Alan Mays' photos

Signs: At top: "[Meats]. Cash Store, A. J. Morel. Groceries." In windows: "The Morel Stores." Gas pump: "Socony Motor Gasoline."

A stores (department, grocery, five and dime, etc.) photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A tobacconist poses among his wares in a cigar store, date and location unknown. One interesting aspect of this photo is how many different packages and advertisements for tobacco products are visible (mouse over the image above to see close-up views of the counter and wall behind the proprietor and the display case in front of him ). Some of the tobacco posters, placards, and packaging visible behind the counter include items for Red Star Plain Scraps Chewing and Smoking Tobacco ("pure tobacco never harmed anyone"), Murad the Turkish Cigarette, Town Talk, American Navy, Helmar Cigarettes, Our Principal, Quaker Boy, Bold, and cigarette packs for Camel and Lucky Strike. Gum and candy was available, too, with Beech-Nut Chewing Gum, Black Jack Chewing Gum, Schrafft's Chocolates, Hershey's candy bars, and Life Savers candies among those represented. Cigar brands in the boxes on the top shelf of the display case include Muriel, Rose-O-Cuba, Lord Clinton, Our Principal Senior, Lord Romeo, Summons, Londres, Golden Belle, Let-Er-Rip, and O.K. Among the tobacco products on the display case's bottom shelf are Sach's All-Right Plain Scrap, Red Man, Beech-Nut Chewing Tobacco, Master Workman Scrap, Tub Tobacco, and Picnic Twist.

Some of the tobacco posters, placards, and packaging visible behind the counter include items for Red Star Plain Scraps Chewing and Smoking Tobacco ("pure tobacco never harmed anyone"), Murad the Turkish Cigarette, Town Talk, American Navy, Helmar Cigarettes, Our Principal, Quaker Boy, Bold, and cigarette packs for Camel and Lucky Strike. Gum and candy was available, too, with Beech-Nut Chewing Gum, Black Jack Chewing Gum, Schrafft's Chocolates, Hershey's candy bars, and Life Savers candies among those represented. See also the full version of the photo.

Cigar brands in the boxes on the top shelf of the display case include Muriel, Rose-O-Cuba, Lord Clinton, Our Principal Senior, Lord Romeo, Summons, Londres, Golden Belle, Let-Er-Rip, and O.K. Among the tobacco products on the display case's bottom shelf are Sach's All-Right Plain Scrap, Red Man, Beech-Nut Chewing Tobacco, Master Workman Scrap, Tub Tobacco, and Picnic Twist. See also the full version of the photo.

"American Federation of Butters. Membership Ticket. Not transferable. This certifies that ________ is entitled to 'butt in' all conversations whether public or private. Billy Goat, president. Nan Goat, secretary."

"Electricity in a Bottle. Cures catarrh, hay fever, headache, asthma, neuralgia. Price, $1.00. The West Electric Cure Co., Chicago, Ills." A die-cut advertising trade card for an electrifying patent medicine.

"The Telephone Matches, special safety matches. Trade mark, made in Sweden. Average contents 60 matches per box." For some additional examples of matchbook labels, see below:

"The Norge to the N. Pole. Safety matches. Made in Italy. S.A. Fabbriche Riunite Fiammiferi, Milano." According to Wikipedia , "The Norge was a semi-rigid Italian-built airship that carried out what many consider the first verified overflight of the North Pole on May 12, 1926. It was also the first aircraft to fly over the polar ice cap between Europe and America. The expedition was the brainchild of polar explorer and expedition leader Roald Amundsen, the airship's designer and pilot Umberto Nobile and American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth, who along with the Aero Club of Norway financed the trip." For more information, see Wikipedia's Norge (airship) article.

"Solo Match. Made in Austria."

"Solo Match. Made in Austria."

"Made in Poland."

"Emmett Williamson, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 quart(s), not transferable." Seasonal agricultural workers who harvested fruits and vegetables received "pickers' chits" like these, which they could later redeem for cash. I haven't been able to determine what crop these chits were issued for or ascertain whether "Emmett Williamson" was the name of a farmer or a company. For information regarding the use of pickers' chits in Missouri, see Strawberry Tokens and Chits a Reminder of Bygone Era . For examples of other chits, see below:

"6 Quarts, A. J. Daisy." See also Emmett Williamson Pickers' Chits :

"Strawberry Ticket, One Crate, R. E. Cantrell, Sarcoxie, Mo." See also Emmett Williamson Pickers' Chits :

I have not been able to determine who Emmett A. Thomas was or why his head was superimposed on the body of a mosquito. Some kind of New Jersey joke perhaps?

"Orchilla Guano 'AA' the great soil enricher. R. A. Wooldridge & Co., importers, Baltimore, Md." Such a nice colorful Victorian-era advertising trade card for, uh, " guano ."

"A happy family is a healthy family. Swat the fly. Kill him, he spreads disease. Protect the family. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health." See also Swat the Fly, Save the Babies .

See below for a similar item: Swat the Fly, Protect the Family . Swat the Fly, Save the Babies Make the way hard for the fly and easy for the baby. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health. Swat 'em. Flies transmit typhoid fever, diarrhea, infantile paralysis, cholera, etc. Swat every fly, save all babies. Hurry, children, here's an unscreened window. No race suicide with the flies. Uncovered food means a feast for filthy flies. Cover all food. Keep garbage cans clean and covered. Flies carry disease and filth on their feet. Health departments, civic clubs, schoolchildren, scouts, housewives, swat 'em. This is no place for me. Disease.