between wealthy urban people and poor rural people, and a 1924 picture of a rural boy might be indistinguishable from a 1939 picture of one. But there were many cases in people who had at least been comfortable lost everything. For two years during the Great Depression, my mother and her family lived in a chicken coop. My paternal grandfather lost his urban house three times, and, at age 16, my grandmother had to ask my father to leave home because he was the oldest male and she could no longer afford to feed four children. How complacently we live during the boom times, not suspecting that they may end tomorrow! Spare AirThe windshield washer on my wife's 1963 Volkswagen was powered by the air in the spare tire. We were married a while before I discovered that. I drove the bug to work, so I had to make sure the pressure was up in the spare. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Kids, Sports)
Seasonal Greens: 1951
"Centerpiece before Christmas -- Dec 1951." The latest dispatch from Blue Earth, Minnesota. ... green-painted wooden skewer. My uncle, who mass-produced Christmas wreaths and grave blankets, used these as trimming. Angel Hair ... cranberries are on my tree, even as I write this. (Christmas, Minnesota Kodachromes) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/20/2015 - 3:36pm -

"Centerpiece before Christmas -- Dec 1951." The latest dispatch from Blue Earth, Minnesota. Kodachrome slide by Hubert or Grace Tuttle. View full size. Plaster Holly BerriesI remember those red berries! They were made out of plaster. The stem was florist wire. The berries had obviously been painted by dipping. I can't remember what the stems were like, perhaps they were of wire wrapped in green cotton thread in the style of early "Double Cotton Covered" small-gauge electrical wire. The berries I saw were attached to a green-painted wooden skewer. My uncle, who mass-produced Christmas wreaths and grave blankets, used these as trimming. Angel HairAnd we used to call that white fluffy stuff Angel Hair! Wonder if it turned out to be harmful you never see it for sale and I'm in NYC where you can buy just about ANYTHING! Re: Angel HairIIRC, the stuff was simply very fine glass fiber. Your hands itched like the dickens after handling it (microscopic glass splinters), which may be the reason for its disappearance. I still decorate with 'emThose plaster cranberries are on my tree, even as I write this. (Christmas, Minnesota Kodachromes)
God Bless America: 1941
... like a starter cutting from an epiphyllum, probably a Christmas or Easter cactus, and a longtime favorite of cold-climate indoor ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2012 - 2:23pm -

January 1941. "Window in home of unemployed steelworker. Ambridge, Pennsylvania." Medium-format negative by John Vachon. View full size. HouseplantsThat looks like a nice clivia being nurtured through the winter on the window sill. The leaf tips are so pointy because the brown parts were scissored off to keep the plant looking good. The lumpy little thing in the small pot to its right is looks like a starter cutting from an epiphyllum, probably a Christmas or Easter cactus, and a longtime favorite of cold-climate indoor gardeners. ConfidenceI admire the "God Bless America" sign in the window despite his employment status at the time. Faith in his Country and in the Future. We need more of that can do attitude today. Rough times, yes, but this is America! Nothing is impossible! Patriot GamesI remember the door of my father's laundry store had, what must have been, a holographic banner with an American flag in the center and when you looked toward the left a picture of General Eisenhower appeared and to the right, one of General MacArthur. Unemployed to Overemployed in 12 monthsJust think... if this is January 1941, this guy is about to go from unemployed to working 12 hour shifts seven days a week for three years in the next 12 months. WOW. Numerous NumeralsI wonder what the house number was. (The Gallery, Ambridge, John Vachon)
Jack's Birthday: 1956
... neighbor sent me a photo taken at a Polish-American Club Christmas party from 1947 which I didn't even know existed. The Santa Clause ... 
 
Posted by December Baby - 09/30/2012 - 12:27am -

Pennsylvania circa 1956. A birthday party for my older brother, lower right in the red cowboy boots. He looks to be turning 6 or 7, which would make this near the end of January 1956 or 1957. My mother served spaghetti because it was his favorite meal. Today she'll tell you that she must have been out of her mind to serve spaghetti to all those boys. There were no expensive "thanks for coming" goody-bags like kids get today. They were given a couple of noisemakers (which, knowing my mother, were left over from New Year's) and sent home to drive their parents crazy! View full size. Pre-meal SpaghettiJudging by the cleanliness of everybody's shirt this picture was made pre-meal or they are the neatest group of little boys in recorded history. Hats Off To JackI wonder if they were given the party hats or asked to bring their own. And Happy Birthday, Jack! The before picture?This must have been before the Spaghetti was served,I feel bad for the two boys in the white shirts, they must have caught it good when they got home. Party favorsYour guests got more than mine did. We'd have a small prize for a couple of games, and then there'd be one of those little baskets covered with crepe paper, with candy in them, for everyone to take home. I don't think my mother ever did kid parties at meal time, either. Leather ShoesNote how the other kids in the front row are wearing leather shoes, not tennis shoes. People like my parents believed that tennis shoes were for athletic purposes only, and that wearing them for general use would damage your feet. I wonder how many of these boys' parents were of the same opinion? What a keepsakeThis is a really special photo of all these young boys having fun in the most carefree days of their youth fifty six years ago. The assortment of hats cracked me up. If you wanted to look up all these kids and send them a copy of this, I'm pretty sure they would treasure it forever. My childhood neighbor sent me a photo taken at a Polish-American Club Christmas party from 1947 which I didn't even know existed. The Santa Clause was an "old country" (from Poland) St. Nicholas and was the skinniest, most depressed Santa ever filmed. I keep it with my most precious pictures as it is hilarious, rare and one of very few I have from the old days. Birthdays of yesteryearI also remember birthday parties that consisted of cake and ice cream and those little nut cup things filled with candy. A lot of fun was had and no loans had to be taken out to pay for some huge extravaganza!! Fun memories!! The 50s!My mom threw an 8th birthday party for me in December of 1954, which must have been just like this. I remember she rented a 16 mm projector and some black and white movies, which as I recall, mainly consisted of chimpanzees playing. That was a BIG deal of a thing for a kid party in 1954. She also did something really appalling. She succumbed to a fad among her friends and made a non-cake cake. It was a recipe probably put out by a creme cheese company. You took two unsliced loaves of bread , one white and one whole wheat. You sliced them horizontally, and stacked them up with creme cheese in between the layers. This is what was served for my birthday. GAK. This picture also makes me think that it was definitely NOT JFK who killed hat wearing among American males. [I particularly like the kid with the cherry Jell-O mold on his head. - tterrace] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Fairy Kist: 1940
... 30 loaves of bread for every adult in the family as a Christmas gift. These loaves were about 4x4x6 and weighed a lot. My wife ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/04/2019 - 10:36pm -

August 1940. "Daughter of John Yenser of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. How about a hint?This pun is too clever for me. How about a hint? Chin downI'd say she's practicing her best Lauren Bacall look, but it's about four years too early for that. Not burnt, just flavorfulI would gladly enjoy the darker crust on the freshly made loaves -- the charred, crispy edges, preferably baked in a wood stove and spread with good butter would make a delicious part of any meal. The last laughThey laughed at my burnt bread. I laughed at their chalk outlines. Pound cakeMy wife’s grandmother would bake about 30 loaves of bread for every adult in the family as a Christmas gift. These loaves were about 4x4x6 and weighed a lot. My wife watched the matriarch make these and was amazed no measuring was done. Just a pinch of this and some of that. When it came to the sugar it was a handful. The next year my wife interrupted the process by measuring how much a pinch actually was and made them at home. They didn't taste the same. Grandma added a lot of experienced love to the recipe and her antique oven probably had smthing to do with it too Love the linoleum (?) backsplash... can't ... stop ... staring ... at ... it ... Won't take no guffLook at her arms--they don't "bulge", but it's very obvious that she's been doing things like kneading bread to help the family. She's a strong young lady who won't need to take abuse. Love those eyes and that look, too. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kitchens etc.)
Mail Early: 1914
... packages wrapped with string. Bet they used red string at Christmas. 12th & Pennsylvania This is at the rear loading dock of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 2:42pm -

Washington, 1914. "Post Office Department, parcel post." Don't forget to include your Postal Zone. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Inspections requiredCol. Klink: The early years. Brown paper packages......tied up with string. These are a few of my favorite things! String?Being something of a luddite, I occasionally still ship packages wrapped in brown paper, and tied with string. The post office never complains, and everything gets where it's going unharmed, so I have to wonder if it really is a no-no... I actually just mailed several packages earlier today, which were wrapped in brown kraft paper and tied with parachute cord. (I'm out of twine, doh.) String!!!I notice the packages are wrapped with string, in today's automated postal system this is a big don't. There it is!The package Great-Grandmother sent to me in 1914, and just arrived yesterday. She should have opted for first class. Less is more.Less IS more. There really is a charm about brown paper packages wrapped with string. Bet they used red string at Christmas. 12th & PennsylvaniaThis is at the rear loading dock of the Post Office Department building at 12th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Parcel Post was added as a mail class a year earlier, in 1913. Frank R. Scheer Railway Mail Service Library (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Rollfast Redux: 1959
... a bike. I can't remember if it was for my birthday or Christmas but Dad bought me a Rollfast bike. It was green. I must have ridden ... 
 
Posted by jckazoo - 02/04/2018 - 11:11am -

Here's a second look at my husband Peter's Rollfast Deluxe bike. Chenango Bridge, New York, 1959. Anscochrome slide. View full size. That's a beauty for sureLiving in the coal mining town I grew up in in the 50's and 60's. A bicycle that nice would get you beat up everyday. Nobody had that kind money to buy one. Nice shirt.Would be fashionable today, even. Perspective of TimeI look at that bike now and think "It's cooool, maaaan." But I know my 12-year-old 10-speed riding self would vehemently disagree. "Ugh, those handle bars.", she would say, turning up her nose. With a Rin Tin Tin belt buckle!This young man is seriously stylin' with the new bike and the Rin Tin Tin belt buckle. The Folly of YouthI cringe when I think of all the bikes that I destroyed as a kid. We all thought that the fancy stuff was for sissies and girls. Fenders, racks, bells, bags, lights all went into the junk pile. All the stuff that a restorer pays a premium for today. About the shirtI arrived on the hallowed shores of the US that same year and was about the same age as Peter. After spending the previous 5 years going to school in a grey shirt and grey shorts, the wildly colored and paisley patterned shirts that I would now be required to wear to school pretty much freaked me out for a few months until I got used to them. Memories!When I was 8 I wanted a bike. I can't remember if it was for my birthday or Christmas but Dad bought me a Rollfast bike. It was green. I must have ridden at least 100 miles on it during the next 8 years. By the time I was 15 or 16, it definitely as NOT cool to ride a bike so it went in the garage and who knows what happened to it. Home SewnThere's a very good chance that Peter's mother sewed that shirt - she made most of her own clothes, including the dress she wore at our wedding. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Sunday Dinner: 1942
... in large families, particularly at Thanksgiving and Christmas, was graduation from the "kids' table" to the adult one. I think I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/18/2017 - 3:51pm -

May 1942. "Southington, Connecticut. The family of Ralph Hurlbut. A Sunday dinner honoring Corporal Robert Hurlbut, twenty-one, home on his first furlough from the Army. All of the Hurlbuts are on hand for the occasion, including the married and grandchildren. Corporal Robert is not the only Hurlbut serving his country. The elder Hurlbut (far left) works in a defense plant and Mrs. Hurlbut and all of the children old enough are enrolled in various American voluntary services." Photo by Fenno Jacobs, Office of War Information. View full size. Rampant discrimination or refuge from scrutiny?One of the most eagerly awaited promotions in large families, particularly at Thanksgiving and Christmas, was graduation from the "kids' table" to the adult one. I think I see the former in the corner (unless they're holding their plates on their laps). The baby, of course, is too busy testing the Law of Gravity with various food morsels to care about seating arrangements. On those rare occasions when this only child found himself in similar circumstances, I actually preferred the kids' table, where no one said "My, how you've grown" or asked "How's school?" Dry ConversationI notice there is not a single beverage visible on this dining table. This brought to mind a story from a Connecticut friend regarding his grandmother forbidding anything to drink while eating a meal at her house. She said it would "wash down the food" and apparently ruin the experience. Eat like a horseA wise elderly gentleman I used to know said is is unhealthy to alternate eating and drinking. He said to watch a horse. They eat their food then they drink. How a horse would know how to eat is beyond me, but the title seems fitting. Baby discrimination and family featuresThis is a common situation with large family dinners when there is no way for everyone to sit at the one main table and some will invariably have to be isolated like the couple between the windows. One wonders if the banished baby with everybody's back to him (or her) is puzzled by the fact that a similar age baby gets a prime spot at the center of the crowd facing all, while he sees only backs. Also the Hurlbuts have inherited some genetic resemblances, especially the Corporal and his obvious brother sitting behind him, both with the Tyrone Power eyebrows. The fact that most of the females have sausage curls may have been the style at that time, but the young lady by the extreme right window has hair waves reminiscent of a surfing utopia. Still, we all enjoy seeing families sharing a festive meal together in peace. Bless them all. Dry, indeed!Bunky, your friend's recommendation tallies with my own family experience. I can't tell you how many times I requested a drink of water, during childhood meals, and was refused. "You'll just guzzle water and not eat!" was the inevitable reply, even when I was a young adult who could be presumed to "drink responsibly." Swallowing dry food without benefit of water was no mean feat. I notice how the baby is left to his own devices in his highchair. In our family, the baby was usually the center of attention at meals. My siblings would never have put up with being set behind everyone else, away from adult adoration. The young fellow here is clearly enjoying his independence and his food. The AngelusThe print on the wall behind the diners no doubt expresses the prayers of our nation for the safety of our troops and the rapid end of hostilities. I saw this kind of print often on walls during my childhood in the 1940s. (The Gallery, Fenno Jacobs, WW2)
Mom, Me, and my Tinkertoys
... wooden "Lincoln Logs" that become a log cabin. I use it at Christmas with large pine cone trees. I loved my colorless Tinker Toys as a ... 
 
Posted by Mvsman - 04/19/2014 - 11:45pm -

I haven't posted here for a few years. I don't have too many pictures left, but I thought I would try a few. My mother is still going, well, kinda strong; she will be 87 next month. Such memories. View full size. Knees of the youngCan you still sit like that with your knees doubled outward? I only see this position done by the very young and flexible, including my grandkids, but I don't recall any adults sitting this way. As for the Tinker toys, the ones I had always seemed to have dowels that were cut too large to fit in the holes of the other pieces so that if I did manage to forcefully get two pieces attached, they would stay that way forever since they would be permanently imbedded. I always found the ones I got to be 'misfits' which turned me against them and thus I never had fun with Tinker toys and usually avoided them. That may have been an omen of my coming destiny of usually ending up with the lemons or the defective merchandise. On the bright side though, I have always been surrounded by caring, loving people (which is much more important). As for your red two-piece, metallic-threaded couch, we had the same one in brown in the early 1950's but I like the red better. Tinker toys and Mini-bricksWhen I was your age in this shot, we had Minibricks (about 1/2"x1/2"x1"), made of pure rubber coloured deep red, with which we made little houses, forts, etc. They came from Britain, and in the 1950s, Canada had preferred trading status with Britain, so we had these, Mechano sets and Dinky Toys. The thing about Minibricks was that you had to lick the two studs on the bottom of one brick to push it into the holes on the top of two adjoining bricks to create an overlapping pattern. Great for hygiene (!), but maybe it actually helped our immune systems... Monochrome & structural integrityUsing your mother's age as a reference, my Tinker Toys were somewhat older than yours, probably by 10 to 15 years. They were all the plain wood color. No colored dowels for me. For OTY's comment below about tight fitting pieces... My set had a mixture. Some were too tight as you described and others were too loose. My projects always seemed to have critical support pieces that were located at the "too loose" points in the project. Favorite expressionI remember playing with the plain Tinkertoys--no color to them at all--but enjoying the Lincoln Logs and Erector sets much more. However, my dad liked to say "I'm not going to let you play with my Tinkertoys," at any opportunity throughout his life. The way he said it was always funny to me and my brother. Little Yellow BoxIs the yellow box on the couch an empty box of Kodachrome? It's open, so maybe the film this picture was taken with came from that box only minutes before the shutter was snapped. @Vintagetvs: I think the shiny circular object you are referring to at the boy's knee is the cover-lid for the Tinker Toy set. Besides, that object's "form factor" would be appropriate for movie film, not still film (afaik). Re: Little Yellow BoxThe film can is directly in front of the boy's right knee! Re: KneesI am 71 years old and I still sit like the little boy. All my chair seats have a dip on one side- my heavier side! A friend recently made me some wooden "Lincoln Logs" that become a log cabin. I use it at Christmas with large pine cone trees. I loved my colorless Tinker Toys as a child. I think I had about three cans full. I remember the Dinky Toys!In response to Islander800. When I was full on in my car obsession, I had Dinky, Matchbox and Corgi. Strange, I think all three of these firms were U.K. based, but fortunately for me, sold in the States. I loved them all. Thanks for responding. I had that setThe thing I remember about that Tinker Toy set was the not unpleasant and distinctive smell of the pieces and the green plastic windmill pieces that I liked to chew on. I haven't seen one of those or even thought about them for decades. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Five-Alarm Candy: 1925
... building was extremely low, Mr. Mueller said, because of Christmas sales. What was there, however, is believed to have been lost. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/13/2014 - 5:29pm -

December 28, 1925. "G.J. Mueller Fire." A five-alarm fire at George J. Mueller Candy Co. in Chinatown at 336 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., in view of the Capitol. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Much-Maligned Water Tower Vindicated Fireman Injured, Traffic is Tied Up By $50,000 Blaze Tower Proves Value In Checking Flames A Spectacular five-alarm fire in the wholesale candy plant of George J. Mueller, 336 Pennsylvania avenue northwest, shortly before 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon wrought $50,000 damage, tied up street car services for more than fifteen blocks and resulting in the injury of one fireman. The top floor of the five-story building was enveloped in flames when firemen arrived, and it was feared that the fire, fanned by a brisk wind, would spread eastward along Pennsylvania avenue. Smoke from the fire was carried eastward by the wind, forming great clouds around the Capitol. The much-maligned water tower, which has failed at so many big fires, was given credit for checking the fire. The tower was lofted to a position directly in front of the blaze. For an hour it hurled water into the building, the stream being pumped by four engines. Private Joseph A. Mayhew, of No. 2 engine company, suffered severe cuts on his hand when he picked up a broken hose connection. He was treated at Emergency Hospital. The fire, which was in that section of town known as Chinatown, was witnessed by a crowd that overflowed the sidewalks for more than a block. The Chinese occupants of the rooming houses, stores and cafes looked on anxiously through the windows. The first alarm was turned in at 4:50 o'clock, the height of the traffic rush hour. It was after 6 o'clock before street car service on Pennsylvania avenue was resumed, and many home-going government employees and office workers were forced to walk home or hire taxi-cabs. Fire Chief Watson went to the fire on the second alarm. On his arrival he turned in three more alarms. District Commissioner Frederick A. Fenning, who has jurisdiction over the fire and police departments, arrived on the scene early. Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, superintendent of the police, also was on hand, as were Traffic Director M.O. Eldridge, Col I.C. Moller, his assistant, and various other officials of the fire and police departments. The cause of the fire had not been determined last night. It broke out in a supply of candy goods on the top floor. The entire building had been swept clean of trash in preparation for an inventory, according to George J. Mueller, of the candy firm, who said he was at a loss as to the cause of the fire. The stock of candy in the building was extremely low, Mr. Mueller said, because of Christmas sales. What was there, however, is believed to have been lost. The loss caused by the fire entirely was covered by insurance, according to Carl Mueller, secretary of the firm. The stock, he said, was covered by $25,000 insurance, the machinery by $14,000, and the building by $20,000. The candy firm was established in 1849 by Carl Mueller, grandfather of the present owners. The fire is the second in the firm's history. The last one, which was in another building, was started by a tramp who had been sleeping in the stable. The buildings adjoining the candy plant - the William Lee undertaking establishment and the store of the National Mosaic Co. - were damaged considerably by water. Fire Chief George Watson said that the principal difficulty confronting him and his men was to find places of vantage from which to fight the fire. The Mueller building is higher than either of the buildings which adjoin, and this increased the difficulty. The fire chief finally decided to battle it from the front and rear. While the fire was at its height Chief Watson ordered three of his men to come down from a ladder on which they were directing a stream of water at the blaze. He was afraid that the ladder would collapse. So were the spectators, who were visibly relieved to see the firemen descend. The ladder was resting on a tree, which obstruction caused it to sag and lean far to one side. Water from the hose froze in the street. In addition the firemen had to contend with ice covered hose. Washington Post, Dec 29, 1925 Background snarkiness reported on the water tower: Two mishaps of fire apparatus interfered momentarily with the fire fighting, a hose bursting under the strain of the water pumped through it and the high water tower failing almost as soon as it was put in operation. It was quickly abandoned and its crew manned a hose-line. Washington Post, Jan 11, 1925 The firemen were handicapped because of the difficulty in finding places of vantage from which to play their hose. The water tower, which has failed so many times that it has become a joke, was no more willing to work last night than it has been in the past. Washington Post, Jan 23, 1925 National MosaicI want to know about the National Mosaic Co. -- did they just make tiles? Or complete mosaics? ["High-grade work in Mosaics, Interior Marble and Tiling," according to the company's ads. - Dave] Mixed ReviewsMy first impression of this photo was to note how effective the water tower was as a firefighting tool. It looks pretty useful, I wonder why it was so universally panned. [Because most of the time it didn't work? - Dave] No. 2 EnginePrivate Joseph A. Mayhew, of No. 2 engine company, suffered severe cuts on his hand when he picked up a broken hose connection. He was treated at Emergency Hospital.
All Are Welcome: 1923
December 29, 1923. "Horse Christmas party, Animal Rescue League." Maybe a few days late for a Christmas party, but then again here we are showing up 92 years after the fact. ... to go to get some nice wooden boxes. (The Gallery, Christmas, D.C., Horses, Natl Photo) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/31/2015 - 10:59am -

December 29, 1923. "Horse Christmas party, Animal Rescue League." Maybe a few days late for a Christmas party, but then again here we are showing up 92 years after the fact. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Free DinnerI would like my horse grilled medium rare with a side of french fries. ConfusionIs the dinner for the horses, or are the horses the dinner? I'm assuming [hoping] it's the former rather than the latter. [The dinners were for the horses of poor owners. -tterrace] Feedboxes courtesy of:E.F. Droop and Sons, 1300 G St, Washington DC I wonder if there was a connection between Droop's and the Animal Rescue League, or maybe just a worker at the league knew where to go to get some nice wooden boxes. (The Gallery, Christmas, D.C., Horses, Natl Photo)
Colonial Cleveland: 1900
... and sign to this SA woman soliciting funds to provide Christmas dinners to the poor in New York circa 1900. (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/17/2015 - 12:23pm -

Circa 1900. "Colonial Hotel, Cleveland." Home to the Colonial Arcade. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Handy & ConvenientFrom an ad for the Hoyt, Kent & Sefton Company: "Our big restaurant. - It is not only the shopper who finds our restaurant on the fifth floor so handy and convenient, but the business men of the neighborhood have quickly recognized its many advantages, its tempting cooking, its varied menu, its prompt service and moderate prices." PictureI'm still amazed how sharp these pictures here are. No diapersAm I the only one uncomfortable with the placement of foodstuffs so close to the curb where a horse is tethered? Cleveland & Eastern RailwayAt the far right of the photo can be seen the depot of the Cleveland and Eastern Ry. I live near one of the destinations mentioned on the sign: Chardon, Burton, Middlefield and Punderson Lake. The primary source of revenue from this line was milk and produce carried into Cleveland from the farms of Geauga County, Ohio, and, during the summer months, picnickers visiting the rural countryside picking berries and buying maple syrup. The line went bankrupt in 1904 and was finally abandoned in March of 1925. Parts of the right-of-way can still be seen including a steel trestle in Gates Mills, Ohio. What's going on here?Is that a feminist with a protest sign just looking to kick the bejabbers out of anyone who disagreed? Or just a woman (i think) waiting for the trolley? This is what i love about Shorpy; all those intriguing background details. I'm going to spend way too much time today thinking about this. [Looks like a Woman's Christian Temperance Union picket. -tterrace] [Also seen five years ago here. -Dave] Probably an early Salvation Army bellringerCompare the clothing and sign to this SA woman soliciting funds to provide Christmas dinners to the poor in New York circa 1900. (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC)
Cannery Row Fire: 1967
... taken by my dad while we were in Pacific Grove for the Christmas holiday, December, 1967. From the Monterey Herald: "On Sunday, ... 
 
Posted by rsyung - 08/10/2016 - 8:52pm -

Kodachrome slide taken by my dad while we were in Pacific Grove for the Christmas holiday, December, 1967. From the Monterey Herald: "On Sunday, Dec. 24, 1967, the old Carmel Canning Company on Cannery Row caught fire and burned for more than four hours. The blaze, which had more than 65 firemen respond from Monterey, Seaside and Pacific Grove, caused an estimated $250,000 in damage. Fire and smoke billowed from the structure, causing embers to fall on homes in New Monterey and start smaller fires. Fire Chief Clifford Hebrard said it was his opinion “that the fire was set.” An arson investigation was to take place the next day." View full size. School's outSeeno St next to Larkin Elementary. Monterey fire from a 1965 Monterey.It was indeed a Mercury Monterey, although if I remember right, a 1965 model. My dad bought it used. After the fire. Ruins of fire-ravaged cannery. This was at the corner of Cannery Row and Hoffman. 1967?Are you sure the year is 1967? That looks like the rear end of a late '70's, early '80s Olds - like a Delta 88 or a 98. [Appears to be a 1966 Mercury Monterey 2-door sedan. -tterrace] Cui Bono?This fire was the major event ultimately leading to the complete gentrification of what had long been a picturesquely seedy area. Save for a few bars/restaurants (Neil Devaughn's, The Place, the Outrigger) and a movie theater, Cannery Row largely comprised abandoned canneries and dilapidated shacks, hardly a destination for anyone outside the Monterey Peninsula. Now, of course, upscale hotels, an internationally renowned aquarium, and bars and eateries galore compete with T-shirt shops and the few remaining original buildings (suitably rehabbed, of course) for the attention of tourists from all over. There was, of course, considerable malicious gossip, since much of the Row had been acquired by a local development firm prior to the conflagration and there was a longstanding development v. preservation controversy seething at the time. No charges were ever filed, let alone proven, and the Monterey tax base got a nice shot in the arm after things started spiffing up. And any number of young locals, whose parents and grandparents had either fished for sardines or canned them (contributing to what was known to locals as "The Stink By the Bay"), became employed in more genteel occupations. Locals don't go to Cannery Row.Lived in Monterey for a year in the 1970's, going to language school. At that time Cannery Row was fascinating mix of the old, the weird and the new. Can't forget the tiny 812 Cinema, where you laid on cushions to watch the movie, or Odyssey Records. Came back in the 1990's for a final tour at the language school and have stayed ever since. A great deal had changed on Cannery Row. The 812 was gone, as was Odyssey Records. The Aquarium was there. Cannery Row had turned totally touristy. We locals only go to Cannery Row to take out-of-town visitors. For us, the character is long gone. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Radio City: 1932
... Hall From this past Thanksgiving, to see the Rockettes' Christmas show. (It was my wife's idea, honest.) Dueling Organs? I've ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/25/2018 - 3:30pm -

December 7, 1932. "International Music Hall, Radio City, Rockefeller Center, New York. House with curtain down, from main orchestra." Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Radio City Music HallFrom this past Thanksgiving, to see the Rockettes' Christmas show. (It was my wife's idea, honest.) Dueling Organs?I've heard of Dueling Banjos, and dueling pianos, but dueling organs? Are there actually two full four-manual, 100+ stop organs in that hall, or one big one that can be played by two tandem organists? Ghosts! Appears to be haunted by several ghosts. Almost lostRadio City was almost lost to bankruptcy in the late 1970s. Thank goodness it was rescued. It's a gem. And the most comfortable theater I've ever been in. Air Conditioning of RCI remember when RC opened. Our friend and neighbor, Jack Lantry, was the engineer to get the contract to air condition Radio City. It was one of the first to be done on a large scale. The fresh air was compressed, then expanded and finally cooled by water. Ghosts?Theaters don't have Ghosts, they have Phantoms. Two ConsolesThe Radio City Wurlitzer organ consists of 58 ranks of pipes and a wide assortment of percussion instruments (drums, bells, etc. including a 9' grand piano) all installed above and behind the stage. Because of a relatively new computer relay (brain) now in place, it can be played from either of the two independent consoles or simultaneously by 2 organists. It is worth noting that S.L. "Roxy" Rothafel intended the organ to be built by Kimball Organ Co., but Kimball was not the #1 theatre organ builder. Others argued that RC couldn't do with anything less than the best. So, it was built by Wurlitzer according to a Kimball design. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, Music, NYC)
Oakland Tribune: 1920
... eyes working the machine on the threaded stand; the sole Christmas decoration (the wreath in the far window). All the men are lounging ... this Burroughs . -tterrace] (The Gallery, Christmas, The Office) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/25/2016 - 8:02pm -

Oakland, California, circa 1920. "Offices of the Oakland Tribune." The premises of the late lamented newspaper (1874-2016) are now home to a bar, the Tribune Tavern. 8x10 glass negative by the Cheney Photo Advertising Co. View full size. Dipso-JournalismNot to perpetuate what is probably an urban myth, but I wonder how many years it will take for the Tribune Tavern to dispense as much alcohol as was consumed just during work hours by the stalwart hacks of this great paper during its run? So much to seeSo many intriguing items in this lovely chamber: the designs on the hanging lamps; the ornamentation visible as the eye rises up the columns and walls toward the ceiling; the man in the fedora leaning on the marble counter; the pigeon holes under the counter; the bald man, slightly blurry, looking forlorn, staring at the camera; the heavy book in front of him; the grim woman with downcast eyes working the machine on the threaded stand; the sole Christmas decoration (the wreath in the far window). All the men are lounging or motionless, while all the women are busy and working. What kind of machine is that?The lady in the aisle: is that an early adding machine or a ticker tape machine? I know that smart-rear ends Shorpians will be able to enlighten me. [An adding machine, possibly this Burroughs. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Christmas, The Office)
« first‹ prev…19 [20]21…next ›last »
Syndicate content  Shorpy.com is a vintage photography site featuring thousands of high-definition images. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago. Contact us | Privacy policy | Accessibility Statement | Site © 2024 Shorpy Inc.