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

Curiosity Shop: 1941
December 1941. "Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands. Along the main street." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Diamonds are a town's best friend I would be willing to bet that the building still exis ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/15/2019 - 12:07pm -

December 1941. "Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands. Along the main street." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Diamonds are a town's best friendI would be willing to bet that the building still exists as Charlotte Amalie preserves it's its colonial-style buildings and this style is everywhere there. Now, it probably houses an air-conditioned store selling duty-free diamonds and watches to the cruise ship crowd. So, in a way, it's still serving the same purpose: A store. (Oh and those shutters would now be bright blue like the picture here:) Webmaster: Thanks for correcting my "its" I know how bad grammar irks you and I'm ashamed to say I know better. :^) (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Stores & Markets)
Marcella Hart: 1943
... a wad of loose thread, used by the handful like a shop rag -- this is what she's holding in her right hand) and dipped in a light ... at sea 10 days before my birth in 1943. Just out of curiosity Oldtimer, what ship was your father serving on when he was lost? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 4:43pm -

April 1943. Clinton, Iowa. "Mrs. Marcella Hart, mother of three, employed as a wiper at the roundhouse. Chicago & North Western R.R." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Blue and RedWonderful photo! I imagine Jack Delano saying something like, "Just as you are, ma'am, that's fine. Yep, grease and all, that's what I'm after." and her saying "You can have the grease, but there ain't no way you're taking that picture till I've put on my lipstick." Our momOur mom was a wiper, too. But it was mainly on our cabooses. And on really bad days, she probably looked a little like the hardworking lady in the photo. Sans overalls, of course. Marcella's tickerI'll bet there's a railroad pocket watch in her upper right coverall pocket attached to the denim shoelace. Some things don't change.I work on diesel locomotives in the Morris Park yard of the Long Island RR. The steam engines are gone, as are the wipers, but we still get just as filthy! WipersOK, thanks "Our Mom" for the mental images - but what does a wiper do in a locomotive sense? Good Manicure TooDespite her hard, dirty job, Mrs. Hart still has beautifully lacquered nails. Reminds me of the landlady in the first reel of "Swing Shift," who, as her young tenants are putting up her blackout curtains for her after Pearl Harbor, finally finishes with her nail file and announces to the room, "Well, this is one American who's going to die with perfect nails!" Re: WipersA wiper was essentially a '"ube tech" and cleaner, they went around and filled oil reservoirs on bearing-boxes and various pivot points then knocked off accumulated road grime. The Wiper's JobThe wiper's job was to wipe down or clean the boiler jacket -- no mean task on a big, modern engine. This was done with a handful of "waste" (a leftover from the textile mills, it was basically a wad of loose thread, used by the handful like a shop rag -- this is what she's holding in her right hand) and dipped in a light oil or kerosene (the red can). Wipers might also clean headlight, reverse lamp and class/marker lights, cab glass, and sweep down the running boards to remove accumulations of cinders. May have even hosed down the deck of the cab during this busy time, although firemen usually took care of that chore. Wipers Wipeoff dirt, grease, and any other gunk that gets on the locomotive. Railroads worked hard to keep their equipment looking good. If a wiper was good, he/she could move up to oiler, and learn how the various bearings should be lubricated. My dad started out his careeras a "callboy" on the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1920s. Very few people in those days had telephones. He went door to door to wake up operating personnel, like locomotive engineers and firemen, to call them to work. The prerequisite for the callboy job: you had to have a bicycle! His dad, my grandfather, was a "hogger"(locomotive engineer) with the CPR. He retired circa 1950. My dad progressed to an engine wiper, apprenticed as a steamfitter and received his journeyman's papers in 1936. He served in the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve in WWII and went missing in action at sea 10 days before my birth in 1943. Just out of curiosityOldtimer, what ship was your father serving on when he was lost? This is my new nick here now, BrentMy father was serving on the HMCS Louisburg and Royal Canadian Naval Corvette of the Flower Class. They were on convoy duty running supplies and troops into North Africa for the campaign against Rommel. His ship was hit by an aerial torpedo and sunk very quickly. Being an "Engine Room Artificer" below decks, his chances of getting out alive were slim to none. Thanks for asking! http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/824.html (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Trade You for an iPod: 1979
... What did you think. tterrace: An Audio Odyssey Some curiosity has been expressed, so here goes: I got into reel tapes because of ... Back in the mid seventies I was a service teck at a HI FI shop, We were dealers for PL and Infinity. PL was the first high-power company ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 06/30/2010 - 12:43am -

It's a sobering thought that this accumulation of consumer audio gear, though approaching high-end levels but not all that esoteric for the period, may look as archaic to present-day eyes as those examples of enormous, steampunk-like telephone and radio contraptions we've see here on Shorpy. Maybe if it was all black enamel rather than brushed aluminum it wouldn't look so old-hat, er, I mean retro. Of all this stuff all I have left is the turntable; a visiting friend recently took out his cell phone and snapped a photo of it in action, then emailed it to his daughter. He said she'd never seen a record playing. Lest anyone think that some form of perverse, fetishistic self-absorbtion inspired this as well as Beam Me Up, I took these photos as a status update for a fellow audio and video enthusiast friend who had moved out of state sometime previously. A Kodachrome slide which, in keeping with the theme of nostalgic technological obsolescence, was processed by Fotomat. View full size. Ripping a CD --- 1,411 kbps>> my kids laugh when I tell them they should rip/download everything at 320 kbps for best available audio quality Top Geezer, if you're ripping a CD, for best audio quality you should simply copy the native .WAV files off the disc, which is 1411 kbps. There's a setting in iTunes to let you do this. I can't let go eitherI still have most of my LPs, though I did sell all I could part with when I moved from California. Still Have my Linn Axis Turntable, My Wharfedale Diamond speakers from 1983 are barely broken in, but my NAD receiver bit the dust just last week. All this is up in the library along with my Nikon FE and my Rolleicord Twin-lens reflex. I think I'll go cry now. Jewel case #1When did you get your first CD player, and what was the first CD you ever bought? What did you think. tterrace: An Audio OdysseySome curiosity has been expressed, so here goes: I got into reel tapes because of what I hated about LPs, primarily tracking-induced distortion, particularly inner-groove toward the disc center, the grab-bag aspect of pressing quality, and of course the ticks, pops and inexorable deterioration. I got out of reel tapes because of what I hated about them: hiss and inconvenience. Hiss* was mostly taken care of by Dolby encoding, but that came during the format's final death throes and then new releases totally dried up with the advent of the CD. My first was in 1985, and I have to say I haven't missed in the slightest all the things I hated about tapes and vinyl. Tapes all went when I moved into a place too small to house them. LPs lingered because I missed the window of disposal opportunity when they still had some value, plus I was lazy. What I've kept have either nostalgia value - what was around the house when I was a kid, and some of my own first purchases c.1962 - or things not yet on CD, plus the aforementioned quads. I have to admit that I retain a certain fondness for the ritualistic aspects of playing physical media, but were it not for inertia - physical as well as mental, both undoubtedly age-related - I'd probably jump whole hog into hard disc storage, computer-controlled access and data-stream acquisition. And I'm not totally ruling out the possibility of getting there yet. *Desire to suppress tape his was the main reason I chose the Phase Linear 4000 preamp with its auto-correlator noise reduction circuitry. It kind of worked, but not transparently; I could hear the hiss pumping in and out. But it also had an SQ quad decoder that I eventually took advantage of when it was discovered that the audio tracks of some recent films on laserdisc and videocassette carried, unbilled, Dolby Stereo matrix surround encoding. By adding another small amp and two more speakers in back I amazed friends with Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark in surround sound well before it became a home theater mainstay. BTW: my advice is to use the Apple Lossless Encoder when importing to iTunes if you want maximum quality. Like FLAC, it's a non-lossy compression scheme, so there's no quality difference vs. the CD original, and you use less hard disc space. The past is the future which is nowHa! I still have my Pioneer PL-400 turntable, the same one I've been spinning on for the past 30+ years. Would love to have a tube amp, but honestly I can't beat the convenience of my early 90s Sony digital receiver. Eight functions/inputs, of which I use seven. To wit: phono [for the PL-400]; AM-FM tuner [built-in]; CD [Kenwood CD player - I don't even use it anymore]; DAT [Tascam TC-222 - has in/out so I can burn directly from vinyl to CD - and what I use to play CDs]; cassette tape [again, Tascam TC-222], video 1 [Sony DVD/SACD player - US region only]; video 2 [cheapo all-region DVD player]; and video three [MacBook or iPod]. My dad was an engineer for Motorola, and a ham radio and audio geek so I come by it honestly [thanks, Dad!] What I would give to have the reel-to-reel deck from our old living room! My kids are mp3 only, they think me a dinosaur, and laugh when I tell them they should rip/download everything at 320 kbps for best available audio quality. "It doesn't matter!" they say. I've worked in the independent record biz for 25+ years, and yes, it DOES matter. And only a house full of vinyl to show for it. The weirdest thing to me is the cassette revival these days. And some are doing it right, producing beautiful sounding reel-to-reel cassettes - metal reels, chrome tape, screwed plastic shells. Anyhow....not bragging or anything, just wanted to share. What a great photo and post! Thank you! Re: RippageThanx, Anonymous Tipster. I've looked in the preferences on my MacBook and found the import settings for WAV files, but I'm stalled there. What next? Also, the whole system comes out through Bose 2.2 monitors set into the corners of my plaster-walled living room. Turns the whole thing into one giant speakerbox. My friends are always amazed at how the vinyl sounds, esp live recordings. Once again, thanx to Dad. He gave me the monitors for my 25th birthday many, many years ago. How I miss him. [Anonymous Tipster notes that this is a setting in iTunes. So open iTunes. Preferences > General > Import Settings. Choose "Import using WAV Encoder." - Dave] My roommate had the "good stuff"We still listen to my Pioneer SX-780 receiver and my wife's Yamaha CR-420 receiver (both mid-70s) every day... mostly to NPR radio. The Pioneer also has my HDTV audio running through it in the living room. (I'm too broke for surround-sound, yet.) And with the help of an Apple Airport next to the computer in the other room and an Airport Extreme next to the Pioneer, we can stream our iTunes library all over the house. I can't argue with the true audiophiles here... the highest fidelity is lost on me these days (I'm wearing hearing aids, now). But ya can't beat the convenience factor of iTunes and a classic iPod for the sheer volume of songs you can have at your immediate access, not to mention building playlists or randomizing them--and it's all portable! But back to the past... As for turntable cartridges, my old roommate and I were always partial to the Stanton 681-EEE. We used those at the album-rock radio station where I DJ'ed (1975-78); they were practically industry-standard. They would set you back a couple of bucks, and maybe they were better than the turntable we had them in at home. But they made everything sound really great. It was my roommate, though, who had the Good Stuff. Top-of-the-line Pioneer gear, separate amp and tuner and a Teac 3340S R2R that used 10-inch reels. My tape deck was one of those unusual, slant-faced Sony TC-377 decks. Between the radio station and my roommate and all my friends "in the biz", I always had access to really great gear. Sadly, it usually wasn't mine. But I still have a ton of vinyl. Gimme that Old (High) School AudioYou know what I really, really, really miss about old-school electronic gear? Functions that had dedicated control switches or knobs, rather than being buried down several layers within one of an array of menus. Also, instantaneous response to switching or adjustments rather than digitalus interruptus, now made worse by HDMI wait-for-a-handshake. Dave: you are my hero. Very nice!I come from a long line of audiophiles, so even though I was only born in 1974, that all looks very familiar. Our setup was very similar, but we also had an 8-track. My current stereo setup has a fine-quality Dual record player I inherited from my grandfather. Just this morning, my 6-year-old daughter did a convincing boogie to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. She will totally grow up knowing the sound you hear when the needle first hits the vinyl, what we call the "crisp." And I have to agree with an earlier poster -- that totally looks like a modern photograph. How strange! StyliShure V15 Type V replacement stylus (Swiss) on eBay. [A few years ago I went to the local Circuit City (remember those?) and said I needed a new needle for my record player. The kid gave me a look like I'd asked where they kept the Victrola cranks. Finally the manager found one "in back." - Dave] MagnavoxWe were Magnavox Dealers for many years. They had one great feature, they were price-fixed. It was one of the few lines we carried that allowed us a full markup. Magnavox didn't have to police the sales pricing, we dealers ratted each other out if they were discounting. Now Magnavox is just another has-been brand (like Bell & Howell, Westinghouse or Sylvania) that can be licensed to put on any product. It shows up every once in a while on a promotional brand LCD TV or compact stereo system. Incidentally, tterrace, too bad you didn't live in Manhattan, you would have been one hell of a good customer. Love this stuffI started collecting vinyl in the mid to late 90s. It never really went away but now it's really picked up. There is hardly a major label release that isn't offered on vinyl. They are also reissuing classics as fast as the presses can make them. I bought my neighbor a turntable last year. He's now a more avid collector than I am. The real trick is keeping the vinyl clean at all times. I made a vacuum cleaning machine out of an old turntable. It does a fantastic job reviving dirty records. After they are cleaned, I slide them into a new anti-static inner sleeve. I use an anti-static brush to remove dust before each play. That removes a huge amount of surface noise. Cleaning the stylus is also important. To me, it's hard to beat the magic of a vacuum tube amplifier. I built my stereo amp from a kit about 9 years ago. You can build almost anything yourself with the kits being offered today. I build copies of classic vacuum tube guitar amps as well. I basically supply friends in local bands with free amps since I don't play guitar. It's a great hobby and soldering is a useful skill. There is just something about vinyl and do-it-yourself audio that gets you involved with the music. It makes it so much more personal. Those were the daysI used to have some stuff like that, and JBL L-100 speakers. Nowadays all that sound is still around, just smaller and in the car instead of the living room. Age vs. DolbyI don't have to worry about Dolby hiss anymore because my tinnitus is bad enough to where I hear the hiss in a silent room. I never went through a proper audiophile period mostly because I didn't have the money, but also because I never had a place where I could really put it to use until it was a bit too late. I still have my turntable but, like everyone else's, it needs a new cartridge; and the place where the stereo sits now has way too springy a floor (you can skip a CD by treading too heavily, much less an LP). These days the stereo spends most of its time being the sound system for the DVD player. My father went through his audiophile period in the fifties, and for a long time his system consisted of a tube amp whose provenance I do not recall, a massive transcription turntable and tone arm, and a home-built Altec cabinet with a 36 in. speaker (it was the '50s-- what's a crossover?). The speaker magnet weighed something like twenty pounds; the whole thing was the size of an end table. His hearing has gotten much worse than mine so he has been spared further temptation. Weird but trueAddendum - my PL-400 has two speeds - 45 and 33. What do you get when you add them together? 78. If I hold the speed button halfway down between 45 and 33, it spins at 78 rpm! I use a C-clamp to hold the button between the two and spin my 78s and have burned many of them to CD to rip into my MacBook. My 78s are now portable on my iPod. How cool is that? Phase Linear and Infinity Mon IIasBack in the mid seventies I was a service teck at a HI FI shop, We were dealers for PL and Infinity. PL was the first high-power company out there. I fixed lots of 400s (200s 200b 700s and Series 2, too). The larger Infinity speakers needed lots of power to drive. The 400 was up to it, but the crossovers in the Infinitys were very hard on the amps. The PL "turn-on thump" wasn't very compatible with the speakers. The auto-correlator in the preamp took away lots of hiss and noise, but also took away the soundstage. Plenty of tricks out there to "sweeten" up the sound of the 400, but not too many lived long enough. ELO ("Lucky Man") and Supertramp ("Crime of the Century") helped us sell lots of PL and Infinitys! I still own a pair of Mon IIas, have a few friends that still have theirs. Mon Jrs too! On another note, it was common to find audio nuts who were also camera crazy! Never seen a record playing??Tterrace, I hope your friend's daughter catches up with the times. Vinyl is in style again. Just today I went shopping with some friends and we bought a total of 35 LPs. It's smelling mighty technical in hereWAV? On a Mac? Phf. (AIFF is the native uncompressed format on Mac.) If you don't have space concerns, use Apple Lossless format, which is about half the size of AIFF or WAV. But really, 320 mp3 or AAC should be more than good enough for kids listening on an iPod. Considering how all the pop stuff these days (if that's what they're into) is so compressed (aurally, not bitwise) and saturated, it already sounds bad on the CD, so why waste the space ripping it at a high bit rate? [Lots of us (yours truly among them) are moving their CD collections onto hard drives or dedicated music servers. The .wav format has several advantages. - Dave] The most common WAV format contains uncompressed audio in the linear pulse code modulation (LPCM) format. The standard audio file format for CDs is LPCM-encoded, containing two channels of 44,100 samples per second, 16 bits per sample. Since LPCM uses an uncompressed storage method which keeps all the samples of an audio track, professional users or audio experts may use the WAV format for maximum audio quality. WAV audio can also be edited and manipulated with relative ease using software. AIFF is also PCM in its uncompressed forms. And since "top geezer" specifically mentioned he's using a Mac, it only makes sense to use a format that was made for and will work better on a Mac. That'd be AIFF or Apple Lossless if he wants something without the [possible] audible colorings of mp3, AAC, or compressed WAV. Zero historyI recently finished reading the galley of the new William Gibson book, "Zero History." As with several of his earlier books (and about half of Pixar's films), it concerns itself with the relationship between humans and the things we create. We make clothes and stereos and computers, but then we define ourselves by these things as well, so which is really central -- us, or our things? Zero History raised an interesting point about patina, in that some things become more valuable if they show signs of use and others are more valuable if they are mint in box. A stereo system, I think, would fall into the latter category. Anyway, that's an eye-catching setup. Thanks as always for sharing. Questions, questionsRetro-audiophile lust! 1. Brands and model numbers please. 2. Where's your Elcaset deck? Ray GunI also have a nifty little anti-static-electron-spewing sparky gun, pictured to the right side of your "record player". http://www.tweakshop.com/Zerostat.html I BetBet your turntable plays 78s and 16s as well as 45s and 33s. I have a cheap Garrard changer of about the same vintage that does all four... which came in rather handy when I started picking up 78s at the local Symphony's book and music sale a few years ago. Oh, OKNever had an Elcaset deck, nor 8-track. I do still have a MiniDisc deck, though. Shelf-by-shelf going down: Technics SL-1300 direct-drive turntable w/Shure V15 Type V cartridge; ZeroStat and Discwasher. Phase Linear 4000 preamp; 10-band graphic equalizer whose details escape me for the nonce. Concord outboard Dolby unit atop Pioneer RT-707 reel-to-reel tape deck. Kenwood KX-1030 cassette deck. Phase Linear 400 power amp. Not shown: Infinity Monitors with the easy-to-blow-out Walsh tweeters. Somebody tell me how to get a replacement stylus for the V15 Type V. FashionsInteresting though that you -- the clothes and hair -- would fit in just fine today. Men's clothes haven't changed much in 30 years. Sure there's newer styles, such as the stupid "falling down pants" with underwear hanging out and such, but the newer styles haven't replaced the old standbys. We tend to think of fashions of the past lasting for a long time, but if you look at any 30 year time period in the pictures on Shorpy you'll see that the fashions change drastically. All in all, the picture looks like it could have been a picture of vintage equipment taken yesterday. Living it old schoolThe system here in my studio: Pioneer RT-909 open reel (10") Pioneer RT-707 open reel (7") Pioneer PL-530 turntable Pioneer CT-F1000 cassette deck Pioneer SX-727 receiver Elac/Miracord 10-H (turntable for 78s) Tascam 106 mixer Tascam 112 cassette deck Sharp MD-R3 cd/minidisc Kenwood KR-A4040 reciever TEAC X-3 Mk II open reel (7") TEAC X-10R open reel (10") Otari MX-5050 (open reel (10") KLH Model Six speakers Infinity RS-2000 speakers iPod 60gig (first generation) Let me do some mind reading.The Fotomat you took your film to was in the parking lot of Co-op shopping center in Corte Madera. Your stereo equipment was bought at Pacific Stereo in San Rafael. Or was it that high end place down at the Strawberry Shopping Center? All very cool looking stuff. I have just broken into my old gear I bought back around 1975 at P.S. I'm currently listening to some old LPs that were my grandmother's. It's fun, and they do sound better than CDs. As far as the stylus goes, check around online. There is quite a bit of interest and information about this hobby. Reel to reelI remember when "logic" was advertised as a technological breakthrough. I'm old. Call me old schoolAll I need is a vintage Voice of Music turntable to fit in my restored 1950 Magnavox cabinet model 477P radio/record player. It never had the TV option installed so I put in an inexpensive small TV from Wally World, the cable box and wireless gear. www.tvhistory.tv/1950-Magnavox-Brochure3.JPG I have the Contemporary in mahogany. Mice had been living on the original turntable. Construction of the cabinet is first rate. Sorry for drooling into your gearI always liked those Pioneer reel-to-reel decks, but still lust for a Teac. Nice Phase Linear stuff there. That's maybe an MXR EQ? Tiny, stiff sliders with rubber "knobs"? And a slide-out shelf for the turntable? But I think the real star here is the cabinet on the right with the neato doors. Jogging the tterrace memory banksThank you sjmills, that was indeed an MXR equalizer, and exactly as you described it. I eventually connected it with mega-long cables so I could fiddle with it endlessly while sitting in my acoustic sweet spot. What's under the turntable is actually an Acousti-mount, a spring-footed platform designed to minimize low-frequency feedback from the speakers. I still use it. The outfit that made it, Netronics Research & Development, is still in business I see. The smaller cabinet at right was actually my first audio equipment cabinet; my folks got it for me c.1964. It was originally designed as a piece of bedroom furniture, and was solid wood, unlike the later composition-board larger one. And rgraham, that's where the Fotomat was, and some gear did come from Pacific Stereo in SR, but the Phase Linears were beyond them; they came from some higher-end Marin place I've forgotten about. The turntable plays only plays at 33 & 45. My online searches for replacement Shure V-15 styli usually only turn up outrageously expensive new old stock or alleged compatibles whose descriptions give me the willies. Just within the past couple months my LP collection has shrunk from around 18 down to 4 linear feet. Tape squealWow, I was born the year this was taken, and when I was growing up we had one of those cassette players on the second-from-the-bottom shelf. At least, it looks very similar to what I remember. I hated it, though, in its later years while playing tapes it would randomly emit an extremely high-pitched, screeching, squealing noise. My parents couldn't hear it so one night when my dad put in a tape and it started squealing, he didn't believe that there was any and just thought I was covering my ears and begging for it to be turned off because I hated the music, until my brother came downstairs and asked what that screeching noise was. Gonna have to show this to the husbandHe will genuflect, then get a certain far-away look in his eyes. Shelli Is that a static gun?Just bellow his right hand in the background.... a static gun for zapping away the snap-crackle-pop static before placing the vinyl record on the turntable. That WAS state of the art! High School Hi-FiI will confess to still having my high-school stereo. Akai tape deck, Pioneer amp and tuner from 1977-78. The last of which I have duplicated (triplicated? Thanks, eBay) for Shorpy headquarters. Also some Sony ES series DAT decks and CD players. Acoustic Research speakers. Squirreled away in a closet, my dad's 1961 Fisher amp and tuner (vacuum tubes). Sold on eBay: Dad's early 1960s Empire Troubadour turntable. (Regrets, I've had a few.) AnalogueryNo way would I trade old analog gear for an iPod. Any good audiophile will take vinyl or a good analog source over the compressed, squashed and mastered with no dynamics file formats that iPods handle. I'm convinced that audio (recording techniques and gear) peaked in the '70s and '80s. While we have some pretty impressive gear available in this day and age, I've got some vintage gear that sounds pretty good yet and is arguably better than some more clinical sounding stuff made today. Vinyl is back as well. Local record stores are now stocking more and more vinyl. Consumer electronic shows are full of brand new turntables and phono preamps. I would love to have that Phase Linear stuff in my audio racks! Great shot. We've come a long way.But wasn't all that stuff cool? I happen to love the before MTV days when listening to tunes was a great way to relax and reflect. I think music was better too, but then I'm showing my age! I've got that same turntable.When I dug it out of the closet a few years back and needed a tune-up, I discovered I lived just a few blocks from what may be the last store of its kind. He'll have your stylus. No website and he deals in cash only -- pretty much the same set-up for the last 60 years. J and S Phonograph Needles 1028 NE 65th St Seattle WA 98115 (206) 524-2933 His LordshipI cannot read the text, or clearly recognize the person, on whatever is located to the right of the reel to reel unit but, the person looks a little bit like Lord Buckley. Heavy Metal n Hot WaxI still have about 500 pounds of old Ampex and Marantz gear, and over a thousand vintage and new vinyl sides. Sold that stuff in the 70s and worked for a recording studio in the 80s. Always a trip to give the old tunes a spin on the old gear. With DBX decoding some of those old discs can give CDs a run for the money as far as dynamic range goes. But to say any of that sounds better than current gear is wishful thinking (remember the dreaded inside track on a vinyl LP?). Most any reasonably good, digitally sourced 5.1 setup with modern speakers will blow it away. Those were the daysThis brings back memories of dorm rooms in 1978. First thing unpacked at the beginning of the year was the stereo equipment. Last thing packed at the end of the year was the stereo equipment. Love the brushed denim jeans. I only had them in blue. Back in the DayNothing could beat the sound that jumped off the turntable the first time a brand new LP was played. Electrifying! No tuner?Ah, the days of audio purity. Am I missing the tuner, or were you a holdout for the best-quality sound, no FM need apply? Great to see that stack of equipment. I'm still using my Sony STC-7000 tuner-preamp from 1975; it doesn't have all the controls of your Phase Linear, but just handling it takes me back to the good old days. Tx for the pic! R2RI grew up in a household like this, and the reel-to-reel was my father's pride and joy. But can anyone name the recording propped up next to it? It looks like Eugene Ormandy of the Philadelphia Orchestra, except for the unbuttoned collar. Vinyl's FinalI've never been without a turntable. Currently, I have a Rega Planar 3 with a Pickering XV15-1200E cartridge. Bought my first LP in 1956 and I'm still buying new ones. My receiver/amp is a Fisher 500B, a vacuum tube gem. My speakers are highly efficient Klipsch 5.5s, which are great sounding "monkey coffins." I've a Panasonic CD player and Pioneer Cassette deck for playback of those obsolete formats. Further audio responseNext to the reel deck is the box for a London/Ampex pre-recorded tape, conductor Antal Dorati on the cover; can't remember other details. No tuner, as FM audio had too many compromises for my taste. I had a receiver in the video setup for FM simulcasts (remember them?), plus I ran the regular TV audio through it to a pair of small AR bookshelf speakers. In defense of the iPod (which I use for portable listening - Sennheiser PX-100 headphones, wonderful - and did you know Dr. Sennheiser died just last month?), it can handle uncompressed audio files just fine, plus Apple's lossless compressed format, so you're not restricted to mp3s or AAC. For what I use it for, AAC is perfectly OK, and to be honest, my ears aren't what they used to be anyway. Still, for serious listening I plop down in the living room and put on a CD or SACD, or some of my remaining vinyl. Among other LPs I saved all the matrixed Quad (SQ and QS format) which Dolby ProLogic II does a reasonable job of decoding. Finally, thanks to everybody for the hints about the Shure stylus replacements, I'll check those out. Snobs!You guys and your fancy stereos. Here's mine from back in the 70s. Tuner and speakers were Pioneer I think. No idea about the turntable. Don't ya love the rabbit ears and the cord leading to the swag lamp? And of course the whole thing sat on a "cabinet" made of bricks and boards. Is that you, Arturo?Perhaps the 7-track box cover is showing Arturo Toscanini conducting a Casual Friday concert? Never saw it comingSo the future is here already? This story is both sad and frightening. Now I can't sleep without the lights on. Two-and-a-half questions: Didn't your PL 400 get a little toasty under that shelf, pushed up against the side? Did you have LPs up on the top shelf like that in October of '89? And, if so, did they stay there? That is (was) some nice gear. I'm tearing up just a little. DoratiThe tape is a 1975 recording of Antal Dorati conducting the National Symphony Orchestra in three works by Tchaikovsky. I knew I had it on LP at one time, but I had to resort to ebay to identify it. Vinyl livesWe still have a couple hundred LPs stored carefully in the garage (don't worry, they're safe from damage!). A few years ago, we had a yard sale and had the garage open but roped off. I had one guy nearly foaming at the mouth when he saw our collection. I nearly had to physically restrain him from going in and grabbing everything! We also have an turntable that's about two years old. No, it's not top of the line, but my teenage sons LOVE the silly thing and DS#2 just bought a NEW Metallica LP! He plays the *&$%## thing when he's doing the dishes. I sound like my mom: "Turn that racket down!" The PlattersThere were around 2½ million vinyl albums sold last year in the United States, which would account for 1.3 percent of music track sales. So basically it's a novelty format, like dial telephones. IncredibleMy father had everything you have in this picture, and it brings back some incredible memories I had as a child of the 70's. 1970's Man Cave!This guy had it going on. Reel too realSold off the last of my old stereo gear (nothing too impressive) at this year's neighborhood garage sale, but I've got that same Pioneer deck sitting next to me right now. Recent craigslist purchase, necessary to digitize some of my "historic" airchecks I've been lugging around for the last 40 years. Funny, I wasn't nearly as good as I remember but it is nice to have a piece of gear I always wanted! Hi-Fi FarkAs night follows day, so Farkification follows tterrace. Not to mention j-walkblog. Love the systemReally nice system. We have seven Telefunken consoles of different sizes and styles that we really enjoy. Nothing sounds as nice as vinyl played through those 11 tubes, and the quality of a stereo that cost the price of a new VW back in 1958 is as good as you'd expect. Enjoy these "artifacts," since they (in my opinion) outperform even a new high-end Bose, Kenwood or other system. Vinyl, Shellac, and Garage Sales Rock!I got back into vinyl (and shellac) about 5 years ago. There was a tiny hole-in-the-wall used high-end audio shop in my area where I got a gently used Technics 1200 series TT for $250. Got a 30+year-old Sure V15III cart and new stylus for a lot of money, about $175! I haven't looked back 3,000 LPs later, and if you've had a garage sale in SW Michigan, you've probably seen my happy face at some point! :-) Love having the artifacts in my basement, and love making MP3s out of them even more for portability. Living in the present does indeed rock sometimes. I can't remember the last time I purchased a CD... (Sadly, Bill's Sound Center closed when they demolished the whole place for a snazzy Main St. Pub.) Nostalgia never goes awayI'm not a technophile, but I know what I like...I'm going to go into the living room right now and fire up some Louis Prima on my old Benjamin Miracord turntable! Recovering Open Reel FanaticBack in the late '70s through sometime in the early '80s you could still get current-issue prerecorded open-reel tapes. Probably very few folks were paying attention, but YES for a SINGLE PENNY you could get a dozen of them when starting your brand-new membership with ... (shudder) Columbia House. It wasn't long before they stopped offering open-reel for all their titles, but the ones in the advertisements were available in any format, and I still have the ones I got early on, and some of the automatic monthly selections. (Damn they are heavy, too. Like a box of iron filings.) Somewhere around here I have Steely Dan and ELO albums on open-reel tape. It became hard finding things I wanted to listen to, though, so I had to finish out my membership agreement by getting some LPs, and that's about the time I started to realize the things from the club looked OK but were made of inferior materials and did not always sound quite right. But of course I was about fifteen years old and it was an educational experience. It took me a few more years to get over my fascination with open reel decks, but I still have two corroding in the garage. Anyone remembertape deck specs for "wow and flutter"? Vinyl - jazz and bluesI still have the bulk of my jazz and blues vinyl collection, though I did unload some of it. Had to buy a new amp last month to play them after my old one gave up after at least 25 year service. Got a Cambridge Topaz AM1, not very pricey but does the job. Muddy Waters and Thelonious Monk rule! Am I actually this old?This was stuff I longed for in the '70s, but never managed to afford. To me it still feels semi-contemporary and definitely impressive. BTW, is the very concept of high fidelity now as out of date as this old hi-fi equipment? Judging from the execrable audio I've heard coming out of a series of cell phones I've owned over the last decade, I'm beginning to think that the basic ability to notice audio distortion may have been lost as interest in hi-fi was lost. Reel-to-reel had an advantageOne could copy whole albums, and the length was for hours. In the late 80's, I knew some serious audiophiles who had Carver CD players, Nakamichi cassette players, and reel-to-reel players, on which they'd store hours of jazz music. Turntable MemoryMy buddy and I have been mobile DJ's for close to 30 years. Back in the days of lugging three large boxes of LP's and 4 heavy boxes of 45's, sometimes up flights of stairs, and index cards for looking up song location, we had two QRK turntables we got from the radio station where my friend worked. One evening we were on the upper level of a hall with a very spungy floor. We didn't realize how much the floor would move until we started a polka and the dance floor filled with people. A few moments later the record skipped and we realized that we were bouncing, a lot. We grabbed a few quarters out of our pockets and put them on the tone arm, and then both of us pressed down with all our might to keep our stand from moving. We were very, very afraid to play anything uptempo. I still have a turntable, a bunch of vinyl, and a Teac open reel deck. I'm converting some shows I did many years ago to digital. (ShorpyBlog, Technology, Member Gallery, Farked, tterrapix)
Miracle Ham: 1941
... Of Radios? The sign in the lower left has aroused my curiosity - RADIOS INSPECTED FREE. I was born in 1943 and I have never ... broken and doesn't work is why. That's a radio repair shop. - Dave] Cars The coupe in front of the '37-'38 Buick is a '37 or ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/25/2018 - 10:29am -

April 1941. "South Side Chicago, 47th Street (Bronzeville)." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pretty New CarsFacing us far left is a 1940 Mercury (first year); closer behind the truck is '40 Chevrolet; at the curb on the opposite side is a '39 Ford Tudor behind a '37 or '38 Buick; farther down that side ahead of the coupe at an angle is another '39 Ford. Always surprises me how often the '38, '39, '40 Fords show up in these pics. Spiritual Parochial school luncheonA Miracle Ham sandwich with Miracle Whip on Wonder Bread and for dessert, Heavenly Hash with Angelfood cake. Of course, if it is on a Friday, the sandwich would be Holy Mackerel. (no meat on Fridays for Catholics in 1941) and don't forget to say Grace before your meal. 47th St & Indiana AveIn the novel "Native Son," this corner was the location of Ernie's Kitchen Shack, where Bigger takes Mary and Jan, who want to see an authentic place "where colored people eat". The book (released in the spring of 1940) revolves around the neighborhood where Russell Lee was photographing in 1941. If we continue walking towards the L, we will find the shoeshine we met a while ago on Shorpy. Miracle on 47th StreetI wonder what is "Miracle" about the ham. That it was pre-cooked? Inspector Of Radios?The sign in the lower left has aroused my curiosity - RADIOS INSPECTED FREE. I was born in 1943 and I have never before seen such a sign. Why, in 1941, would a radio have a need to become inspected? [It's broken and doesn't work is why. That's a radio repair shop. - Dave] CarsThe coupe in front of the '37-'38 Buick is a '37 or '38 Chevy and the Mercury on the far left is a 1939, the first year for the marque. Shiny Nash?I believe the very shiny car, either new or freshly waxed, parked at the curb facing the camera in the bottom of the frame is a 1939 Nash sedan. The squared-off headlights seemed to be a trend for a couple of car manufacturers that year. I am struck by how much the scene resembles the area in the movie "The Sting" where Robert Redford's character Johnny Hooker rented a room, right down to the lunch counter on the corner. Not much left of this viewYou can see 119 on a sign across 47th, and the street crossing appears to be Indiana (better seen on the LOC image), today the view on E 47th looking east toward South Indiana looks like this: In both viewsIn the modern street view, the old building a block away just to the left of the light pole can be seen - just the top of it - in the old view, but it is quite apparently the same building still there. Amazing how much is gone from the new view - I wonder when it was torn down. Old buildingsThough extensively changed, the row of stores across the street (where is now a vacant lot) was still there until at least 2014; the Packing Town Market building with its entry columns is still identifiable from them. Also on Shorpy ...The photo was taken from the roof above William Green's Electrical Appliances shop as seen at Mr. Radio: 1942 and Tommy Dorsey: 1942. (The Gallery, Chicago, Russell Lee, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Hancock's: 1914
"Hancock's, the Old Curiosity Shop, 1234 Pennsylvania Avenue," probably around 1914, the final year of its ... known as Hancock's Tavern today it is Hancock's, the Old Curiosity Shop, at 1234 Pennsylvania avenue. Abounding in the memories of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 7:11pm -

"Hancock's, the Old Curiosity Shop, 1234 Pennsylvania Avenue," probably around 1914, the final year of its existence. The restaurant, the Washington Post reported in 1927, "was noted particularly for two things -- its cocktails and its fried chicken." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. MonogramNote the letter H made with shingles between the upper windows. Holy Gutta-percha!Did Larry, Moe and Curly wire that joint? Makes SenseIt stands to reason if they sold a lot of fried chicken there would be a lot of "cocktails" lying around. Get it? Chicken, cocktails? Ahhahahaha! Happy Holiday, Shorpyites. Hancock's Tavern Washington Post, Aug 30. 1914 Hancock's To Close Famous Pennsylvania Avenue Tavern is 74 Years Old Washington is about to lose a landmark, which dates to the time when it was more properly the Capitol than the Capital, its few streets more muddy roads, its present parks nothing more than swamps or forests. In the days of Clay, Webster, and Calhoun this historic place was known as Hancock's Tavern today it is Hancock's, the Old Curiosity Shop, at 1234 Pennsylvania avenue. Abounding in the memories of great men, the passage of epochal events, and the infancy of Washington, Hancock's, in the seventy-fourth year of its existence, soon will close its doors and put up the shutters. Owned by Three Generations Andrew Hancock, whose grandson of the same name is the proprietor now, founded a tavern in 1840 a what was then the western extremity of Pennsylvania avenue proper. It soon became a rendezvous for the ante-bellum statesmen. It is said that many a speech which was acclaimed on the floor of the House or Senate had its inception at this meeting place of the legislators. Tales are told of the oratorical dissertations of Daniel Webster, the sallies of Henry Clay, and the fiery eloquence of John Calhoun, which where heard under the old roof by patrons of the tavern long since dead, who related the stories to the younger generation, now gray themselves. Old Traditions Upheld With the growth of the village into a city Hancock's began to assume a look of age. The original site was never changed, nor any efforts made to enlarge or modernize the building. Carefully guarded recipes for the beverages which were enjoyed in the fifties have always been preserved, and connoisseurs have pleaded in vain for the secrets of the entrancing brews mixed out of sight and dispensed by solemn servitors with a reverent hand. Their fame and that their birthplace spread throughout the land, and no traveler was said to have seen Washington until he had seen Hancock's Fine Collection of Curios A collection of curios dating back to the foundation of the tavern lends it additional quaintness. Relics which a museum might envy deck its faded walls and musty cabinets. There are numerous letters and appointments signed by the hand of Washington, arms of 100 years ago, clothing worn by great men, a veritable history of long-past times and manners. What will become of these when Hancock's closes is not known. The license not having been renewed with the excise board for the coming year. Hancock's has but two months more to exist in its present form. Its memories of three generations will pass away with it: its ancient walls, stripped of their venerable relics, will mark progress and decadence of all things old. Attempted murder! Poison!"Mary Richardson, a colored domestic in E. Heidenheimer's family, Washington, was arrested, Monday night, charged with attempting to poison Mrs. Heidenheimer. At breakfast Mrs. Heidenheimer noticed a strange taste in the coffee. An analysis showed that the cup contained six grains of oxallic acid. NY Morning Herald, August 20[?],1880 http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper%202/Utica%20NY%20Morning%20Herald/Uti... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalic_acid Not too poisonous, then. One wonders what's the story behind this short notice. Was it the final attempt of a tormented soul (i.e. Mary) to rid herself of her tormentor (i.e. Mrs. Heidenheimer)? Was Mrs. Heidenheimer a vicious old bat who harassed the domestics or just a forgetful old bat who confused the bleaching powder with sugar? I will try to find out more. First-Class Drinks There is a small, modest-looking bar on Pennsylvania avenue, in Washington, where the best first-class drinks are to be had. Hancock's bar is entered with respect, and is a place of pilgrimage for certain members of Congress, because of the number of their predecessors who come there to seek inspiration for their eloquence. Right around the long room, narrow and dark, historic souvenirs tell of the past glories of Hancock's: autographs of Washington and of Jefferson, old hats, rusty swords, which formerly belonged to different famous citizens of the Union — quite a museum of bric-a-brac is found in that bar. Hancock's is a sort of National monument for some Americans, while for others it is only a disreputable place. American Life By Paul de Rousiers Translated by Andrew John Herbertson 1892, Firmin-Didot & Co. Another famous place, long a favorite resort of public men, is Hancock's, on Pennsylvania Avenue near Thirteenth Street. It is called "the old curiosity shop" for the reason that it contains within its contracted space thousands of unique relics. The dark and dingy walls are covered with curious objects. But these are not all that gives interest to the place. At its bar one can get an old-fashioned Southern mint julep made to suit the "queen's taste" and it is said to be the only place in Washington where this drink properly prepared can be procured. In the rear of the saloon there are two rooms where an old colored Aunty prepares a Southern supper for the guest. This supper consists of old-fashioned fried chicken with cream gravy, hoe cakes, fried potatoes and coffee. Voorhees, Vest, Holman, Beck, Edmunds, Kerr, Cameron, Curtin, Gresham, Sickles, Cummings, Laird and many others used to go there when they wanted to get "something good and fit to eat." Many of the noted men still go there for a julep or a supper in preference to the stately New Willard with its mahogany tables, luxurious appointments and ten thousand per annum "chef," only one square away. Twenty Years in the Press Gallery By Orlando Oscar Stealey 1906, Publishers Printing Company Monogram?My eyes aren't what they used to be but I sure don't see any monogram "H" between the upper windows. [It's where hexagons have been replaced by squares. - Dave] Notorious PatronIn addition to great legislators (Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John Calhoun), Hancock's had its notorious patrons as well. During this period he [John Wilkes Booth] seemed to have been occasionally absent from town, but we frequently met and strolled on the Avenue, usually dropping into Hancock's. The old man, "Uncle Andrew," was then in the prime of his genial old age, and his mulatto assistant, "Dick," was justly celebrated for his ministrations to the convivial frequenters of this unique old curiosity shop. Recollections of Lincoln's Assassination by Seaton Munroe in the The North American Review edited by Lloyd Bryce 1896, O. Everett, publishers "Appetizers"From the early days of Prohibition comes this anonymous newspaperman's ode the the watering holes of Pennsylvania Avenue -- Gerstenberg's, Shoomaker's and of course Hancock's. Excerpt below. Washington Post, July 31, 1921. Ghosts of Jovial Days Recalled; When Avenue Was Long Trail Nectars Fit for Gods to Quaff and Viands Than Which Olympus Had None Better Are Fading Memories Now — Historic Places in Which Wits and Nation's Leaders Foregathered Described by One Who Saw Them Before They Went Down and Out. Pennsylvania avenue once was a long, long trail. In those days it began at the corner of Fifteenth street, where Bob Murphy ran the Regent, but, more properly, it started at the corner of Fourteenth street, just over on the south side of the hill, where E street runs into the Mall and where Dennis Mullany ran his little old shebeen. There it started. Where it ended — well, that's another story, but there was always a line of sea-going hacks up on the west end of the thoroughfare ready and willing to hit the high spots with anybody, anything or any group that wanted to go — anywhere. They called it the Street of Magnificent Distances, because the distances between places were as perfect in proportion as if they had been laid out by Ganymedes, the cup bearer of the gods ... Hancock's the Next Step. A sort of a tack, like a sailing vessel takes when the wind is coming from the leeward, brought the casual stroller to 1234 Pennsylvania avenue — Hancock's! Who, fortunate enough to be living then, will ever forget Hancock's? There is where the chicken dinners were served as only the old-time Virginia cooks could serve them. The major domo was on duty as you entered, standing behind the funny little bar, the bar with the brass slots in its bosom, as if it had at one time been used as a slot machine before modern slot machines were invented, but the slots constituted a sort of cash register where the major domo deposited the money he received for the drinks. Yes, there were drinks served in Hancock's. Appetizers, they were called, and while they were being consumed and the next round ordered, some member of the party, if there were a party, or the single visitor, if such he happened to be, stepped to the door of the little back room and ordered the dinner. "Yas-sah!" the old negro always said. "Yas-sah, yo' dinnah will be surved, suh, in a ver' short while." A Real Chicken Dinner. And when it was served! Wad the power some one would gie us to go over again the bare outlines of that dinner — chicken, fried, sizzling hot, with corn cakes on the platter, all the other delights that went with it and a great pitcher of beer standing out there in the middle of the table — a cut glass pitcher that would inspire a Sargent, a Whistler or any other great American artist to do his darndest — with the pitcher or with the beer. They always liked to serve the beer in pitchers at Hancock's when the guests had assembled around the tables and the chicken had been done to a turn. Hancock's Bites the DustBetween the closing of Hancock's in 1914 and the building's demolition in 1931, the address housed a number of businesses, the first of which was Cunningham Plumbing Supply. Washington Post, August 16, 1931. Hancock's Once Famous Resort Bites Dust Before Modern Progress Structure in Triangle Is Claimed by Wreckers for Uncle Sam. By Chas. A. Hamilton In the early summer of 1893, at the beginning of President Cleveland's second term, a large party of British journalists visited Washington on their way to Chicago to see the glories of America as depicted in the Columbian Exposition. These gentlemen were taken in tow by members of the National Capital Press Club, who piloted them to the White House, introduced them to members of the Cabinet, took them on a trip to Mount Vernon and in other ways endeavored to to give them "the time of their lives." That they appreciated the attentions shown them was evidenced in the form of the dinner to which every Washington correspondent, and about all the local men, were invited. At that dinner, which was attended by some fifty or more of the Washington newspapermen, all the Britishers were on hand save one. But he was the most popular member of the whole bunch, and his absence was noted with much regret. But just before the party left for the railroad station, he appeared. What Caused Regrets. "I can not tell you how deeply I regret my apparent discourtesy as shown by my failure to join you gentlemen at dinner," he explained. "But the fact of the matter is that I have been in a comatose condition for several hours, and have just recovered my senses. This afternoon some of the boys of the Press Club took me in hand and introduced me to many establishments and to a corresponding number of delectable concoctions with which I was entirely unfamiliar. At one place, I can not recall the name, but I do remember it was one-two-three-four, I imbibed a number of wonderful drinks with grass in them, with the result that I was actually unable to see. I have only just awakened." That "one-two-three-four" establishment was 1234 Pennsylvania avenue, about a mile west of the Capitol. There was a "pathway worn to the door" of this place by Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun in the earlier days, and later by statesmen, justices of the United States Supreme Court, admirals, generals, and thousands of others, residents and visitors. One after another, four generations of "Andrew Hancocks" were on hand to dispense all kinds of "delectable concoctions," such as those which were so attractive to the English journalist in 1893. Chicken and Hoe Cake. For a century Hancock's at 1234 Pennsylvania avenue had been the gathering place of men who were partial to "chicken a la Maryland and hoe cake." For the old fat "mammy" in the kitchen, who seemed to live forever, certainly could "beat the world" in preparing that dish so dear to the hearts of most Americans. But in spite of the excellence of the Hancock cuisine — no woman was ever served in the establishment, by the way — the magnet which drew aristocrats and plebeians alike was the bar. That bar was located just inside the entrance door, in a room which was decorated from floor to ceiling with all sorts of relics and curios, from a hat once worn by President Lincoln to a letter bearing the enormous signature of Drake de Kay. The "hell and blazes" cocktails served in glasses frosted with sugar, the juleps in the mint season, hot toddies and "buttered rum," with scores of other mixtures at all seasons were what the visitors craved. In no other place in the country was the art of mixture so thoroughly developed as it was by the colored artists who served behind Hancock's bar. The last of the fourth generation — the fourth Andrew Hancock — died, practically penniless, about a year ago. At least one of the old-time "barkeeps" is still alive and prosperous. He recently declined a berth in a fashionable club because, as he explained, "I have retired, thank you, and don't care to reengage in business." Hancock's closed its doors when prohibition fell upon the District of Columbia, a year or more before the adoption of the 18th amendment. And now the building itself, that quaint little low-ceilinged colonial house, has vanished. In its place is a pile of debris, bricks, rafters, laths, beams, joists and old plaster, for the wreckers have been busy clearing the site for the new building soon to be erected to house the Post-office Department, in lieu of the monstrosity which has served a similar purpose during the past quarter century. Avenue Now Dry. There is not a single "establishment" on Pennsylvania avenue today, where once there were at least 50 between the Capitol and the Treasury, in which any sort of intoxicant can be obtained — without a doctor's prescription. That does not mean that Washington is a particularly dry town. On the contrary, there is scarcely a grocery or chain store in which the makings of beer in the form of "malt extract" can not be obtained. "Wine glo" and brick concentrates are openly peddled through the office buildings. As for "hard stuff" that, in the form of Maryland rye, comes in literally by the ton every week. The police get some of it — perhaps 3 per cent of the entire importation — but the profits on the portion which "gets over" are great enough so that the bootlegger of the Maryland product can afford to sacrifice a high-priced car and pay the fines of his drivers about once a month without danger of bankruptcy. As for alcohol, the supply exceeds the demand almost in the same proportion that the supply of wheat exceeds the demand for flour. Correspondingly, the price has dropped. It is now possible, according to the patrons of the dealers, to buy 190 proof ethyl alcohol for as little as $6 a gallon, and with each gallon is supplied a sufficient quantity of "essence" to produce nine quarts of very fair "bath-tub gin." This, with a case of Canada Dry, is enough to assure a very hilarious evening for large party of the younger generation, to whom the "summer gardens" of bygone days are closed. PavementsWhat are the countless dark stains on that pavement? Spat out bubble gum (was it already popular back then?) Tobacco? Both? [It's either dirt on the glass plate that kept the emulsion from being exposed, or pitting in the emulsion after the plate was developed. - Dave] Heidenheimer's Washington Post, Mar 15, 1914 Tenant Becomes Landlord Heidenheimer Buys Site He Has Occupied Thirty Years. Henry W. Sohon, trustee of the Walters estate, acting under a court decree, has sold the property at 1236 Pennsylvania avenue northwest, to Elias Heidenheimer, for $20,000. The structure which occupies this property was erected more than a half century ago, and stands in what was once the center of the business district. The building itself is now valued at only $4,000, a valuation of $16,000 being placed on the land. It contains four stories and a basement. The property has a frontage of 25 feet on Pennsylvania avenue, and extends back in an L shape, about 100 feet. The purchaser of the premises has occupied it exclusively for 30 years. Extensive remodeling is contemplated. The new owner is considering a plan to raze the structure and erect a new building. Hancock's New Look"The original site was never changed, nor any efforts made to enlarge or modernize the building." For all that nostalgic reportorial rhapsodizing about unchanging traditions at Hancock's in 1914, the facade of the building tells a very different story. The brick core of the building might date to 1840, but the dormered mansard roof, its iron work and signboard, and second floor window case facings are all unquestionably post-Civil War, probably dating to the 1875-1885 period. So, about halfway through its 74 years, one of the Hancocks must have embellished the old tavern with fashionable new ornamental details, but it was still "Hancock's - Established 1840." [The restaurant, noted for its low ceiling, was the ground floor, dating to the 1840s. The upper stories were added later. - Dave] The site todaySadly, no improvement.... View Larger Map [Wrong quadrant -- you want Northwest, not Southeast. The ghost of Hancock's is somewhere under the Department of Commerce. - Dave] View Larger Map (The Gallery, D.C., Eateries & Bars, Harris + Ewing)
The Jolly Market: 1965
... in town stayed open till 9 and the farmers came to town to shop. It really was a different world. Bar codes Every packaged product ... is of reaching down to pick up a butt in the aisle, out of curiosity, since no one in my family smoked, and I wasn't sure what it was. Of ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 6:15pm -

My father makes change for a couple of my acquaintances in the Jolly Market in Fairfax, California. A year later he retired from full-time employment, but took on part-time work at a couple Marin County supermarkets for a few years thereafter. This being the days before scanners, you'll note the market's latest weekly newspaper ad hanging there for reference. The triangular-shaped gizmo at the upper right corner of it is a trading stamp dispenser, probably Blue Chip. A few years later we were using them at the post office counter to sell postage stamps. Also of interest, conveniently located on the counter adjacent to the razor blades, is a dispenser of do-it-yourself last will & testament forms, thus providing a complete impulse buy solution for the customers. Finally, at no extra charge, hilarity-inducing facial expressions. A somewhat underexposed, fluorescent-illuminated available light Kodachrome that I boosted and color-corrected. Smoking In The StoreMy first "real" job was bagging groceries at the local supermarket in the early '70s. At least in small town Nebraska, smoking was certainly permitted inside the store. We had ashtray stands at the end of every aisle, and a couple times per shift someone had to go up & down the aisles and sweep up cigarette butts. No scanners - each item was individually priced, either with a rubber stamp or a sticker gun. And we closed promptly at 6 every night, an hour later than the downtown shops - except on Thursdays, when every store in town stayed open till 9 and the farmers came to town to shop. It really was a different world. Bar codesEvery packaged product in the late '70s had a bar code, but few people seemed to have any idea what for, since scanners were not yet in evidence. They were the perennial butt of jokes in Mad Magazine; one cover had Alfred E. Neuman cutting a line of them with a lawnmower. I don't actually remember seeing anyone smoke in a supermarket, but one of my earliest memories is of reaching down to pick up a butt in the aisle, out of curiosity, since no one in my family smoked, and I wasn't sure what it was. Of course my mother told me to put it down because it was dirty. This would have been in the early '70s. I do remember seeing ashtrays atop the posts that held the velvet ropes in the bank, well into the '80s. Indoor smoking was of course verboten by that time, but the accoutrements remained. Double TakeWow! I had to do a double take with this photo. Though your dad appears to be shorter in height than my dad, your father looks just like my dad in this photo. Maybe it is his expression, or the shape of his face and nose, and the glasses, but your father, in this picture, could almost pass for my dad. I have not seen such a similarity to my dad in other pictures of your father though. I'm with the BillsBdgBill is right that a photo you probably barely noticed at the time has aged very well, and RGMBill is right that the man wouldn't look out of place 45 years later, while the woman's dress is, well, severely retro. There is so much going on in this photo. Why is the older man with the younger woman? Why does she have a flower behind her ear? Why is she looking at your father so intently? A great slice of life photo that is thought-provoking nearly a half-century later. A Trip to the StoreThis was during my formative years, and I always liked going to the grocery store (Food Fair). The gumball machines, the electric door at entrance, the big Toledo scale, the Coke machine, and the candy racks at the register (Life Savers, Wrigley's Spearmint, Doublemint) were highlights. If I was really lucky, there would also be a stop at the gas station (Cities Service). Did your dad ever have to deal with shoplifters, drunks or robbers? I'm sure he encountered his share of characters. Ordinary Photos Age Well You probably barely gave this shot a look when it was first processed. Almost nobody would have found this to be an interesting photo when it was first shot but as images like this age, they get more and more interesting. I really enjoy these occasional mid to late 20th century photos here on Shorpy. Keep them coming. Do you remember if customers were allowed to smoke in grocery stores back in the day? I seem to remember my mother smoking while walking the aisles of our local Stop n Shop back in the early '70s but she strenuously denies this. Cute CoupleI bet those two were fun beyond belief. Service With A SmileI must admit that although we enjoy amazing conveniences and ease of living these days, the old time personal service could not be beat. If you have tried to use those "self-checkout" lanes in most big markets these days, you will see that in almost every instance a manager/cashier must be called over anyway (with further delays) because the sale price did not scan or coupons could not be used or for any other number of glitches that were wrongly programmed. As for "impulse item space" at the checkout, that was always a hot property for manufacturers to win for their product. I worked for Bic Pen in the 60's and they would do anything for that point of sale display as did Gillette Blue blades. Years later, when I had kids, they would desperately want to spend their entire allowance before we left any store and were buying TV Guides, gum, nail clippers, etc. just anything to use up their $2. This photo is wonderful and totally realistic, a blast from the past, I love it. Thank you Shorpy and tterrace. 8:24 pmHugging by your dad's watch. The man could have stepped into the supermarket here today and no one would look twice. The girl -- well, fashions have changed, although folks might still look at her twice. ["Hugging"? If you say so. - Dave] Dad seems to be thinkingEverywhere I go that kid of mine is taking my picture. Great photo, something about old Supermarkets gives me a very nostalgic feeling. I can remember going to the Safeway back around 1963-64 and being fascinated by the Coffee aisle, they had a grinder then and you ground your own beans, great stuff for a four year old boy. I can remember the music too, or maybe it was Muzak, dreary instrumental stuff with lots of muted horns. Butts in the fruits and veggiesYeah, people could smoke in the grocery. I remember, as a kid in Southern California around 1970, going to the store to get an orange or apple for a snack. While picking one out I noticed that unthinking individuals used to toss their butts right into the fruit and veggie bins. I guess the produce folks had to do the butt removal as well as restacking the fruit. Yuck! Introduction to ItalianTterrace, I don't know how you wound up with the nickname "termite." Especially with your family's Italian heritage, I'm surprised your friends and family didn't call you "Paparazzi." At First GlanceIf I didn't know better, it looks like the customer feels he's been short changed. Speaking of scannersI get a kick out of looking through Reader's Digests that came out around the time I graduated high school (1979). Just for giggles, I pulled a 20 cent off coupon for soup out of one a few weeks back and took it to Safeway, mostly to see the cashier's reaction upon realizing it expired 10 years before she was born. The lack of a barcode didn't even OCCUR to me but she must've turned it over and back 20 times looking for it. It completely overwhelmed the poor kid's sense of How Things are Supposed to Work and that ended up making me feel terrible. She never did notice the expiration date. Dad !!!As another reader noted, your dad resembles his dad in this photo. Your dad looks like my dad in every photo you print so much so that my first thought on seeing him would be "A second family! Not working out of town, like he said!" My dad's face was fuller, but otherwise a ringer. I thought the resemblance might be the same region in Italy, but subsequently you named his town and it was not the same as my dad. You and I however, look nothing remotely alike. Was this dad's store where he had been a pharmacist? [my apology. Dad was never a pharmacist] Enjoying the momentYour dad looks like a true gentleman tterrace and this image begs the question, what are they buying? They look slightly embarrassed and amused at the same time. Your dad has that "Not now son" look. The stories of times past are also very interesting. Thanks Shorpians. Smoking in the 1960sDo you remember if customers were allowed to smoke in grocery stores back in the day? I can't speak for the USA but being a teenager (in Australia) in the 1960s (I was born in 1945) I can tell you that the only places in which smoking was forbidden (not by law but my social standards) were churches. So seeing someone light up in a bank/grocery store/milkbar/cafe/ etcetera was common and not even deserving of a second glance. After all, back then smoking only stunted your growth if you were a youngster. Some Jolly AnswersTo my knowledge, Father never had to deal with robbers, and while I don't recall him talking about drunks or shoplifters, he undoubtedly had experiences with both in his 40+-year grocery career. When he worked at another Jolly store that was located adjacent to one of Marin County's most upscale neighborhoods, he sometimes came home speaking of being riled and having to bite his tongue when dealing with some of that area's more imperious clientele. But he was an old-school pro all the way; I can't imagine him ever losing his cool with a customer, any more than he would have with anybody at any time for that matter. He did, however, sometimes express disappointment when others he worked with, both in management and labor, did not exhibit the kind of professionalism he had always brought to the job, both as a store owner and employee. You know, the younger generation and all that. In answer to ImpressionsInWatercolor's question, he never was a pharmacist. As for my two acquaintances, they were themselves merely acquaintances, not a couple. Finally, let's credit Dave with some further tweaking that brought more oomph to my scan. Going down to Jolly's. I know of the second "Jolly's" that you speak. It was the store we would shop at, unless you decided to head for that new Safeway store the was in San Anselmo, and now a post office. Actually, back then, it was hard to tell the difference between where anyone was from in the surrounding communities. There were enclaves of very wealthy, and the no so well to do. However, the well to do never really flaunted their wealth, and drove cars and dressed their children like most everyone did. Compare that to today's situation and attitudes in the same locale, and I'd wager ever your father would have a hard time holding his tongue. I know I do. Smoking in the grocery storeOne of my earliest memories is of being brushed by a man's burner in the grocery store aisle. This must have been 1971 or 72. "Hugging"Sorry, Dave, that was because Swype couldn't understand the word "Going".... trouble with using a cellphone to send comments. Looks to me like Eugene Levy checking out Winona Ryder and Arnold Palmer. LikeI love most of the "Tterrace Collection," but this is one of my favorites in awhile. Great candid and a slice of life. I don't know why you thought to take shots like this at the time, but I'm glad you did. And also glad that you're scanning and sharing them now. DanV, it's nice to see another Nebraskan on here. I also grew up in a small, rural town in that lovely state. By my time, the two grocery stores were open every night until 8:00 (except Sundays), but the rest of the downtown stores continue the practice of staying open late on Thursday night to this day. I wonder how Thursday got to be the "late night." Finally, the comments on smoking in stores and banks blow my mind. Growing up in the '90s (yes, I know, please let me stay anyway), smoking had already been banned from most places except for restaurants and bars. In fact, strange as it sounds, it has never before occurred to me that people might have smoked in grocery stores or banks! Many of these pictures make me wish I could see what life was like in earlier eras (if only for a little bit), but this is one area I think undoubtedly improved! Suburb of MinneapolisIn the 50s we shopped not in the city but suburbs and I know you could smoke there (don't know if the city was different}. But it was nice because my parents knew the owners of the grocery store, drug store and hardware store. Probably the liquor store also. Small town values. You know everyone. Different world now. Another great pic from tterrace and Shorpy!!!!! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Stores & Markets, tterrapix)
A Different Drummer: 1925
... in the catacombs of the New National Museum is an "old curiosity shop" of which Dickens himself might have been proud. The presiding genius of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 4:54pm -

May 11, 1925. "William H. Egberts of National Museum with Siamese musician." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Mr. EgbertsAfter seeing Mr. Egberts for the 3rd time, I did a web search and came upon this article - http://anthropology.si.edu/conservation/focus_on_leadership2.htm Seems like William Egberts had a long and interesting relationship with the Smithsonian. Night at the MuseumThese photos of William Egberts creating facsimiles of humans really fires up my imagination into creating a story akin to "twilight zones" or "one step beyond" situations. Did this man project humanity into his creations (like the old ventriloquist dummy plot), did he name them in his conscience, did he assign them personalities like the author of a book does for his characters? Dr. Egberts's suit sleeves are worn and tattered, a trendy look today but not in 1925, so he obviously took his job very seriously, so completely engrossed in his work that he was unaware of his threadbare clothing. Did his sculptures become his companions, did they come to life at night (at least in his mind) and do the tasks he created them to do? Did William ever marry or have a life other than recreating scenes from other civilizations? He does seem like a lonely man. QuestionOK..This is the third picture of this guy. So who is he and what's his story. I suspect.....that the Siamese musician has a case of rigor mortis! Let there be life..This guy looks like he was the Michelangelo of the National Museum. How do you get a job like that? I know it's an old B&W photo but it looks like he ran out of paint for the lighter skin tones a while ago. William H. EgbertsMr. Egberts' brief obituary in 1959 reports his home address as 4019 Veazey st., N.W. He was survived by his wife, Ollie C. Egberts, as well as a nephew (Hugo Hespen of Washington) and niece (Etta Pfrommer of Miami Beach) Washington Post, Feb 2, 1936 The Washington Scene By the Poe Sisters Down in the catacombs of the New National Museum is an "old curiosity shop" of which Dickens himself might have been proud. The presiding genius of the shop is W.H. Egberts, sculptor, whose title, "preparator," does not express his craft at all. For this keeper of curios deals in plaster heads, legs and arms, in false fingers, in beads and pieces of fabric, old copper, tin and metal garnered from all corners of the world. In this "curiosity shop" the exhibits in the group of Smithsonian Buildings are prepared. A native from far-off Timbuctoo will be the inspiration for a whole group of figures. The figures are classed according to the rules of artistic anatomy. Every detail of native costumes on the figures are outlined, after extensive study. Not only does this require a sculptor of no mean ability, but one who is erudite in history, archeology, geology and geography. It also requires a student of the differing habits of races of men throughout the world. Often the making of a single group entails months of study and research. First the figures are molded, according to designs made by this master sculptor. Then they are painted and dressed. Even the arrangement of the hair is of vital importance in the representation. Thus when one enters this curiosity shop he is apt to see a gracious lady with her plaster hair piled high in coils and curls of another day being modeled and prepared to don the dress once worn by a White House lady. It is a unique fact that the collection of costumes of the women of the White House are displayed on figures the faces are exactly the same and taken from the same classic head, but the sizes vary as do the figures, of course. The head dresses are individual and so it the method of hair dressing which gives a real variety to the appearance of the First Ladies. This collection was suggested and arranged by the late Mrs. Julian James of Washington with the aid of Mrs. Rose Gouverneur Hoes, a grand-daughter of President James Monroe. At one end of the room is a huge cliff dwellers scene being produced or repaired, with every thing, even the cliff dwelling figures, fitted in exactly to scale. This to be used as part of the "set" of some rare relic or relics owned by the New National Museum or Smithsonian Institution. The walls of the subterranean work shop are lined with pigeon holes in which are placed arms, legs, hands and bits of hair, or other precious "keepsakes" carefully numbered and card catalogued in the most unique filing system to be found at the Smithsonian group. Not Simulated Fried EggsThe tuned gongs in the photo are called the khong wong lek. By the way, if you try to emigrate there, you have to be sponsored by a national, or else at Customs they say, "Sorry, you can't come in without a Thai." The instrumentThe Siamese instrument looks something like the Punjabi Jaltarang, which is a series of ceramic bowls filled with varying levels of water. they sound a note in direct relationship to the amount of water in them. It is such a rare instrument that there is perhaps only one master left, Milind Talunkar, who is just about singlehandedly trying to revive it. I'd like to know the name of the Siamese instrument, and whether it is still extant. Gamelan ManMy guess would be that this is a gamelan. Hmmm...creepy!I think this guy has a robotic woman in his basement. His wife is blissfully unaware, of course. It's... it's... it's:It's Asian Ringo with the Beatle hairdoo! (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Rent-a-Book: 1940
... to name a few. View full size. Pre-TV Video Rental Shop I like that. And the best thing, no extra equipment needed, except ... the kind of working hours they had back then? And out of curiosity, what was the retail price of one of those books? Compared to those ... 
 
Posted by Shutan.com - 03/02/2018 - 9:51pm -

Circa 1940: In an effort to generate more foot traffic in his Chicago camera store, my grandfather Edwin Shutan dedicated a section to a book rental library and hired a staff librarian, Miss Michaels (shown). Edwin charged just 10 cents for three days with no deposit or membership required. His library was immaculate and well-stocked with all the latest titles from authors such as Thornton Wilder, Alexander Woollcott and Lloyd C. Douglas, to name a few. View full size. Pre-TV Video Rental ShopI like that. And the best thing, no extra equipment needed, except maybe a flashlight and a bedspread for minors. However, three days to go through such a tome? With the kind of working hours they had back then? And out of curiosity, what was the retail price of one of those books? Compared to those 10 cents? Shoot with the best, your cost is lessShutan still exists, but they don't have retail stores anymore. I remember their TV commercial jingle from the '70s. You Can't Go Home AgainPublished in 1940, two years after Thomas Wolfe died at the age of 37. Just finished "Mrs. Miniver"(it's on the table to the right) and it's much better than the movie. Saw several other titles I own, and enjoy. I agree, StefanJ, you would have to be reading nearly full time to finish some of these books in only 3 days. Colorizing ChallengeWouldn't this be great with colorization? Anyone want to try? Mostly forgotten authorsAverage cost of a hardcover was between $2 to $4, $2.50 was most common in 1940. Yesterday's popular fiction is today's forgotten novel. The cases feature Death of a Lucky Lady-Virginia Bath, Love in White-Gay Rutherford, The Game of Hearts-Emily Noble, Dust in the Afternoon-Holmes Alexander, This is On Me-Katharine Brush, Murder Comes Back-H. Ashbrrok, Girl at the Cross Roads-Jackson Gregory, Oh, Promised Land-James Street (that one gets rave reviews at goodreads and Amazon), Pass Through Manhattan-Richard Wormster, Moon Tide-Willard Robinson, Hill Billy Doctor-Elizabeth Seifert and Country Growth-August Derelth. This store was in downtown Chicago so most of their customers probably rode the L and read on their trips to and from work. The 40 hour work week was made standard by the government in 1940 and went into effect on October 24th. Must read!Front and center on the table: How to Read a Book. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Home of the Brave: 1949
... in those days. Let's stop in at the Mayflower Coffee Shop and try their doughnuts. Kudos to the photographer for capturing the ... of me make out what it's advertising and I am dying of curiosity. "Strangers" on a Sign Next to the Victoria: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/05/2018 - 3:42pm -

New York, 1949. This Kodachrome slide of Broadway at Times Square arrived by postal mail a few weeks ago from Shorpy member RalphCS, who snagged it at a yard sale. Good work and thanks! There are a few more to come. View full size. Neato!I could look at this all day! The New York I RememberI used to live at 72nd Street Central Park West and walk to this area on weekends. It's great to see a photograph from that time. I had no camera of my own, but borrowed my mother's. CheersLondon 2.0 Face on the Camel signHard to tell from this angle, almost looks like a Mexican sombrero maybe? [The infamous "Urban Sombrero"! - Dave] A Plethora of DetailsSuch a wonderfully colorful photo with so much to see, captured on a bright sunny day in New York City to distinguish it from the more typical drab black and white photos we typically see of it in this era. "Every hour 3490 people buy at Bond" -- their numbers may be down somewhat these days, and I wonder whatever happened to Mr. and Mrs. Statue. I was always fascinated by how theaters used to be able to construct such colorful electric signage on a movie-by-movie basis in those days. Let's stop in at the Mayflower Coffee Shop and try their doughnuts. Kudos to the photographer for capturing the Camel sign blowing a smoke ring. We see the ubiquitous DeSoto taxicabs of that era in New York City as well. [Plus a Packard. - Dave] Wow!Amazing photo! How can I buy a print? [I've added it to Print Gallery. - Dave] Camel FedoraA better view of the sign. Click to enlarge. [Not quite the same sign, is it? The Kodachrome version shows the brim turned down. - Dave] Different stylesMen wear clothing and women wear apparel? Zooming in, it looks like the female statue is a bit cold. She definitely needs more apparel, or is it clothing? Neon and BulbsThe movie "Home of the Brave" cost $375,000 to make in 1949. Today it would cost at least that much just to create the elaborate signage that accompanied it at Times Square. ... and "The Home of the Brave"I hope one of those other Kodachromes shows the marquee of the theater just beyond the Victoria, because I can't for the life of me make out what it's advertising and I am dying of curiosity. "Strangers" on a SignNext to the Victoria: Jennifer Jones and John Garfield in "We Were Strangers." I was able to tweak the image just enough to make out the names, then a quick visit to the IMDB to find out what movie they were in together. The Barkleys of BroadwayAlthough this was the only film that Astaire and Rogers made together in color, it was their last film together, and their first after ten years apart. The song “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” by George and Ira Gershwin, was also used in the 1937 film “Shall We Dance,” in which Astaire sang it to Rogers, as in “The Barkleys of Broadway.” The dance duet for the 1949 film was ballroom, not tap, and is well worth watching for its elegance, vigor, and moments of restraint. He was 50 at the time, she 38. Color!!!I love these shots from RalphCS. Thanks, man! Somewhat illogically, I suppose, when I view so many B&W photos at Shorpy, I begin to sense that much of history was drab and graceless — mostly blah. Thanks for the magical antidote Ralph! Most will never knowAfter spending a long time gazing at all the fascinating sights in both of these nostalgic Times Square pictures from RalphCS, it is impossible to choose a favorite. There is so much going on in both of them and if one were to focus in on each pictured person's current activity, one can get caught up in their imagination, i.e., the young man with the long cardboard box hailing the taxi (what is in the box, where is he taking it, etc.). Each person pictured has their own mission, errand or destination just as is still going on everywhere today, like watching an ant farm with all the inhabitants completing their tasks, all intent on their own personal pursuit. One can write an entire book just observing the characters in both pictures and envisioning their purpose at this hour on this day 68 years ago. The mystery is in knowing that everyone alive is doing likewise somewhere on earth at this hour today and may also unknowingly be having their photo frozen in time, oblivious to the fact that their particular moment of activity may be stored away in obscurity for almost 70 years and then suddenly be revealed on computers or TV screens for everyone to see and question. Most of the people in these pictures are probably long-gone and will never know that on April 5th in the year 2018, they were being studied and scrutinized in detail anywhere in the world by countless viewers of Shorpy's wondrous website. Do this, don't do that --To Greg B's point about the elaborate signs - it may have been the studios that were paying for those. 1949 was the tail end of it, but Hollywood used to operate under the "studio system", where movie studios would also own a relatively large chain of theaters. The studio probably had more money than an individual theater, so they could more easily produce fancy signs. Something that probably helped was that under the studio system, studios would sign contracts with actors for several movies. Once they figured out who their top few leading men and ladies would be, they could re-use the letters for those names for several movies if they wanted to. I also understand that until maybe the 1970s, it wasn't common for movies to be released all across the US at the same time. They'd get an initial release in, say, New York and LA, and then expand to smaller cities over time. Spending money on fancy signs in New York might have helped the studios to convince independent theater operators in smaller cities to book the film - "it sold 5,000 tickets a day in New York!" Finally, for electric signs like this, it wouldn't have been difficult for the sign company to stock a few copies of the alphabet, with bulbs installed and ready to go. Then, when they got an order, they could paint a backing board, hang the letters on it, and wire them together relatively quickly. This would have worked better for standard-ish typefaces, like on the "Home of the Brave" sign, and not as well on custom ones, like the curved letters for "Barkleys of Broadway". In another sign of the times, 1949 seems pretty early to me for a "seven-segment" clock display (on the Bond store). Apparently somebody didn't care for the open-topped "4" that most LED and LCD seven-segment displays now have, and installed one more segment to get a pointy-topped 4. June 10, 1949Based on all of the visible movie marquees on this wonderful pair of Times Square photos, they were taken on or around June 10, 1949. (High-speed film may have been needed to catch a theatre actually showing "Night unto Night." It was savaged by critics. In an era in which even bad reviews tended to be understated, the New York Times review on June 11 ended with this dig: "Having waited so long to expose 'Night unto Night' to the light of day, the Warners might better have left it at the bottom of the well, for some things are best forgotten.") Feel the heatThose hot days in NYC. You can just feel the car exhaust bouncing off the pavement. Nice to see the top of the Empire State Building sans radio tower. [Look again. - Dave] Bond Sign Waterfall turned off hereThe bond sign had a 50,000-gallon waterfall 27 feet high and 120 feet long behind the large "BOND" logo which was apparently turned off when this photo was taken. Drat! (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Movies, NYC)
Best Domestic Coal: 1938
... on the left may be where the mechanic lives? And the shop appears to have seen better days. ICE Anyone know why the 3D image ... the term 'black ice'? The apartment buildings invoke curiosity. It appears the fire escapes had screen doors. Back in the day they ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2020 - 8:41pm -

November 1938. "Apartment houses with no rear windows. Omaha, Nebraska." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Staying with the hod theme:My guess would be that those packages are bundles of coal briquets. Much easier and faster to stack into a hod than loose briquets. Easier to account for in the whole logistics chain (who would count up to 120 briquets rather than to 12 packs of 10). And cleaner to store than loose ones. Great example of consumer value meets process improvement. One lump or two?How much for all three? Remember Tim Finnegan?Because to rise in the world he carried a hod. That's how the domestic coal typically found its way into the domestic basements. Electric or central heating, anybody? The apartments survived, Best Coal did not. Wrapped packagesThis photo is such a goldmine of intriguing detail, but my attention is drawn repeatedly to those two elevated stacks of wrapped packages at curbside. They look like double reams of photocopier or printer paper, which would amount to 1,000 sheets per package. But can we ever know? The business is a hauling service, so they could be anything. The coalyardBagged up and packaged neatly. Selling some kindling there -- the bucket a day will be heating up nicely in no time. No coke machineCoal and Cola is a missed opportunity. A practical recommendationIf you can't afford the expensive imported stuff, buy the Best Domestic Coal. Coal & IceCoal & Ice companies, like Electric Railway & Light companies, were a way to make money all year long, or around the clock. Size MattersIt appears that the one tiny window in those blank apartment back walls would indicate a kitchen or bathroom. Two rooms that frequently do not have windows. Looking at the front of these apartments (The Madison and Monroe Apartments at 2218 Jones Street) It appears that they have been remodeled and are low-income housing. Interesting that in the remodel, there are still no additional windows on the back on the building. I don't know how to add a google picture to my post but used the address above to see the front of the apartments if you are interested. Fresh wrapped coal?It that coal in the wrapped packages looking like laundry? Strange. The buildings look more like a factory or warehouse than apartments! The narrow doorway on the left may be where the mechanic lives? And the shop appears to have seen better days. ICEAnyone know why the 3D image of what appears to be a woman is on the ICE logo pedestal? And buying ice from a coal vendor who also scraps cars? seems kinda iffy to me, but it is 1938 and seems to be a lot of apartments directly behind. Busy A very interesting photograph and there’s a lot going on here: a half-hidden woman on the back stairs, figureheads under the “ice” signs, the front half of a car frame in the shop, reams of paper on the milk crates (possibly electioneering posters like the two in the shop windows?), bundles of firewood, a bag of coal, and a portable “no parking” sign. What else did miss at first glance (and WHAT might 50 cent-and-up pick-up be)? Truck ID1933 Chevrolet (the front of which is a copy of the 1932 car) Coal & IceWhen I was an urchin all coal companies sold ice and all ice companies sold coal. One product for the summer and the other for the winter. View from the other sideA Google Street view shows the front side of the apartments. Based on the front entrance view I think that each floor has a central hallway running from the front to the back. The main entrance to the building is on the front and probably a stairway to the upper floors. The Shorpy image shows the back of the building with the central hallway ending in a door to the fire escape stairs. Each building probably has four apartments per floor. The "Madison" building in the Google image also appears to have a side entrance but looking at the others that entrance seems to be missing, The one small window on the back of only one building on one floor is a mystery. JAckson-2159If you wondered what the exchange name was for Tom Bessey's telephone number, I found it through NebraskAccess. A Collection of Fascinating StuffThanks again to John Vachon for another amazing photograph of Americana, and thanks to Dave for bringing it to us. My appreciation to the fans for the remarks about coal and ice synergy and for showing the present day view. I wonder about the tiny white storefront shack to the left, and what could have been going on in there. It reminds me of a very small barber shop that is in an old suburb of my city, but there is nothing on the front of this little place in Omaha to indicate what kind of business it is. Black Ice anyone?Using the same trucks to deliver coal and ice might have coined the term 'black ice'? The apartment buildings invoke curiosity. It appears the fire escapes had screen doors. Back in the day they had the good sense to orient buildings to take advantage of prevailing winds. I notice in current photo the doors are fortified as necessary in our changing world. The doorways and windows have arched tops, as I have noticed in 1800's construction, which gave way to square tops after turn of century. The mystery window, square top, shows signs of brickwork indicating it was later added. also filled in the mystery 'black square' below it. Have no idea what the mystery squares are, would be about waist high, so not structural tie-bolts, anyone have ideas? Not likely clothes dryer vents! haha! Just to the right of the uppermost fire escape landing is a beam jutting out. Perhaps a davit to attach block and tackle for moving stuff? Watch out for those power lines! But folks of the day had enough common sense to know that. "Central" HeatI find it interesting that in Kozel's back view of the apartment buildings only one building had a chimney, perhaps the middle building in a group of five buildings? That one building would have had a boiler that provided steam, or hot water, to all five buildings for heat in the winter. Coal for that boiler would have been delivered by truck into a chute that led into the basement. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Omaha, Stores & Markets)
Tri-County Co-op: 1940
... are out for some fresh produce, though the little jar is a curiosity. Must be a chilly September afternoon in DuBois. Wish I could see ... the long tradition of men waiting in cars for ladies to shop, he knows that it'll be a while. Never too warm for fur stoles ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/14/2009 - 1:37pm -

September 1940. "Customers entering Tri-County Farmers Co-op Market in Du Bois, Pennsylvania." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. PittsburgheseAnd that's pronounced "Du BOYZ," ladies and gentlemen. No snooty "Du BWA" for us Western Pennsylvanians. White shoesI place this photo as September 1 or 2 of 1940, since it is against the rules of propriety to wear white shoes after Labor Day. All dressed up.Most people commenting here are too young to remember that at one time it was considered to be in bad taste to NOT "dress up" to go out in public. That begin to change in the 60's. My parents called it laziness. In the mid 50s as a small child, I was made to wear my Sunday best when I accompanied my mom on a shopping trip to town. Not at all unusual to see people dressed in Sunday clothes at an amusement park or a ballgame. It was considered a sign of respect to others as well as to oneself. Ode to June (Cleaver)I shall retreat with my sweats and baseball cap and pretend I always put on a dress and the heels to go to the store ... Sunday bestLooks like they have on their Sunday best to me. Stopping on the way home from church to pick up a few things and maybe some good gossip. Mrs. PeanutA bit overdressed for an errand to buy a sack of collards and a pound of tomatoes it seems to me. BYO JarThe little jar may be for honey, which many of the farmers probably brought in larger containers. Honey being sold by weight, it it a simple matter to weigh the jar first empty, then filled, and charge accordingly. A business relationshipMy grandmother was housekeeper for a well-to-do lady and had lots of white work shoes, so I will bet that the white shoes are worn by the housekeeper; she is also without hat and wears a plain dress. They are out for some fresh produce, though the little jar is a curiosity. Must be a chilly September afternoon in DuBois. Wish I could see the rest of that shiny bike...a Schwinn? Great gams!...the one with the black shoes, I mean. ShoesOkay, here's the problem. The lady on the right is wearing heels into a farmer's market. The "floor" consists of hay, dirt, and probably chicken poop. The heels on her shoes would quickly sink into the muck. Her companion is much better outfitted for this kind of excursion. Waiting, not so patiently...The Dapper Dan behind the wheel is staring after them, thinking he'd like to get home to his Sunday paper and later, when it's decent, a scotch and soda. But given the long tradition of men waiting in cars for ladies to shop, he knows that it'll be a while. Never too warm for fur stolesQuestion I sent to my Mom, who grew up in North Central PA in the 30's and 40's: Who would wear a fur stole to a farmers co-op in 1940? In DuBois? The heels and gloves don’t surprise me, but the fur does. Answer from Mom: It probably is Mrs. Straub! Seriously, Mother, Aunt Betty, and Aunt Verna wore their fur stoles whenever they could! And the commenter is surely right that the date is a cool summer day between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Even after I was married I wore a hat and white gloves almost everywhere (except to sporting events and to the farms) summer and winter, when we went to the Diamond Market in Pittsburgh! I remember wearing hat and white gloves to wives' club luncheons at least until we left for Japan (1962), so I think it was not until after the Kennedy family brought more casual clothing into our lives that this would have changed. I don't know about that person's suggesting the woman in white shoes is a maid. Your grandma and mine wore those same white shoes all summer unless they were wearing their other white ones which had open air designs punched or cut out across the toes for coolness. They were of different generations, but they both wore those sensible shoes until they died. (I think Mom's joke about Mrs. Straub is a reference to the presumably rich wife of the area's brewer). (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Stores & Markets)
Dauphin Street: 1906
... 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 ... a restored Disney-like collection of antique boutiques and curiosity shops. The newer stores are "big box" emporiums surrounded by huge ... 
 
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)
U Want a Lunch: 1905
... U Want A Lunch is now the Bossy Cow ice cream shop. Despite that change, there has been remarkably little change in the ... some individuals peering out windows. Seems like a lot of curiosity about a photographer. Then there is the uniformed man striding ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/10/2013 - 4:57pm -

Circa 1905. "Rutland, Vermont -- Center Street." Our title comes from the eatery on the right. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Pretty much the same todayView Larger Map Yes,yes I do! MooIt's hard to tell for sure, given the angles in the 1905 picture and all, but my reasoned guess is that the long-departed U Want A Lunch is now the Bossy Cow ice cream shop. Despite that change, there has been remarkably little change in the streetscape in the 105 years since this photo was taken. http://goo.gl/maps/fE9Zu "U Want A Lunch"Possibly a subsidiary of "Uneeda Biscuit". FinallyA safe place to keep all my marbles! From the ashesThe buildings in this scene at the corner of Center Street and Merchants Row rose in the aftermath of major fires. The bank building on the right side of the photo replaced a four-story brick block housing the Rutland Savings Bank that burned January 16, 1891. On February 18, 1906, a fire consumed the Bates House and all the other buildings on the left (northeast) corner of Merchants Row and Center Street. A thirty-minute video from the Rutland Historical Society tells the story of that fire. (Those buildings had replaced structures that burned in a 1868 conflagration.) Thus, this photo would have been taken some time after 1906. The "Mead" name on the newly-built, solid office building matches that of one of the City's most prominent citizens, its first mayor and future Vermont Governor John Mead. But why was it taken?I wonder why this image was taken. There are a couple of groups of men standing around on corners for no apparent reason (definitely not posed for the camera) and some individuals peering out windows. Seems like a lot of curiosity about a photographer. Then there is the uniformed man striding purposefully across the street. [A large part of Detroit Publishing's business was producing picture postcards, frequently of cityscapes, a huge market at the time. -tterrace] (The Gallery, DPC, Stores & Markets)
Electric George: 1916
... Washington, D.C., circa 1916. "George Parezo Electric Shop, 808 Ninth Street N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. ... boxes with images of similar devices. Another curiosity is associated with the language in the display for Dim-A-Lite. I'm ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 12:05pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1916. "George Parezo Electric Shop, 808 Ninth Street N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Bright IdeasThis is wonderful! It strikes me as the predecessor to computer storefronts of today. I can imagine people drooling over the latest light bulbs. The Age of ElectricityI always get the feeling that in 1916 electricity was the marvel of the age. This display has just about everything except light bulbs. There are electric motors, flashlights, irons, coffee pots, chafing dishes, a hot plate, a telegraph key(!), what look some sparking devices the purpose of which I can't figure out and some other mysterious electrical gear. And the whole thing is set off with a portrait of George Washington in (presumably) a gilt frame... lit with an electric light. In less than a decade all of this stuff would be considered commonplace and pride of place in the window would be given over to radios. Spark GapsThose "sparking devices" are likely spark gaps used in amateur radio transmitters of that era. The advent of WW1 caused the shutdown of that aspect of radio for the duration (and if the US Navy had had its way it would never have returned). There is also a nice collection of knife switches on display. The "rocks" in the center are probably chunks of galena used (in much smaller sizes) as detectors in simple radio receivers of the era. Tubular RheostatWell, since there is a flurry to identify widgets in the window - I'll pick out the item at the very extreme right. It is a Wheatstone tubular rheostat (i.e. variable resistor). The backrooms of the physics labs when I went to college were full of these things. The physics department at Kenyon College currently has an excellent page on historical rheostats and resistance boxes with images of similar devices. Another curiosity is associated with the language in the display for Dim-A-Lite. I'm tickled by the advertising line that Dim-A-Lite "Saves Current." These days advertisers would proclaim "Saves Energy." Both statements are correct, I just don't think many people today would immediately identify with the concept, or need, to "save current." tterrace has already commented on this gadget in the previously seen image of Mr. Parezo's store. Typical of many things which appear on Shorpy, a google search for "Dim-A-Light" currently brings up a link to Shorpy in the first page. TimelySomehow, the Fourth of July springs to mind. Not sure why, but there's something about this particular picture! (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Closed for the Summer: 1906
... for the ever unpopular Symphony in C Minus, closed up shop, retired from the trade and ultimately sired a mad bomber. Pretty much still the case Out of curiosity, I went to the Metropolitan Opera website schedule for this month of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2018 - 2:47pm -

New York circa 1906. "Manhattan Opera House, West 34th Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Did not do boffo box office!Owing to the confusion of Met patrons, the unfortunately titled masterwork "Closed for the Summer" died an unlamented death and its author, composer Johann Amadeus Metesky, best known for the ever unpopular Symphony in C Minus, closed up shop, retired from the trade and ultimately sired a mad bomber. Pretty much still the caseOut of curiosity, I went to the Metropolitan Opera website schedule for this month of August. Not one thing listed for the entire month. Have they not heard of air conditioning? Museums and movies learned long ago that audiences are there during the summer. Traditional performing arts, though, still tend to leave their expensive facilities mostly empty for a quarter of the year while scheduling only a few outdoor opportunities to listen, sweat, and swat bugs. Still there, still used, but incognitoThe Manhattan Opera House was built by Oscar Hammerstein I on 34th Street just west of Eighth Avenue as an alternative to the older, stuffier Metropolitan Opera. The auditorium of is still in use today as the Hammerstein Ballroom of the much-altered Manhattan Center -- for concerts, conventions, and even boxing, while the building around it is primarily a large recording and production facility. (The Gallery, Kids, NYC)
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.