Alan Mays' photos

"Viel Glück im neuen Jahre." "Good luck in the New Year" is the message on this early twentieth-century German postcard featuring a snail chauffeur with two mushroom passengers.

An early twentieth-century postcard depicting a couple aloft in an airship as they celebrate the new year by scattering gold coins and red hearts across the countryside.

"1910. A Happy New Year." A gold and purple New Year's postcard from 1910.

"Remember when I called you mine in 1909." A 1909 postcard with a rhymed New Year's greeting. It looks like those are light bulbs forming "1909," judging by the yellow glow and golden rays emanating from each of the numbers. For a similar card in which the artist used flowers instead of light bulbs, see I'll Be Yours If You'll Be Mine in 1909 .

"Remember when I called you mine in 1909." A 1909 postcard with a rhymed New Year's greeting. It looks like those are light bulbs forming "1909," judging by the yellow glow and golden rays emanating from each of the numbers. For a similar card in which the artist used flowers instead of light bulbs, see I'll Be Yours If You'll Be Mine in 1909 .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of taken unawares (shots of people who clearly have no idea they're being snapped) . Stamped in ink on the back of this real photo postcard: "Lindstedt and Zimmermann. Coblenz am Rhine, Kaiserin Augusta Ring No. 3. Artistic photographs, medal for photographic work." This is a view of the area around the Father Rhine and Mother Mosel sculpture (visible just left of center in the photo), which is located in the gardens adjacent to the Electoral Palace in Koblenz , Germany. The American flags situated around the sculpture and the presence of American soldiers make it likely that this photo was taken sometime between 1918 and 1923 during the United States occupation of Koblenz following World War I. The soldiers and civilians captured in the scene are oblivious to the photographer's presence, and they're all naturally strolling, standing, talking, and gesturing rather than posing for the picture. See also cropped versions of the photo showing close-ups of the activity in the center and right-hand side .

For more information, see a right-hand view and the full version of this real photo postcard.

For more information, see a center view and the full version of this real photo postcard.

A small Victorian-era Christmas card featuring a fairy and flowers. The verse on the card appears in J. S. Ogilvie, compiler, The Album Writer's Friend: Comprising More Than Three Hundred Choice Selections of Poetry and Prose, Suitable for Writing in Autograph Albums, Valentines, Birthday, Christmas, and New Year Cards (1881), p. 60. A Merry Christmas Christmas comes, let every heart In Christmas customs bear its part: The old be young, the sad be gay And smiles chase every care away.

"Clear the track for Merry Christmas. HBG." A Christmas postcard illustrated by H. B. Griggs (HBG). Addressed on the other side to Mr. Paul Cadwallader, Sharonville, Ohio, R.R., and postmarked in Cozaddale, Ohio, on Dec. 16, 1910. Handwritten message: "Hello Old Boy. How are you? Why don't you write. Have been very busy with my entertainment and did not have time. HRB."

This is the front of a Victorian-era trade card advertising a New York store (for the other side, see Christmas Greeting, Edward Ridley & Sons Department Store, New York City, 1880 ). I'm not sure why this wide-eyed little girl is taking all those toys with her out into the snow. She's dressed for the winter weather, however, and is even holding her hands—and her doll—in a muff to keep them warm.

Edward Ridley & Sons, a New York City department store, printed this trade card for customers during the holiday season in 1880, and the store also took out newspaper ads to offer its "annual greeting." The other side of the trade card is a wintertime illustration of a little girl holding some toys as she stands in the snow. This side (above) features the store's Christmas greeting: 32nd Annual Greeting A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Toys, Dolls, and Holiday Presents. Edw. Ridley & Sons 309, 311, 311½ Grand St. 59 Orchard St. 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70 Allen St. New York The following excerpt from the store's advertisement in the New York Herald on December 5, 1880, provides additional details about its holiday sales: Thirty-second Annual Greeting Santa Claus' New Building. Opening Monday, December 6. First Floor—Endless variety toys, dolls, hobby horses. Also china, glass ware, &c. Second Floor--Work boxes, writing desks, Japanese varieties, &c., &c. Tuesday, December 7. Third Floor—Dolls, dolls, dolls. And everything belonging to a doll. Fourth Floor—Wednesday, December 8. Will contain toys of the very finest description…. Our new building gives 23,000 square feet. All devoted to toys. Come and see the toys and our methods. Worsted embroideries, slipper patterns, brackets, &c. Photo and auto[graph] albums, in plush, Russia[n] leather and French calf bindings. Handsome jewel and combination cases, pocketbooks, cigar cases, &c. Prices below every other house—we warrant.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of boots (high button boots, rain boots, farm boots, etc.) . "Season's Greetings, 1949. From Our House to Your House." A young girl, who's decked out in winter clothes and boots, poses with Santa Claus (or a reasonable facsimile), who's also wearing boots. The girl posed with Santa again in 1950 for another photographic Christmas card. See Season's Greetings, 1950 .

"Seasons Greetings, 1950." Handwritten signature on the other side of this photographic greeting card: "The Weidman's." For the Weidman family Christmas card from 1949, this young girl posed with Santa outside on the porch instead of inside on the stairs. See Season's Greetings, 1949—From Our House to Your House .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of signs and billboards (any type of sign—traffic, store, warning, printed, handwritten, big, small, etc.—or any kind of billboard advertisement or announcement) . For similar sign posers, see Speed Limit 15 Miles , Danger—Keep Away from Edge of Cliff , and Slow!

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of children with toys . This is one in a series of Christmas photos in a Super Pak Snaps booklet (note the red plastic comb binding) from the early 1960s that shows a boy with a Fred Flintstone "Puncho" (otherwise known as a punching bag or bop bag). The Flintstones , the first prime-time animated television series, debuted on September 30, 1960, but I'm guessing that the punching bag and photo date to Christmas 1961 or 1962. See other snapshots of the boy playing with the punching bag and Fred standing guard in the boy's living room .

A young boy sits on the floor between the RCA Victor television set and the Christmas tree as he plays with the Fred Flintstone punching bag he received for Christmas. See some additional photos of Fred stationed in the middle of the living room and the boy posing next to his punching bag .

Fred Flintstone the punching bag stoically guards the room as Christmas turmoil begins to swirl around him The little boy who received Fred for Christmas is barely visible at right as he stands next to his dad, who's seated in a chair--those are his legs protruding halfway into the room. An aunt (or maybe grandma) has come to the rescue and is holding the boy's baby sister as she starts screaming at the top of her lungs. Perhaps she's already grown tired of her new baby doll, who now sits forlornly all by herself. Take a look at some happier snapshots showing the boy posing with Fred and the boy playing with his punching bag .