Alan Mays' photos

It's Party Time (Happy Birthday VPTP) . I propose a taffy pulling party to celebrate the third anniversary of the Vintage Photos Theme Park! These folks will show us how it's done! For more on taffy pulls and similar get-togethers, see Candy Stew, Candy Pull, and Other Pull Parties , a posting on culinary historian Patricia Bixler Reber's Researching Food History - Cooking and Dining blog. See also the full version of this real photo postcard.

See also the cropped version of this real photo postcard.

Intended as a rocking horses photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten on the back of this cabinet card photo: "Roy Peiffer, cousin. Born about 1905." (If the name and date are correct, then this may be Roy Peiffer , 1905-1990.) Photographer: "Strunk, cabinet portraits, 730 Penn St., Reading, Pa." I've been planning all week to use this photo as my rocking horse. On Flickr, I found a similar photo that's titled "The Rocking Horse Winner" - circa 1890 Cabinet Card . It's from the same studio and shows a little boy standing beside the same horse. I was surprised and disappointed, however, when I did some more searching yesterday and discovered another cabinet photo with the horse that's for sale on a military antiques Web site. Unlike my photo and the one on Flickr, the third photo on the antiques site clearly reveals that the horse is standing on a wooden base with four wheels--there are no rockers. Since I won't have a chance to get another photo ready to post before the end of the week, I'll have to throw myself on the mercy of the court and ask the indulgence of my fellow Theme Parkers. If anyone objects to my submission of a wheeled--rather than a rocking--horse for this week's theme, I'll gladly withdraw it.

A colorful daily double ticket used for betting on horse races at the Delaware Park Racetrack , Wilmington, Delaware, on June 14, 1952.

"GOP, Generation Of Peace, 1972. Thank you for your support." A block of political campaign stamps given to supporters and potential donors by Richard Nixon during his run for a second term as U.S. president in 1972. "GOP" refers here to "Generation of Peace," a phrase that Nixon used in speeches about ending American involvement in the Vietnam War, but it also means "Grand Old Party," which, of course, is another name for the Republican Party .

"The Divine Odalisque, Omene! Original Turkish dancer. Bijou Theatre, week August 27." A small ticket (or perhaps just part of an advertising card on heavier paper stock) for a performance by Omene the Divine Odalisque, an "original Turkish dancer," who appeared at an otherwise unidentified Bijou Theatre during the week of August 27 in an unknown year (see below, however, for a newspaper article that may reveal the location of the theater and the year Omene was there). The Odalisque When I first purchased this ticket a few years ago, I looked up the definition of " odalisque ," which Wikipedia describes as "a concubine in a Turkish harem." A writer discussing Omene in 1891, however, chose to provide a more oblique explanation of odalisque for newspaper readers: "You don't know what an odalisque is? Well, I might have expected it, but it is very embarrassing, nevertheless. It places me in a most awkward predicament. My duty, however, shall be done. I will tell you as mildly and gracefully as I can. An odalisque is a Turkish harem beauty, who wears very unconventional clothes and beatific smiles--with more of the latter than the former." (Alan Dale, " Askin and the Odalisque ," Evening World [New York], June 23, 1891, p. 3.) The Belly Dancer Although the meaning of odalisque was easy to track down, it was only recently that I was able to uncover much information regarding Omene herself. Rebekah Burgess Abramovich, who authored an article that appeared on a Metropolitan Museum of Art blog, summarizes the dancer's career this way: "Now entirely forgotten in the history of dance and entertainment, Omene achieved an incredible level of celebrity in the national press of the 1890s as an early practitioner of belly dancing on the American stage. She was best known, however, for inciting scandal." ( Forgotten Scandal: Omene, the Suicide Club, and Celebrity Culture in 19th-Century America , posted May 4, 2016.) Omene's belly dancing became so popular that she was featured on cigarette cards (see the 13 cards that Abramovich discusses in her article ) and sheet music covers (see the one for Omene Turkish Waltzes , which was "Dedicated to the Divine Turkish Odalisque"). Who Was She? Newspapers described Omene's scandalous dances and told about her romantic encounters and turbulent life, which supposedly ended in 1899 when she died from cancer (see, for instance, " Her Dance Is Ended: Omene, the Divine Odalisque, Breathes Her Last ," Spokane Daily Chronicle , April 27, 1899, p. 6). Abramovich's article points out, however, that Omene's claim that she was born in Turkey and other details about her life (and maybe even her death) were probably embellishments designed to promote her stage performances. It's not even clear what her real name was! But back to the ticket. After some more searching, I did locate a newspaper article (see below) that seems to match the details on the ticket. It announces an appearance by Omene on August 27, 1894 (same month and day on the ticket) at the Bijou Theatre (same venue name) in Reading, Pennsylvania (a city located in the same south-central area of the state where I purchased the ticket). Most of the article is an unattributed "eyewitness" account of Omene's dance. "Omene" at the Bijou Theatre The season at the Bijou Theatre will be opened on Monday afternoon, Aug. 27, with one of the greatest and costliest attractions that has ever appeared at this popular resort--"Omene" the wonderful dancer. An eye witness has described her performance as follows: "Beautiful, graceful, dazzling, fascinating, with the perfect form of a Venus, and all the tempting symmetry and velvety softness of the oriental beauty. Omene, the Circassian belle, has taken high rank as a danseuse and has scored the hit of her life in N.Y. She is described as 'the divine adalisque,' whose handsome face, matchless charms, and winning grace have made slaves of thousands. "Omene is a native of Stamboul [Istanbul]. She is the only Turkish danseuse now before the public. She executes the sensational dances of her native land with abandon and grace. It is the dance of the Turkish harem that Omene excels. This she accurately reproduces, even down to the costumes and scenery. She appears in a gorgeous costume that fairly dazzles the spectator, and brings to mind the highly colored pictures of the radiant east. "The scene reveals her with veiled face and jaunty fez, wrapped up in a long robe of gold, red, and black. She is attended by Eunochs, who suddenly take one garment after the other from her, even removing her sandals, leaving her entirely free for the dance. Omene enraptures every spectator on the stage [with] seductive dances of the harem and the wild voluptuous dances of her native land. Her whole appearance is an illustration of grace." (From the " Amusements " column, Reading Eagle [Reading, Pa.], Aug. 26, 1894, p. 2.)

"5¢. PeaceTime. 5¢."

A frames and borders photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A Polaroid photo of two kids in a life-sized picture frame, date and location unknown.

"Friendship Photos." Mounted on cardboard with a printed decorative border.

A celluloid medallion from the Success Portrait Company of Chattanooga, Tennessee. For additional examples, see the George Eastman House's extensive collection of Celluloid Medallions & Buttons on Flickr and a few more in my Celluloid Photographic Medallions album.

Number(s) in a photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. The "23" that appears on the painted automobile prop in this novelty photo is a reference to the "23 skidoo" fad that became popular in the United States beginning in 1906 or 1907. Back then, telling someone "23 skidoo" meant "scram" or "beat it," and placing "23" in an unexpected place like this was a humorous way to let others in on the joke. For similar sightings of "23" in photos and postcards, see the impressive compilation of images on the 23 Skidoo Postcards Web site, especially the pages for Automobiles and Real Photos . For other examples, see my 23 Skidoo and Lemons Too album. The message written next to the image on this real photo postcard reveals that this couple lived in the state of Iowa but were visiting fellow Iowans in California at the time they had their picture taken. To read the message and see the entire card, take a look at the full version :

Here's the message that's written on this real photo postcard (to read the original handwriting more easily, see the rotated version of the card): "We tended the Iowa Picnic here last Saturday. Saw lots of folks from Iowa that I knew. 10,000 people there. I can't tell when we will leave here. Too many places to go & too much to see to get away very soon. We expect to visit an old friend of mine that lives at Santa Ana, 30 miles south. We may move out here some time. Love to all. Goodbye, Leni & Mame" At first glance, it seems like Leni, Mame, and about 10,000 others attended what must have been a huge "Iowa Picnic," which presumably took place somewhere in Iowa. But what about their plans to visit a friend located thirty miles away in Santa Ana? Isn't Santa Ana a city in California? Fortunately, the results of a Google search for Iowa Picnic and California provided the answer. I found a posting about Iowa Picnics - Long Beach and Elsewhere that gives a brief history of the get-togethers that were held beginning in 1900. So many Iowans moved to California that the picnics attracted thousands of transplanted Midwesterners--as many as 100,000 attended during some years in the 1940s! So it sounds like Leni and Mame were enjoying their stay in California as they visited friends and met fellow Iowans at the picnic. Although there's no date on the card, I suspect they were traveling sometime in the late 1900s or early 1910s. For additional views of the handwritten message and photo, see a rotated version and a cropped version of the card:

This rotated version makes it easier to read the handwritten message: "We tended the Iowa Picnic here last Saturday. Saw lots of folks from Iowa that I knew. 10,000 people there. I can't tell when we will leave here. Too many places to go & too much to see to get away very soon. We expect to visit an old friend of mine that lives at Santa Ana, 30 miles south. We may move out here some time. Love to all. Goodbye, Leni & Mame" For more information about this real photo postcard, see a full version and a cropped version of the card:

Printed on the back of this postcard: "Th. E., L. Theochrom-Serie No. 1210|6. Printed in Germany." Postmarked Baltimore, Md., Apr. 7, 1910, and addressed to Miss Ella Killinger, Mongul, Franklin Co., Pa. Handwritten message: "How is your five o'clock beau. Just the same I guess. With love to all and from the girls. Our address is 2334 E. Monument St., Balto., Md. From Ellen Truer." Anyone know what a "five o'clock beau" might refer to? A boyfriend that you only see after work perhaps?

"Monkees. Colgems, full fidelity, 33⅓ rpm. 1. The Monkees (Theme), 2. Teardrop City, 3. Papa Gene's Blues, 4. (The) Day We Fell in Love. This is record no. 1." A Monkees cardboard picture disc, circa 1970 or 1971, that someone unevenly cut out from the back of a box of Post's now-defunct Frosted Rice Krinkles cereal. Notice that Mike Nesmith's head is missing--he had already departed the group by the time this appeared. As I was searching for information about this disc, I learned that Rhino recently re-released--on cardboard, nonetheless!--some of the Monkees songs that originally appeared on cereal boxes. And I was also surprised to discover that a brand new Monkees album is due out at the end of this month (on May 27). For another cardboard picture disc, see Christmas Carols as Sung by Your L&M T.V. Quartet :

A Polaroid photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Run, Johnny, there's a big bunny behind you! For a similar photo, see A Visit with the Easter Bunny :

A handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard says, "For dear little Gilbert from uncle John, aunt Sue, Pat, and Spottie cat with lots of love and kisses ." Unfortunately, there's no address or postmark on the card, and I don't have any additional information regarding the location of Cozy Nook Farm or the identity of Gilbert and his aunt and uncle. You've probably already noticed that Uncle John is holding Pat the dog. But have you spotted Spottie the cat yet? If not, mouse over the image above to see where Spottie is located .

That's Gilbert's Aunt Sue with Spottie the cat perched on her shoulder, and Uncle John is holding Pat the dog. Check out the full version of this real photo postcard: