Alan Mays' photos

Four men, three pies, a single hat, and one automobile. I wonder what Simon and his piemen were doing that day. For more information, see the full version of this photo.

"E. S. Ilgenfritz, Developing & Printing, 34 N. Albemarle St., York, Pa." This is the photographer's stamp on the back of a curious photo of four men . One of the men is sitting in the driver's seat of an automobile, and the other three are standing next to the auto with pies in their hands. See Simply Simon with Some Piemen Going to a Fair? Edward Samuel Ilgenfritz (1897-1937) was only 40 years old when he passed away. His obituary doesn't mention photography, and his stamp only specifies photo "developing & printing," but I'm guessing that he was also a photographer.

A birds or bees photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Those poor kids don't seem to have a clue that they're about to be carried off by that raptor that's swooping down upon them. Or at least that seems to be what we're supposed to think with that stuffed bird suspended above them. I'm not sure why these children are riding in a decorated cart pulled by a donkey. There's no address, date, or postmark on the other side of this real photo postcard, but there is a message written in French that I haven't had any success in deciphering.

Message written in French on the reverse of Don't Get Carried Away! , a real photo postcard. When I posted this over on Flickr , one person was able to provide the meanings of some of the words, but otherwise I haven't been able to figure out if the message provides any additional information about the puzzling image on the front of the card .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of playing cards and board games . Two young men pretend to play Parcheesi against themselves as they pose (two times!) for this double exposure photograph. Take a look at a cropped version of the photo showing a close-up view of the Parcheesi board on the top of the table. This is an unused real photo postcard with the words "Post Card" and "The address to be written on this side" printed on its undivided back, which suggests that it may date to sometime during the first decade of the twentieth century.

An enlarged view of the board, game pieces, and dice cups in a trick photo of two young men playing against themselves in a game of Parcheesi. The photo is well composed with only a translucent part of the Parcheesi board underneath the hand on the right and a slightly darker streak running vertically through the middle of the photo to give away the double exposure. I'm not certain what might have caused the dark shape on the side of the building directly above the board. For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard. .

A woman fans herself as a man encroaches on her personal space while they are both perched dangerously on top of a giant key in this amusing image from an early twentieth-century postcard. Caption: "You have the key that fits my heart."

A photo of hair—in all its glory or eccentricity for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. On the glorious-eccentric scale for hair styles, this girl's hair seems to me to fall a little toward the eccentric side. There are no clues on the photo to provide any information about the girl's identity or location, but one interesting detail is the small Red Cross pinback button that she's wearing on her dress. The Cyko stamp box on the back of this real photo postcard suggests a date of either 1904-1908 (according to Playle's ) or 1920-1928 (according to Metropostcard.com ). My runners-up for this week's theme include the following previously posted images of: -- Clara Rousby, British Stage Actress, ca. 1870s -- Rasputin and the Amorphous Enigma -- Benjamin Purnell, Founder of the House of David, Benton Harbor, Michigan

Handwritten message on the back of this real photo postcard (no address or postmark): "My dear Aunt Clara, this post card was taken in Bridgeton on Labor Day. See if you can find me. Clarence." The AZO stamp box on the other side (four corner triangles pointing up) suggests a date as early as 1904 to 1918. Clarence and his marching band probably played in Bridgeton, New Jersey. I took a close look at the uniforms, music sheets, and drumhead but wasn't able to spot any names, insignia, or other details that would help to confirm the location or identify the band.

Handwritten caption: "Labor Day, 1905, Elitch's Gardens." This real photo postcard wasn't postally used, and there's no address, message, or postmark on the other side that might help identify these three individuals. According to Wikipedia, " Elitch Gardens was a family-owned seasonal amusement park, theater, and botanic garden in the West Highland neighborhood in northwest Denver, Colorado, United States, at 38th and Tennyson streets."

A photo of something beginning with S —a Schultüte or school cone—for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Photographer's stamp on the back of this real photo postcard. "Adolf E. Weiss, Reichenbach, I.V." Handwritten note on back: "Reichenbach, 9.4. 1934." A photo of a young boy holding a Schultüte (school cone) on his first day of school in Reichenbach im Vogtland , Germany, in 1934. For similar photos, see My First Day of School, April 19, 1922 , Petra's First Day of School, September 4, 1965 , and other photos in my Schultüten (School Cones) album.

"Mein erster Schultag am 19.4.1922." ["My first day of school, April 19, 1922."] Handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard: "Das ist meine kleinste Tochter." ["This is my youngest daughter."] A girl with a Schultüte (school cone) on her first day of school.

Label on the Schultüte or school cone that the girl is holding: "Zum ersten Schulgang." ["For the first day of school."] Handwritten note on the other side of this photo: "Petra's erster Schultag, 4. Sept. 1965." ["Petra's first day of school, Sept. 4, 1965."] Photo studio stamp on the other side: "Konsum-Fotolabor, Neuenhagen."

A selection for the Vintage Photos Theme Park of a photo that pulls at your heartstrings—poignant . A touching portrait of a man and woman with their little dog perched on a chair.

This early postcard nicely captures the hustle and bustle of trains, cars, and wagons at a railroad station in Des Moines, Iowa, during the early twentieth century. Building signs provide some additional details. Below the sign for the "Passenger Station, Chicago and North-Western Railway" is another one that indicates that the "American Express Co." was based there as well. Barely visible signs on the brick buildings on the other side of the railroad cars identify one as the factory for "Garr Scott & Co " which manufactured threshing machinery, and another--the tallest building in the distance--as the Grand Hotel.

An elaborate nineteenth-century advertising trade card for Buchu-Paiba, a patent medicine that supposedly cured kidney, bladder, and urinary diseases. Buchu-Paiba "'Buchu-Paiba,' quick, complete cure [for] all annoying kidney diseases, $1." Words in the water: "Rescued from kidney and bladder affections." Flags: "Rough on Rats" and "Wells' Health Renewer." "Mayer, Merkel & Ottmann, Lith., N.Y." Excerpts from the ads printed on the back of the card: "Mother Swan's Worm Syrup. For fever, restlessness, worms, constipation. Tasteless. Perfectly harmless, but the most effective worm destroyer extant." "Rough on Rats. 15c boxes. Clears out rats, mice, roaches, flies, mosquitos, bed bugs, insects, skunk, weasel gophers, chipmunks, moles, musk rats, etc." "Wells' Rough on Corns. Complete cure." "'Bucha-Paiba.' Quick, complete cure, all annoying kidney and urinary diseases. $1.00 at druggists." "E. S. Wells, manufacturer and proprietor, Jersey City, N.J. U.S.A."

A photo of people on rooftops for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. This is a snapshot of "The King" taken from high up in or on top of a building overlooking the streets of an unknown city. A pair of U.S. flags extend across the top of the photo, and something's blocking the view in the lower right-hand corner (but the blurry object provided a handy place to write a caption). Crowds of people have gathered on rooftops, in windows, and along the streets to watch the king go by. He's riding in an open car accompanied by another automobile and two motorcycles with sidecars. Anyone recognize the location? See a cropped version of the photo for a better view of the people watching from the rooftops and windows. Another enlargement provides a close-up of the king's car .

Notice all the people watching the king's car from the roof and windows of the lower building on the left. Crowds have also gathered in front of and on top of the building across the street. See also a close-up of the king's car and the full version of the photo.