Alan Mays' photos

An at the wedding (but not the bride or groom) photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Printed on the back of this photo: "Kodacolor Print, Sept. 68" (at least I think it's 1968--the date is a little smudged).

"King of Rex, receiving the key of the city at City Hall." Postcards showing floats with Rex , the "King of Carnival," and a dragon (see above and below) during Mardi Gras parades held on Shrove Tuesday in New Orleans.

"Rex Parade, Mardi Gras, New Orleans, La." A postcard showing floats from the Rex parade , which is held each year as part of the Mardi Gras celebration on Shrove Tuesday in New Orleans. That's Rex, the King of Carnival, along with the Queen of Carnival, on the first float.

"A dragon float, Mardi Gras Parade, New Orleans, La." A dragon-themed float from one of the Mardi Gras parades held each year on Shrove Tuesday in New Orleans.

A grumpy photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. None of the Grumpuses are happy, not even the dog!

"You're out of this world, my valentine." A space-themed Valentine's Day "lollipop card" manufactured by the E. Rosen candy company. The card has perforations--barely visible here--that originally folded out to hold the stick of a lollipop.

"Venture into Space. New Amoco map of space mysteries--in full color. What it's like to travel in the vast unknown. A message to America from Dr. James R. Killian, the President's chief science advisor. Compliments of American Oil Company." Cover illustration of the Amoco Map of Space Mysteries , published in 1958.

Cover of the booklet Men from the Moon in America: Did They Come in a Russian Satellite? , by the evangelist Walter V. Grant, first published sometime in the 1950s. For another out-of-this-world booklet from the 1950s, see We Met the Space People: The Story of the Mitchell Sisters :

Handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard: "Home of Bert and Fanny, July 21, '12." Bert and Fanny pose with their child in front of their home in 1912. Mouse over the image to see a close-up of the family .

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

"Compliments of M.M.B. Association of Lancaster, Pa. For unmarried persons." I haven't been able to find any record of the Mutual Marriage Benefit Association of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but it was probably based on other dubious benefit associations of the late nineteenth century that promised dividends to single men and women when they got married. An announcement in The Spectator: An American Weekly Review of Insurance , July 20, 1893, p. 29, explained how one association was supposed to work: "The Illinois Mutual Marriage Benefit Association is a new incorporation. The purpose of the association, as set forth in the application for a charter, is to 'enable young unmarried persons to enter upon married life with sufficient means to promote happiness and prosperity, and to enable the great mass of young men and young women who are in moderate circumstances to bring about the consummation that is mutually beneficial to themselves, and to establish a dower fund, out of which shall be paid on the marriage of a member in good standing, a sum not exceeding $2000, all funds to be raised by the voluntary contribution of the members.' It is proposed to charge an initiation fee of twelve dollars, and make assessment of one dollar per member every time a marriage occurs."

"W. A. King. D. R. King. W. A. King & Co. Columbia Steam Cracker and Biscuit Bakery, Nos. 169, 171, and 173 Locust St., Columbia, Lancaster Co., Pa. Bakers of large and small steam pretzels. Presented by ________." Daniel R. King and his son William A. King operated a bakery in nineteenth-century Columbia, Pennsylvania, when steam power was the cutting-edge technology and Victorian typefaces were in vogue.

A Valentine's Day postcard dated 1909 on the front and postmarked Burlington, Vt., Feb. 13, 1911, on the back. Cupids play football with hearts, as we see here (above), but they also use them in bowling (below). And, of course, cupids need to maintain their stock of hearts, which may require sweeping, netting, weighing, and mending, as we can see in this selection of early twentieth-century postcards (below).

"You will succeed according to your wishes, my valentine."

"To my valentine."

"To my valentine."

"To my valentine."

See also Cupid Mending Hearts :