Alan Mays' photos

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of at the wedding (but not the bride or groom) . Handwritten note on the back of the photo: "They're decorating the car." In this snapshot from 1949, a young man and woman are decorating a bride and groom's getaway car. The woman (her white dress is visible beyond the man) may be "Verla," who's seen in another photo running down the steps of the church in the background. The words "watch" and "out" are written to the left and right of the license plate on the back of the car.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of college memories (your own or someone else's) . This is a real photo postcard of a female student sitting at a desk and pretending to read a book as she poses for a photo. On the back of the card is an Azo stamp box design (with squares in the corners) that indicates a time frame ranging from 1924 to 1949. A small "Sargent" pennant on the wall above the desk (see a cropped version of the photo for a better view of the pennant) suggests that the woman was a student at Sargent College, which is known today as the Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College . An enlargement of the bookshelf on the desk revealed the following titles: Textbook of Anatomy and Physiology , 9th ed., College Zoology , by Heg[ner], and Organic Chemistry . I was able to identify the first book as the ninth edition of Textbook of Anatomy and Physiology , by Diana Clifford Kimber, Carolyn Elizabeth Gray, and Caroline E Stackpole, which was published by Macmillan in 1934. The second book, College Zoology , was authored by Robert W. Hegner and was also published by Macmillan, with a third edition in 1932 and a fourth in 1936. Although I didn't attempt to track down details about Organic Chemistry , the presence of the other two books confirms that this photo dates to 1934 or later.

A college student sitting at her desk. Notice the small "Sargent" pennant on the wall (upper right-hand corner of the photo), which suggests she was a student at Sargent College (now Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College ). For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard and an enlargement showing the books visible at the side of the desk.

An enlargement of the bookshelf on the college student's desk revealed the following titles: Textbook of Anatomy and Physiology , 9th ed., College Zoology , by Heg[ner], and Organic Chemistry . I was able to identify the first book as the ninth edition of Textbook of Anatomy and Physiology , by Diana Clifford Kimber, Carolyn Elizabeth Gray, and Caroline E Stackpole, which was published by Macmillan in 1934. The second book, College Zoology , was authored by Robert W. Hegner and was also published by Macmillan, with a third edition in 1932 and a fourth in 1936. Although I didn't attempt to track down details about Organic Chemistry , the presence of the other two books confirms that this photo dates to 1934 or later. See also the original photo and a cropped version .

A reward of merit dating to the early nineteenth century. According to Patricia Fenn and Alfred P. Malpa's book about Rewards of Merit (1994), pp. 205-6, Henry Dodd and James Stevenson, Jr., were in business together as printers in Salem, New York, from 1814 to 1831. The "Betsy Bradley" listed on this Diligence Ticket may be the same "Elizabeth Bradley" who received a Reward of Merit for a Good Scholar, 1826 . Diligence Ticket To Betsy Bradley for diligence in study, is this certificate given. E. Durham, Ins. Dodd & Stevenson, Printers, Salem.

An early nineteenth-century reward of merit . The "Elizabeth Bradley" who received this reward of merit may be the same "Betsy Bradley" listed on a Diligence Ticket from the same time period. Reward of Merit This certifies that Elizabeth Bradl[ey] is a good scholar and merits much praise from her instructor Albert Caswell, Caldwell, March 18, 1826.

A nineteenth-century reward of merit. Bank of Merit 20 Shares of Stock to the Holder God offers reward, my Teacher does the same--they both encourage me. I tried, and success crowned my efforts. Harry Lightcap, Pupil. Benjamin Rich, Teacher. 20. XX.

A kids on horses photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A couple of kids pose on a horse in front of their house in this undated photo. For a similar picture, see The Cowboy Kid at Sidewalk Ranch .

A watching photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. "#21. Industrial Parade, Old Home Week, July 26 to Aug. 1, 1914. Chambersburg, Pa. C. A. Laughlin." Spectators fill Memorial Square in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, as they watch a large piece of equipment pass by as part of the Industrial Parade that was held during Old Home Week in 1914. Photographer and postcard publisher Clyde A. Laughlin captured several different views of the parade and published a number of other real photo postcards besides this one. For another Laughlin photo from an earlier parade, see Hoch's Ice Cream Parlor Cow, Patriotic and Industrial Parade, Newburg, Pa., July 3, 1909 .

A signs photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Sign: "Candies, Ice Cream, and [Soda?]." Five guys pose for a picture in this unused real photo postcard (the Azo stamp box--with four corner triangles pointing up--on the other side of the card suggests a date that may be as early as 1904 to 1918).

A hands photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park theme of hands/feet (a photo in which the hands or feet are prominent) . This merry scene of mayhem shows twelve young men and a boy staging a fake fight. They're all carefully posed, some with their fists raised and others holding sticks, a rock, and a knife in their hands. Their facial expressions range from convincingly menacing to unenthusiasticly smirking. The Cyko stamp box on the back of this real photo postcard suggests a date of either 1904-1920s (according to Playle's ) or 1906-1915 (according to Metropostcard.com ). See also a cropped version of the photo .

A cropped version of the fake fight. Notice how the guy on the right, who's looking at the photographer out of the corner of his eye, is wielding a spindly stick that won't protect him from the fist aimed at his face. The kid in front is barely holding on to a big chunk of wood as he makes an unconvincing fist with his other hand. The other fellows, though, seem more authentically threatening. For more information, see the original photo .

Caption: "Beat us if you can." Printed on the back of this unused real photo postcard: "Slater's Interurban Post Card Studio, 430 Superior St., Toledo, Ohio." Judging by the design of the stamp box on the other side (it has the initials "PMC" and diamond shapes in each of its four corners), it's possible that the date of the photo may be as early as 1907 (see Playle's How to Identify and Date Real Photo Vintage Postcards ). For similar photos, see Two Jolly Good Fellows , Aunt Lora and Uncle Will Are Coming Home, March 10, 1908 , and Men in Bowler Hats .

A men on machines photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park monthly free-for-all topic (submit as many vintage photos on any topic as you'd like). This is a snapshot of three sailors goofing around on top of an old steamroller. A handwritten note on the other side of the photo identifies the "ship" and its crew: "Good old ship 'Rollupnutherone.' Hanson, pilot. Robinson, observer. Umholtz, helmsman." For another photo of men on a machine, see Standing on a Steamer .

A waiting photo (sort of) for the Vintage Photos Theme Park with three men posing and waiting for the photographer to snap the picture. It's also a men on machines photo for the VPTP monthly free-for-all topic (submit as many vintage photos on any topic as you'd like). The photo shows a couple of guys posing on top of a steam engine while a fellow down below—with his sleeves rolled up and a shovel in his hands—does the dirty work. It looks the steam engine is in working order—there's a belt around the flywheel on the other side—but the boiler obviously isn't hot enough to prevent the guys from positioning themselves above it. For another photo of men on a machine, see Steamrolling over the Waves .

A photo of crowds, throngs, or hordes (a big bunch of people) for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard: "July 1957. Our boat ride around canal in Gothenburg, Sweden. Beautiful day." More than fifty passengers are crowded into this "paddan" canal boat. Paddan means "turtle" in Swedish, and the boats are named for their turtle-like profile (imagine an upside-down turtle shell), which allows them to pass safely underneath the low bridges along the Gothenburg canals.

A New Year card from John E. Cranfield (d. 1894?), who was a letter carrier in Albany, New York. Compare this card with A Happy New Year, Will D. Reiber, Letter Carrier . ?A Happy New Year? 1889 John E. Cranfield, Route No. 14. Ye Penny Post, 1839. Ye Letter Carrier, 1889.

Printed on the back of this unused real photo postcard: "Atlantic City Souvenir. Myers-Cope Co., 1635 & 1521 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J." On the other side of the card is an Azo stamp box (squares in each of the four corners) that suggests a date sometime in the 1920s, 1930s, or 1940s. The little girl in this mirror photo (or "photo-multigraph") is posing with her right hand against one of the mirrors, which makes it look like she's holding hands with her other multiple selves. The real girl, of course, is facing away from the camera, and the remaining four images are mirror reflections. For another photo with a similar subject, see Mirror Photograph of Girl with Bow, Pittsburgh, Pa. For more examples, see my album of Mirror Photos .