Alan Mays' photos

"25 Firemans Cards, 20 cts." A card pasted in an "Agent's Sample Book" that was issued by an unidentified calling card company. For an example of another card that was in the "Agent's Sample Book," see Comic Imp Card: I Am ________, Who the Devil Are You? For other firemen's calling cards, see below for C. H. Moscrip, H. G. Phelps Hose Company No. 1, Sidney, N.Y. , Eugene O. Chase, Second Leading Hoseman, Danielsonville, Conn. , and Fireman Calling Card .

"What color eyes do you love best? Perhaps blue and light hair. Send me a card [to say] when you will be over. All O.K. but mamma has the grippe. Here comes Tom. Campers by the creek. Jolly time. Tell Alice 'Hello' for me. Ever yours, Mariett." Postmark on back: Hubbard, Ohio, Oct. [6?], 1908. Addressed on back to: "Miss Mina Clark, Hubbard, Ohio. R.F.D. #2. c/o Mr. Taylor Carnahan." Handwritten message on back: "10-6, '08. Hello Kidds! Where are you and what are you doing anyway? Why did you not come over as you said? I have 'sore eyes' looking for you. Would you be the doctor? How are the folks?"

"I'm enjoying myself immensely. Wish you were here."

Mouse over the image above to see enlargements of the top half and bottom half of this fireworks display announcement. James Pain presented his "pyrotechnic displays" of fireworks at Coney Island for the first time on the Fourth of July in 1879, and this broadside is an announcement for his third show held two weeks later. For additional background information, see David A. Sullivan's illuminating article Coney Island History: The Story of Pain's Manhattan Beach Fireworks Shows . For a later James Pain production, see the following trade card for Pain's Last Days of Pompeii : Pyrotechnic Displays by James Pain, Coney Island, July 19, 1879 Alexandra Exhibition Co. The next in the Series of Pyrotechnic Displays Under the charge of Jas. Pain, Esq., Pyrotechnist of the Alexandra Palace, London, England, and also of the Royal Yacht Squadron, will take place Saturday, July 19, '79 at Manhattan Beach, Coney Island. The Enclosure lies East of the Bathing Pavilion. Programme 1. Salute of Aerial Maroons. 2. Electric Illumination, with Colored Fires. 3. Grand Display of Large Colored Rockets. 4. Ascent of Magnesium Balloons, weather permitting. 5. Golden Tourbillions, ascending and descending. 6. Girandoles of Fire, with Brilliant Circles, Batteries of Roman Candles, Jewelled Mines, Rockets, &c, &c. 7. Discharge of Shells of Various Colors. 8. Set Piece, Saxon Cross in Brilliant Gold and Emerald Fires. 9. Asteroid Rockets, with Floating Lights, changing colors while sailing through the air. 10. Pigeon Cotes, with Fiery Pigeons Flying to and fro. 11. Set Piece, Mammoth Silver Fire Wheel, with interesting centres continuously changing colors. 12. Pleiades, or Seven Floating Stars, thrown from one rocket. 13. Set Piece, Fairy Fountain, with gold and silver jets. 14. Fire Picture of a Palace River Steamboat. 15. Discharge of Shells, forming gold clouds, silver streams, &c. 16. Forest of Fire, produced by simultaneous discharge of Monster Golden Trees. 17. Set Piece, Grand Star Device. 18. Set Piece, Passion Flowers, represented in various forms and colors. 19. Second Display of Large Rockets, introducing the Wondrous Silver Stars with Cometic Tails. 20. Grand Naval Attack. - Sighting of the Ships -The Attack - The Running Down - Explosion and Sinking of one of the Combatants. 21. Second Discharge of Large Shells, in various colors and effects of the latest invention. 22. Grand Cascade of fire, falling from a great height, and covering a space of several thousand feet. 23. Finale, Flight of Large Rockets, forming a Gigantic Aerial Bouquet. Admission 25 cts., seats 25 cts. extra. The Display will be over in ample time for the comfortable return home of our visitors. American Bank Note Co., Type Department, 53 Broadway, New York.

For more information, see the bottom half and the full version of this fireworks display announcement (below). Pyrotechnic Displays by James Pain, Coney Island, July 19, 1879 (Top Half) Alexandra Exhibition Co. The next in the Series of Pyrotechnic Displays Under the charge of Jas. Pain, Esq., Pyrotechnist of the Alexandra Palace, London, England, and also of the Royal Yacht Squadron, will take place Saturday, July 19, '79 at Manhattan Beach, Coney Island. The Enclosure lies East of the Bathing Pavilion. Programme 1. Salute of Aerial Maroons. 2. Electric Illumination, with Colored Fires. 3. Grand Display of Large Colored Rockets. 4. Ascent of Magnesium Balloons, weather permitting. 5. Golden Tourbillions, ascending and descending. 6. Girandoles of Fire, with Brilliant Circles, Batteries of Roman Candles, Jewelled Mines, Rockets, &c, &c. 7. Discharge of Shells of Various Colors. 8. Set Piece, Saxon Cross in Brilliant Gold and Emerald Fires. 9. Asteroid Rockets, with Floating Lights, changing colors while sailing through the air. 10. Pigeon Cotes, with Fiery Pigeons Flying to and fro.

For more information, see the top half and the full version of this fireworks display announcement (below). Pyrotechnic Displays by James Pain, Coney Island, July 19, 1879 (Bottom Half) 11. Set Piece, Mammoth Silver Fire Wheel, with interesting centres continuously changing colors. 12. Pleiades, or Seven Floating Stars, thrown from one rocket. 13. Set Piece, Fairy Fountain, with gold and silver jets. 14. Fire Picture of a Palace River Steamboat. 15. Discharge of Shells, forming gold clouds, silver streams, &c. 16. Forest of Fire, produced by simultaneous discharge of Monster Golden Trees. 17. Set Piece, Grand Star Device. 18. Set Piece, Passion Flowers, represented in various forms and colors. 19. Second Display of Large Rockets, introducing the Wondrous Silver Stars with Cometic Tails. 20. Grand Naval Attack. - Sighting of the Ships -The Attack - The Running Down - Explosion and Sinking of one of the Combatants. 21. Second Discharge of Large Shells, in various colors and effects of the latest invention. 22. Grand Cascade of fire, falling from a great height, and covering a space of several thousand feet. 23. Finale, Flight of Large Rockets, forming a Gigantic Aerial Bouquet. Admission 25 cts., seats 25 cts. extra. The Display will be over in ample time for the comfortable return home of our visitors. American Bank Note Co., Type Department, 53 Broadway, New York.

In this 1907 Bamforth real photo postcard by Robert McCrum, a poor beleaguered husband sits on the floor and performs his household chores while his wife relaxes with a magazine and cigarette in a comfortable chair. One of his kids appears to be crying loudly, and the other one has climbed up on the table in the background to try out dad's tobacco pipe. It's interesting to see that the same wallpaper appears in another Bamforth postcard entitled Try This on Your Piano :

Despite its discoloration, this small novelty ticket for the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad (1861-1907) is notable for its use of rebuses (see my translations of the pictures, numbers, and letters below) to indicate the children's fares and to request that passengers keep their feet off the seats. The back of the ticket (see below) indicates that this was a "Through Check." On railways where they're still used today, through checks are more commonly called seat checks. As I understand it, a conductor typically first inspects a passenger's train ticket, marks the destination on a seat check, and then places the check on or above the passenger's seat. This allows the conductor to keep track of passengers and which stops they need to get off at. Apparently, T. E. Metzgar was the only conductor who used a seat check like this, since it specifies on the back, "Good for this day and train only. With any other conductor it is useless." My best guess, then, is that Metzgar had these printed himself and may have used them on special occasions or perhaps just for children. Has anyone else seen anything similar? Philadelphia & Erie R.R. Rebus: "Key-P UR Boots & Shoes off the Seats." Translation: "Keep your boots and shoes off the seats." T. E. Metzgar, conductor. Rebus: "5 Children Free." Translation: "Children under 5, free." Rebus: "12 Children 5 Half Fare" Translation: "Children over 5 and under 12, half fare."

The back of a small novelty ticket (or, more specifically, a "through check" or "seat check") used by T. E. Metzgar, who was a conductor on the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad . For more information, see the front of the ticket (below). Through Check - Erie to . . . Langdon's - 9.0 Waterford - 18.5 Union - 26.2 Corry - 37.0 Spring Creek - 44.0 Garland - 50.0 Irvineton - 59.7 Warren - 65.5 Sheffield - 78.8 Ludlow - 85.4 Kane - 94.5 Wilcox - 103.7 Johnsonburg - 110.1 Ridgway - 118.2 St. Mary's - 128.3 Rathbun - 137.5 Emporium - 149.1 Cameron - 155.0 Sterling - 158.6 Driftwood - 167.6 Round Island - 177.8 Keating - 182.7 Westport - 189.3 Renovo - 195.2 Lock Haven - 222 Williamsport - 248 Sunbury - 288 Harrisburg - 344 Philadelphia - 449 Baltimore - 426 New York - 443 Good for this day and train only. With any other conductor it is useless. If you wish to stop over, notify the conductor.

A temper tantrum photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A 1906 Bamforth postcard with a photo by Robert McCrum shows a not-so-dulcet duet of unhappy infants.

Some bubbly women on a postcard from the early twentieth century. Postmark on the back: Reading, Pa., Aug. 27, 1911. Addressed to: "Mr. Samuel Dittus, 29 Inf M.G.P., Fort Niagara, N.Y." Message: "Dear Brother, I am having a nice time. Wish you were here in Reading with me. Did you get my other post card? Love to you from your sister Nettie, 446 S. Christian St. [Lancaster, Pa.]" Sadly, Nettie's brother was killed in action during combat in France seven years later. As reported in the Harrisburg Telegraph newspaper on December, 17, 1918, p. 2, "Corporal Samuel H. Dittus, 31 years old, a member of the Fourth United States Infantry, was killed in battle on October 12, according to an official message received by his sister, Mrs. Nettie Cramer, of Lancaster. Dittus was twelve years in the service and had seen service in Cuba and the Philippines. About three months ago he was wounded and shell shocked and had been back with his command but a short time when killed."

A little girl and her military doll.

"Compliments of your neice Alice." Handwritten note on the back of this photographic calling card: "Mrs. A. E. Junker, Yereka, Cal. Taken some years ago." Based on the handwritten additions, this card and its inset tintype photo belonged to Alice G. Junker, who was married to Albert E Junker. In 1910, when Alice was 44 years old and Albert was 48, they lived in Yreka Ward 2, Siskiyou County, California. It's likely that the calling card dates to the 1880s or 1890s.

A tinted portrait of a somber-looking fellow. Printed on the back of this CDV (see below): "Patton & Dietrich's Photograph Gallery, cor. of Seventh & Penn Sts., Reading, Pa. P.&R. RR. No. ________. Additional copies of this picture can be had at any time." The Patton & Dietrich's Photograph Gallery Backmark (below) features an illustration of a train belonging to the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad (P&R). This company later became the Reading Railroad (RDG), which still appears as one of the railroads on the Monopoly gameboard.

"Patton & Dietrich's Photograph Gallery, cor. of Seventh & Penn Sts., Reading, Pa. P.&R. RR. No. ________. Additional copies of this picture can be had at any time." The front of this CDV (see below) is a tinted portrait of a somber-looking fellow. The Patton & Dietrich's Photograph Gallery Backmark (below) features an illustration of a train belonging to the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad (P&R). This company later became the Reading Railroad (RDG), which still appears as one of the railroads on the Monopoly gameboard.

"Patton & Dietrich's Photograph Gallery, cor. of Seventh & Penn Sts., Reading, Pa. P.&R. RR." The Patton & Dietrich's Photograph Gallery Backmark features an illustration of a train belonging to the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad (P&R). This company later became the Reading Railroad (RDG), which still appears as one of the railroads on the Monopoly gameboard. The front of this CDV (see below) is a tinted portrait of a somber-looking fellow.

A photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park showing how there's one in every crowd (a group of people posing with one silly/goofy person who throws the whole photo off, i.e.: sticking out tongue, bunny ears behind the head, etc.) . Oh, how nice! The carpenters and other workmen in this real photo postcard are posing with saws, hammers, and other tools to demonstrate how hard they've been working on the renovation of this house! But wait a second! One guy is lying down on the job!

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