Alan Mays' photos

Escort Card Fair Lady: May I become the proud bird who shall accompany you to your leafy bower, or must I suffer the misery of seeing you borne away in triumph by the individual whose chromo tintype appears at the right. "Gaze on this picture, then on that."--Hamlet. A Victorian-era acquaintance card with amusingly convoluted language. These cards--also called escort, flirtation, or invitation cards--provided a humorous way for a young man to make the acquaintance of a young woman. See below for additional examples.

"May I see you home?"

"W. L. Alexander. May I see you home? Or will I have to set on the fence and watch you meander by?"

"May I be permitted the blissful pleasure of escorting you home this evening? Yours, __________. Two souls with but a single thought; two hearts that beat as one." Printed on reverse of card: "No. 100. Escort cards, 50 for 10 cents. (Assorted designs.) Crown Card Co., Columbus, Ohio." For other escort or acquaintance cards, see my Acquaintance Cards album.

"Acquaintance compliments with confidence & respect. Can I have the pleasure of your company this evening? If so, keep this card; if not, please return it. O. G. Pfleogor." This is the only card I've come across that has a name printed on one side (like a calling card ) and a "let's get acquainted" message (like an acquaintance card ) on the other side.

"Caution. Dear Miss: The accompanying Chromo is a good illustration 'done in ile' of the gent who escorted you home last Sunday evening, as he appeared at three in the morning while ascending to his room. The Society for the 'Invention of Cruelty to Animals' wishes me to caution you against keeping him up so late again!"

"Might I dare, I fain would ask, / That you would give word or sign, / How I my true love might declare, / And learn my fate at Cupid's shrine."

"Dear Miss, I will risk everything depicted here if you will permit me to see you as far as the gate. Yours very truly."

"Peter Spath's Livery, Sale, and Exchange Stables. Horses, carriages, and buggies supplied on short notice. Prices reasonable. Office rear of Central Hotel, Dillsburg, Pa. T.C.W." According to an entry on the Find A Grave site, Peter Spath (1840-1920) emigrated from Germany at the age of 16, became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1881, and worked as a blacksmith. As his business card (above) indicates, he also ran a stable in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania . The back of Spath's card (below) lists the distances from Dillsburg to other nearby towns in Pennsylvania.

Distance in miles from Dillsburg to other nearby towns in Pennsylvania. For more information, see the front of this business card: Peter Spath's Livery, Sale, and Exchange Stables, Dillsburg, Pa. Table of Distances Franklintown - 2 Big Dam - 4 Bermudian - 6 East Berlin - 14 Clear Spring - 4 Latimore - 8 York Springs - 8 Heidlersburg - 12 Idaville - 13 Biglerville - 18 Bendersville - 18 Churchtown - 6 Boiling Springs - 7 Mt. Holly - 12 Carlisle - 12 Mechanicsburg - 8 Shepherdstown - 5 Lisburn - 12 Lewisberry - 12 Siddonsburg - 5 Rossville - 9 Wellsville - 7 Mt. Top - 5 Dover - 14 York - 22 Mt. Royal - 11 Gettysburg - 22 Harrisburg - 14 Hanover - 22

"The Penn Harris, Harrisburg, Pa. Five distinctive restaurants."

"Spoffords Lake in the Future, New Hampshire. Submarine No. 13." Postmarked: "Brattleboro, Vt., Aug. 1, 1910." Addressed to: "Mrs. Bell Brown, Elm St., Montpelier, Vermont." Message: "Hello old (?) sport, How goes it anyway. Am still alive and hope this will find you the same. H.A.K." This early twentieth-century postcard bears a mundane message on the back, but the front depicts an exciting futuristic scene of submarines, flying fish, battleships, whales, buoys, airships, sea serpents, sailboats, hot air balloons, lighthouses, and other figments of the imagination at Spofford Lake in southwestern New Hampshire.

A gift giving photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. "Thank you, Peggy & Richy." A photographic card to convey thanks for a wedding gift. I hope that my suggestion of "gift giving" as this week's theme hasn't stymied contributions to the Vintage Photos Theme Park ! My take on the topic is that any aspect of gift giving, receiving, opening, or displaying is fair game, so I hope that my cohorts in Theme Park crime will consider posting other photos of wedding gifts, Christmas gifts , birthday gifts , or any other kinds of gifts .

Another adoorable card for the Incredibly Boring Postcards group. Part of the message printed on the back of this advertising postcard, which dates to the 1950s: "Had to let you see the most beautiful thing in wood sectional overhead garage door equipment....It's really exciting to see how you can make the door blend with your house and garage."

A postcard postmarked in Houston, Texas, on July 15, 1959. Description on the other side: "The hardwood panel display in the Memphis Municipal Airport lobby, prepared by the Memphis Lumberman's Club, is one of the major points of interest to visitors in the 'World's Hardwood Capital.'" I haven't been able to determine whether the hardware panel still exists as a major attraction in Memphis , Texas.

The design from the backs of playing cards in a miniature deck illustrated by cartoonist Richard F. Outcault in 1907. Outcault created the Buster Brown comic strip in 1902. See below for the front of the Joker card from this set.

The Joker from a miniature deck of playing cards illustrated by cartoonist Richard F. Outcault in 1907. Buster Brown and his dog Tige were characters in Outcault's Buster Brown comic strip, which first appeared in 1902. See below for the design from the back of the card .

A French hand-tinted real photo postcard. For another postcard with a similar image, see Breaking the News, Lititz Express, July 4, 1907 :