Alan Mays' photos

"Choice Bohsemeem, the best & purest spices, Weikel & Smith Spice Co., Philadelphia." See below for another Choice Bohsemeem label .

A photo of a person or people reading for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Snapshot of a man reading the headline, "President Roosevelt Dead at 63," which appeared in the Stars and Stripes newspaper following the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945.

"You may be straight but you don't 'look it.'" A postcard addressed on the other side to Mr. Oscar Donaven, Mt. Joy, Lancaster Co., Pa., and postmarked in Philadelphia in 1907. This postcard features a punning illustration of an apoplectic fellow who doesn't "look straight" because he's cross-eyed, of course. Mark Newgarden , a cartoonist who was one of the creators of the Garbage Pail Kids , used this card--with an added imitation fly pin on the guy's nose--for the cover of his book, Cheap Laffs: The Art of the Novelty Item (Harry N. Abrams, 2004). If you have the slightest interest in the origin and history of fake vomit, whoopee cushions, and joy buzzers, then you've got to track down a copy of this amazingly amusing book. [Paging Corduroy Cat: Do I recall correctly that you posted a copy of this postcard, too?]

I'm trying to imagine what happened at the photo studio that day. Photographer: Well, ladies, I've just received a couple of interesting new props that we can use in your portrait today. There's one here and another one over there. Do you prefer the former or the latter? Ladies: Oh, we'll take the ladder , of course! Otherwise, there are no identifying details that might help to explain the origin of this unique photo.

A photo taken at the playground for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. This real photo postcard captures children in mid-swing on playground equipment at the Lost River State Park in West Virginia (mouse over the image above for a close-up view of the activity ). Workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) helped to construct the park, which opened in 1937. The three young men on the right-hand side were caught in mid-stride as they walked toward the camera. Their uniforms, including neckties tucked into their shirts, suggest that they were CCC workers.

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

The caption on this photo tells us that these fellows worked in the Electrical Department at Luna Park in 1910. But was it the original Luna Park at Coney Island ? And what location in the park did they choose for their photo? Looks like they may be sitting on a flume or water-chute, and there's a water wheel behind them, so perhaps it's some kind of water ride. Mouse over the image above for a closer view of the men.

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

A photo of public transportation (at the airport, or bus or train depot) for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. For this real photo postcard, mouse over the image above to see details showing close-ups of Uncle Tom , the Bald Eagle Lookout , and the Greyhound bus . Caption: "Uncle Tom's Cabin, 7 Miles West of State College, Pa., Route 322." Signs on the building: "Bald Eagle Lookout, see 75 miles, free tower." "See Bald Eagle, 1000 ft. below." "Free tower." "Coca Cola." "Uncle Tom's Cabin." "PeRo the ice cream, delicious." Bus: License plate 03219. Destination was Chicago. "Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines." "4188. New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit." "PRR" (keystone logo of the Pennsylvania Railroad). "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Co. Pa. P.S.C Certificate 19425." "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Company, carriers & operators."

Is that Tom (or whatever the proprietor's name actually is) standing there in the middle? And I wonder if the man at right is placing one of these postcards in the mailbox. In addition to this close-up of Uncle Tom, see below for the entire postcard and details showing the Bald Eagle Lookout tower and the Greyhound bus . Caption: "Uncle Tom's Cabin, 7 Miles West of State College, Pa., Route 322."

The two women on top of the Bald Eagle Lookout tower are posing for the photographer instead of viewing the mountains and valleys that are visible in the other direction. See below for the entire real photo postcard along with details showing close-ups of Uncle Tom and the Greyhound bus . Signs on the building: "Bald Eagle Lookout, see 75 miles, free tower." "See Bald Eagle, 1000 ft. below." "Free tower." "Coca Cola." "Uncle Tom's Cabin." "PeRo the ice cream, delicious."

The bus driver is posing for the photographer while the customer in the background purchases snacks or souvenirs at the counter. See below for the entire card and details showing Uncle Tom and the Bald Eagle Lookout . Bus: License plate 03219. Destination was Chicago. "Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines." "4188. New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit." "PRR" (keystone logo of the Pennsylvania Railroad). "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Co. Pa. P.S.C Certificate 19425." "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Company, carriers & operators."

"Grand Concert. Altoona City Band with the assistance of local talent. Opera House, February 16th, 1888. Tickets, 50 cents. Quick Charity and Hospital Fund." A ticket for a charity concert held in 1888 by the Altoona City Band. Looks like the printer used a different typeface for each line on the ticket!

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of: And the band played on (people enjoying themselves while a band plays) . In this real photo postcard, musicians pretend to play an accordion, drum, and triangle in the midst of a group of young men, most of whom have flowers in their boutonnieres and mugs of beer in their hands. The German sign in the middle appears to say, "Jahrgang. 1895. Die Bassgeig kan̈ein jeder Kratzen selbst der Bär mit seinen Tatzen." But I haven't been able to determine what this means (something about a bass fiddle and a bear scratching himself with his paws?). In any case, I suspect that these guys enjoyed some more beer and music after they finished posing for the photo.

"The Columbia National Bank. No. 4159. Columbia, Penna., May 21, 1876. Pay to the order of C. J. Nourse, Jr. One and 80/100 dollars. $1.80. To Importers & Traders National Bank of New York. S. W. Shoch, Cashier. United States Internal Revenue, Two Cents. 2. National Bank Note Company, New York." Mouse over the image above to see an enlargement of the vignette of steamboats and sailing ships in the upper left-hand corner.

For more information, see the full version of this check:

"Hudson River Day Line Pass, 1899. E. D. Bennett, G.S., Bennington & Rutland Ry. E. E. Olcott, general manager. 412." E. D. Bennett, the general superintendent of the Bennington & Rutland Railway Company, also received a pass from the Adirondack Steamboat Company in 1897. The boat pictured on this card is the side-wheel steamer New York See below for some other steamboat passes and tickets from the Adirondack Steamboat Company/ (1897), Baltimore Steam Packet Company (1911), New Jersey Steamboat Company (1870), and Reading Steamboat Company .

See also the back of this pass (below). "New Jersey Steamboat Company. 1870 Season. People's Line. Not transferable. New York, April 5, 1870. Pass [W. J. Pierrepout & J. Bredt?]. Rome, Watertown, and Ogdensburgh R.R. Subject to the conditions on the back hereof. No. Rgd. Jno. C. Hewitt, G.T.A." John C. Hewitt was a general ticket agent for People's Line Steamers.