Alan Mays' photos

"Dear Sir, In recognition of your valuable and efficient services, we have this day doubled your salary and reduced your working time two hours. You will also find enclosed several shares in the business which we take pleasure in presenting you. Yours truly, The Boss. April 1st." Postmarked April 1, 1910.

"Dear Sir, I have sent you by express, prepaid, several sample boxes of my 15, 10, and 25 cent cigars. You will also find matches and a cutter in the package. Should they please you, just drop us a postal and we will send you more samples. Your obliging servant, A. Stogie, Cigar Maker. April 1st"

"Good monring! They can't April-Fool us, eh? Kick me. Bernhardt Wall. Copyright 1909 The Ullman Mfg. Co. N.Y."

A French April Fools' Day real photo postcard. As Wikipedia's April Fools' Day article explains, "In Italy, France, and Belgium, children and adults traditionally tack paper fishes on each other's back as a trick and shout 'April fish!' in their local languages ( pesce d'aprile! , poisson d'avril! , and aprilvis! in Italian, French, and Dutch, respectively). Such fish feature prominently on many French late 19th to early 20th century April Fools' Day postcards."

Bonheur d'Avril Confident des coeurs amoureux Ce beau poisson porte mes voeux. Rough translation from Google: Happiness of April Confident of loving hearts This beautiful fish carries my wishes.

"I'll be there soon. And say, I've the best you've seen yet. Wait till I tell you--Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha! How to jinger up your trade. Competition. Samples. A. C. No. 6. Copyright 1907. Published by K-Win, Chicago." Unused "advance card." Salesmen, or "commerical travelers" as they were called in the early twentieth century, sent postcards like this in advance of their trips in order to notify merchants when they expected to arrive in town. They traveled by train with heavy trunks or "sample cases" (like the one that the fellow here is riding on) containing their wares, and many hotels offered "sample rooms" where they could display their merchandise. By the way, I suspect that "jinger up" was intended to sound the same as "ginger up," so a salesman who sent a card like this was offering to liven up or spice up the recipient's business.

Original caption: "I am pushing on the lines. Will show you a full line of samples about...." With written additions: "I am pushing on the lines. Will see you about next Saturday if plans pan out O.K. Shall I bring a trunk? Store's not open Sat., so if you come home, come to end of line, [or?] phone from square." A salesman normally would have used a postcard like this to notify potential customers when he'd arrive at their location to show them samples of his merchandise, but instead the sender of this card has altered the message to arrange a time to meet a friend or relative.

"Looking for an order." Although I don't know for certain, I suspect that this real photo postcard may have been created by a salesman for use in communicating with customers.

"Hirschl & Bendheim, 419 N. 4th St., St. Louis, Mo., sole agents, 'Missouri Meerschaum,' cob pipes. Manufactured only by H. Tibbe & Son., M'f'g Co. No. 3. No. 7. Patent. Will call about August 31st. Solomon Hirschl." A postal card addressed on the other side to: "Messrs. H. Stern Jr. & Bro., Milwaukee, Wisc." Postmarked: "St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 23, 1893." Solomon Hirschl sent this to announce his sales call in advance of his trip from St. Louis to Milwaukee. This type of "advance card" was typical--see the Cigar History Museum's Salesmen’s Advance Cards for some other interesting examples. A Wikipedia search reveals that the Missouri Meerschaum Company (formerly H. Tibbe & Son) is still in business today and is the "world's oldest and largest manufacturer of corncob pipes."

"Pennsylvania Railroad Co. This monthly school ticket entitles Austin McD. Collier to forty-six rides between Haverford College and Philadelphia during the month of Feb. 1892. Subject to the conditions on back which must be signed before using. J. R. Wood, general passenger agent. No. 314."

"Brownstone & Middletown R.R. Co. Good for one passage. Waltonville to Brownstone. Good during year of issue. 2792. Allen K. Walton, president. Round trip. Return coupon." The Brownstone and Middletown Railroad Company transported passengers and cargo, especially the Hummelstown brownstone that was quarried nearby, along its four-mile route in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania . For additional information about the railroad and quarry, see Brownstone Quarry Near Hummelstown .

A curious photographer props (huge urns or plants, strange objects, taxidermy animals, etc.) photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. "E. M. Criswell, Grand Meadow, Minn. Extra finish." A tall bearded fellow--his appearance reminds me of Rasputin , the Russian mystic and confidant to Tsar Nicholas II--stands in front of a painted backdrop and next to an oddly shaped prop as he poses for this cabinet card photo. Is that enigmatic object supposed to look like natural or carved stone? If not, I'm not certain what it's intended to represent.

Printed on the back: "This card is a genuine photograph, hand colored. Made in the United States." Perhaps this real photo postcard was intended as a birth announcement, since it used to be (or still is?) customary for fathers to hand out cigars to friends, relatives, and coworkers when a child was born. Otherwise, it seems rather strange to imagine a smiling infant passing out cigars like this.

Kids, It's Here! The New Mystery Atomic-Jet Flying Saucer. Watch it sail way up in the air--you can make it fly higher than a tall building. It will do five airplane stunts, too. Get several of them--and have flying saucer contests! Even dads go crazy over it. Be the first in your neighborhood and amaze your friends. Atomic-Jet Flying Saucers and extra flying wheels on sale at ________.

"Easter Greetings." Postmarked Herman, Pa., March 22, 1913, on back.

A messy (pics of mud covered children, birthday cake on the face, etc.) photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard: "Sailors scrubbing their clothes. Nothing like home. Ha ha." Sailors on board the USS Wyoming (as indicated by the life preserver on the railing) get low down and messy as they bend over buckets of salt water in order to wash their dirty clothes.

A Victorian-era calling card with a plaid background design. See below for examples of other calling cards with interesting patterns and textures.

Green circles make for an interesting background on this Victorian-era calling card.