Alan Mays' photos

"The National Surgical Institute of Philadelphia, N.E. Cor. Broad & Arch Sts. Ketterlinus, Philad'a." A Victorian-era "before and after" advertising trade card for the National Surgical Institute of Philadelphia. The "before" part of the card is illustrated by the boy on crutches, who hasn't yet received any treatment. The girl, whose treatment has been so successful that she can now throw away her crutches, shows us the "after" part and demonstrates why we should become patients at the National Surgical Institute. I'm not exactly sure why that prosthetic leg is just lying there on the steps. You'd think they could put it out of the way in a cupboard or closet somewhere so that no one trips over it. Printed on the back of the card: The National Surgical Institute Has been engaged in the treatment of all deformities of the body, limbs, and face; such as Spinal Diseases, Paralysis, Hip Disease, Crooked Limbs, Crooked or Club Feet, Diseased Joints, Hare Lip, Deformities of the Nose, &c. Also, Diseases of Women, Nasal Catarrh, Indolent Ulcers, Piles, Fistula, and other Chronic Diseases. There are no secrets in the mode of treatment, which is usually painless, and all interested are cordially invited to visit the Institute and examine the extensive and ingenious machinery, varied appliances and other facilities. No charges made for examinations, and no cases treated that cannot be cured or greatly benefited. All desired information, and any number of references furnished by calling at, or addressing National Surgical Institute, Cor. Broad & Arch Sts., Philadelphia.

"5/1/1906. Come and join me in a bath. Bathing scene, Heinz Pier, Atlantic City, U.S.A. Seashore home of the 57 varieties." Addressed on the back to "Miss Sue I. Barger, 1307 Flora St., Phila., Pa." This amusing advertising postcard published by the H. J. Heinz Company features the Heinz Pier in the background and includes the food processing company's pickle logo and 57 Varieties slogan. The pier was destroyed by a hurricane in 1944. For another Heinz card from the early twentieth century, see H. J. Heinz Company, Main Plant and General Offices, Pittsburgh, Pa. :

"Fahrt ins Blaue" is a German phrase that literally means "trip into the blue," but idiomatically it suggests something akin to "mystery tour" or "trip to nowhere in particular." This couple took such a trip in 1937, as we can see in this amusing souvenir real photo postcard (mouse over the image to see a close-up of the imaginary plane and its smiling occupants ). Does anyone recognize the location that they're flying over?

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard:

Five women pretend to be riding high over buildings and trees in this studio mock-up of an early biplane (mouse over the image to see a close-up view of the daring aeronauts and their fake flying machine ).

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard:

A photo of gambling (or anything connected with gambling or betting) for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back: "To Dad, Ben." A souvenir real photo postcard showing "Ben" in front of a slot machine at Diamond Jim's Nevada Club, a Las Vegas casino that operated under that name from 1962 to 1969.

The guy's bursting through that poor woman's heart just to deliver his valentine! Here are some other last-minute Valentine's Day greetings!

The humor in this postcard is dependent, of course, upon the fact that "beau"--a boyfriend or sweetheart--is pronounced the same as "bow." To My Affinity From One Who Has No Bow If of me you sometimes think, send to me a bow of pink. If for me your love is right, send to me a bow of white. If for me your love is true, send to me a bow of blue. If for me your love is dead, send to me a bow of red. If for me your love is keen, send to me a bow of green. If you have another miss, send to me a bow like this.

Flowery train Valentine postcard.

Compare this one with Cupids Mending Hearts :

Although this postcard--with a postmark dated February 13, 1911--is intended to convey a patriotic sentiment, the idea of Cupid kneeling down and holding up what appears to be a still-steaming heart makes it feel too much like a sacrificial offering to me. To My Valentine To the banner above I surrender with glee, My heart and my love; Dearest Sweetheart for thee.

Cousins of Alfred E. Neuman perhaps?

"Love's Cable. Handed in at Cupid's Court. No code book is needed for these cables, true love deciphers them. St. Valentine. Bow and Arrow Avenue, Feb. 14. To my valentine, I cable to say, I am yours today, my heart is true, my love to you. If the accuracy of this message be doubted, it will gladly be confirmed on payment of twenty kisses." This folded Valentine's Day greeting was a parody of a "cablegram" (often shortened to "cable"), which was a message transmitted over the submarine communications cables that were laid across the Atlantic Ocean and elsewhere as early as the 1850s. So why would you need to use a code book to send a cablegram? Author Frank C. McClelland described how these worked in the following excerpt from his book, Office Training and Standards (Chicago: A. W. Shaw, 1919), p. 49: How to use a code book. Firms with foreign connections or correspondents also find use for a cable-code book which helps greatly to cut down the expense of cable messages by shortening the number of words required to convey the message. A code book is simply a directory of code words arranged alphabetically, each word being the code for a certain phrase. For example, the word "Dardejante" may stand for "Draft has been presented for payment." and the word "Daricus" may stand for "Draft is correct; please pay." Nearly every kind of message is given in a code book. Suppose we desired to send a cablegram to London reading "Merritt Brothers draft has been presented for payment for two hundred dollars Shall we pay for your account?" If we did not use a code book the cablegram would contain 18 words in addition to the name, address, and signature, which might bring the number of words up to 27. At 31 cents a word, the cablegram would cost $8.37. By using code words we would get this result: "(name) (address) Merritt Brothers Dardejante Morderesti Genageld (signature)," making only eight words, which would cost only $2.48, a saving of $5.89.

"Don't be a dunce. Try to get a little useful information about things in general." Book title: "Things You Should Know." An example of a "cynical, sarcastic, often mean-spirited" vinegar valentine .

My heart has turned from red to grey And is heavy as lead on account of you; For it's loved you long, and it's loved you true, And your coldness has turned it a dismal hue. (This handmade greeting card isn't really a vinegar valentine --it's downright sulfuric!)