Alan Mays' photos

"The Modern Cycle Co., general repairing, brazing, vulcanizing. Wm. Deubel, proprietor. 1317 Montgomery St., rear. Allied Printing Trades Council, Union Label, St. Louis, 32. The Modern Way. The Old Way." The Modern Cycle Company was a bicycle repair shop that may have been located in St. Louis, Missouri (that's where this business card was printed), but I haven't been able to uncover any additional information about the company or its proprietor, William Deubel. In the illustration on the back of the card, the "modern way" and the "old way" both portray men who are working on bicycles, and the main difference between the two of them seems to be that the modern man is using a longer tire lever (or similar tool) on his bike. I'm not sure whether this was intended to show that the Modern Cycle Company used better tools, repaired bikes more efficiently, or something else.

"Hartman Gish - 3 yrs. old." A real photo postcard postmarked Richland, Pa., July 26, 1907. Addressed to: Miss Charlotte Gable, Schaefferstown, Leb. Co., Pa. Handwritten message on back: "Thanks for the beads. Hartman likes them so much. He even slept with them. Pardon me for not writing sooner. Don't Hartman look natural. Clara is coming on Sat. Lovingly, Christie."

"Fastnacht Sociable, by the Altar Society, Grace Ev. Luth. Church, Lect. Room, N. Queen and James, for new church improvem't fund. Admission, refreshment, and entertainment, 10 cts. Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1904. Admit one. P.A.P." -------- Although this 1904 ticket for a "Fastnacht Sociable" in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, doesn't specify what refreshments were served during this church fundraiser, its shape and the event's name suggest that "fastnachts"--a type of fried doughnut--were on the menu ( fastnachts , however, aren't necessarily round in shape and may not have a hole in the middle). As Wikipedia explains, " Fastnacht Day , is an annual Pennsylvania Dutch celebration that falls on Shrove Tuesday , the day before Ash Wednesday....Traditionally, fastnachts are made to use up the lard, sugar, butter, eggs and other rich foods in a house before the austere diet of Lent begins." Fastnacht Day--which fell on Tuesday, March 4, in 2014--continues to be observed in central Pennsylvania, and a number of Catholic and Protestant churches in the area each make as many as 100,000 fasnachts to sell. Some fastnacht makers use special recipes, such as one which produces an uncoated yeast-raised potato doughnut that's square in shape with no hole, while others--including many grocery and convenience stores--simply repackage their regular sugared or glazed doughnuts and label them as fastnachts. See Sue Gleiter's article, " What Is a Fastnacht? Apparently More Than Just a Fried Doughnut ," PennLive.com, March 3, 2014, for additional information on making, selling, and eating fasnachts. -------- For a ticket to another church-sponsored "fastnacht social," see Annual Fastnacht Social, St. Andrew's Reformed Sunday School, Reading, Pa., Feb. 21, 1950 .

"Annual Fastnacht Social, sponsored by Beginner's, Primary, and Junior Depts., St. Andrew's Reformed Sunday School, Spruce Street off Perkiomen Avenue, Tuesday, February 21, 1950. Supper served from 5 to 8 p.m. Tickets, 10 cents." Although "fastnachts"--a type of fried doughnut--are eaten in central Pennsylvania on Fastnacht Day , it's not known whether the traditional treat was featured as part of this "Fasnacht Social" supper held as a church fundraiser in Reading, Pennsylvania, on Shrove Tuesday in 1950. For additional information on Fastnacht Day, see Fastnacht Sociable, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Pa., Feb. 16, 1904 .

One in a series of baseball-themed advertising trade cards published in 1887 by Tobin, this card featured a caricature of Charlie Ferguson, who was a well-regarded pitcher for the Philadelphia Quakers team. Sadly, it turned out that 1887 was the final season that Ferguson played--he died from typhoid fever in April 1888. -------- "Philadelphia. 'Not Onto It.' (Ferguson.) Tobin N.Y." "A. W. Schrader, manufacturer of all kinds of mineral waters, also bottler of lager and porter. Private families supplied at short notice. 726 and 728 Adams Ave., Scranton, Pa. Telephone connection."

"Buy the 'Empire' Wringer. Uncle Sam--'Take my advice, and if you want a surplus use the Empire well.'"

"301 Trailer Park and Grocery, U.S. 301, 5 miles north, Statesboro, Georgia." Handwritten on the back of this linen postcard: "We camped here twice in June 1966."

The three aerodynamic fellows who are peering over at us from this souvenir real photo postcard are pretending to fly their biplane over the thriving metropolis of Denver, Colorado, circa 1910.

"The Livermore Pen, manufactured by the Stylographic Pen Co., 290 Washington St., Boston." For the back, see The Celebrated Livermore Pen Stylographic Pen .

"The Celebrated Livermore Stylographic Pen is a pencil which writes ink, never needs sharpening, and never wears out. Adopted by over 200,000 knights of the quill, in this country and abroad. Every pen warranted, and sold on trial. The Livermore Pen combines all the latest improvements." For the front, see The Livermore Pen, Stylographic Pen Co., Boston, Mass.

"Here's a big hello from Jane Lewis at the Roosevelt Hotel, Pittsburgh."

Mouse over this real photo postcard to see a close-up of the women and their doll . -------- "I should worry" is what the small sign on the left says (the sign on the right isn't legible).

See also the full version of this real photo postcard. -------- "I should worry" is what the small sign on the left says (the sign on the right isn't legible).

"The Procrastinator's Hereafter. Take a friend's advice: Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today--Answer that letter." Sign: "Bottomless Pit Drop In." Pity the poor procrastinator who doesn't answer his letters! This pathetic fellow obviously failed to keep up with his correspondence while he was alive, and now in the "hereafter" the devil is looking over his shoulder to make sure he responds on time--and for all time! In order to avoid falling into the fiery "Bottomless Pit" below, the procrastinator is precariously perched on an endless roll of paper as he scribbles out his message. The last few lines he's written on the paper suggest that he's trying to explain away his current predicament: "...in my new home. Although everything is up to sample, I'm not stuck on the place but circumstances over which I have no control impel me to stick...." -------- Reverse of postcard: Postmarked: "Hartford, Conn., Aug. 25, 1912." Addressed to: "Mr. W. J. Ross, 131 River St., N. Adams, Mass." Handwritten message: "Dear Will: What do you think of this for a card? I don't hear from Flora very often. I'm working and not having much fun either--just existing. Not as tired as when I came here. Hastily, Cora."

A tintype photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Another painted version of Niagara Falls (see also Holding a Bucket Under Niagara Falls ) appears in the background of this souvenir tintype photo, which originally came in a paper mount that would have covered up the uneven edges and clipped corners. The woman is holding a doll that appears to be dressed in a baseball uniform, and what looks like a purse is tucked under one of the doll's arms. Although it's difficult to see at the very edge of the photo, the man seems to be holding a stuffed animal of some sort. Notice that--like all tintypes--the image is reversed, so that the "L" on the doll's uniform is backwards. The falls on the painted backdrop are also reversed--the Horseshoe Falls at left should actually be on the right-hand side of the photo, while the American Falls at right should appear on the left-hand side. Mouse over the top of the tintype to see a mirror image of the photo that shows the "L" and the falls in their proper order.

For information about this image, see the original tintype photo .