Alan Mays' photos

"'Pansy' the Roller-Skating Cow, featuring Rose, Betty, and Harry Rapp (A Rapp & Rapp Production)." Pansy the Roller-Skating Cow performed for fairs, carnivals, and circuses throughout the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. Other than some newspaper ads and brief mentions in Billboard magazine that turned up in Google searches, I haven't been able to locate any information regarding Pansy or the Rapps.

A downright macabre postcard for the Weird Vintage Postcards group. -------- I dreamt I was in a trance, my folks thought me dead. They put me in a coffin; they cried and said nice things about me. All night long the old cat, whose kittens I had drowned that morning, sat on my coffin and gloated over my sufferings; she knew I was alive. I was placed in a hearse and in due time arrived at the grave yard. I could hear the mud hit the lid of the coffin and began to choke when I woke up. Gates ajar. He has went? His chair is vacant. -------- Printed on the back: "Bad Dream Series No. 1." Postmarked twice on Oct. 17, 1910: Once at Middletown, Pa., 7 a.m., and a second time at Manchester, Pa., 9 a.m. Addressed to: "Mrs. Katie May. Manchester, York Co., Pa." Handwritten message: "Dear Sister, I wanted to write this [for a] long time but I had no time. We are having two weeks off at the shoe factory. Why didn't you come over? I was at the river. Answer. From Elva, your sis. R.F.D. No. 1."

A roller skates photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. For another interesting roller skates photo, see We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy Skating New Year . This young sidewalk roller skater is wearing "Hi-Yo-Silver" overalls with pocket decorations featuring a clown face on one side and the Lone Ranger astride his horse Silver on the other side (mouse over the image above to see an enlarged view of the boy ). The decorations on the boy's clothing reflect the popularity of The Lone Ranger television show, which aired from 1949 to 1957. The Lone Ranger , of course, yelled, "Hi-yo Silver! Away!," as he and his horse galloped from the scene after defeating the bad guys.

Mouse over the image above to see my notes about the "Hi-Yo-Silver" overalls that this friendly roller skater is wearing. See the full version of this photo for more information:

Photo studio: John S. Fritz, 852 Penn Street, Reading, Pa. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to uncover any information regarding a "Hercules" baseball team in or around Reading, Pennsylvania, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Babies in wash basins seemed to be a trend in photographs and advertisements at one time. See Richard Sheaff's discussion of Baby in a Basin on his amazing Sheaff : ephemera site. I haven't located any information regarding Galen Piper, a local photographer in Bainbridge, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In this photo, a scene with a house, fence, and tree is visible on what appears to be a hand-drawn backdrop.

This "Mule Barometer" joke (sometimes also called a "Burrometer") has a long history and has appeared in many different printed versions (often with a more dramatic condition like "If tail is gone--Tornado" as the punchline). Although it's frequently published as a postcard, this example is actually an advertising card printed for the Central Brass Manufacturing Company, which has been in existence since 1895 and still continues to manufacture brass faucets and fixtures. Today, the Mule Barometer gag regularly reappears as a " weather rock ," which is--as Wikipedia interprets it--"a humor display that pokes fun at the intricate technology used in modern weather forecasts, as well as the fact that their accuracy is less than perfect. A rock is typically hung from a tripod and accompanied by a sign indicating how to read it." -------- Mule Barometer Directions: Hang outside. If tail is dry--Fair. If tail is wet--Rain If tail is swinging--Windy. If tail is wet and swinging--Stormy. If tail is frozen--Cold. Further information upon request. There is no kick coming to those who use the highest grade brass goods for plumbing and water works made by the Central Brass Mfg. Co.

"Buzzell Tire Services and Dry Cleaning and Pressing Service, 52-54 Main Street, Galeton, Penna. Quick tire service. Call us for all your tire needs. New and used tires! Work guaranteed. We'll fix it in a hurry! Oh dear, a blowout!"

For larger versions of the photos, see Photobooth Girl in Forty Poses (Nos. 1-20) and Photobooth Girl in Forty Poses (Nos. 21-40) . For another anonymous fan of photobooth photos, see the following article in the Huffington Post: Exhibition Features 445 Vintage Photobooth Portraits From A Single Unknown Man .

See also Photobooth Girl in Forty Poses (Nos. 21-40) and the complete set of Photobooth Girl in Forty Poses .

See also Photobooth Girl in Forty Poses (Nos. 1-20) and the complete set of Photobooth Girl in Forty Poses .

An undated red-border Kodachrome slide (probably late 1950s or early 1960s).

Handwritten on the back of this photo: "Skip, 3 years, 1957." See also Skip Just Had to Sample His Birthday Cake .

Handwritten on the back of this photo: "He just has to sample." See also Skip and His Birthday Cake .

A birthday cakes photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. For another fun birthday cake photo, see Happy Birthday to--Hey, Are You Taking My Picture? After enlarging this snapshot, I was able to determine the birthday boy's name--Kadin--from the decoration on the cake, and one of the cards revealed that he was celebrating his second birthday as he posed with his gifts. Kadin's 1950s-era toys include the kaleidoscope he's holding, a metal spintop next to his left foot, some sort of metal cylindrical push toy to the right of the top, an inflatable Goofy Ball, and a drum (mouse over the image to see my notes). The room's decor features boldy decorated cushions leaning against the wall behind Kadin and a square-base table lamp positioned on the end table on the right-hand side.

Uncut block of six rewards of merit. See also Bird-Themed Sunday School Cards (below).

"Reward of Merit for Punctuality, Industry, and Good Conduct presented to Mary Geller by Virginia Fair, teacher." With an illustration of a U.S. Civil War soldier in the middle panel.