Seeing Portland by Air

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of flying.

Photographer Cal Calvert (1875-1930) created an elaborate mockup of an airplane for customers at his studio in Portland, Oregon. In this example of a real photo postcard by Calvert, a man, two women, and three children are pretending to fly over the city of Portland. Mount Hood is visible in the background. The style of Cyko stamp box on the other side dates the card to sometime between 1904 and the 1920s.

Banner on the front of the airplane: "The Rose City." Sign on the rudder at the back of the plane: "Seeing Portland."

Printed on the other side of the postcard: "Cal Calvert, 10 Minute Postcard Man. City Park Gallery at the Washington St. Entrance, Portland, Oregon. Mazeograph Process."

Handwritten note on the other side: "We had this taken for the children's sake. They are in the Catholic School now. Everything was settled May 2nd."

For more examples of Calvert's photography, see Cal Calvert and His Airplane.