Alan Mays' photos

A real photo postcard for the Taylor-Tot Stroller Vintage Memories group. A street photographer evidently snapped this photo of a sailor and his family as they walked past a W. T. Grant Co. store in some unidentified town. The sailor and his wife seem surprised--and perhaps even annoyed--by the photographer, but their daughter seems to be excitedly holding on to a toy as she enjoys the ride in her Taylor-Tot stroller.

A brightly colored celluloid medallion with a photo of a cute kid on a Taylor-Tot stroller for the Taylor-Tot Stroller Vintage Memories group. For additional examples, see the George Eastman House's fascinating and extensive collection of Celluloid Medallions & Buttons on Flickr.

A real photo postcard for the Schultüte - School Cone group. Wikipedia explains the Schultüte traditon: "When children in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria set off for their first day in school upon entering first grade, their parents and/or grandparents present them with a big cardboard cone, prettily decorated and filled with toys, chocolate, candies, school supplies, and various other goodies. It is given to children to make this anxiously awaited first day of school a little bit sweeter." Stamped on the back of the photo: "Egon Sonntag, Photo-Atelier, Reinickendorf, Auguste-Viktoria-Allee 2."

"Miss Clara Wagner with her motorcycle at Coenties Slip, New York, using the Eclipse Coaster Brake. 30206. Photo only by A. Loeffler, Tompkinville, N.Y." -------- According to Wikipedia, " Clara Marian Wagner (1891-1961) was the first documented woman motorcyclist who became notable as an endurance racer and was sponsored by the Eclipse Machine Co., a bicycle company, for using its braking products. In 1907, Clara, aged 15 years old and the daughter of the Wagner Motorcycle Company (1901-1914) owner George Wagner from Saint Paul, Minnesota, became a member of the American Federation of Motorcyclists (FAM). Clara put the company's motorcycles on the map by achieving a perfect score in a FAM 360 mile endurance race from Chicago to Indianapolis in 1910, aged 18, but was denied the trophy because she was female." In the early twentieth century, the Eclipse Machine Company published a series of advertising postcards like this one that featured exaggeratedly large women and men with correspondingly huge motorcyles and bicycles in ordinary-sized settings at locales in and around New York City (in this case, Coenties Slip is "a historic pedestrian walkway in Lower Manhattan"). The postcards were advertisements for the various types of motorcycle and bicycle brakes that the company manufactured. For the message on the back of this postcard, see Miss Clara Wagner with Her Motorcycle at Coenties Slip, New York (Back) . For a similar postcard advertisement, see J. C. Ferguson Using a Morrow Coaster Brake at the Hotel Astor, New York .

The back of an advertising postcard postmarked April 22, 1911, Elmira, N.Y. Printed by Blanchard Press, New York. Message (a printed reproduction of a handwritten note): Dear Boys: Miss Clara Wagner, the most successful and experienced lady motorcyclist, always uses the Eclipse Coaster Brake. Miss Wagner states that "The perfect security I felt in my brake equipment contributed largely to the pleasure." As she had numerous occasions to test it, and it was not found wanting. That's good evidence. Eclipse Machine Co. -------- For the front of the postcard, see Miss Clara Wagner with Her Motorcycle at Coenties Slip, New York . For a similar postcard advertisement, see J. C. Ferguson Using a Morrow Coaster Brake at the Hotel Astor, New York .

"Enjoying ourselves on a box of Fralinger's at Atlantic City, N.J. Fralinger's Salt Water Taffy, Atlantic City, N.J. Fine selections."

"Good for one chair at Y.M.C.A. Field Sports, West End Park, Monday, July 4, 1892. 2:30 p.m. Price, 10 cts. Pluck Art Print."

The borough of Lititz, located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, has hosted a Fourth of July celebration--including a "Fairyland of Candles," as mentioned in this notice from 1940--for well over 100 years. The Lititz Web site provides additional details: "One of America's oldest continuing observance of Independence Day also takes place in Lititz. Since 1818 the community-wide Fourth of July celebration in Lititz Springs Park has been a mainstay. The festivities include the 'Fairyland of Candles' along the Lititz Run within the Park, which is a grand illumination of over 7,000 candles, started in 1843 when only 400 were lighted." -------- "Lititz Springs Park, Thursday, July 4, 1940, afternoon and evening. 98th annual Fairyland of Candles. 7,000 candles, only display of its kind in America. Hon William S. Livengood, Jr., secretary of internal affairs, guest speaker, 7:30 p.m. Streaker's Band of Lancaster, concerts from 2 to 10:30 p.m. (D.S.T.). Punch and Judy, three shows, 3:00, 4:45, 6:00 p.m. 3rd annual Photographic Salon, more prints than ever from U.S. and foreign lands. Baby Parade, 4:30 p.m. Gigantic fireworks display. Admission, 35c, children under 12 free, free parking. Largest program ever offered for the money; continuous from 2 to 11 p.m. Bring your supper and spend the day."

A menu from an elaborate meal at the Irvington Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Independence Day, 1893. -------- "The Irvington, July 4, 1893, Dinner. Oysters on shell, snapper, consommé royal, Kennebec salmon, Hollandaise sauce, pommes à la Russe, cucumbers, capon, oyster sauce, prime ribs of beef, young duck, apple sauce, lamb, mint sauce, sweet bread patties, à la reine, braised tenderloin, with mushrooms, queen fritters, glace au rum, mashed potatoes, Bermuda potatoes, peas, tomatoes, cauliflower, cream sauce, rice queen olives, Worcestershire sauce, chow chow, cole slaw, lettuce mayonnaise, gherkins, lemon meringue pie, English plum pudding, brandy sauce, queen of puddings, vanilla ice cream, raspberry water ice, assorted cake, apricots, plums, bananas, figs, almonds, English walnuts, raisins, crackers, cheese, black coffee, milk. Wine list may be obtained from head waiter."

Mounted on cardboard with a printed decorative border.

An Ektachrome slide dated June 1971. Anyone recognize this place? I think it's probably somewhere in the southwestern U.S., but I haven't been able to locate any similar photos. Update: It's somewhere in the Badlands National Park in South Dakota.

"Chuck and Louise Harrison present magic, hand shadows, comedy, Punch & Judy. WIl liams 1-3629. 189 Orchard Street, Cranston, Rhode Island."

A dysfunctional family (or oddball family) photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. For another possibly dysfunctional family, see First Time I Ever Saw Grandma and Grandpa, Palisades Park, 1920 . Searching for a dysfunctional/oddball family photo that I hadn't previously posted on Ipernity wasn't the easy task that I thought it would be. I do hope, however, that this photo of unsmiling family members--ironically posed beneath a "Smiles" sign--suggests enough dysfunctionality or oddballness to qualify.

Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "Flett, 1517 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J." This seaside souvenir studio photo was originally very light, and I wasn't entirely successful in sprucing it up. But I hope it's dark enough to make out the characteristics--amazing hats, deer-in-the-headlights facial expressions, and comical foreground illustration (signed by "Flett")--that I found so amusing.

Perry County Sesquicentennial Parade, photo taken at the intersection of West Main and Apple Streets, New Bloomfield, Pa., 1970. Sign hanging below the canopy on the steam engine: "Bolze's Steam Engine Club, Landisburg." According to Michael R. Zeigler's article, "The Bolze Family Steam Engine History," which was originally published in Farm Collector , March-April 1999, "This steam engine is an Emerson-Brantingham Peerless TT model, serial #17544, 50 HP, the 200th built in 1916. It was bought in 1918 by the Bolze Brothers for their threshing and sawmill operation setup at R.D. Landisburg, Perry County, Pennsylvania . . . . During the Perry County Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1970, [Frank Bolze, son and nephew of the original three Bolze brothers] formed the Bolze Steam Engine Club and toured the county with it and an old threshing machine. This was quite a sight at all the parades." For a more recent color photo of this steam engine, see 1937 D-35 I/H & EB 17544 @ Shermans Valley Heritage Days 2003 on SmokStak.com. For other photos from this parade, see:

Sign on float: "New Bloomfield Post Office. Perry Co. Sesquicentennial 1970, The County Seat, New Bloomfield, Pa. 17068." The United States Postal Service's "Mr. ZIP" character--the cutout of a wide-eyed, smiling postman that's standing in the middle of the float next to two mailbags and a mailbox--promoted the use of ZIP codes , which were first used in 1963. Perry County Sesquicentennial Parade, photo taken at the intersection of West Main and Apple Streets, New Bloomfield, Pa., 1970. For other photos from this parade, see:

Sign on car: "Perry Co. Freckle King, Pigtail Queen." Perry County Sesquicentennial Parade, photo taken at the intersection of West Main and Apple Streets, New Bloomfield, Pa., 1970. For other photos from this parade, see:

Signs on float: "Brothers of the Brush, Elliottsburg Jail." "Comb Nation Jail." Perry County Sesquicentennial Parade, photo taken at the intersection of West Main and Apple Streets, New Bloomfield, Pa., 1970. For other photos from this parade, see: