Alan Mays' photos

"Greetings from Our House to Your House. The Herr's." A family posing with holiday decorations for a photographic Christmas card.

In spite of *NRA, FCC, NPS, CCC, PWP, RFC, FDRS, FHA, NFU, ECW, SPCW, AAA, and even with poll tax, gas tax, road tax, map tax, income tax, sales tax, thumb tax, and wise cracks, nevertheless we wish you a merry Christmas, Willis Treaster, Milroy, Pa. *Explanatory key in our shop. -------- These are some of the 1930s New Deal agencies and programs referred to above: AAA - Agricultural Adjustment Administration CCC - Civilian Conservation Corps FCC - Federal Communications Commission FHA - Federal Housing Administration NRA - National Recovery Administration RFC - Reconstruction Finance Corporation

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of when I grow up (children dressed as adults or dressed for work, e.g. as policeman, nurse, train driver, etc.) . A real photo postcard addressed on the other side to Mrs. J. O. Hare, #313 Albany Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y., and postmarked September 21, 1909, in Orange Lake, N.Y. Message: "Do you know the little man on the back? Mrs. J. Garrison." This "little man" dressed in overalls looks ready for grown-up work like winching up buckets of water from the well.

In this undated slide, two exuberant women commence Christmas cooking in the kitchen. Santa Claus decoration on the wall: "Merry Christmas. Happy New Year."

"E. H. Coolidge & Co., proprietors. Office, 21 Blackstone St., Boston, Mass. Wool Mattress Company, So. Framingham, Mass." A Victorian-era advertising trade card dating to the 1870s.

"Hello - Merry Christmas." An early twentieth-century postcard featuring cutting-edge candlestick telephone communications technology. See also Hello, Merry Christmas! Operator, Can You Help Me, Help Me If You Please .

A clocks photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. So, is this a spindle, star, sunburst, atomic, or some other kind of clock?

A soldiers photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Flag: "13 MG." Caption (see full version ): "Machine Gun Troop, 13 Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kans., January 13, 1928." Credit: "Photo by Anderson Studio, J.C.K.S." This photograph of the Machine Gun Troop of the United States Army's 13th Cavalry Regiment includes over 80 men along with a flag, five trophies, and eight machine guns (take a look at the full version of the photo to see all the men, guns, and other details). The regiment was stationed at Fort Riley , Kansas, and Anderson Studio of Junction City, Kansas, took the photo. According to the bookseller from whom I purchased this photo, the man seated to the left of the trophies is Colonel John C. Mullenix (1889-1986), who served in the U.S. Army through both world wars.

Caption "Machine Gun Troop, 13 Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kans., January 13, 1928." Credit: "Photo by Anderson Studio, J.C.K.S." Flag: "13 MG." For more information, see the cropped version of this photograph.

"Heaney the Magician. Good luck to you. Good luck. Heaney, World's Foremost Magician, and Company. Adults. Admit one. Heaney the Magician." This is the top portion of a 10-ticket sheet for stage magician Gerald Heaney (1899-1974), also known as "Heaney the Great." Those devilish creatures crouched on Hearney's shoulders are "whispering imps." Other magicians also used whispering imps in their advertising. See Howard and Jane Thurston Good Luck Throw-Out Card and The Great Raymond Is Here for examples.

"Heaney the Magician. Good luck to you. Good luck. Heaney, World's Foremost Magician, and Company. Adults. Admit one. Heaney the Magician." Gerald Heaney (1899-1974) was a stage magician who performed as "Heaney the Great." See also an enlargement of the top portion of this 10-ticket sheet.

One in a series of amusing "How We Pass the Time" postcards published in the early twentieth century. This noon-time example is postmarked 1911, and it illustrates how " Pittsburgh " has been spelled with and without a final "h" at different times. How We Pass the Time at Pittsburg A stroll at noon, a quiet spoon, The time it passes all too soon.

This Thanksgiving greeting card with an Art Deco-y design from the 1920s is also an advertisement for the Carry Ice Cream Company, which manufactured Carry's Frozen Pudding Ice Cream and other treats in Washington, D.C. A Happy Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is such a happy time. Guests arrive—the joyful greetings—jest and laughter—the Thanksgiving dinner. When all are lingering over the bountiful repast, surprise them with Carry's Frozen Pudding Ice Cream. It's so delicious and adds the delightful finishing touch every hostess desires. Purest cream, nuts, fruits, and flavors are mingled to produce a characteristic Carry confection. Just the thing for luncheons, late suppers, and other social affairs. At all Carry dealers—or phone Lincoln 5900. Please place your orders early for prompt service.

"Uncle Sam. Thanksgiving Greeting." Uncle Sam is carrying a turkey and a flag on this patriotic Thanksgiving postcard mailed in 1910.

A 1908 Tuck postcard with an apparently cannibalistic Thanksgiving scene of two turkeys pulling on a wishbone .

"Wm. C. Myers, practical artesian well contractor. Test holes for prospectors. Estimates on application. Work done on short notice. Satisfaction guaranteed. Bell 'phone. Salunga, Lancaster Co., Pa. Traction." For a similar business card, see U. W. Myers, Artesian Well Driller, Myerstown, Pa.

"U. W. Myers, drilling manager, artesian well driller, Myerstown, Pa." For a similar business card, see William C. Myers, Practical Artesian Well Contractor, Salunga, Pa.

A deck chairs / lawn chairs photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. This is a Kodachrome Transparency slide dated January 1966, so I'm guessing that this lady was luxuriating in the comfort of her aluminum webbed chaise lounge lawn chair sometime in 1965.