Alan Mays' photos

"This is one card from our pack of 50 elegant assorted chromo cards. Gold, silver, tinted, shells, mottoes &c." A sample Victorian-era calling card.

Front cover of Space Ship To The Moon , a 1952 Rand McNally Elf Book, authored by Edwin Clark Reichert with illustrations by Arthur K Bilder.

"Be cool and comfortable. We have a large and full assortment of electric fans to select from. Prices reduced. Edison Electric Company, Griest Building, Lancaster, Penn." An advertisement printed on the back of a 1920s Edison Electric Company bill.

"This message was transmitted by the facsimile system developed by Western Union, the first telegraph service of its kind in America." A small label presumably used on facsimiles transmitted via Western Union's system.

"Still only 5¢. Hershey's Banjo, vanilla ice cream coated with rich chocolate. Fudjo, a delicious chocolate fudge confection. Creamsicle, a combination of sherbet and vanilla ice cream." The Hershey Creamery Company (not to be confused with Hershey's , the chocolate manufacturer) makes Hershey's Ice Cream products in Harrisburg, Pa. This colorful store sign dates to the 1960s and advertises three ice cream bars that the company still sells (for more than 5 cents, unfortunately) today--Banjo, Fudjo (now called Fudge-O), and Creamsicle (now Orange Blossom) bars.

A 1970s photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Two couples pose for a photo before boarding their tour bus sometime in 1971 (although the processing date printed on the photo is "Jan. 1972," the bus trip probably took place sometime during the previous year). Some of the background details (mouse over the image above for a close-up view of the motel sign and maple leaf flags ) identify the setting as the parking lot of a Flying Dutchman Motel located somewhere in Canada. The sign also reveals that the travelers may have been able to "Enjoy a cold one in our Anchor R[oo]m Lounge" during their stay at the motel. Although not as groovy or patriotic as the seventies hippie or U.S. Bicentennial photos I had hoped to find when I looked through my collection for this week's theme, this image nonetheless provides a peek back at some of the clothing, vehicles, and signage of the time.

Although this detail from Departing by Bus from the Flying Dutchman Motel, 1971 makes it obvious that the photo is somewhat out of focus, it's interesting to note the Flying Dutchman Motel sign ("Enjoy a cold one in our Anchor R[oo]m Lounge") and the Canadian maple leaf flags.

"Grand View Point Hotel. See 3 states and 7 counties. Pa., Md., W. Va, 63 mile view from Grand View--Ship Hotel on Lincoln Highway, U.S. 30, 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa., looking into 3 states and 7 counties, 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, Pa. 4A-H1905." Printed on back: "Distributed by H. Paulson, Grand View-Ship Hotel, Central City, Pa."

"Grand View Point Hotel. Approaching S.S. Grand View Point Hotel on the Lincoln Highway, 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa. Elevation 2,464 feet. 3A-H421." Printed on back: "Grand View Point Hotel at the most beautiful spot in U.S. Summit of Allegheny Mts., 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa., on Historic Lincoln Highway, overlooking 3 states and 7 counties. Elevation 2,464 feet. Distributed by H. Paulson, Grand View-Ship Hotel, Central City, Pa."

A parades photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. In this undated real photo postcard, a girl playing the part of Lady Liberty stands in a decorated car and holds her torch high as she poses for the photographer. A man and a woman (Lady Liberty's parents?) in the front seat of the car and three girls (her sisters?) in the back seat are also dressed in patriotic garb and seem to be awaiting the start of a parade (note the second vehicle behind this car). The word "Liberty" appears on the windshield of the car and on Lady Liberty's cap. If you look closely (mouse over the image above to see an enlarged view of the occupants of the car ), you'll notice that no one seems to be too enthusiastic about their participation in the parade--Lady Liberty is frowning, her mother is givng the photographer an icy look, the kids in the back don't seem happy, and dad is hiding his face. I certainly hope their moods changed once the parade began!

See also the full version of this real photo postcard:

"The Columbia Diner, Route 30, Columbia, Pa. Open 24 hours. Private parties. Home made cheesecake. Take out." The Columbia Diner was located along the Lincoln Highway (Route 462 today but formerly Route 30) in Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

"Visit Roadside America, famous miniature village, Route 22, Hamburg, Pa. Harry R. Dubbs, Allentown, Pa." A cardboard sign for Roadside America , the quintessential American roadside attraction.

A Victorian-era hidden-name calling card.

"Easter Seals. Space Ranger." A tin-lithograph tab button pin issued by the Easter Seals charity in the late 1950s. The satellite depicted on the pin looks similar to Vanguard 1 , which was launched by the United States in 1958. It's still orbiiting the earth today even though its solar-powered radio transmitter stopped working in 1964.

Part of a game that encouraged schoolchildren to eat a healthy breakfast that included Kellogg's cereals. Late 1960s or perhaps early 1970s. Excerpts from the text of the leaflet: Kellogg's "Astronaut'" Breakfast Game (Will your team be first to reach the moon?) . . . You are now a member of one of the Moon Ship Crews that is racing to have breakfast on the moon. . . . When you have a healthful breakfast like the one pictured on the inside of this score card, you are helping your team win the race to the moon. . . .

From what I've been able to figure out, "Fireman, save my child" seems to be a hackneyed theatrical line originally featured in nineteenth-century melodramas and then reused later as a humorous catchphrase in various media, including as the title of separate films--all comedies--released in 1918 , 1927 , 1932 , and 1954 . "Fireman, save my child" appears here as a hand-held sign, along with a variety of hats, a firefighters's helmet (worn by the man standing behind the barrel of Scotch ale), and other amusing props For similar real photo souvenir postcards, see Sloppy Joe's Bar, Havana, Cuba, 1937 and Shenanigans at Sloppy Joe's Bar, Havana, Cuba .

A real photo postcard from 1937. For similar real photo souvenir postcards, see Fireman Save My Child, Sloppy Joe's Bar, Havana, Cuba and Shenanigans at Sloppy Joe's Bar, Havana, Cuba .