Alan Mays' photos

A woman dressed in a spiffy outfit poses with her bicycle in front of a house with a picket fence. Another woman—her mother, perhaps?—stands on the porch. The number on the house is 722 but there are no other clues to help identity the location. This is a larger photograph mounted on cardboard, and it reminds me of a similar photo of Two Women and a Bicycle . The women in the other photo are also wearing long dresses, one has a hat, and there are houses in the background.

Cropped version of a photo mounted on cardboard. See also the full version of this photo (below).

Photo mounted on cardboard. See also a cropped version for a close-up of the two women (below).

Yet another Halloween photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A real photo postcard with a Halloween portrait of kids (including twins?), a cat, and a jack-o'-lantern all posing on the front porch (see also a cropped version of the photo). The family sent this as a Christmas greeting (notice the decorative holly leaves and berries added at the bottom) to Miss Geneva B. Haley, Cornish, Maine. The card was postmarked in Brunswick, Maine, on December 17, 1943. Handwritten message on the other side: "Yours was a lovely card. Peter read it to the other children. It's their favorite Christmas carol. Greetings from all, Cecil & Marion." I don't recall ever seeing any other Halloween-themed Christmas cards.

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

Another Halloween photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A kid hugging a pumpkin, date and location unknown.

Caption at bottom (difficult to see): "179. Copper River Salmon, Cordova , Alaska. Photocraft." Sign on building: "Northern Meat [Market]." Addressed on the other side to Bob Bern, Seward, Alaska, and postmarked Cordova, Alaska, Sep. 30, 1937. Message: "Dear Bob, How is everybody in Seward? Cordova ain't so bad, but I haven't met any girls yet. We are about a half a mile from town so I go every day. Write some time and let me know how you are. Vic Hughes, c/o Wright & Stock, Cordova, Alaska."

A Halloween photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A Halloween portrait with a kid in a Lone Ranger costume and an eerie (oops, I mean ear-y ) jack-o'-lantern in the window (notice how the lamp ended up on the chair for the picture-taking session). The big ears and toothy smile of the jack-o'-lantern remind me of Alfred E. Neuman . A logo consisting of the numbers "1/55" inside a sideways letter "D" appears on the top border of the full version of this snapshot (see below). I'm not sure what the D refers to, but I take the numbers to mean that the photo was developed in January 1955, which suggests it was taken during Halloween the previous year. The boy's choice of costume reflects the popularity of the Lone Ranger TV series , which ran from 1949 to 1957.

A sideways letter "D" containing the numbers "1/55" (left of center along the top border) suggests that this photo was developed in January 1955. For additional information, see the cropped version :

Postmarked South Amboy, N.J., Oct. 8, 1909, and addressed to Miss E. E. Isenberg, R.F.D. No. 1, Box 17, Hollidaysburg, Pa. Handwritten message: "South Amboy, Oct. 8th. Dear Elda, We were all to New York yesterday. Had a nice time, went to the Hippodrome , the day was fine. I looked about plume [feathers for hats; see plume hunting ]--you can do better in Altoona. Do not forget to meet me at Frankstown on Monday eve at [the] five [o'clock] train. You can come in buggy. Mama." In this Halloween postcard by illustrator Bernhardt Wall , a young woman is tossing a long apple peel over her shoulder, believing that the peel will fall to the floor in the shape of a letter that will reveal the first letter of her future husband's name (strangely, a number of peels that spell "Hallowe'en" are floating in the background). This apple peeling practice is one of a number of Halloween games and rituals that were depicted on postcards published in the early twentieth century.

"O, is my true love tall and grand? O, is my sweetheart bonny?" Mirrors , cakes , apple peels , and chestnuts (see below) have all figured in the Halloween fortune-telling games depicted on early twentieth-century postcards. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I found this postcard by Ellen H. Clapsaddle , which suggests that young women could use cabbages (or kales ) to foretell what kind of husband–tall and grand? bonny?–they might marry. In a discussion about Pumpkins and Postcards and Portents–Oh My! , Mikaela Taylor of Middlebury College explains how picking a cabbage from the garden could predict a woman's romantic future: "If the selected cabbage or kale was difficult to unearth, it denoted difficulty in a relationship. Kale with clumps of dirt stuck to the roots signified a rich husband, and the size, shape, and taste of the kale foretold the physical attributes and personality of a future spouse." Ellen Clapsaddle illustrated a number of other prognosticating postcards like this one. For another example, see Halloween Chestnuts—Uncertainly, Hope, Despair, Happy Ever After .

"May love light your Hallow-e'en lantern! H.B.G." A Halloween postcard illustrated by H. B. Griggs (H.B.G.). For another Griggs card, see Have a Devilishly Happy Halloween .

A photo of horses, carriages, or wagons for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back: "I think [this was] taken at Guthrie farm." The AZO stamp box on the other side suggests a possible date as early as 1904 to 1918. This young fellow has placed his jacket on the ground to strike a jaunty pose in front of a wagon containing a bumper load of corn.

The boy posing with his bike on this real photo postcard is identified on the other side as "Lewis Metzler" and the location is indicated as "Williamsport, Pa." A date of "June 1921" is written on the front of the card (see the full version) .

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

A quirky Halloween postcard addressed to R. D. Bell, Bellwood, Penna., and postmarked Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 2, 1910.

A Halloween postcard dated 1908.

A 1950s ticket and license for driving the cars at the Autopia ride, which was--and still is--located in the Tomorrowland area of Disneyland . The Richfield Oil Corporation , which operated a chain of gas stations in the 1950s, sponsored the Autopia ride, so it's not surprising that the license also doubled as a membership card for the "Richfield Autopia Safe Driving Club." The main benefit of the club, as stated on the license, was "friendly, courteous service at more than 4,000 Richfield stations in the West," so it served as an advertisement as well. For other versions of this ticket / driver's license / membership card / advertisement, see the Official Driver's License for Autopia posting on the Vintage Disneyland Tickets blog. Richfield Autopia, Tomorrowland These are the cars of the future at Disneyland. This official Autopia Driver's License may be filled in and retained as a souvenir of your visit to Disneyland. It identifies you as an active member of the Richfield Autopia Safe Driving Club. It entitles you to friendly, courteous service at more than 4,000 Richfield stations in the West. Richfield Autopia, Disneyland, Anaheim, California Operator's License No. 711137 Full Name ________. Address ________. City - State ________. Sex M - F ____. Height ____. Color of Eyes ____. Color of Hair ____. Weight ____. Date of Birth ____.. Age ____. Occupation ____. Right Thumb Print ________. Your Signature ________. Globe Ticket Safety.