Alan Mays' photos

I'm not sure what to make of this scene. A man and woman are posing with three sculptural pieces in the shapes of a boy, a woman, and a man. The sign above the boy says, "Hey, mom, is that guy Rip Van Winkle?" The mom replies, according to the second sign, "Yeah, and look at his wrinkled wink." Unfortunately, the third sign is only partially visibile, and I can't determine what it says. The guy with the wrinkled wink who turned out to be Rip Van Winkle is reading a book entitled Love Stories , and the cover of the book also says, "For the love of Mike." Inscribed on part of the stump just below Rip is the name "Ben Funk." Does any of this ring a bell with anyone?

Correspondence from "Marion" to "Charles" that 's constructed using words and illustrations cut out from one or more New York City newspapers in the manner of a stereotypical ransom letter. Charles was evidently a soldier in 1917 as World War I raged in Europe, and there are references to "the captain," "pass time," the Quartermaster Corps , and Madison Barracks that may provide clues to where he was stationed (300 miles away at Madison Barracks in Sackets Harbor , N.Y., perhaps?). The letter also mentions popular entertainments of the time--Ward's Jazz Band performing at dances, silent film actress Theda Bara appearing in Cleopatra at the Lyric Theatre on 42nd Street, and music playing on the Victrola . -------- Oct. 30, 1917 Dear Soldier, Latest news from New York. Friends and fellow citizens, hear us. Special gossip of a day. Prepare now. Advice free. Every time is pass time--nit. And the captain answered, this way out! The land of joy. Dance awhile, no charge for dancing. Splendid dance floor, Ward's Jazz Band, windows and light on all sides. Business before pleasure. See mummies come to life again when they see Theda Bara in Cleopatra, the William Fox production, Lyric Theatre, 42d St., W. of B'way . . . . Charles, now is the high cost of living so save rice. Don't marry. Oh, boy, take me to motion pictures at Madison Barracks and have lively music on Victrola. Have you fancy groceries and table luxuries at the Quartermaster Corps kamp? The very idea! We specialize in all kinds of sea food. I have a nice can of jam for you, big friend. Yours very truly, Marion

"Gen. Wayne Herman. True loves offering."

Cover of a small booklet containing information about the set of miniature presidential figures that was issued by toy manufacturer Louis Marx and Company in the 1950s and 1960s.

Stamped on back: "Hill Studio, 1415 Derry Street, Harrisburg, Pa." Handwritten on back: "Dec. 23, 1947." A puzzling photo of a masked Santa Claus (evidently a woman wearing a skirt) sitting next to a pile of wrapped presents and a Christmas tree. Newspapers are strewn about on the floor, and the walls in the background seem to be either water-stained or wet (could it be the inside of an unheated shed or trailer with condensation running down the walls?). The tips of what appear to be ironing boards surround Santa on both sides. Could this show early preparations for a gift distribution of some sort? Or has a downtrodden Santa taken up residence in a storage unit?

"Recording of your favorite Christmas carols as sung by your L&M T.V. Quartet. 33½. rpm, 200 plays." A cardboard picture disc. Whoever cut it out didn't follow the circle precisely. Even though the disc is a bit misshapen, it looks like it might still play. I'm not sure what television show the L&M T.V. Quartet appeared on, but they look like an enthusiastic group of fellows.

Evidently these partygoers have just exchanged gifts. The woman directly in the middle of the photo is holding a copy of How to Make Love , a circa 1930s booklet whose suggestive title promised more than its contents could actually deliver (it was innocuous enough that Archie McPhee sold a reprinted version).

Slide "custom processed by Tower" with no other identifying information.

A home sweet home photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park . Handwritten on the back of this real photo postcard: "How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood." The words written on the back of the photo refer to a line from "The Old Oaken Bucket," a poem written by Samuel Woodworth (1784-1842) that was first set to music in 1826 and has become a popular song that's endured over the years. The poem begins: How dear to this heart are the scenes of my childhood, When fond recollection presents them to view! The orchard, the meadow, the deep-tangled wild-wood, And every loved spot which my infancy knew! Whoever wrote on the back of the photo presumably had "fond recollections" of living here as a child and must have considered it a "home sweet home" (which itself is a reference to another song that also dates to the early nineteenth century). The namesake "gold elms" are visible just behind the house, which is a Colonial Revival Cape Cod , an architectural style common in the United States from the 1930s to 1950s. I'm not sure whether the dog that's visible among the shadows in the lower right-hand corner is there to welcome or to warn off the photographer.

Look out for Santa Clause! Christmas games given away free! To drinkers of Lion Coffee. Boys and girls, mothers, fathers, here's good news for you! A large assortment of fine Christmas Games may be obtained without cost by using Lion Coffee, which from now until Christmas day will have an amusing game in every package. These games are of many different kinds, some for grown persons, others for the children, but all intensely amusing, and during the long winter evenings will create much merriment in the households who use Lion Coffee. Don't forget also that by using Lion Coffee you get the finest coffee in the world, besides a game or picture card in each package, and fine premiums given in exchange for the large Lion Heads mailed to Woolson Spice Co., Toledo, O., and Kansas City, Mo. Drink Lion Coffee and get these games for Christmas.

An undated red-border Kodachrome slide.

This slide is dated July 1962, so I'm guessing that these Christmas gifts date to December 1961. See also Christmas Gifts, 1959 .

This slide is dated January 1960, so I'm assuming that these Christmas gifts are from December 1959. See also Christmas Gifts, 1961 .

Tinted tinype in a CDV-sized paper mount. Mouse over the top of this image to see a close-up of the tintype . Printed on the reverse (see small image below): "Cope, artificial fly tyer and photographer, cor. Strawberry Alley & LaFayette Street, Norristown, Pa."

For more information, see the full version of the tintype.

"Cope, artificial fly tyer and photographer, cor. Strawberry Alley & LaFayette Street, Norristown, Pa." This is the reverse of Tintype of Girl in Plaid Dress, Norristown, Pa. (see small image below).

Vintage Kiss-L-Toe packages dating to the 1950s on display at the National Christmas Center in Paradise, Lancaster County, Pa., in 2009.