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Beam Me Up: 1979
... in adjusted dollars it was the cheapest of the three. Kodachrome (Konica Autoreflex T) via self-timer and bounce flash (Vivitar 273). ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/13/2011 - 9:39pm -

April 1979, still in the early days of the home video revolution, in which I was something of a pioneer. Here I'm at the controls of my Advent VideoBeam projection television, which threw a 5.75-foot wide image onto a silvered screen. I got it in 1976 and my first Betamax VCR the following year - #2 is on the bottom shelf, a 2-hour capable SL-8200, replacing the 1-hour-only SL-7200. The gizmo on the shelf above the Betamax is an Atari Video Music. You ran audio into it, hooked it up to your TV and it produced garish animated abstract electronic patterns bouncing around in response to the musical content, the parameters of which you could control via a bunch of knobs and switches. Devo apparently used one in an early music video. It was, like, far out man. View full size. This is in the video room a friend and I built in the basement of my folks' Larkspur house. The window in the back is for the projection of Super-8 films onto the VideoBeam screen via a clever arrangement of front-surfaced mirrors, as that wall is only a foot or so from the huge old gravity furnace. The wide-angle lens distorts the door frame angle. Just last year I got my third projection video system, the largest yet, and in adjusted dollars it was the cheapest of the three. Kodachrome (Konica Autoreflex T) via self-timer and bounce flash (Vivitar 273). Advent VideoBeam Rocks!The Advent Videobeam was my first experience of a giant-screen TV, which I saw in some random bar. It was awesome! Using Faroujda processing, it got the full potential out of old analog NTSC, which was better than most people realized. The triple-tube setup painted the screen smoothly without the color dots of ordinary picture tubes. With full 330-line resolution (and careful setup), the Advent could resolve objects as small as 1/5 of an inch across the five-foot screen - much better detail than average color TVs of the day. It was years ahead of its time, and only really surpassed when TV went digital and flat-screen. 20,000 CamerasThe video camera looks like it's from "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"! Great stuff; keep up the good work! That was a pretty enjoyable movie, too!"20,000 Leagues Under The Sea"......some great special effects for that time. I am interested in that turntable, as I have what might be the same type. Is it a Garrard Zero 100 tangential? High tech!Ah 1976, a time when "CD" still made you think "Civil Defense." Registration requiredI'm a retired TV repair tech and your photo brings back some old memories. Some of those old projection units were quite something to set up the registration (convergence). U-matics and Beta, pretty well gone and forgotten . Keep up the good work. tterrace just won the InternetThe rest of us are excused. Enter VHStterrace's SL7200 Betamax sold for $1295. At at about that time JVC introduced the first VHS-format single speed (two hour) VCR. Sony dropped the ball because it couldn't supply enough of the Beta two-hour tapes. If we could lay our hands on those tapes we limited the sales to customers buying the SL7200. The VHS cassettes sold initially for $19.95 and a reasonable amount of them were available. About a year later Panasonic produced a two-speed, four-hour VCR and allowed RCA to market it at $999. RCA had it to themselves for, I believe, nine months and then Panasonic brought it out under their own label. Shortly after that they released it to the rest of the industry. Both Sanyo and Quasar released other tape formats but they were meaningless because they also could record for only two hours. Stereotype(Insert lame joke about 70's styles and color preferences, technology, techno-nerds, and Mom's basement.) Great to see both the advances in equipment, and the look back at the way we were. Nice work. Boogie NightsYou and Hef were on the cutting edge. I <3 Geeks!Another great slice of tterrace!! Also, send me the lamp, the 20000 Leagues Under the Sea poster and the red chair, thank you. LÁMPARA AMARILLA.Menudo aparato, veo que hasta la lámpara amarilla tenía tres focos. Eh?I have no idea what you just said but it sounds like someone got their geek on full throttle. disqualified!Not to bruise your ego, but this does not fit at all my Shropy requirements. I really don't care about your tlevision obesssion in the 70s, I don't use televisions and do not fnd this ind of picture old enough to be intersting. To me is it pure ego on your oart to think it is interesting - thoguh I see you have friends who priase you for it. I'd prefer you make alink to some other page where they can go admire your old gear, not put it in the Shorpy email list! Just mu feelings, not meaning to put it down,just not my taste at all for 100 year old pictures... No need to post this, just a message for you, Dave. Thanks, Lou [Lou, you are deeply confused. As a side note, this pic, No. 1 today on Shorpy, is also climbing the charts at reddit.com - Dave] Man Cave ca. 1979I don't even want to know how much all that stuff cost, but it was probably a lot in today's dollars. GeekyA real geek would've motorized the little curtain over the projection window. The Atari Video Music - whoa. Far out indeed. There are some videos of it in action online. I miss EnglishLet's go back to the original 100 years entries when English was spoken, not tech-speak. For instance, what the heck does
Yesterday's News: 1940
... Enterprise newspaper office on Christmas Eve." 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size. Fedoras Your ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/28/2018 - 8:56am -

December 1940. Brockton, Massachusetts. "Men and a woman reading headlines posted in window of Brockton Enterprise newspaper office on Christmas Eve." 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size. FedorasYour best bet finding them are in Hasidic neighborhood stores. Anthony UtoI think the sign reads "Enterprise Barber Shop." I have no doubt tho that the sign was changed to something that did not resemble the imperial battle flag! Still AroundUnlike the Seattle Post-Intelligencer or the Rocky Mountain News, the Brockton Enterprise will still deliver a physical newspaper to your home. I find that comforting. You two, yeah you, get out of the wayI really want to know more about problems with the schoolbooks, but those two guys are in the way. Twitter 1.0Just a few short words on a subject, broadcast for all the world (if the world happens to walk by that window) to read. Japanese Barber ShopThis picture was taken in December 1940. I'd be willing to bet that one year later "Anthony Uto's Japanese Barber Shop" was no longer in business. ["Japanese"? I think you're misreading the sign. - Dave] It Comes Full CircleI was wetting my pants in 1940 and here we are back in the same mode, its deja vu all over again. Brockton EnterpriseThe Enterprise of Brockton is still there: http://www.enterprisenews.com/ And it still resides at 60 Main Street in Brockton. And W.B. Mason (2nd Floor) is still going strong as well. R.I.P. Billy HillBilly Hill, Boston native, wrote a number of popular songs including The Last Round-Up, Wagon Wheels, Empty Saddles, In the Chapel in the Moonlight, The Glory of Love. At the age of seventeen he went out West and spent the next fifteen years working at various jobs including dishwasher in several roadhouses, cowpuncher in Montana, payroll clerk at a mining camp in Death Valley, and band leader at a Chinese restaurant in Salt Lake City. Sadly, Billy "lost his battle with alcohol" on Dec. 24, 1940. You can learn more at www.americanmusicpreservation.com Staying connected to your world.Wow! I wish we had a place to go today to read news headlines. Enterprise Barber Shop?Is that what is says? Although, when I saw the "Empire of the Sun" sign, my first thought was "Japanese" as well. School Board,not schoolbooks. The past is prologueInteresting how the formatting of newspaper pages on the window presages the formatting of information on the screen of my iPod Touch. Quake?There was an earthquake? Indeed, two? In Massachusetts? Many years back I read that there is a fault line running under Manhattan. I suppose this may be connected. EarthquakeThe USGS website confirms the headlines in the window. A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the Lake Ossippee region in New Hampshire on December 20th and 24th of 1940. It reports that aftershocks were felt throughout the northeast. News FlashToday this would be replaced with the news "zipper" like in Times Square, New York. Evergreen street tree?Is that a Doug Fur or Canadian Hemlock in the corner of the picture? It looks like there is an ornament on it, which would make sense, but it seems like an odd place for a Xmas tree that size in the middle of the sidewalk. Keeping an eyeWas everybody a private detective in those days? Hatzoff, Fedora ManAs I grow older (and balder), I find myself coveting those fedoras. Gonna go find me one, somewhere... Get Your News HereUnlike today, there were no text messages, no blogs, no CNN, only newspapers and radios. There were no all news stations but there were morning and afternoon papers. Things changed much later on and I believe we are all the better for it. FedorasGosh, I really like the look of a man with a nice hat on. I remember that growing up in the 50's and 60's, practically all men wore them. I don't know why they stopped, but they sure look elegant. SantaI like that even back then they were "tracking" Santa and that he might not finish up his route until Christmas morning! Men Without HatsThe style changed, I believe, with John F. Kennedy, who was the first U.S. President to regularly go hatless. This encouraged a lot of other young men of his generation to follow suit (but not hat). Then there was the disastrous collapse of the once-mighty Japanese-American barbershop industry, which has yet to be fully documented. Not by me, though. Still, the familiar Kabuki barber in his garish makeup and flowing silk costume used to be a fixture in American cities from coast to coast, like Howard Johnson's restaurants and motels. For some reason or other, they never made a comeback after 1945. Maybe it was because, as my WWII veteran Grandpa used to say, "I'll never, ever trust one of those little guys with a razor again!" Since the average customer wasn't getting shaved bald any more (except for the traditional Samauri topknot, on request), the hat was no longer needed. [Disclaimer: If you don't think that real history is entertaining enough, you can always make up your own]. Marciano and HaglerBrockton is indeed home to boxing great Rocky Marciano. It is also home to another boxing great, Marvelous Marvin Hagler! Window vs. Web LogsBrockton, Mass. Who knew it was the birthplace of blogging? This is also a very early use of Windows Media. The Brockton BomberWasn't Rocky Marciano from Brockton? Eaton CuttersSomething about Eaton sounded familiar. The Eaton Cutters post for the army shoe workers is a reference to the Charles A. Eaton Shoe Company founded 1876 in Brockton, eventually adding their golf shoes to its line. In 1976, the company changed its name to Etonic. Read all about itAs a newspaper editor, this photo is evocative of a time when people truly treasured their daily or weekly newspaper, read it religiously, wrote letters to the editor, subscribed for generations, and hungered for important news as it was packaged in those days--on paper. Sure, they listened to H.P. Kaltenborn, but they still read all about it. Just a year later, when I was a month old, the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor, leaving our generation to question why anyone in 1940 used a rising sun motif for their outdoor advertising! Nowadays, our industry is on the ropes, but I'm glad to see that the Brockton Enterprise is still going strong, right where it started. For how long, though? Reading is becoming a lost art, alas. Re: As a newspaper editorRe: As a newspaper editor, this photo is That's saying this photo is a newspaper editor. I thought it was reporters who fell into the trap of the dangling modifier, and the editors were the ones who pulled them out! Oops, ya got me!Anonymous Tipster is so right. Those dangling modifiers are pernicious. What is missing are the words "I find" from my original draft, inserted just after "editor," and just before "this." Good catch! I know who caused the earthquake!My dad, who would have been 14 at the time of this picture, grew up in Manchester, NH, and told me this story several times: One day he and his younger brother were in their upstairs bedroom doing nothing in particular while their mother was in the kitchen. Suddenly the dishes rattled and the cupboard doors shook. Mom marched to the foot of the stairs and shouted, "YOU BOYS CUT THAT OUT!" They looked at each other, then replied, "We weren't doing anything." (They were fond of fighting and wrestling, so Mom had every reason to blame them.) "You rattled the dishes down here!" "It wasn't us, honest. It must have been an earthquake," they countered. Well, that was ridiculous because earthquakes just don't happen in New England. However, when the next day's paper reported an earthquake, they all had a good laugh, and Mom was reassured that her boys weren't lying. The EnterpriseThe Enterprise is no longer at 60 Main Street in downtown Brockton. Delano's photo shows where the old Enterprise offices were, where the city of Brockton water/sewer offices currently reside, I believe. 60 Main is to the right, on the other corner. The building has been sold to a developer and the presses were dismantled and removed in 2008. In October 2008, part of the newsroom operation moved to a nondescript office on the city limits. Flying SantaThe "flying Santa Claus" referred to was Edward Rowe Snow, a local historian who every year, with the help of the Coast Guard, delivered Christmas packages to lighthouse keepers and their families. You can find more about him here. Grandfather Uto's barbershopThis was not a Japanese barbershop. My grandfather Anthony Uto came to this country from Italy in 1899 and opened his shop under the Enterprise building in the early 1900s. Until his retirement in the late 1960s, that was his shop. (The Gallery, Brockton, Jack Delano)
High Society: 1960
... Crew race at New London, Connecticut." Man overboard! 35mm Kodachrome slide by Toni Frissell. View full size. Pinch Me! "I must ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/25/2023 - 2:45pm -

June 18, 1960. "Rowing, Harvard-Yale Regatta. Crew race at New London, Connecticut." Man overboard! 35mm Kodachrome slide by Toni Frissell. View full size. Pinch Me!"I must be dreaming" Shipshape and Camel fashionIt appears the Captain doesn't mind getting a little ash on his yacht. Tom?I'm getting a Talented Mr. Ripley vibe here. UnfilteredI guess it’s less gross to flick an unfiltered butt into the ocean than a cigarette with a filter. Since Shorpy is a wholesome family site, I won’t say what we used to call unfiltered smokes. 1960 in reviewHere is a list of 1960 events and births. A few which stand out to me include: February: Greensboro, NC -- four black students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University begin a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter. March: The United States announces that 3,500 American soldiers will be sent to Vietnam. April: The United States launches the first weather satellite, TIROS-1. June: A smoking hot, shirtless man doesn't mind having his lack of body fat admired by a woman on a yacht during Harvard-Yale Regatta, New London, Connecticut. July: Following the admission of the State of Hawaii as the 50th state in August 1959, the new (and current) 50-star Flag of the United States is first officially flown over Philadelphia. August: The newly named Beatles begin a 48-night residency at the Indra Club in Hamburg, West Germany. Let me just ... oh my!She's trouble! Pieces of ice on her finger aside, she might be having a moment inspired by her second (more likely third or fourth) G&T, and the day watching the races. She's sizing up the evening's potential as only her circumstances allow ... she'll meet everyone for dinner at a select spot, and certainly grab a seat next to him. Lively conversation to follow above the linen, with perhaps more exploration below deck. Those Vassar women -- [If they were all laid end to end ... - Dave] Privileged WorldI grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in the 1970s in Groton, which is the land you can see in this picture. These people might as well have been on the dark side of the moon to me. I heard about the regatta yearly in the papers, but it just wasn't anything of significance to lower middle-class folk. Gold Star Memorial BridgeI`ve personally been over it a few times, fantastic structure(s). The original span was "twinned" in 1973, and now carries northbound I-95 traffic. New London's BridgesJudging by location of the Gold Star Bridge and the Thames River Bridge in this photo, the Versatile is just off the shore of the US Coast Guard Academy. Both the Gold Star and Thames River Bridges are still there and very busy. The Gold Star Bridge where Interstate 95 crosses the Thames River is now a two-span bridge having the southbound span added on in 1973. The Thames River Bridge is owned by Amtrak and was converted from a bascule bridge to a vertical-lift bridge in 2008. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Boats & Bridges, Toni Frissell)
Tinsel-Free Christmas: 1955
... recorded the available-light exposure details for this Kodachrome slide on the mount: f2.8 @ 1 second, during which he jiggled the ... Photo Log Pre-EXIF My father started shooting Kodachrome slides in 1950 and kept a little log book with the exposure and ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 12/26/2021 - 1:46pm -

December 1955. Here's our family's entry in the Shorpy Christmas tree sweepstakes. Devoid of any jolly celebrants, unfortunately, but at least we have my mother's curtains and drapes. Many vintage ornaments are in evidence: Santa heads, houses, a table lamp, a mushroom, an angel, a prizefighter, some birds with spun glass or celluloid tailfeathers, and one of my personal favorites, a big one we always called "the stars and stripes forever" on the left a little more than halfway up. Some were from my Mother's family and dated back to the early 1900s, including one that still had wax drippings on it from when you actually lit your tree with candles. On the right, our Motorola hosts the Nativity scene complete with plastic Wise Men. Sharp-eyed observers may note that on the window seat, the fishbowl, vacant a year later, here appears to be inhabited. My brother recorded the available-light exposure details for this Kodachrome slide on the mount: f2.8 @ 1 second, during which he jiggled the camera slightly. View full size. No "view full size"?? [Any and every image on this site can be "viewed full size," even if there is no "view full size" link in the caption. Step 1: Open the post by clicking on the title. Step 2: Click the "View full size" link under the caption. - Dave] Xmas 1955 FloodsThough we weren't affected much in Hayward (some street flooding) Xmas 1955 will always remind me of the disaster not far off in Yuba City/Marysville. http://americahurrah.com/Flood55/YubaCity.htm We went to an area FD station to donate some used clothing. Window dressingWell that is a perfect Christmas tree and the slight blur adds a little dreamy magic that is nice. But man, that curtan/drape combo is stunning! Your mom must have been proud! There's no place like home.There's no place like home. There's no place like home. (Accompanied by the clicking of ruby red slippers.) Silent NightEnchanting. Who lives here now? Oh those trees....I wish I could still find trees like the one pictured and from my childhood of the early sixties. They were open and airy and had enough room between the branches so that the ornaments could actually "hang," and not just lean. Today's trees are so dense you can hardly get the lights in and around the branches, and you have to use so darn many just to light it up. I still jigglebut that being said, I'm happy Paul is sharing those classic photos I and then he took back in the day! -- Will, Paul's brother, who took the picture Yesterdays once moreI can think of nothing better to say to this photo than the words of Elizabeth Akers Allen: Backward, turn backward, O Time, in your flight, Make me a child again, just for tonight! TV set in the corner?Back in those days the TV wasn't on 24/7, a beautiful wooden cabinet with doors was a good idea. I put a 90's TV into a 50's cabinet in my 50's themed home - but now, when it's starting to letting the smoke out, I can't find any new TV's that fits into our ol' cabinet. I'd Live There!tterrace, you continue to outdo yourself posting these wonderful slice-of-life images ... I hope you are a happy "grown up," as your posts and images lead me to believe you may have turned out. Happy Holidays to you and yours (you too, Dave!) Full size button, please?I'd like to see the ornaments. My mother still has ornaments from her mother, German made I believe. Love it!!!Can we see it full size? Would love to see details on the tree! [Any and every image on this site can be "viewed full size," even if there is no "view full size" link in the caption. Step 1: Open the post by clicking on the title. Step 2: Click the "View full size" link under the caption. - Dave] And a Happy New Year as well...Tterrace you are twanging the heart-strings again, dammit.Ten years before and a few thousand miles away across the Pond, we had the same glass birds - the tails were made of spun glass - and little glass houses as well. And our tree was lit by little wax candles in clip-on tin holders (there was no electricity in my Granny's cottage) But, sadly, no photos (not much film around in GB in 1945). So, thank you for reminding me. When the time comes I'll raise a glass to you, and Dave, and all the splendid folk who view Shorpy, and wish you all a very merry Christmas from Cornwall. Life Before EXIF I have often wondered how film photographers kept track of exposure setting for individual photos. Did they keep a log book with frame numbers and settings? This seems like it would have a pain in the neck. PS - Where is the "View Full Size" link on this photo? [See above. - Dave] View larger It would be nice to view hi-def or just a larger size. [Any and every image on this site can be "viewed full size," even if there is no "view full size" link in the caption. Step 1: Open the post by clicking on the title. Step 2: Click the "View full size" link under the caption. - Dave] Thanks, DaveI feel dumb for not clicking on the title; I've been spoiled by the obvious button and saved my brain power for looking at details in the photos. Turns out the bird looks very like the one my mother has, and I recognize that Santa face, too. And the large bulb lights! Interesting to note that the presents fit under the tree. These days that pile would only amount to stocking stuffers in some house I know. Us and the floodThat 1955 Christmas flood Anonymous Tipster mentioned was the one that got our summer place at the Russian River, as seen here, and down in the comments here. Big lights!I'm so glad the big bulb lights like the ones in the picture are making a comeback. Of course, they're a lot safer and more efficient than their ancestors, but they still have the same retro look. I remember the days of having to wait until the tree was completely dry before hanging the lights, or you'd get sizzles and sparks. Photo Log Pre-EXIFMy father started shooting Kodachrome slides in 1950 and kept a little log book with the exposure and aperture for a while. He would compare those with the slides after he got them back from the Kodak lab. He also wrote titles on the cardboard slide frames. Interesting how "photo anticipation" went from weeks (Kodachrome sent off in those nifty mailers that were eventually ruled monopolistic), to 60 seconds (Polaroids on a warm day, a lttle more if you had to warm the Polacolor inside the aluminumu Cold Clip inside your pocket) to instant feedback as you view your JPGs on your digicam screen. Our presents and lightsThis is pre-Christmas day, so the presents under the tree are those from friends and relatives received either by mail or from visits. The "official" presents, including the really good big ones (i.e., the ones for me) didn't get put out until after I'd gone upstairs to bed Christmas Eve. You can't see our bubble lights, the big old-fashioned kind with tubes about 4" long and about 3/8" in diameter. They'd drive my mother to distraction because there'd always be a couple on the string that wouldn't bubble, but they were magical to me. They eventually all wore out and when they came back into fashion in the 70s they, like the regular lights, were tiny in comparison and just not the same at all. And some of those didn't bubble, either. A while back I posted another shot of our 1955 tree, this time by flash but also a little jiggly, and with a couple people in it. Curtains!Those curtains are a work of art in their own right. Cold War NervesOne partially-heard TV news bulletin during those Xmas 1955 floods said something about "Russian." In that era THAT was a major attention grabber! It was somewhat of a relief to hear it repeated in full and was only about a river. Russian River Flooding ....I lived in the Russian River (Front Street, Monte Rio) during Christmas of 1981 and there was a terrible flood then, too, tterrace. My house was right on the riverbank and I vividly remember one terrible night of going outside every hour, on the hour, to check how much the river had risen against the stairsteps going from my cellar door down to the water. Luckily, the river crested just at the top step - but not without bringing about some miserable anxiety and tension. I'm sorry that your house wasn't so lucky. Bubble lightsI found four-inch tube bubble lights last year at Wal-Mart. We did not have bubble lights on our trees at home but friends of the family did and I yearned for them ever since. The lights I purchased are so far working fine and they really are magical. Wishing all readers memory making time with your families, and don't forget the camera! Merry Christmas to you Dave and thanks for your gift of windows into the precious past. [And we thank tterrace for this and many other wunnerful photos. - Dave] DecorIs this the same California living room in all the other photos? Looks it, but I'm getting the sense your mom liked to move the furniture around a lot. Frankly, I like the curtains and drapes. They're very Ricky and Lucy. Anything beats those dagnabbity ugly "vertical blinds" they sell on us these days. Decor in motionFunny you should mention that, A.T. I always loved it when we rearranged the living room; it was like moving into a new house, almost. Frequently I was a participant, and at times, I think, a motivating force. Here we see the TV in one of three corners it or its descendants occupied over the years. The much-admired curtains and drapes are actually a 1940s style rather than 1950s. When my mother had them and the cornices done, she was tickled with the clever idea the decorator had of offsetting everything to the left so as to disguise how off-center the windows were. You social climber, you!Most trees had C7 bulbs, you appear to have C9's. Oh, what great memoriesWhat great Christmas memories. Beautiful tree, and a lovely home for the times. I was living in Marysville for Christmas 1955. We were sent to my grandparents' home in Yuba City on the 23rd, where the eventual flood occurred. From Yuba City we were off to a friend of my grandfather’s west in Colusa. Christmas morning he and my grandfather flew to Sacramento to get supplies. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Christmas, tterrapix)
Dinosaur Garage: 1942
...   Updated April 2021 with a better scan of this Kodachrome. December 1942. "40th Street Shops (Chicago & North Western locomotive shops at Chicago)." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/04/2021 - 11:04am -

        Updated April 2021 with a better scan of this Kodachrome. December 1942. "40th Street Shops (Chicago & North Western locomotive shops at Chicago)." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Steam TechAnother great Delano photo. Notice all the blurred ghost men tending the engines. There used to be thousands of them. Now there are only a handful of men in the country with the knowledge to maintain steam locomotives. Amazing how quickly the technology vanished. I was lucky enough to learnI'm fairly young to have that knowledge, but I worked as a teenager in a "Locomotive Works" shop that specialized in maintaining the last of these machines. I worked in the foundry, and also learned how to cast all manner of things in brass, iron, copper, etc. One of the main customers was the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway. In fact all of the journal box covers were made by me, as well as a good portion of the luggage rack brackets in the passenger cars. All brass. RR shopDreimer, Lucky for you to have experienced working on these magnificent iron machines. I managed to help clean & polish N&W 611's main rods when she came through my town of Danville IL. It was my way of paying her back for all the great trips I had behind her in the previous yrs. And I was really happy to get a chance to work on her. 2808 and 2635Seen from another angle (same photographer, might even be the same workman in the blue overalls with rolled cuffs) https://www.shorpy.com/node/18160 Driver 8, take a breakThe Union Carbide canister seen in the lower left quadrant of this photo in all likelihood contains calcium carbide powder, which would have been used in an acetylene generator. This powder, when combined with water, produces acetylene. This is then mixed with oxygen, and voila!, an acetylene torch. Here's an image of good ol' 2808 three years before this shop time: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3888666 Next week, we'll discuss the use of uranium hexafluoride in producing fissile material. A great science project for the kids! Class H's Achilles HeelNice to see a clear picture in the foreground of the unique and troublesome "banjo frame" of one of the C+NW's otherwise great class H 4-8-4's. The frame curved around the outside of the trailing truck to make room for the large ashpan, but was a weak spot, since all of the pulling force went around the frame to the drawbar. This led to cracked frames. C+NW replaced the frames with conventional ones as part of major post war rebuilds. This design mistake was somewhat excusable, as this was a period of dramatic growth in the size of locomotives, with many new problems to solve. Something to think about, that entire engine frame was cast in one piece, including all the little attachment points, and usually also included the cylinders. It was a technology that was incredibly strong and rigid, but in this case fooled designers into thinking that the banjo frame idea was not doomed to failure. European and UK manufacturers apparently never adopted use of large steel castings, sticking with weak fabricated underframes to the end. Shocked & confused That hussy of a boiler in the middle distance with its bare lagging showing is sticking out its tongue. Wait, that's superheater tubing. Well as Emily Litella would say,"Never mind!" Two things I have been wondering about for a while1. Would we still be able to design and build new steam locomotives if need should arise? Yes, I know, thermodynamics haven't changed. And plans are probably available as well in some archive or other on some of the engines. We might also reverse engineer the few remaining museum exhibits. But just about every technology tends to have tribal knowledge that never gets documented anywhere, or if it does only in some obscure place. 2. What did they do with those engines during northern winters over night? I don't suppose they would risk parking then and have them all freeze up. Did they keep the fire going 24/7? What about hydraulic lock if condensate accumulated in the cylinders over night? Even if they kept the fire going in the boiler, that would not have done much for the steam pipes and the cylinders. Or did they have heated sheds (well, heated to no less than 32°F anyways) for every locomotive that was not in immerdiate use? Dreimr What a great experience to work in the foundry!! Steam KnowledgeThere are lots of steam plants needing this type of knowledge - both mobile and stationary. Electric generating stations, ships (yes, they still exist), heating systems etc. Nothing like the smell and sounds of welders, grinders and torches in a railroad yard though. Especially one having been in existence for over 100 years. Kind of like the blacksmith shop my grandfather used to own. Wondering about Steam1. By modern engineering standards, any existing steam locomotives are woefully inefficient and mechanically complex. It can be done with modern manufacturing methods, an English preservation group built a new engine a few years ago, but the last semi-serious look at modern railroad steam power in the US came in the late 1970s/early 80s. In response to the energy crisis Ross Rowland proposed an updated steam engine, the ACE 3000, but it was never built. As for cold weather, they stayed outside unless they were in a roundhouse for minor repair or inspection with the fires kept hot ("banked") between runs. Dropping the fire was a lot of work, reserved for heavy repairs that took the engine out of service - pesky thermodynamics - as the boiler had to be allowed to cool slowly, the work completed then reheated slowly. You're talking live steam, so cylinders freezing wasn't likely, however they were equipped with drain valves to force out excess water rather than pressurizing and blowing off the cylinder head. Air compressors were prone to freezing; a friend's father worked for the NKP out of north eastern Indiana. In the winter, they'd soak journal waste (fabric packing material) in kerosene and light it with a couple of fusees (flares) so they could depart. Build a steam locomotive today?StefanJ asks if it is possible to build a steam locomotive today. Yes, it absolutely is possible. In 2008 a group of railway enthusiasts in Great Britain did just that, building a LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado, the first mainline steam locomotive built in the United Kingdom since 1960. In the US, a group called The T1 Trust is working to build a locomotive based on the design of the Pennsylvania Railroad T1. The T1 was the last steam locomotive built for the Pennsy. It was designed to be fast and to look fast with a streamlined casing designed by Raymond Loewy. They regularly achieved speeds in excess of 100 MPH pulling passenger trains with unconfirmed reports of speeds in excess of 140 MPH. While the terms “Best” or “Fastest” or “Most Beautiful” are obviously subjective, no one can argue that the T1 wasn’t in a class by itself. Cold WaterSteam locomotives were usually kept hot all the time between trips to the repair shops. There were some worries about stresses to the metal from frequent and fast cool-downs and fire-ups. Cylinders had cylinder cocks to drain condensate. Normal position was fail safe open, and steam or air pressure was needed to close them. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Union Square: 1958
... so I can date these transparencies in this album. This Kodachrome transparency, taken by my father using a Kodak Retina 1a camera, is ... on them. And I doubt anyone besides Kodak was processing Kodachrome back then. [In 1955, facing an antitrust lawsuit from the ... 
 
Posted by Tony_West - 07/11/2016 - 10:19am -

Union Square, San Francisco, looking north up Powell Street, circa 1958. I believe my parents were in America at the time to attend the 13th Junior Chamber International World Congress at the Hotel Leamington in Minneapolis; I am only assuming this as there is a transparency in the same container in a similar mount of the front of the hotel with a "Welcome JCI" sign under the veranda, so they may have all been photographed and processed around the same time period. If a Shorpy detective can narrow down the year that would be most welcome so I can date these transparencies in this album. This Kodachrome transparency, taken by my father using a Kodak Retina 1a camera, is one of many that he had photographed over the years; I'm scanning the collection myself, using an Epson V370 photo & slide scanner. As I progress through all the transparencies I will post some more of the interesting late '50s America images here. View full size. I Seem to RecallKodak slide mounts had the processing date printed on them. And I doubt anyone besides Kodak was processing Kodachrome back then. [In 1955, facing an antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department, Kodak entered into a consent decree whereby it dropped its pay-in-advance system that included the cost of processing in the price of the film, which opened the door for independent processors to develop Kodachrome. There was no processing date prior to around 1958; the border design of the mounts is often the only clue to dating them. - Dave] I stand corrected - PFP Civil DefenseThe last time I saw an air raid or civil defense shelter in public was around the mid 80's, but I am sure the signs are still around. Everybody mocks the "duck and cover" drills but unless you get hit by a nuke point-blank, your biggest danger is flying glass and debris, and there is plenty of time to take shelter between the time of the flash and the time the shock wave hits. Yes, you might have other issues later but those problems won't be any easier to deal with if you are bleeding to death from an avoidable threat. 1958 sounds rightThere are a couple of 1957 Fords to left and right, and that's a 1958 Chevrolet at the left--so it couldn't be any earlier than fall 1957. [Um, no. You're looking at a different photo. - Dave] Dating by cabsAll of the cabs appear to be of the 1955 vintage. Are you sure about the "circa 1958"? [The Plymouth under UNITED is a '56, but since "circa" means "approximately," that's still OK. -tterrace] Duck and coverI like the AIR RAID SHELTER sign. When was the last time we saw one of those? Air Raid ShelterAir Raid Shelter: For when things got rough across the street between United and American. Great Kodachrome Image! This is a great photo. It just doesn't get any better than Kodachrome at least for street scenes. Love the Air Raid Shelter sign. One block farther awayHere's a very similar photo, taken from the next street down. Use the "United Airlines" billboard for perspective. Perhaps this photo should say "circa" 1958, as well. https://www.shorpy.com/node/13416 You can never find one when you need oneIn Tony's photo, there are only cabs on the street. In Rute Boye's, not a cab in sight. What changed, and when? Slide mountFollowing Dave's Kodachrome Slide Mount Chart, it looks like this slide mount was produced from 1955 to 1958, so 1958 still could be correct for this image date. Scan of actual mount below. VertigoAt about the time Hitch was filming "Vertigo". The scene looks like it could have come from the movie. There is no better "virtual experience" of San Francisco circa 1958 than watching "Vertigo" on a big screen. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Claude's Farm: 1952
... were the most expensive Chrysler cars. - Dave] Kodachrome Is there anyone out there that didn't like Kodachrome? Looking Forward 1951 vs. 1957 De Soto Cessna and Stinson ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2014 - 8:56pm -

"Grace at Claude's farm -- April 27, 1952." Along with Sally the Dalmatian, in our second slide from the Minnesota Kodachromes we got on eBay. View full size. RE: ParaphernaliaHeiland flash in box. BrawnyThat D batteries powered press-use flash must have been quite a sight mounted (via an L bracket) to a 35 mm camera --- especially with its 8 in. reflector added. It is a 1951 DeSotoI learned to drive on a dark green 1951 DeSoto, which was our (only) family car. Started driving the summer of 1955 in it, wrecked it in Nov. My Dad didn't buy another car for weeks, and wouldn't let me drive it for months after. Mushy car. Who's that plane?More so than the car, I'm curious as to the make of the airplane in the background. At first I thought it might be a biplane, but now I'm more convinced it's a high-wing monoplane. My best guess (being anything but an expert at identifying light aircraft) is some member of the Piper Cub family. [Which plane? - Dave] The flying bugLooks like late April-early May in Minnesota. The trees are just budding out. [Another clue is the caption, which says April 27. - Dave] With two planes in the background, I wonder how many people (men and women) came home from WWII where they were taught to fly and just couldn't let the bug go when they got back? Farm country here used to be dotted with makeshift private grass airstrips. NC6453MStill around, 1948 Stinson 108-3 Voyager according to this: http://www.flyinghigher.net/stinson/N6453M.html Currently based in Alaska. [Excellent work. Also, let us note there are two planes in this photo. - Dave] ParaphernaliaThere's something very interesting on the rear window shelf. Wearing of the GreenAt least the woman color-coordinated her shoes. Looking at the hood and hubcaps the car looks to be an early 50s DeSoto Custom. I'll let the car ID folks on here provide verification and all of the details. The Other PlaneThat's a Cessna 170 tail on the left. Love the Minnesota Kodachromes!This is a great collection, thanks for posting them. It'll be fun to keep seeing Sally the Dalmatian! It's DeStinctiveI have no interest at all in cars but the car screams DeSoto at me for some reason. They were around as a kid but a brand that nobody considered buying. I believe I can also recognize Hudsons. RE: ParaphernaliaIt seems that the photographer had a Heiland flash as part of his kit, and a rather new one at that given the seemingly like new condition of its black and yellow box. Heiland was later absorbed into Honeywell and the branding changed accordingly. The CarIs a 1951 DeSoto Custom. De-lightful and De-lovelyDe Sotos were sturdy cars and filled the price gap between low-priced Plymouths and mid-priced Dodges; Chryslers were the most expensive of the Chrysler Corporation cars. De Soto stayed in production until 1961, having began in 1928. As were nearly all of the company's offerings in those years, De Sotos were designed for male drivers who wore hats, as did the midwestern Chrysler executives, hence the company's rather bulbous and conservative body styling. [DeSotos filled the price gap between Dodge and Chrysler; Imperials were the most expensive Chrysler cars. - Dave] KodachromeIs there anyone out there that didn't like Kodachrome? Looking Forward1951 vs. 1957 De Soto Cessna and StinsonLeft hand plane is a Cessna 120 or 140. The red plane on the right is a Stinson 108. I have about 20 hours flying time in one just like it. Nice handling bird. The Other Airplane The other airplane is a Cessna 170, big brother to the 120 and 140. It'll be replaced in 4 years by the 172 - not a step up in my opinion De Sotos 1952 and 1958Tterrace, those photos would have pleased my dad, a commercial pilot and lover of De Sotos. Here's a shot of his dark-green 1952 at a "pogie plant" in Sabine Pass, Texas, and his white 1958 several years later. [Click to enlarge. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Dogs, Minnesota Kodachromes)
Cover Girl: 1950
... 35mm shots are almost all pretty good, indicating either Kodachrome or perhaps Anscochrome/color. On a related note, anybody know ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/24/2008 - 4:12pm -

Winnetka, Illinois. June 1950. "Student Rue Lawrence wearing frilly summer dress and bright lipstick in classroom at New Trier High School." Rue was on the cover of the October 16, 1950, issue of Life. Color transparency by Alfred Eisenstaedt, Life magazine photo archive. View full size. Green DayI like how everyone is color-coordinated with Rue's eyes. A Model StudentOn first glance it looks obvious why a teacher would want a stunner like Rue in the front row. But behind her are more stunning girls. This was no high school, it's a model school. Yes Yes Hubba HubbaEssie always had a good eye for the ladies. He sure knew how to pick 'em. Green & GrayAt that time the school colors were green and gray. High school eyesNew Trier H.S. had some other interesting sets of eyes enrolled... Charlton Heston, Rock Hudson, Ann-Margret. Another PossibilityPerhaps it was Saint Patrick's Day. [In June? - Dave] Holy Toledo!Please! No smoking in class... Cheer, Cheer"Cheer, Cheer, Beat New Trier!" That was an unofficial part of my (Evanston Township) high school fight song. [So what rhymes with "Evanston"? - Dave] Pen of ChoiceIs that a Parker pen? Also green. Not as greenTricky ol' Dave did some additional color correction since this was first posted. In looking through the New Trier High School color photos there, it's interesting trying to figure out what films Eisenstaedt used. The purplish-red fading on most of the large- and medium-format is a dead giveaway that it was Ektachrome, but a number of shots (like that of our Cover Girl here) can be seen in various states of correction. I did spot a couple 4x5 Kodachromes, which you can tell from the color as well as the fact that it said so right on the edge. The 35mm shots are almost all pretty good, indicating either Kodachrome or perhaps Anscochrome/color. On a related note, anybody know how to get more than 200 results in searching the LIFE archive? Re: Pen of ChoiceLooks more like a Sheaffer pen - they made several similar models in that era. Green?Am I totally insane, because to me everything is blue not green... [After a bit of tweaking, what once was green now is blue. - Dave] Beautiful picture, beautifulBeautiful picture, beautiful girl, but that bra strap sticking out drives me nuts! More New Trier TriviaThey split the New Trier district into East and West in the late 1960's. The original, called New Trier East, used the green and gray colors, while the little brother New Trier West used blue and gray. The two schools were reunited a few years ago and now use green, blue and gray as their colors. New Trier East's teams were the Indians, West's were the Cowboys, and the teams for the reconstituted school are the Trevians. Christie Hefner is a graduate (1970 or 1971) of New Trier West. John Holton, New Trier West Class of 1974 So ... Whatever became of Rue?Anybody know? Eyes V.2... and Bill Murray and Frankie B. Rhodes, who claims to have been Murray's straight man through high school! Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America Those eyesHer eyes are looking into my soul. I can't stop looking at those eyes. Nice outfit.My mother had a square dance dress just like that, with the full skirt and many petticoats underneath. But I never saw one at high school in the 60s! (Tamalpais '67 here). Now to go LOOK for the LIFE archives.. Here is another photo of Rue:http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=b9490b70b8c71f4c&q=new+tri... RueI couldn't find anything about Rue we didn't already know. She looks so perfect, she probably became the quintessential 50's wife and mother. But I never knew about Eisenstaedt's work or that he was the one who took that photograph (V-J Day). Rue-more mongeringDonald Rumsfeld might know how to find her. Not only was he the ultimate spybiz insider, but he was a member of the New Trier Class of '50, and thus graduated about the time this picture was taken. An Alum's thoughts:An incredible picture from the days of Americana embodied. As a recent alum of New Trier, I can say that in most ways not much has changed from this picture. My mother not only attended New Trier, too, but the same junior high school as well. Needless to say, there have been countless conversations comparing and contrasting the ages. NTHS has garnered much attention in the press for its famous alumni, high academic standards, liberal social policies, and social practices of students. Not to be swept under the rug is an article in Time about the rampant recreational drug use of NTHS students. True as it may be, and debatable as these aforementioned issues certainly are, the education provided to the students is of an unparalleled caliber, certainly attested to by the consistent achievements of its alumni. As one who has chosen a path in the arts, not politics, law, or business (and certainly receives much less attention from the press), I found the school's image to be paradoxically inspiring. What an iconic institution, delightfully distant from the usual East coast boarding school (or even the heartwarming economically disadvantaged school overcoming adversity) to be profiled. Most important, it's a timeless picture. Rue: Cover GirlThis is Joe Manning. I found Rue, and I talked to her briefly today. She was not interested in submitting to an interview or having an article written about her. However, she was very gracious and shared a few thoughts and stories about the photo and its aftermath, but I have promised not to repeat them. She married, has five children, and seems to be living a full and interesting life. OhhhOh to find an American woman today with as much class, elegance, and beauty. And this girl probably didn't curse every other word or drink like a sailor. Wow this woman is stunning!I would so love to see her now. (Alfred Eisenstaedt, Education, Schools, LIFE, Pretty Girls)
Inglewood: 1942
... Inglewood, California, factory. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer, Office of War Information. ... grandmother. [What year was she born? - Dave] Kodachrome The photo is of such good quality, it's almost like you're ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 12:02pm -

October 1942. Assembling switchboxes on the firewalls of B-25 bombers at North American Aviation's Inglewood, California, factory. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer, Office of War Information. GrandmaI am almost 100% certain that this is a picture of my grandmother. [What year was she born? - Dave] KodachromeThe photo is of such good quality, it's almost like you're standing behind her. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)
The House Jack Built: 1940
... church. More on the family below. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Russell Lee. Re: Dancing Africans? Not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 12:02pm -

Sept. 1940. The Jack Whinery family in their Pie Town dugout. Homesteader Whinery, a licensed preacher, donates his services to the local church. More on the family below. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Russell Lee. Re: Dancing Africans?Not Africans. Injuns. There's such a thing as aThere's such a thing as a "licensed preacher"? Stupid comment hereThe girl second from the right seems to be channeling Napoleon Dynamite. Sorry to ruin it. Juvenile. Sorry. [Gyaaah! - Dave] Dancing Africans?I'm a bit intrigued by the pattern on the boy's shirt. so youngi'm more intrigued with how young they look and how many kiddos they have. wow. looks like the 2 girls on the left are twins. Sad eyesIn so many pics of poor families in the 30s/40s, I notice how sad (maybe just tired) the mothers look while the dads somehow show some kind of dignity or at least of being alive. PIE TOWN I just talked to some friends who went there this summer. There are still people who bake pies and have a very rural lifestyle. They said it was a great place! Licensed preacherSure there's such a thing as a licensed preacher. In many states, there are 2 distinctions: licensed and ordained. A licensed minister is recognized by the state and can perform weddings, funerals and the like. It kind of depends on the church you attend, but ordination is usually church recognition of a minister's credentials. Sunday best....wonderful how they managed to step up to the plate and present themselves in their "finest'...an amazing and poignant photograph... me again1940 = year I was born in Norfolk VA..... :-) Velva MaeIf my research is correct, the Mrs. is Laura Edith, née Evans, and Jack’s full name is Abrim Jack Whinery. The eldest daughter, the camera-shy one on the right, is Velva Mae. If she’s still alive today, she’ll turn 76 on August 29th. Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska There's a Velva M. Kosakowski who may be the oneHere's her obituary. She's the only Velva in the SSDI born on that date with the middle initial M, and the obit says she's Jack and Edith Whinery's daughter. It looks like the same Velva Whinery you mention, Denny, but whether she's one of the girls in the photo I don't know. The girl on the right looks far too old to me to be nine (she is almost as tall as her father when sitting plus she has breasts - I'd suggest she was about 12-13), but the girl on the left looks nineish. Charlene...thank you for the information! I think you're right: the camera-shy girl on the right is likely well beyond nine, now that I look at her again. The obituary you linked us to shows that Velva certainly came a long way from this Pie Town dugout, eh? Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska The girl on the rightI think that girl is Wanda Whinery. She's mentioned in the obit as being Velva's deceased sister; a Wanda Whinery shows up in the SSDI from the Grand Junction/Clifton, CO area (where they all seem to have ended up). She was born in 1929, so she'd have been 11 in this photo, an age at which most girls are shy, awkward, and uncomfortable. You're right about it being a long way; a little girl sitting beside her mother to a great-grandmother in her own right. SadHow old was that mother when she married? She doesn't look that much older than her eldest child. Sad. namesInteresting how first name fashions come and go. Here we have Jack and Edith (basic early 20th C names) with a Velva and a Wanda, surely exotic names for the time -- though the 30's, when they were born, was a time of experiment in many things... What were the other children called? Bet the boys got more ordinary names. One boy's name was Lawrence,One boy's name was Lawrence, apparently. And if the Obit for Velva is right, Wanda Whinery never married - no married name is listed. They may have been dirt poor, but the kids look healthy and cared for. young mothers>>>"i'm more intrigued with how young they look and how many kiddos they have. wow." My paternal grandmother was 15 when she married my grandpa 1932 (in Lovington, New Mexico), and they started a family right away. My grandmother preferred to say that she was "almost 16". They were actually residing at that time around Brownfield, TX, but they drove all day and night (accompanied by the father of the bride) to the nearest courthouse in NM, because at that time, 16 was the legal age for girls to marry in TX. Apparently, there was nothing shameful or even unusual for girls to marry at 15 in that place and time, though perhaps 14 might have been pushing it. Both families were fairly strict and god-fearing people-- poor but not destitute. Grandpa's whole family were members of the Primitive Baptist Church. Scott, in Taiwan distichum2@yahoo.com They are all so thin. NotThey are all so thin. Not starved thin as much as built thin. Thanks for all the comments on who they might have been! They are interesting reads. clothingThe fabric the clothes are made from has to be flour/feed sacks. Perhaps not the father's but the rest of them surely are. The parents do look so young. Not more then 30. And yet they must have led a hard life up to this point. Amazing the family resemblance. Feed Sack FabricIn the late 1800's cotton sacks gradually replaced barrels as food containers. Flour and sugar were among the first foods available in cotton sacks, and women quickly figured out that these bags could be used as fabric for quilts and other needs. Manufacturers also began using cotton sacks for poultry and dairy feeds. The earliest of these bags were plain unbleached cotton with product brands printed on them. In order for women to use these bags they first had to somehow remove the label, or to make sure that the part of the cloth with the label was not normally visible. It did take some time for the feed and flour sack manufacturers to realize how popular these sacks had become with women, but finally they saw that this was an opportunity for promoting the use of fabric feedsacks. Their first change was to start selling them in colors, and then in the 1920's began making them with colorful patterns for making dresses, aprons, shirts and children’s clothing. They also began pasting on paper labels that were much easier to remove than the labels printed direstly on the fabric. By the 1930's competition had developed to produce the most attractive and desireable patterns. This turned out to be a great marketing ploy as women picked out flour, sugar, beans, rice, cornmeal and even the feed for the family farm based on which fabrics and pattern they wanted. I can remember that if my mother was not able to go along when my father went to buy feed, she would often send a scrap of material of the fabric design she needed so that he would be sure to buy the right one. This was during the 1950's. By the 1950's paper bags cost much less than cotton sacks, so companies began to switch over to this less expensive packaging. The fabric feedsack industry actively promoted the use of feedsacks in advertising campaigns and produced even a television special encouraging the use of feed sacks for sewing, but by the end of the 1960's the patterned feedsack fabrics were no more. Pink feed sacks...The girls' clothing is actually relatively new cotton muslin, and in quite good shape. Dad and the baby are wearing the most worn-out clothing of all of them. I doubt feed sacks came dyed with pink flowers or other feminine designs. The ones I own are just plain off-white. As an aside, I just noticed that all the kids look just like Mom except the oldest daughter, who looks just like Dad. The Sack DressFeed sacks came in every design imaginable. I have a friend who collects and lectures on them and she has seen literally thousands of different prints. Andover Fabrics out of New York will be doing a line or reproduction fabric based on her collection soon. I've even seen feed sacks printed to look like toile. The variety is astounding. Information about the Whinery childrenI was in Pie Town a few days ago and managed to find the name of all the Whinery children. The oldest girl is Laura; Velva (middle name "Mae") is in pink, and Wanda is in white. The eldest boy is A.J, and the baby boy's name is Lawrence. I know for certain that Wanda, Velva, and Lawrence have died. Wanda was born in Adrin, Texas on August 29, 1931 and died on May 27, 2007 at the age of 75. She was married twice, to Clifford Miller on Nov 4, 1956, and she had four children, two boys and two girls, and Chester Kosakowski, age 81, on Oct 31, 2005. In her obituary it says that Wanda and Lawrence preceded her in death, Wanda likely unmarried as they referred to her as Wanda Whinery instead of with a married name. It also said that Laura and A.J. survived her, so unless they have passed away in the meantime, Laura is living in Clifton, Colorado, with the married name Murray, and A.J is living in Dayton (it doesn't say which of the 23 Daytons in the US, so I'm guessing it is Dayton, TX) I talked to a man who lived in Pie town for all of his life, and he said that he doesn't think the Whinery home is still there. Neither is the Farm Bureau building that the children went to school in. On the other hand, one of the other school buildings is still there and being re-stuccoed and made into a residential home. Their current public schools are in Datil and Quemado, none in Pie Town. The current population of Pie Town is approximately 60 people, and the Pie-O-Neer has better pie than The Daily Pie. The Farm Bureau buildingThe Farm Bureau building still exists. It is now used as the "Community Center" and is the property of the Pie Town Community Council. A porch has been added along the front, and an additon on the side for a kitchen and restrooms, but otherwise it looks pretty much as it did in the Russle Lee photos from 1940. Gyaaah! Unbelievable! (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Pie Town, Rural America, Russell Lee)
The Salmon Kitchen: 1964
... which was always a little warm from its pilot light. My Kodachrome slide. View full size. Oh How I Wish That Was Mine! Be ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 07/13/2019 - 11:53am -

Unless you happened to live in one of those fancy kitchen decor ads like you see over on Plan59.com, your 1964 kitchen might be like ours, a mixture of stuff from the 50s (1955 O'Keefe & Merritt gas range), 40s (sink, cabinets & fixtures from a 1946 remodel) and even the 30s (the copper tea kettle). A package of meat is defrosting on the griddle, which was always a little warm from its pilot light. My Kodachrome slide. View full size. Oh How I Wish That Was Mine!Be still my heart - I have a warm fuzzy place for pink kitchens and bathrooms. When my folks purchased their first home after a long while of rentals, the 4 bedroom Orange County (california) sprawling ranch-style had an exquisite pink wall mounted electric oven, pink electric counter top burners, and "boomerang print" pink and silver formica counter with glitter flecks. The best part - the pink sink. Oh how I cried when they remodeled in the mid-70's to a harvest gold monstrosity. Even then at 14 I knew I was born at the wrong time. Thanks tterrace for another beautiful memory!! The KitchenMy dad was a millwright at the local Alcoa plant and his hobby was woodworking and making furniture. In 1959 he decided that he would buy his first brand new car. Mom put her foot down declaring that her late forties kitchen would be remodeled before a new car ever came into the driveway. The very next day Dad went to Rogers and Company in downtown Knoxville and brought home a new 1960 Pontiac sedan. He parked it in the driveway and began tearing out the old kitchen. He told my older brother privately that he just couldn't walk away from the dare. I sold that house after Mom died in 2001. The appliances have all been replaced but the 1959 cabinetry is still intact. StoveThat is a beautiful stove! The stoveTo die for! Now, for two to three (or more) times the price you get half the stove. The kind of stove shown here was standard through the 40's and 50's (at least) and I miss it. They usually had 6 burners, a built-in griddle, a broiler (door on the left) and an oven. You can have the pink kitchen though. I still have one exactly like it, handles and all, except it's sort of cream color. Yuck. Our StoveThis one had four burners and a griddle, with a rotisserie in the oven. Mother loved rotisserie chicken. The motor eventually burned out, and could not be fixed. The chrome on the grill was well worn from years of flipping Sunday morning pancakes. -tt's big sister Now yer cookin' with gasAh, aluminum salt & pepper shakers - a classic kitchen staple. But what I really like is the partially painted drawer side. A little paint probably got splattered/brushed onto it by accident, so the painter decided to paint a bit more so it would look more "finished" when the drawer was opened. As long as you only open it a couple inches. Kitchen ItemsIn the We Had One of Those category, score one for the spoon rest hanging above the spice rack. Ours was identical. My guess for the item hanging from the rack is a match holder to light the pilot light on the stove. And the magenta, gold and silver items on the sink must be aluminum tumblers, a popular item in 50s-60s kitchens. Unbreakable! Across the Ocean...You'll be glad to know that kitchens didn't look much different here in Australia in that time. We had the metal tumblers (in the draining tray), the cabinets and drawers (painted the same too), the tea-towel hanging from the cabinet drawer, the spoon rest... this could have been my childhood kitchen. Only ours was painted a very fetching two tone of royal purple and lavender. Noice! Shaker VariationsI can't tell you how strange it is to have perfect strangers commenting on things that were familiar sights in my daily life nearly 50 years ago and whose images remain burned in my memory. Glad someone noticed the shakers; judging from their dents they'd seen meal preparation service since well before I was around. Now, how about that thing hanging from the rack they're on? I know, do you? Also, the magenta, gold and silver things in front of the cake cooling rack on the sink? Things that never fail to get a "Oh, yeah, we had those, too!" reaction from other 50s kids. The partially-painted drawer sides were intentional, I'm sure. I always thought it was rather clever. My father did the salmon paint job, and merely covered over the existing yellow from the original remodeler's work. All the drawers in the kitchen were like that. Can it be?Down in the righthand corner, with papers and magazines piled on it- can it be one of those chrome and enamel rolling tea carts? In pink? They were usually red. Or a pink step stool? I'd settle for that. We (or rather our grandmother) had the aluminum tumblers. They made the peculiar water in their town icy cold and drinkable. Froze your hands,too. The saucepan in the sink- the harbinger of harvest gold Things to Come... My other grandma's kitchen was a little more pink, from 1957 until they sold the house in the late '60s. Tumbler SweatThe lovely aluminum tumblers! My grandmother had a set and, because they sweated so much when holding iced drinks in summer, knit little socks/mittens to cover the bottom third of them. That meant, of course, that we then had to wash the socks or at least hang them to dry... AppearancesI have a hunch that if your mom knew that someday you were going to show the world her kitchen, she'd have done the dishes. She probably wants to give you a little swat right now, wherever she may be. Although these are not what my memories are made of, I still enjoy reading about others'. Refrigerator RemembranceThough I was born in the mid-1980s (way past the time of pink kitchens and more into an ugly brown carpet and dark wood time period), I love the ads of the beautiful bright 50s kitchens and this picture is almost as great! Tterrace, what kind of refrigerator did you have? My grandparents built their house in the late 1950s and had a GE wall-mounted refrigerator that I thought was the coolest thing when I was little--it, and their kitchen, went the turquoise route. They remodeled in 2006, and that refrigerator was still chugging along (though it leaked a bit). The electrician actually took it back to his shop and reinstalled it as a beer fridge--so its long life continues! I don't suppose they were ever very popular--you pretty much had to be remodeling to have room for one. I found a copy of the ad for one, and framed it for them as sort of a memorial to the greatest fridge ever. Kitchen appurtenancesThat is indeed a chrome and pink enamel rolling cart in the lower right, and I'm happy to say it's in my possession now. It held the toaster plus heaps of printed materials: Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penney catalogs and magazines on the bottom shelf, more catalogs and magazines and a dictionary (my mother did crosswords) on the middle shelf, more magazines and newspapers on the top with the toaster. The crumpled thing on top of the pile is a homemade toaster cover or "cozy." The thing hanging from the spice rack with the shakers is a cake tester. For some reason, I always visualize my mother poking it into hot gingerbread. Yum. The colored anodized aluminum tumblers came with cottage cheese in them, that's how we got ours. Our refrigerator, bought the same time as the range in 1955, was a Kelvinator, one with a separate dedicated freezer compartment, which quickly converted my mother into a freezeraholic. Shortly thereafter we got a separate upright. Welcome homeNothing evokes the feeling of home like being in the kitchen, which is the real heart of a home, the workshop, Mom's domain and the family's refuge. I LOVE this warm, homey, lived-in kitchen, it feels like I've been there. The object hanging (like a wire) from the salt and pepper rack is, I believe, a cake tester, which was better than a toothpick because it was much longer and could be used for deep cakes, breads, etc. They usually were free from the Fuller Brush man or Jewel Tea or Tupperware, but you could also buy them for pennies. This fabulous photo captures forever a middle class family's central headquarters where it all happened: the loyal fellowship, petty arguments, shared home-cooked meals, loving encouragement, heartbreaking news, revealed disappointments, warm hospitality to visitors, where all emotions from mindless silliness to deep, heavy sadness was witnessed. If only these walls could talk. It is a wonderful photo and really took me back home. Thank you. My KitchenExcept for the salmon pink color and the vintage appliances, that could pass for my current kitchen. http://picasaweb.google.com/Schmthaus/OurKitchen Groovy kitchensMy kitchen, which was my parents', was remodeled in 1966 when I was 6 years old. The countertops are white with turquoise flecks, which match the turquoise stove top. The wall oven door was also once the same shade, but was replaced by a white door in the 1980s. I may be jaded, but I still think its a very timeless color scheme. Much nicer than avocado or brown. My Mammaw's Kitchen, circa 1962That's me, hiding... Let's Make a DealWe don't have O'Keefe and Merritt here on the East Coast. (Oddly enough our gas range growing up was an RCA.) But we're familiar with the O'Keefe name. They sure gave enough of them away on the quiz shows! I just put a bid on a house......and while one bathroom is green, the other is PINK...tile and everything! The kitchen is white (mercifully!), but I don't know how I'm going to live without a dishwasher. (Instead of "mad4books," I'll just be "mad.") Oh, and schmthaus, thanks for the pics of your kitchen. It kinda' reminded me of the Shorpy gem found at: https://www.shorpy.com/node/3201 Aluminum tumblersI've commented here about anodized aluminum tumblers before (in fact, Safari filled in the Subject for me after I typed "Alu"). We had the little "socks" too. I'd make a full blender's worth of chocolate shake, fill up a big glass to drink, then pour the rest into an aluminum tumblers and stick it into the freezer. The little sock came in really handy when holding onto that when I took it out later to eat with a spoon. You can find the tumblers on many shopping sites. We got some new ones a couple years ago. Good Bye O'Keefe & MerrittHad to replace my MIL's O'Keefe & Merritt stove/ove about a year ago. Tried to sell it but ended up just having the appliance store remove it when they delivered the new stove. Great old stoves and ovens, but we just couldn't get it repaired to keep the pilot light lit. Custard CupsThe clear glass dishes on the back right corner of the sink are custard or pudding cups. We had 'em, too. I like vanilla pudding. Dad likes chocolate and butterscotch. My sisters like chocolate. Everyone but me likes tapioca. Not really sure which my mother preferred. Dad might know. Or the elder of my sisters (both younger). She remembers things *everyone* else has forgot. That looks like a rugged wall-mounted hand cranked Swing-A-Way can opener at the far left. It was the best kind, because it was geared, and didn't depend on just friction to advance the can. I don't remember ever seeing the hand-held model like the Swing-A-Way I have now. There were hand-helds, but they were the friction variety. We moved a lot (Dad was a Methodist minister), and it just occurred to me that he would have had to find either studs or wood paneling to mount it every time we moved. And we had (perhaps Dad still does) a rolling cart very similar to the one on the right. Ours is white, and has a heavy power cable for the outlet mounted on the cart, so it can be used to move a toaster close to the table. Aluminum tumblers we only saw in the houses of others. Not sure why we didn't have them. (Ours were fairly heavy-duty clear plastic.) We kids were suitably awed by the jewel tones. I can't quite make out what those things are between the sink and the back left burner. Anyone? Salmon Kitchen thingsNice observations, Custard Cup poster, thanks. Things to the left of the back burner you were wondering about: the round ones sticking up are lids to cooking pots and pans in a rack mounted on the side of the sink cabinet. On the counter in front of the custard cups, the orange-colored blob is actually a lemon, or half a lemon to be exact. That's what Mother used to remove tarnish from copper items, like the bottoms of her Revereware and that hot water kettle there on the stove. In front of the lemon is the little decorative ceramic dish that's on the wall at the upper right in our living room photos here and here. Must be there to get washed. Those Cabinets!Our kitchen cabinets looked like that, down to the same silver handles on the door. Our house was built in 1951, so I guess it wasn't just 40s vintage. Pink!I also have a fondness for that 1950s pink. I recently purchased a 1956 home in Sacramento with the original pink bathroom in absolutely pristine condition. I'm so lucky the place didn't get remodeled with the gawdawful '70s or '80s decor! I know that sink!My maternal grandparents had that exact sink, with the sloping/fluted area on the left for draining dishwater and the soap holder sensibly positioned over the valves/spout. Theirs was always equipped with a green bar of Lava - an item perhaps also visible in your photo. O'Keefe RangeI have to comment about the O'Keefe & Merritt range in the photo. We have one still in use at the local museum here in Bend, Oregon. A friend of mine and I just repaired it and adjusted the gas burners. Still works great. I don't think you can improve some things. What is interesting is the Cadillac emblem on the top of the range! [As well as that "DeVille" script on the right. Click to embiggen. UPDATE: This is O'Keefe & Merritt's deluxe 40-inch DeVille model, "the Cadillac of ranges." Below, newspaper ad from January 1957. Was tterrace's stove the Starline-Wilshire with Grillevator broiler and Hi-Vue oven? - Dave] Merritt MemoriesWow, that museum piece O'Keefe & Merritt range fryejo posted nearly brought tears to my eyes - the knobs, exactly the same as ours. Odd that knobs stir such nostalgic emotions. Possibly it's because they were so much closer to eye level when we got it. The power plugs bring back another one: Mother had the electric waffle iron on the griddle; the top slipped out of her hand and fell back; sparks flew; the latch had welded itself to the griddle. UPDATE to Dave's Update: Ours didn't have a fancy-schmancy nameplate, a Hi-Vue oven viewer or a Grillevator (though it did have a rotisserie that didn't work for long), it might have been something of a rarity; at any rate, of the dozens of vintage O'Keefe & Merritt photos I've found online, the only ones that match its configuration - wrap-around chrome top, space-age square clock, straight chrome door handles and single oven window - are of this one here on Shorpy. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kitchens etc., tterrapix)
The King Sisters: 1965
... variety series The King Family on ABC-TV." 35mm Kodachrome transparency by John Vachon for Look magazine. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/08/2023 - 4:13pm -

March 1965. "The King Sisters in rehearsal for musical variety series The King Family on ABC-TV." 35mm Kodachrome transparency by John Vachon for Look magazine. View full size. How I wish ...I was there to see that. What a time that was, that will never come again. A Blow Against the Counterculture — Not"What a time that was, that will never come again." I hope it doesn't. Endless war, rioting in the cities, and the constant derision of the emerging counterculture as weird, evil and silly (all at the same time). I'm glad that era is behind us. Older people seized on shows like this as proof the mainstream culture was alive and well, even when it was on life support. The situation seemed hopeless to many of us who lived through it. Coif, CoifThe majority of the girls in my high school senior yearbook had identical hairstyles. Yes, I am a geezer and hope to remain one for a good while yet. That's a WinOne of the sisters, Luise King, married guitarist Alvino Rey, and they are the grandparents of musicians Win and Will Butler of the band Arcade Fire. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, John Vachon, LOOK, Music, TV)
Party of Four: 1956
... like the same event. Live it up while you can, boys. 35mm Kodachrome from the "Linda" slides. View full size. Ma! Have you ... my opinion, somewhat diminished by the inclusion of family Kodachrome snapshots. I still make my daily visits, but—as Billie used to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/25/2021 - 5:10pm -

As a follow-up to yesterday's Pastel Princesses we present a retinue of possible Princes, or maybe court jesters, at what looks like the same event. Live it up while you can, boys. 35mm Kodachrome from the "Linda" slides. View full size. Ma!Have you seen my red socks? I'm late for the dance!!! The Cast of "Diner"The Early Years. The charm and uniquenessof Shorpy is, in my opinion, somewhat diminished by the inclusion of family Kodachrome snapshots. I still make my daily visits, but—as Billie used to sing—the thrill is gone. Am I alone in thinking so? A little dab'll do yaCheck out the hair tonic stain on the walls. You may not be aloneIn your finding your viewing pleasure diminished, but I'm sure that you are outnumbered 1000 to 1. I think these two last dance photos show the old saying to be true. Girls mature faster than boys. And not just physically. Wider visionI am one of the many who finds that "the charm and uniqueness of Shorpy" is in no way diminished by the inclusion of photos from family collections of the past 50 years. Considering Shorpy as the place of photos only a century old, or exclusively black and white, is an unnecessary limitation. It's much easier to see it as repository of so much more. Broaden the vision, Chris Albertson, and let yourself settle comfortably into the range and variety of what Shorpy has to offer. It won't hurt a bit. Pocket squareIf only we could see what those blue and white ticket/program things are in both of these pictures. At first I thought it was the same guy but they have different ties (and ears!). I love these candid snapshots. [He might be the boy with his back to the camera in the other photo. - Dave] Love It AllI love seeing these smiling boys who seemed to have left their dance dates to wonder where they went. I'm a fan of every genre of Shorpy pic. Yes, I'm partial to ones showing old houses because we're restoring a Victorian and become enthused over clapboard, millwork, and knob and tube wiring, but I like the other pictures, too. You're alone, ChrisViewing glimpses of the past, whether 100 years or 50, is fascinating. My wife would tan my hide!Red socks, especially with blue slacks? I would never live that down. As for the inclusion of family Kodachrome slides, I enjoy them. The reason I like Shorpy is because it gives a glimpse of times past. Sometimes the family photos do a better job than some of the sterile professional photos. The enrichment of ShorpyChris Albertson, a couple of years ago, I had the same opinion that you have now. I became annoyed by the postings of tterrance, but still maintained my daily visits. I am just 3 years younger than you, and have slowly realized that these more modern pictures are part of Shorpy's growth and our own past. Let's hope that some viewers will put names to some of these eBay finds. Respectfully, Urcunina Interesting comment Chris, Hi Chris, As a genealogist and family historian, I found over the last few years that Shorpy was an invaluable historic resource for my research. Sure, i would "surf" anonymously but that was that; got my info and off I went. But some days I would just look 'into' places. Literally, zoom up and into the lives of the residents of the cities and neighborhoods featured here. I just couldn't believe where these images would lead me. The most interesting stories and facts and especially the comments. Regular folks, not necessarily experts, just interesting folks. It was these "folks" who drew my attention more and more. I agree that historic and/or "slices in time or life" images seem to be the most engaging, but these Kodachromes are most definitely part of photographic history. They are indeed unique imagery. They are historic AND deteriorating very quickly in drawers, closet shelves, carousels buried in garages and scattered in boxes in attics around the world. When one of these gorgeous images is posted and you begin to read the story and see the real living color of a time gone-by and the comments pour in and you peek at the numbers and see thousands (!!) of "reads", well you gotta feel some excitement and thrill of the "get". Just figuring out the puzzle of a time and day just out of memory or reach for many of us, or the makeup of an interesting family from New England, well it's like a treasure hunt. And aren't those so much fun? It is admittedly a great and grand waste of time I suppose, but most certainly, the best fun since Facebook launched 9 years ago, and quite possibly new beginnings for these images and their owners. For me and my extended family, sharing our Kodachromes is a tribute to the family members (many already gone) who took the time to lug a bulky, clunky, camera around and set up and snap a pic for us all to enjoy just a couple of times on the dining room wall. Now we are really enjoying them again, along with a surprisingly large number of people. It just feels wonderful. I hope you will continue to enjoy the historic quality of these beautiful images as well as the amazing resources from the LOC and Detroit Publishing etc... But please most of all, I hope that you also appreciate the men and women that are working literally 24/7 on Shorpy.com (not to mention all those folks sitting at home, eyes glued to the screen, mouse at the ready) bringing these images to us all day and all night. They ARE Shorpy. Regards, Deborah CharmingI actually do enjoy the family snapshots. It's great fun to look at what people were doing in their everyday lives. Shorpy has it all! re: charm and uniquenessI have to disagree. I love the family pics. Sometimes I find the Dorothea Lange types depressing. Also, Did Billie Holiday sing "The Thrill Is Gone"? I always thought it was BB King's song, didn't realize it was a cover. Diminished? Not at all.I think these Kodachromes are as valuable to Shorpy as all the other historical pictures. Where else do you see unknown people, photographed by unknown photographers, in unknown places, and hope that there will be the one comment: "OMG that's me taken by my uncle Bill at our junior sock hop." It will happen. 100 years from nowthese sort of photos will be just as fascinating to people as any of the older, more "serious" examples on Shorpy. Every moment is history as soon as it passes. How lucky we are that occasionally, someone catches it on film, or video, even digitally. It's all wonderful and so is Shorpy! I can see what Chris is sayingI think the Kodachromes are either hit or miss. Some I enjoy while others (the majority) I could do without. But I don't run the site and I can't complain if I don't find a particular image interesting because there are more than enough images on here to keep my occupied. The site as a whole is really unique. And one should keep in mind that "beauty" is in the eye of the beholder. Ergo, an image that might delight one viewer is sure to bore another. No Smoking?But there appears to be a pack of smokes on the ledge of that little window. Also, count me in as one who really enjoys this type of photograph, then again I collect other peoples old home movies so I'm biased. These are every bit as interesting as the LOC type of photo and probably a more realistic slice of Vintage American life since many of the LOC pictures are staged to some extent. The overwhelming response to my postis appreciated, but it also made me sort of analyze my own expressed opinion. I think it boils down to the fact that I have so many family Kodachromes of my own and such snapshots are readily found on the internet. Shorpy's more regular fare, those wonderful old photos and the remarkable clarity achieved by tterrance and crew are not as easily Googled and rarely presented with such sharp details. Then, too, I am 81 and a jazz historian, jaded by having hundreds of photos around the apartment.candid shots from the 50s on up bring back memories to me, but not the discovery that makes Shorpy so speciale. So, I guess I have been spoiled by the delights of Shorpy. I still love this site and recommend it (one of my two blogs has had a Shorpy link for three years). Thank you all for the comments and thank you tterrance for the site and this forum. I hope I haven't been too disruptive. P.S. Yes, AuntieVi, BB King certainly made "The Thrill is Gone" his own and turned it into a hit. I heard Billie sing it in person, but I don't think she recorded it. RegardlessOf the photo, black and white or superb color, recent or ancient, they are glimpses into our past and help us visualize, if only for a moment, what life was like back then. And in some cases, see ourselves as we were. Love to know where those stairs went up to, obviously some sort of service stair based on appearance, why was the access open to them. This band of merry makers look like they'd be just the ones to sneak up and create a ruckus. AshtrayUnderneath guy on right, with smoldering cigarette. (Hey, they're not in the main hall but in the shenanigans room. There's one in every building when you're a teenager.) Charming and uniqueThat's what the guy third from left believes about his choice in socks. Is That a Ceiling on the Wall?I guess the tin fits everywhere kind of like this mix of photos fits throughout Shorpy. I enjoy all the ages presented especially if you can see that other generations were just as squirrelly as mine no matter what the social norm. Re: Lincrusta. Thanks Mattie, that's interesting and makes sense. Cheaper than wood molding and less fragile than formed plaster. I think it does need a paint adhesion inspection if possible. As per Chris AlbertsonNot to jump on the wagon or anything, but I have just now joined the site after a year or so of browsing to offer the following comment: not all of your viewers are camera aficionados steeped in the history of photography or, dare I say it, of an older generation. I am no spring chicken, having been born in the late 1970s, but almost every single photograph on here predates me and I learn from and enjoy seeing all of them, family Kodachrome snapshots included. Not diminished at allI love this site and don't see the inclusion of Kodachromes as diminishing it at all! Keep up the great work! No spring chicken?Orange56, I sincerely hope you don't feel "over the hill" at mid-30's! Chris Albertson has a little fewer years on me, than I do on you; you've got a long way to go, youngster! Everybody and their uncles"The thrill is gone" was recorded by mostly every pop and jazz singer in that era. Julie London, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme and on and on. (I don't think Michael Bolton has recorded it yet but he probably will...I'm kidding about M.B.) Critics like to give him a hard time, so I'm piling on too. These old KodachromesI like that they've been included. My parents would have been approximately this age in the early fifties and I enjoy seeing what life was like in a unrehearsed kind of way. Ceiling on the wallIt's a heavily-textured wallpaper known as Lincrusta or Anaglypta. It's sturdy stuff and can hold up well under layers of paint. If we knew where this building is located, we might learn how well it holds up under layers of hair tonic. More color Kodachromes!!!I love the 100 year old b/w photos, but the color Kodachromes make Shorpy a much more "thrilling" site for so many more people. Keep them coming...even up to the 70's & 80's. They are necessary to keep Shorpy relevant to a larger population of internet users. Fuggedaboutit!My first (and second) thought on this photo is that it looks like some of the gang from "The Sopranos". It's a little before their time, but I still see it every time I look at this photo. Farked!https://www.fark.com/comments/11937855 (Farked, Linda Kodachromes)
Power of Tower: 1942
... for the gliders at Parris Island, South Carolina." 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. ... period, they were an attractive little machine. Kodachrome! I love these Kodachromes! Please keep 'em coming. Great stuff. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/28/2018 - 6:52pm -

May 1942. "Marine lieutenant by the power towing plane for the gliders at Parris Island, South Carolina." 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size. Naval Aircraft FactoryFairly sure this is an N3N primary trainer. Like many US biplanes from the interwar period, they were an attractive little machine. Kodachrome!I love these Kodachromes! Please keep 'em coming. Great stuff. Popular color Apparently that shade of yellow was very popular with the wartime suppliers. I have seen it multiple times on planes, jigs, and plant equipment. Wonder if there was some reason it was so widely used. [It's a primer coat. -tterrace] Yellow Butyrate DopeThe yellow in this case is not zinc chromate primer. It's conventional yellow butyrate airplane dope. Zinc Chromate was used in some applications over aluminum to make the paint stick better by chemically interacting with the oxide layer that forms over bare aluminum. Dope doesn't stick to any non-porous material very well (except itself), so this was necessary to have it stick. It also reduces corrosion when exposed to salt water (which is relevant because the planes were delivered by ship - and corrosion damaged entire manufacturing runs of various airplanes). It's not a pure yellow, it's more greenish (as shown in the B-25 pictures). This airplane had some area of aluminum, but a lot of it was covered with fabric (linen, probably) that needed to be painted with something to seal it up, hence, airplane dope. It would seal the material against moisture, and also shrink and draw the covering tight. Why they chose yellow, I don't know, but the standard paint scheme at the time was yellow and a medium-light blue. That is the yellow here, it's a Federal Standard paint color. Combat glidersThose were the helicopters of their day. And that must have been one of the most scary piloting jobs ever. Landing an aircaft without propulsion, under enemy fire, in the dark, on unknwon (and next to invisible) terrain - sounds like a crash to everybody else. No second guesses (a.k.a. go-around), either. The US glider pilots had a "G" on their wings. And rightfully claimed "G is for guts". There are two very good accounts, one by a Gerard M. Devlin (Silent Wings), and one by John L. Lowden (Silent Wings at War). And the crazy things they did with medevac and bungees. But all things considered recreational glider flying is much preferable. Yellow PerilThe yellow was standard naval aviation color for a trainer plane. It was simply a conspicuous marking of a beginning pilot, to warn other pilots and ground crew not to necessarily expect normal or competent behavior! Trainers were often referred to as "Yellow Perils." Tighten your seatbelt and helmet straps! (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)
The Newlyweds
... Spiffy suit, Dad! Update: Found and posted the original Kodachrome slide - apparently Kodachrome prints were not as stable. Charles and Harriet The words ... 
 
Posted by k2 - 06/04/2009 - 10:03am -

My parents, Charles and Harriet (Tyler) Miller on their wedding day, June 11, 1946. Cambridge, MA. Spiffy suit, Dad! Update: Found and posted the original Kodachrome slide - apparently Kodachrome prints were not as stable. Charles and HarrietThe words svelte and handsome come to mind. I may have seen a picture of Charles with hair prior to this but can't recall. How was it that they were in Cambridge? School maybe. In Cambridge because...Mom was a grad student at Harvard (yes, Harvard!) and Dad was serving in CPS. They met through the Folk Dance Society and the International Student Center. They didn't keep up the dance after kids came along, but international students were frequent guests in our home and we in theirs -- which may help explain why I've never met a cuisine I didn't like! Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America P.S. Cousin Mike and I can be seen (in the days when we were indescribably cute) here: https://www.shorpy.com/node/3006. Hey, everybody! Check out this Kodachrome!Now that I have your attention and have gotten my eyeballs back in my head, all I can say is wow - just wow. Pen PalsThe two writing instruments in Charles' coat pocket are, to paraphrase Jimmy Cannon, "a snide boast of literacy." (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Weddings)
Miss Liberty: 1942
... put on a patriotic display. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Fenno Jacobs. I love the tap shoes... ...and the Victory Garden poster! Kodachrome 1942 I cannot believe that this photo is almost 66 years old... ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 6:36pm -

May 1942. Emily Schwak, Queen of the May at the Beecher Street School in Southington, Connecticut, where the children put on a patriotic display. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Fenno Jacobs. I love the tap shoes......and the Victory Garden poster! Kodachrome 1942I cannot believe that this photo is almost 66 years old... The quality is mindblowing! Once again you've posted an absolutely amazing photo and I thank you for it. I can't get enough of this site! (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Fenno Jacobs, Kids, Patriotic)
Golden Girl: 1960
... and the Catch of the Day. Can he reel this one in? 35mm Kodachrome by Toni Frissell. View full size. Who's reeling whom? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/05/2023 - 1:58pm -

June 18, 1960. "Rowing, Harvard-Yale Regatta. Crew race at New London, Connecticut." Here we are back aboard the Versatile, quaffing cocktails on the Thames with Cabin Boy and the Catch of the Day. Can he reel this one in? 35mm Kodachrome by Toni Frissell. View full size. Who's reeling whom?I think this shot, and round, takes place before the pinch ... Here her glass has more in it, no cigarette yet, and he's being careful with his cup. Dave, I also thought of "Purple Noon" and Messier Delon. [Messier? Messier than whom? - Dave] Touche (avec l'accent) deus foix, mon ami...! Yellow BirdI'm inclined to think that of the two, the shady lady would probably have harbored more than her share of lascivious intent, if any had actually existed between them. Instead of the drink she holds, a "Yellow Bird" would have been the perfect cocktail accompaniment to her wardrobe. Recipe calls for a fair amount of alcohol, a couple of them would have been a start in helping to dispel any pesky inhibitions that might have been lingering. Matt Damon's time travel talents?Is that the talented Mr. Ripley I see here, plying his charms? [It’s 1960, so this would be Alain Delon in “Purple Noon.” - Dave] Time Marches OnToday she's probably in her early 90s and he's in his early 80s, if they're still here. I wonder what their lives were like after this snippet of time in a faraway summer. Golden lads and girls all must, As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.         — Shakespeare, "Cymbeline" Back to the yachtI guess if we have to go back to 1960, then I do prefer these two instead of that crusty old Vanderbilt. Spicier comments, too. Cabin BoyI would love to know who Cabin Boy is. I wonder if he’s still alive. If he was around 20-25 in 1960, he would be 83 to 88 today. What a TimeHis haircut (with Vietnam in his future). Her outfit. Eisenhower & Kennedy. Emblematic of all that was. What a time in America. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Boats & Bridges, Toni Frissell)
We Met at Work: 1942
... equipment to scenes of action." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. ... of her male colleague? Wannabe photo expert That's Kodachrome for you. A youngster that thinks he knows everything simply cannot ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/19/2016 - 10:02am -

October 1942. "Riveting team working on the cockpit shell of a C-47 transport at Douglas Aircraft Company, Long Beach, Calif. The versatile C-47 performs many important tasks for the Army. It ferries men and cargo across the oceans and mountains, tows gliders and brings paratroopers and their equipment to scenes of action." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. Happy Valentine's Day from Shorpy! The planeThe plane in question is the cockpit windscreen of a C-47 transport, the plane that dropped paratroopers into Normandy in advance of D-Day. [Indeed it is. A second photo of the riveter (see above) correctly identifies the plane. I fixed the caption, thanks. - Dave] This picture is fake.Erm ... you might want to point out that this photo is a) not vintage b) staged c) very much modern d) not any of the things you say it is. For example, the film is wrong. She's wearing purple socks. That dude would be IN THE WAR. Her rivet gun isn't attached to anything, and is the wrong make and model, not to mention about twenty years beyond the correct kind. That's not the cockpit of a B-25. her shoes are wrong. his pants are wrong. that's not how airplanes are made. Come on. Seriously. It's a decent picture, but to claim that this is 'vintage' is utter bullshit. ------------------------------------------------------------ [A not unusual comment from people who are a) new to the site b) ignorant of the history of photography c) possibly ignorant in general. (There is a (d) but this is after all a family newspaper.) Alfred Palmer's large-format Kodachromes for the Office of War Information weren't "staged," they were posed, as studies for recruitment posters, exhibits, etc. It is one of many hundreds in the Library of Congress FSA/OWI archive. As for the riveter on the right, there were of course thousands of young men engaged in factory work during WW2 who were deferred from military draft because they were doing essential war work. And the woman's rivet gun is indeed attached (see below). As for the the plane not being a B-25, the commenter was right about that. It's a C-47. - Dave] InterestingI've always been amused to see that the ladies in most of these pictures have quite obviously reapplied their lipstick for the camera. This one did not - and it sort of makes me wonder and giggle a little. Did she not want to be seen doing so in front of her male colleague? Wannabe photo expertThat's Kodachrome for you. A youngster that thinks he knows everything simply cannot accept film reproduction this accurate, that long ago. Clearly this person has just stumbled upon a site he knows nothing about. Also, his accusations are ludicrous given what David Hall does for a living "off-line," where personal credibility must exist before anything said or written can be believed. Very funny post, that. Foy Blackmon Interesting ReasoningAs a mere dabbler in the study of history, I was previously unaware that: - Purple socks had either not yet been invented, or were banned from civilian use for some obscure wartime purpose - The war resulted in the complete absence of all males from the industrial workforce. Thank you, anonymous scholar, for your insights! Those kids think they are smarter than us...>>That dude would be IN THE WAR. That dude might had flat feet or tunnel vision. There were several men classified unfit for the duty, they didn't go home and cry about it. They went to contribute the war effort by working in the factories. Amusing AssumptionHa! That assumption made a few posts ago is actually pretty funny. It reminded me of a Calvin & Hobbes comic from several year ago in which Calvin is looking at some old family photographs. He asks his father why the old photos are all black and white and only the newer pictures are in color. His put-upon father, acting as my own father did on occasion, explained to him that back then, color hadn't been invented yet. Not just color film, but actual color. Sky, grass, hair, skin and clothing only existed in various shades of gray so that's how it showed up in old photos, movies and TV shows. I'm sure Calvin's mom eventually straightened them both out. As incredible as digital photography is, it's not really as big an improvement as it's been made out to be. Mainly it's just faster, and that's all that seems to matter much anymore. Working with film had a learning curve, you had to study what you were doing and over time you developed a skill that you didn't previously possess. Well geez...who's got time to screw with that anymore. You can just take a shotgun approach to photography now and if things still don't look right you can pump it up with editing software. So when a beautifully lit, sharply focused, highly detailed, well composed, color saturated photo is seen now some people are going to assume that it had to have been taken recently and digitally manipulated. Because it looks so much better than the pictures they're taking with their cell phones. Look at a zoomed in crop of the woman's ear in this picture. You can tell that the back lighting is actually passing through her ear. Her ear isn't just reflecting light, it's glowing. Many modern cameras are capable of recording this kind of subtlety and detail as well, but this photo says so much more about the photographer than the type of camera or film he used. That's not to say that these guys didn't have their own bag of tricks for developing and printing their photos that made them even more eye catching, but they didn't tend to be pasted together from the best parts of two or three individual shots. One of the joys..of coming to this site, beyond the fantastic pictures, are the intelligent comments that often reveal even more about the subject. It is just as enjoyable to see comments that do exactly the opposite, and the ease with which the audience can put them in their place. Beautiful picture, BTW. My great aunt was a "Rosie" and I have a whole photo album of her and her 'girlfriends' whooping it up in their off-time in exotic Wichita, KS (well, exotic when you've come from Sapulpa, OK, I guess). Re: Not how airplanes are made.Yes it was, and still is. Look up "bucking bar". You'd be surprised how hand-built even the most complex airliners are. Mom Bucked RivetsMy mother got her start at Boeing in the 1960's bucking rivets just as depicted in the photo. Only it was her holding the bucking bar, and the guy held the riveter. This picture is a fake?Blame it on digital photography. Kids today are so used to digital photography, they have no idea as to the quality of film. As a professional photographer, digital doesn't come close. Most people today only use digital because it's faster, cheaper and uses less light. Digital is based on the amount and quality of the mega pixels, the size of the sensor and the size/quality of the lens. Film has many more variants; in the film alone the size, grain, speed all make a difference. Not to mention the camera, lens, etc. And the other submitter's right about the light and the ear, there's a big difference in the way film and digital captures light. Lastly, bobby sox were popular in many different colors (including purple) during the war, my mom had a drawer full. Pomposity deflatedThis series of posts perfectly displays one way the site is so edifying and entertaining. Dave posted a beautiful, educational photograph, made an educated guess at the background and then graciously accepted a correction to a detail. He and others, in scholarly, civil fashion then made mincemeat out of a pompous nincompoop. Made. My. Day. [As for me making a guess at the background, I just copied the LOC caption info. Which turned out to be wrong about what kind of plane this is. - Dave] How planes are made Yes this is how it is done still. It might surprise anyone who does not work in manufacturing how labor intensive building airplanes or most anything still is. Yes we have come a long way but there is no substitute for the human touch. KodachromeI realize I am 8 years late to the party here, but one big thing in favor of a "historic" interpretation of this photo is how the reds just "pop" at you. You'll see it in any National Geographic from the early 1960s or before--back into the 1940s--or any color film of that period as well. I bet there's a digital camera filter to get that effect, too (boy that would be fun), but it's a nice little "tell". (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)
Country Kitchen: 1942
... ... I finally see the rest of the kitchen. I clicked on "Kodachrome treatment" and discovered I made a comment on 01/01/2012. ... Utensils Arthur Siegel also gave this kitchen the Kodachrome treatment -- Maybe not weed -- Oregano? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/19/2023 - 11:43am -

July 1942. "Birmingham, Michigan (vicinity). Kitchen in a country house." 4x5 inch acetate negative by Arthur Siegel for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Eleven Years Later ... ... I finally see the rest of the kitchen. I clicked on "Kodachrome treatment" and discovered I made a comment on 01/01/2012. [There's even a third pic! Check back in 2034. But seriously, the negative for this particular photo didn't get scanned until 2022. - Dave] Drink Sanka Coffee and Sleep!My grandma use to drink Sanka. I remember seeing the jar in her kitchen when we'd visit. I also remember seeing Grandma's weed she kept in a big jar, between the Sanka and the juicer. Ahhh, those were the days. Made in Detroit -- "Tasty-Krisp Popkorn"... just to the left of Sanka. Popcorn was the go-to snack in those days. Tasty Krisp Products was located at 11166 Grand River Avenue in Detroit. Now an empty lot in a much-decayed neighborhood, but in the 1940s it was growing and prospering. Cold QuestionHave to wonder what the jar of cold cream is doing on the kitchen counter. With 6 sisters I sure saw a lot of that product in my youth, but always in the bathroom. Perhaps there's a culinary use I'm not aware of? [In the kitchen, a cold cream jar is not necessarily a jar of cold cream. - Dave] The MirolarmThe clock on the shelf is a Telechron Model 7F77, or "Mirolarm". Made between 1932 and 1938, it was Telechron's first "buzzer" alarm clock and would have been rose colored glass with a mirrored background. [Not to be confused with "Mirro" brand kitchen timers, or Joan Miró. - Dave] Grandma's weed?My first thought was: What’s a jar of nails doing on the kitchen counter? From the breadbox libraryCharles Gundel's "Hungarian Cookery Book" had its first printing in 1934 and is still available 45 printings later, and Gundel's is a world-class restaurant in Budapest still in business today. If one enjoys Hungarian food, this cookbook with its delectable offerings is sure to throw one off their January weight loss diet. Sone things never change (much)The bottle near the middle of the top shelf, in the paper wrapper, is clearly Angostura bitters. The labeling is amazingly similar to the one on my shelf, 80-plus years later. And my tin of Colman's Mustard is still more like this one than it is different. Bitters with the sweetThere's a bottle of Angostura bitters on that top shelf next to what might be maple syrup. UtensilsArthur Siegel also gave this kitchen the Kodachrome treatment -- Maybe not weed --Oregano? Well-wiredAny decorator magazine today would publish this kitchen with the word "whimsical" somewhere in there, but they would either studiously ignore the exposed electrical conduit, or comment on its "industrial" aesthetic. This is certainly an unusual abundance of electrical outlets for a kitchen of this period, and no doubt added at the owner's discretion to serve their abundance of kitchen gadgets. (How many people had an electric orange juicer in 1942?) Notice the light fixture above, with the original wiring concealed in the walls. In 1940, the National Electrical Code added a requirement for a dedicated 20 amp circuit for kitchen appliances, something that had been recommended as a best practice for a couple of decades. My sense is that this rule was little-enforced, as wartime materials shortages soon prevented compliance. But here's the original concept, illustrated in an official publication of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Edit: I mistakenly typed "conduit," though this is clearly the first-generation iteration (1928-ca1950) of non-metallic sheathed cable, popularly known by the trade name Romex. Brought to You By --Shorpy should get ad fees for product placement: Kroger’s Colman’s Durkee’s Jell-o Sunkist Sanka Mary Scott Rowland Grandma's laboratory Perfect meals (The Gallery, Arthur Siegel, Kitchens etc.)
Motown: 1942
... at right and Detroit Institute of Art on the left." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Arthur Siegel. View full size. What a gas ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:53am -

Detroit, July 1942. "Looking east on Farnsworth Street with the Rackham Memorial Building at right and Detroit Institute of Art on the left." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Arthur Siegel. View full size. What a gasA particular treat to see some period gas stations in glorious living color for a change. Horace Rackham 1858-1933Horace Rackham is the lawyer that drew up the incorporation papers for the Ford Motor Co. He invested $5,000 in 1903 and sold out for $12.5 million in 1919. He gave most of his fortune away as this photo shows. TrucksEver notice that you almost never see a truck in these old photos? If you do see one, they are usually some kind of delivery vehicle. I guess people didn't use them around town like they do now. (And heated seats, power windows, and 15 cup holders weren't options at the time.) 65 years laterOnly three of the buildings in the foreground are still standing: The Detroit Institute of Arts, Rackham, and the Scarab Club (the brick building directly behind the white gas station). The area is now home of the Wright African American History Museum & the Detroit Science Center. Check out a current view. Yellow stop signsI had forgotten that stop signs were not red until sometime in the 1950s. I see a yellow octagonal stop sign at the corner of Farnsworth in front of the red-roofed gas station. I went to Wayne State 40 years ago. I was familiar with this area. I just did a Google satellite view and see it has changed tremendously since my last visit decades ago. Not much traffic on the streetI sent this photo on to friends and one asked "you don't see much traffic in these photos." I replied, "it's wartime, gas and vehicles are rationed." He replied, "Oh!" He is so much younger than myself. [Vehicles weren't really "rationed" -- they weren't being manufactured at all. One factor limiting car use was the general unavailability of tires. The rubber on your car had to last "for the duration." - Dave] Slight correctionThis would be looking WEST on Farnsworth as the DIA is south of the Rackham. Love the image! Thanks! [You have your directions mixed up. DIA is north of the Rackham Building and the caption is correct. - Dave] Packard Motors PlantThe old Packard Motors Plant (still standing today, but long abandoned) can be seen near the top center of the full-size picture, just to the left of the large checkered water tower on the horizon. I think the large building of the same style to the right of the tower is part of the complex as well. I've included a picture of how it looks today, taken at night. Stuttgart in DetroitEver notice how gas stations will park an interesting car on the corner? Grand AvenueThe Packard plant is the set of buildings to the right of the Cold Storage (the almost-white building with the water tower on top, near top center), which still stands as of 10/2011, though I believe it is vacant. I think the checkered tower was actually a fuel tank on the grounds of Detroit City Airport (the tank is gone and the airport is now Coleman Young International) and the long building to the left is what would later be called Russell Industrial Center (also still standing) It also looks that the last building had a big red sign on the top in this picture, but I am unable to read it. What is really amazing is to compare this photo from the old Maccabees Building to the current view on Google Earth, and see just how much of the background of this scene is THE SAME, albeit vacant. Tastes like FassbierHad not thought about Altes beer for decades, up until seeing that billboard across the street from the red roofed gas station. Growing up northern Ohio in the 60's, I heard a good deal about Detroit-area products and geography via radio stations WJR and CKLW. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Arthur Siegel, Detroit Photos)
St. Croix: 1941
... of St. Croix, Virgin Islands." View full size. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the FSA. Kodachrome Kodachrome is the closest thing to a time machine that we ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/08/2008 - 2:42pm -

December 1941. Another image from Jack Delano's Caribbean assignment. "Farm road near one of the villages on the northern coast of St. Croix, Virgin Islands." View full size. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the FSA. KodachromeKodachrome is the closest thing to a time machine that we have. It is amazing how these 60 year old slides can look so completely now, today, what I would see were I there . . . then. Foy Las Vegas Time MachineThank you for those words "time machine". All of a sudden it explained to me why I was so moved by those color pictures by the FSA-OWI photographer. I still remember the first one I saw reproduced in a magazine, years ago. I had the same feeling when I saw "What Price Glory", a John Ford film in Technicolor, starring James Cagney, about the first world war. This war was supposed to be in black and white, wasn't it? A thing of the past, long gone. In color, even shot in a Hollywood studio, it suddenly becam so REAL. Ray B. JD in VIGee, rough gig you had there, Jack. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Travel & Vacation)
Winter of '59
... January 1959. "At the Mill Reef Club in Antigua." 35mm Kodachrome slide by Toni Frissell for the Sports Illustrated assignment "The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/15/2023 - 9:52pm -

January 1959. "At the Mill Reef Club in Antigua." 35mm Kodachrome slide by Toni Frissell for the Sports Illustrated assignment "The Antigua Way of Life." View full size. Alternate Universe Bryan Adams"I got a taste of the good life When Daddy's business became mine Got in at the Mill Reef Club It was the winter of '59 ..." Jackie'll be there!Break out the Melmac! Wish I were thereYou can still join the private Mill Reef Club, if you can afford it. At the time this picture was taken, you could have mixed with du Ponts, Motts, Goulds and Astors. Who knows today - maybe oligarchs and Bitcoin millionaires! Lovely alfresco lunchCareful to coordinate lipstick, nail polish, and bathing suit colors. Walk up to her gingerly so as to not get sand in her plate. I bet she's asking: "What's open -- red, white, or bubbly?" In those days ...Dinner plates were smaller and so were the people. Shades of Diane Arbus ...in those shades! (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Swimming, Toni Frissell)
Beach Chic: 1957
Honolulu, 1957. "On the beach at Waikiki." 35mm Kodachrome slide by Toni Frissell for the Sports Illustrated assignment "Hawaii ... up for travel and dinner at the hotel. My father took this Kodachrome of Mum, myself at right with sister Heather and brother Rob. It ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2023 - 1:56pm -

Honolulu, 1957. "On the beach at Waikiki." 35mm Kodachrome slide by Toni Frissell for the Sports Illustrated assignment "Hawaii -- The Sporting Look." View full size. She knows!How to wear a sarong. If it weren't a family publication, more would be showing! I like the "paved" beach, keeps things clean. O Hawai'i! Royal Hawaiian Hotel in 1958When our family moved from Canada to Australia in October of 1958 we flew in a United Airlines DC-6B from San Francisco to Hawaii. We stayed at the Royal Hawaiian for several days, and my first impression was that there were no doors into the lobby. After living in an industrial city everything seemed very exotic. Since it was the 1950s, we dressed up for travel and dinner at the hotel. My father took this Kodachrome of Mum, myself at right with sister Heather and brother Rob. It will be two more yearsbefore Hawaii becomes our 50th state. Beautiful beach, lovely sarong ... very, how you say in French ... Oh là là. I like your title, Dave ... but didn't you leave out the k? Whose sari now?Sports Illustrated still had 7 years to refine their editorial approach before the first sarong swimsuit issue. Longboards for loanout.Classic style and obviously the same color scheme for loaning out to the people willing to try that sport. Only a few years later would California surfing and surf culture explode in the early 1960s. GET UP!! The lady to the right looks disgusted with her lazy husband. [They're not related. - Dave] (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Pretty Girls, Swimming, Toni Frissell)
String Section: c. 1939
... is the reality of it. There's nothing fake about it. Kodachrome corrected The original is fairly typical of how the earliest ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 09/08/2011 - 6:33pm -

The orchestra at a square dance in McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Photograph by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration Office of War Information, c. 1939. View full size. Red And GreenThis series of photos reminds me of old Warner Brothers cartoons from the early 30s, when Disney owned the exclusive rights to the tri-color process. Other cartoon makers either had to just use black and white, or the ugly duo-color process where everything was either green or red, with no blues or purples. Click HERE to view an example. AgreedThese colors do look a bit washed out, eh? I wonder what type of flash Mr. Lee used to light these particular scenes. Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska Nice Socks...... on the guitar girl. RealityWell the colors have just aged poorly. It happens to the best of us. What I like about this picture is the reality of it. There's nothing fake about it. Kodachrome correctedThe original is fairly typical of how the earliest Kodachromes faded before processing changes resulted in the kind of color stability we've come to expect from the film. There's no way of knowing if my correction represents the original colors accurately, but it does seem a bit more life-like. (The Gallery, Music, Rural America, Russell Lee)
Fantasyland: 1963
Kennedy-era folks at Disneyland in Kodachrome. Should I go on here about how thoroughly obsessed I was with ... cross the road to attend. I'm pretty sure there are some Kodachrome slides at home that include a few shots from one of those events; a ... of the teacup on the left. This is the kind of scene that Kodachrome was made for! I've never been to Disneyland, but grew up in ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/23/2011 - 2:19am -

Kennedy-era folks at Disneyland in Kodachrome. Should I go on here about how thoroughly obsessed I was with Disneyland in the 1960s? At first I ached to go there just to drive the Autopia cars. The real fixation started after my first visit in 1960. It was like another world -- actually, a multitude of other worlds, all of them ones I'd rather live in. That being not quite possible, I settled for the next best thing: bring it into my real life. I organized the hundreds of color slides I took into elaborate shows with music and even printed programs. I drew and painted Disneyland artwork. I dubbed my cactus garden "The Living Desert" and tape-recorded a narration for walks through it. I built my own Storybook Land in one corner of our garden, and a diorama in the basement. I insisted we start having our Sunday dinners in the dining room so I could wheel the TV set around in order to watch The Wonderful World of Color -- in black-and-white. I sent an inquiry about employment in the park, but they weren't hiring teenagers who lived 400 miles away. Even now I think I'd really like to live there, or at least the one of the 50s and 60s. Must be a Peter Pan complex. View full size. Have you seen Daveland or Gorillas?If you haven't, you need to visit Daveland and Gorillas as they are chock full of thousands (yes, thousands) of color vintage Disneyland slides and, between the hosts and commentators, know pretty much everything you could imagine and more about the singular cultural gem that was/is Disneyland. You'd be most welcome to comment and share your pics at either one. FantasticIt's easy to understand an obsession with such a magical place. Disney did an incredible job of touching on that spirit of the imagination in all of us. Love DisneylandWalt was one of the most creative people in the entertainment business of the 20th century IMO. He simply did things that he found enjoyable or exciting and everyone else came along for the ride. Stirring MemoriesI love that teacup with the gent in the suit and tie and girls in what look like gowns. Pretty classy tea party going on in there! My parents moved to Orange County in 1960 and lived right across the road from Disneyland. Dad was a Navy doctor stationed with the 8th Marine air wing at El Toro. They've said that some evenings Disneyland would host a sort of "Adults Night" showcasing a popular band or singer and staying open late; they could just cross the road to attend. I'm pretty sure there are some Kodachrome slides at home that include a few shots from one of those events; a Tony Bennett concert, if I remember correctly! Disney was a master of illusionWhat a job they did with the original Disneyland. It quickly made you forget you were in Anaheim; in fact, I don't think you could even see the outside world from the original park. And they were so lucky that a small Matterhorn just happened to be on the property! Heh heh. We met Walt!On our first visit to Disneyland during the summer of 1955 we were waiting at the Main Street train station for our first ride of the day inside the brand new park. As the train arrived in to pick up passengers, off stepped Walt Disney to welcome my older brother, 12, and me, 8. He bent down to our level and kindly asked us how we liked Disneyland. My mom quickly said to ask for his autograph, but he smiled and said he was on his way to an appointment and had to rush to get there. We were in absolute awe, and for us it truly was the happiest place on earth that long ago day. Tterrace is absolutely right. Disney obsessionBack in the day my parents would get me magazines at the Gulf gas station with fill up. A good many of them had info on Disneyland and the soon to be Disneyworld. I read those things obsessively and noticed that they would end up near my father's recliner on occasion. Well the minute Disneyworld opened we made the trip. The sod was still brown in sections where it didn't take. By then I was a sullen teen totally embarrassed to be with my parents. Hardly remember a thing. Went back about 1990 with a co-worker and had a ball, being the kid I should have been in the 70's. Taking the kids and grandkid in a couple of weeks. Wish I could take a friend my age to be silly with instead of a responsible mom and grandmom. We went in '64We visited in late summer around this time of year in 1964. My dad was going to take a job out there so we all went and stayed while all the job and house details were looked into. I remember some things (like the submarine) but not teacups. I do know we stayed all day -- ages 10 (me), 6 and 1. I respect my folks a lot more these days for the effort, and for the week-plus long journey from the Jersey shore to SoCal. We picked up Route 66 at St. Louis (I remember that) and traveled it the rest of the way, including seeing the Teepee Motel. Drove from Moose Jawto Los Angeles (2200 miles) in the early '60s and they were still building it, no one told us it was not finished yet, good time though. [Disneyland was finished when it opened in 1955. A $6 million expansion was begun in 1960. - Dave] Great memories.Our family took the train from South Bend, Indiana, to SoCal in June of 1963, and Disneyland was of course one of the featured places for us to visit (I was 11, and my sister 15). I had my first cheapo camera (127 film?), and my parents shot with their 616 format cameras -- all b&w. Seeing this great tterrace shot brings back fantastic images in my mind. The train trip took us over 40 hrs. to get there (no compartment, just recliner chairs and lousy food; thanks Santa Fe!). Dad decided to cash in the return train tickets and purchase our fare back via United Air Lines, and saved over 37 hours of traveling! Teacup twirlI love the girl's long ponytail swinging out of the teacup on the left. This is the kind of scene that Kodachrome was made for! I've never been to Disneyland, but grew up in Orlando when Disney World had just opened and was very affordable (unlike today) - we went as a family on weekends fairly regularly. Mr. Toad's Wild RideMr. Toad's Wild Ride is still there although a bit different. The ride in the '63 tterrace photo was closed down in 1982 for renovations, and here's the finished product. My kids are jealous!They have yet, at 18 and 19, to go to Dinseyland. Tterrace, you have scored with another great shot! A movieBwayne! What a fun movie that trip could be! Cable CarsYou will note in the upper right hand corner the bottom of one of the gondolas of the cable car ride that went across the park. I remember gliding over the Teacup ride and seeing some poor kid barf up, in a 360 degree spray, what looked like a large Coke, a bag of popcorn and a chili dog - at least that's what I had for lunch that day. God Bless KodachromeIn 2009 and 2010, knowing the demise of Kodachrome was near, I shot many rolls of my kids at Disneyland, at the beach, with their grandparents, etc., using that film. Digital has many advantages, but the particular color mix and grain of Kodachrome (and the slightly rounded images from the slide mount), evoke a powerful sense of American family life in the mid-20th century. Not BostonSo this is where all that Tea Party stuff started! My first visit to DisneylandMy first visit to Disneyland was in 1959, when I was 8 years old. My mom and I took the train from Richmond CA to Bakersfield, where we got the Santa Fe Trailways connecting bus to Los Angeles, then to Anaheim. We stayed in a motel just a few blocks from the entrance to Disneyland, and I remember that relatively short walk very clearly - it was ALL orange groves, on both sides of the street, from the motel to the gates of Disneyland! My favorite attraction was Tom Sawyer's Island, where my cousin and I ran around like idiots, probably much to the adults' relief! The submarines were brand new that year. I remember I did NOT ride the Matterhorn, but my Mom did and she loved it! I made my fifth trip to Disneyland last April, on my 60th birthday. It was still great fun, but WOW was it expensive! I told a clerk it was my birthday when I bought a new set of ears, and she gave me a pin to wear. I was amazed when EVERY employee who saw me with the pin said "Happy Birthday, Ken" to me! Somewhere I have an Ektachrome slide I took in 1970 with my new Hasselblad. We were the last to leave the park, and I set the camera on the ground in Main Street for a long exposure of the street cleaners pushing brooms toward us. If I find it again, I will post it here! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
The Grayhouse: 1907
... will be returned to its former glory. Grayhouse Kodachrome: 1956 Interior of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan, April 1956. Scanned Kodachrome slide. View full size. More Kodachrome slides ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/21/2014 - 11:35am -

Detroit circa 1907. "Horticultural Building, Belle Isle Park." Check out their latest Vine. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. ChallengeOK Shorpy colorists, you're on. Belle Isle BeautyInfo from the Belle Isle Conservancy website: "The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory was opened in 1904 and was designed by Albert Kahn, modeled after Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. The Conservatory is divided into 5 distinct sections: The Palm House, Tropical House, Showroom, Cactus House and the Fernery. Mrs. Anna Scripps Whitcomb bequeathed her 600-plant orchid collection to the City of Detroit and the Conservatory. In 1955 the Conservatory was dedicated to her." My family, beginning with my grandparents, visited Belle Isle at least twice yearly for nine decades. It's great to see the historical photos displayed here at Shorpy. I keep hoping to find family in one of these oldies. Now belongs to the StateWith the current bankruptcy procedings of the City of Detroit going on, the State of Michigan has acquired ownership of the entire island including all upon it. Hopefully this bids for better times, as it has fallen upon hardship in recent years. Fond memoriesOf occasional visits here with my mother in the '50s. For all the exotic plants, bright colors & winter warmth, I most remember the humidity. Now that Belle Isle is a state park, maybe the Conservatory will be returned to its former glory. Grayhouse Kodachrome: 1956Interior of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan, April 1956. Scanned Kodachrome slide. View full size. More Kodachrome slides of the interior and exterior that were taken in 1955-56 can be found here. MomMy mom told me stories of trips to Belle Isle on the streetcar when she was a young child. Here she is in 1936 at 17 years old in front of the greenhouse. (The Gallery, DPC, Kids)
All Ears: 1943
... July 1943. "Wheat, Pennsylvania." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by John Collier for the Farm Security Administration. ... Tolkien grew up in Nebraska. Another triumph for Kodachrome You can almost smell the fields and the broken stalks. (The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/22/2008 - 8:58am -

July 1943. "Wheat, Pennsylvania." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by John Collier for the Farm Security Administration. All Ears?All Ears? What do ears have to do with wheat? Wheat has heads, not ears. Are you thinking corn? [Wheat, along with the other cereal grains including corn, does indeed have ears. - Dave] MonstrousThis is what an Ent would look like if J.R.R. Tolkien grew up in Nebraska. Another triumph for KodachromeYou can almost smell the fields and the broken stalks. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Agriculture, John Collier)
Whee I
... on an amusement park ride at Battersea Park, London. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Charles Eames. View full size. FUN! I ... my own wayward child in that generalization, too!) Kodachrome never ceases to Kodachrome never ceases to amaze me. This photo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/17/2019 - 9:14pm -

September 1961. Girls on an amusement park ride at Battersea Park, London. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Charles Eames. View full size. FUN!I wish people still dressed up to go to the amusement park. (Now it's all flip-flops and skin and ragged shorts and tattoos...and I'm including my own wayward child in that generalization, too!) Kodachrome never ceases toKodachrome never ceases to amaze me. This photo could have been taken last year (except for the fashions in the background.) (Kodachromes, Charles & Ray Eames, Sports)
Super Chief: 1943
... these Diesel streamliners takes five minutes." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the OWI. View full size. Wow ... I still believe that the pinnacle of color photography was Kodachrome transparencies. I remember when they doubled the ASA rating to 64, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/03/2017 - 9:32am -

March 1943. "Santa Fe streamliner Super Chief being serviced at the depot in Albuquerque. Servicing these Diesel streamliners takes five minutes." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the OWI. View full size. WowThis is EXACTLY how I want my model railroad to look like! yepI toatally agree execept mine will be built using lego bricks! Super ChiefI rode the El Capitan and the Super Chief back in 1967 it was a wonderful trip and a great way to really see the country. I rode Amtrak's Southwest Chief in 1999 to and from Calif on my honeymoon, my wife enjoyed it too. FuelingThe fact that they're fueling from two tank cars on a siding shows how relatively new this technology was in the area - there wasn't a permanent facility available as there would be for coal fired locomotives. And yet in the Southwest in particular diesels were the perfect engines since they didn't need the scarce water. Wartime TriviaDuring the World War II years, some train headlamp openings were reduced in size to prevent Axis spies from seeing them traveling through the night. The E6 model pictured, built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in May 1941, has the shroud covering the larger headlamp opening. The number board above the cab and on either sides of the nose appear to be dimmed as well. This AT&SF E6 No. 15 was paired with a matching cabless booster unit E6A, and both were retired in June 1968 after several million miles of travel (and no doubt washed many, many times) since this great photograph was taken. Longest stop on a long rideI rode the Super Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles and back in 1970. I remember that, at least westbound, the stop at Albuquerque was long enough that passengers were allowed to get off the train to stretch their legs on the platform, and was the only such stop on the whole trip -- which may explain that large gaggle back by the station. And I remember being impressed, as a youngster, by the Old Spanish architecture of that station, which was like nothing we had in the Midwest. AlbuquerqueGee whiz, I remember getting arrested on the exact spot right below the camera by the AT&SF "Dick" one fine overcast day in July 1970. This was while we were moving out to California when I was 16. "Trespassing" was the charge. Just wanted to see some Warbonnets before returning to the motel and my folks then back out West on to THAT road, Route 66 the next a.m. Somewhat different world these days, huh? The Atchison, Topeka and Santa FeWhat a great photo. Even though I (like most I suspect) have gone all digital, I still believe that the pinnacle of color photography was Kodachrome transparencies. I remember when they doubled the ASA rating to 64, woo-hoo, great color and fast film! Unfortunately, there is little still in existence from this photo. Passenger rail travel is close to extinct, the Santa Fe is now part of a conglomeration that includes at least 3 grand old railroad lines, the Harvey House hotel (upper left behind the station) was torn down, and the beautiful Mission Style station burned in 1993. Ready to JumpPrep the Atavachron, I've decided where I want to go. AlbuquerqueFrom Fritz Lang's "Human Desire" (1954). Oh the Fabulous Memories!When I was 12 years old I got to be the baggage guys' "helper" at the Hutchison, Kansas, stop. The biggest thrill was the night, like every other night, the Santa Fe Chief pulled into the station, and as always I got far enough down the tracks to be where the ABBA units would stop. This one night the engineer, I assume, recognized me as being a "regular" at that spot, opened the cab door, and let me climb up in the EMD F3 engine. He then opened the rear door, and I was looking down the long cabin, at the biggest engines I had ever imagined existed, in the middle, with walkways down both sides. I will never forget the deafening roar the second the engineer opened that door. Every time I see pictures of these EMD F3 setups, I get chills. Beyond a doubt, works of timeless rolling art. Now I am the proud owner of a G scale model RR set, ABA units, that are so realistic, you could almost climb aboard! Texas 1947Look out, here she comes, she's comin', Look out, there she goes, she's gone-- Screamin' straight through Texas like a mad dog cyclone. "Big and red and silver, she don't make no smoke, she's a fast-rollin' streamline come to show the folks. -- Guy Clark, "Texas 1947" Santa Fe / AlbuquerqueYou the Ron Beck I was in the AF with? Don't think so, but it'd sure be wackily weird if you were! My dad worked at a baker at the Harvey House Restaurant in Albuquerque in 1944-45. We lived directly across the street from the Harvey House in some old, cheap hotel. You can get back to me, if you wish, at majskyking@gmail.com Enjoyed your comments. Railroad days were phenomenal!! Let's share some RR stories. LogoThey've chosed the American Flyer over the Lionel paint job for the Santa Fe logo. SquintyNote the wartime shroud on the headlight. Service StopThe four hoses feeding the locomotives are not only providing fuel but also water for the diesel-fired steam heat boilers. See the wisp of steam at the rear of the lead unit. The water fill was located in the side of the carbody forward of the cab ladder. Albuquerque is located on a secondary route mostly used by passenger trains that is no longer owned by Santa Fe successor, BNSF. That railroads still fuels its transcontinental trains in nearby Belen, NM. Harvey HouseYou can still stay at a Harvey House hotel: La Posada, in Winslow, Arizona. My daughter and I did just that, as we drove from LA to Massachusetts a few years back. It was a wonderful stay, we ate at the restaurant and there were complimentary earplugs on our pillows. Necessary, because of the train yard immediately behind the hotel. The hotel was almost torn down, and the story of how it was saved and restored is worth reading. Winslow is an interesting town, and not to be missed if you're out that way. http://www.laposada.org Not the only Harvey House leftThere are still a few of the former Harvey House hotels in operation, one not that far from this photo. The La Fonda in Santa Fe was acquired by the AT&SF in 1925 and promptly leased back to Fred Harvey to run. It operated as a Harvey property until 1968, when changing conditions led to a forced sale, though it remains a locally-owned property to the present day. Where's Shorpy ?Ah, I see what you did there, Dave. Very clever. Keep up the good work ! (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Grant and California: 1968
... San Francisco's Chinatown at Grant and California Streets; Kodachrome slide by my dad. View full size. The Requisite VW Is ... from the musical "Flower Drum Song." Nice Kodachrome! By the way several "I Spy" episodes were filmed in San ... 
 
Posted by rsyung - 07/09/2017 - 9:28pm -

August 1968. My mom in San Francisco's Chinatown at Grant and California Streets; Kodachrome slide by my dad. View full size. The Requisite VWIs there just the other side of the cable car. At first I thought this wonderful photo was missing it. Rodgers and Hammerstein, thank you!"You travel there in a trolley, in a trolley up you'll climb, ding dong, you're in Hong Kong, having yourself a time. You can eat if you are in the mood, shark fin soup, bean cake fish. The girl who serves you all your food is another tasty dish! Grant Avenue, San Francisco, California USA." And so on - "Grant Avenue," from the musical "Flower Drum Song." Nice Kodachrome! By the way several "I Spy" episodes were filmed in San Francisco around the same time and "An American Empress" is set in Chinatown. It's a fun way to get a feel for what San Francisco looked and sounded like in the late '60s. It's still thereThe Far East Cafe is still there, as it probably had been for the preceding 50 years before this picture was taken. A great establishment with curtained booths, where you can dine in complete privacy, and push the button to notify the staff when you require attention. Haven't been there in quite a long time, but I used to like to let my imagination run wild about all the sneaky deals that might have been made. Not to mention all the other goings on, that might have taken place by the patrons of this fine and mysterious restaurant, over the past several decades. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
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