Alan Mays' photos

A group of female campers who were evidently members of a Methodist church choir. For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

A hatchet is perched at the top of a piece of wood that's leaning against the tree, and a lantern hangs from the upright cutter bar of the horse-drawn sickle mower that's parked in front of the tree. Mouse over the image to see my notes about some of the objects in the photo. For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

A photo of unique or outrageous hats for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. With voluminous hats and other new clothes, this group is ready to head off to Easter church services (mouse over the image for a close-up ). Miss Mabel there on the left is somewhat blurry and must have moved a bit when the photo was snapped. Written on the back of this real photo postcard: Miss Mabel Cressy Miss Ethel Cressy Mr. Harry Shapee Miss Margaret Hannah Miss Dot Williamson 7th April, taken at Keres Boarding House, 1708 4th Ave., Easter Sunday, 1912.

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

A sale bill for an auction that took place on December 19, 1885, at the Greenawalt House, which was a hotel located in Elizabethtown , Pennsylvania. I like the exclamatory combination of "Cattle and Apples!" Cattles and Apples! Keller & Alwine's Sale. Saturday, Dec. 19, 1885, The undersigned will sell at the Greenawalt House, in the borough of Elizabethtown, a lot of choice cattle, consisting of 10 fresh cows and springers, 10 head dry cows, 7 fine stock bulls, and a few fat cattle. Also a lot of choice apples and a number of sleighs, buggies, etc. 60 days' credit will be given. Sale to commence at 12 o'clock M. Keller & Alwine. H. Waidman, auc. Chronicle Print, Elizabethtown, Pa.

"Stoverdale Camp. Season Ticket (Whole). M________. Not transferable. Present ticket at each meal." A meal ticket dated 1932 by the dealer I bought it from. This was evidently printed for use at the Stoverdale Camp Meeting grounds that were located near Hummelstown in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. For more examples of meal tickets, see Wallace Hotel Meal Ticket, Harrisburg, Pa. , The Lee House Meal Ticket , and Meal Ticket Good Only at Circle Bar, Reading, Pa. (below).

"Wallace Hotel, H. C. Winger, proprietor, Cumberland and Wallace Streets, Harrisburg, Pa., meal ticket. Name ____________. Raysor, printer."

"Meal ticket, the Lee House. This ticket must be presented to waiter at each meal. Guests cannot secure meal without presenting this ticket. Good only to person issued. Name: Kuntz. Room no.: [200?]. Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner."

"Meal Ticket, good only at Circle Bar, 9th & Bingaman Sts., Reading, Penna., Walter (Shag) Bialy, prop. $5.50 value, price $5.00. 5, 10, 25, 50."

With prices on one side and his name on the other, J. E. Wittmer designed this card to serve both as a business card and as a sample of the visiting (or calling) cards that he sold in Washington Boro , Pennsylvania, in 1876. Please note, however, that "Gold Extra" cards are no longer available. J. E. Wittmer / Fine Visiting Cards Reduced Price List, May 10, 1876 New and fashionable styles and varieties. Only the finer qualities of cardboard are used. Fancy Cards. - Bristol Board. - Gold Extra. 100 cards, one name and one style of type. 75c. 45c. 20c. 75 cards, 60c. 35c. 15c. 52 cards, 45c. 25c. 10c. 26 cards, 25c. 15c. 10c. When ordering cards please write name very plainly, thereby avoiding mistakes. Give your name, post office, county, and state in full, and mention the amount of money you send. J. E. Wittmer, Washington Boro', Lancaster Co., Pa.

A photo of cows for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Mouse over the image above for a better view of the calves and cow. Caption at the bottom of the photo: "[Tommyhill?] triplet calves, Rooks Co., Kans." A real photo postcard addressed on the other side to John A. Ginck, Gettysburg, Pa., RR 10, and postmarked Solomon, Kansas, July 21, with the year illegible. Handwritten message: "Solomon, Kans., July 20. Dear Johnnie, I have not got a letter from you since I left. Heard from Aunt Dall the other day. Finished harvesting Sat. noon. Am starting with a threshing outfit tomorrow morning. Am about 100 miles from where I was working when you [incomplete sentence]. Write address in care of Fred Roltz, Solomon, Kans. Write soon."

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

A French real photo postcard for April Fools' Day, called poissons d'avril (April fish) in France. There's no postmark on this hand-tinted card, but it likely dates to the early twentieth century. "1er Avril. Si tu devines que l'envoie, / Tu n'es pas la moitié d'une oie!"

"Easter Greetings" postcard dating to the early twentieth century.

A photographic Easter greeting card with a soldier posing in front of a fake palm tree and beach.

"Easter Greetings. A. Steiert & Son." Postcard addressed on the other side to Hauck Bros., Mechanicsburg, Pa., and postmarked Philadelphia, Pa., April 16, 1924. A. Steiert & Son was a manufacturer of brooms and brushes.

"E. R. Parker, manufacturer and dealer in new hardware specialties, 227½ Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, Pa. Parker's Patent Combined Clamp and Filing Guide." Handwritten in elaborate Spencerian script on the other side of this business card: "Presented by C. B. Winchell, Harrisburg, Pa." The illustration of "Parker's Patent Combined Clamp and Filing Guide" refers to a patent for an "Improvement in Saw-Clamp and Filing-Guide" (see below) that was issued to Edwin R. Parker in 1879. Improvement in Saw-Clamp and Filing-Guide . U.S. Patent No. 219,650, dated September 16, 1879. "Be it known that I, Edwin R. Parker, of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and Improved Saw-Clamp and Filing-Guide . . . . The object in making this invention is to produce a convenient instrument or machine for clamping and holding the saw-teeth and guiding the file in filing all sizes of circular and mill saws of any gage, size, and shape of teeth, and whether the saw be on the arbor or removed therefrom; and the improvements consist, respectively, in the several devices, and in the combinations and sub-combinations, as hereinafter described and claimed."