Real Photo Postcards

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of hospitals . Handwritten message on the back of this real photo postcard: "Most of the sailors in the picture are from Texas. Do they look it? Dotty from Carrall, 1919, San Diego, Calif." Written on the front of the photo: "Yours truly," with an arrow pointing to the grinning sailor seated in the middle of the front row. Ten sailors, who I assume were patients in this hospital ward, and four nurses posed for this photo, which was taken during the Spanish flu pandemic that lasted from February 1918 to April 1920. To prevent the spread of flu, most of the sailors and nurses are wearing masks over their faces or have them draped around their necks. Three of the sailors are sitting in front of sewing machines, and I suspect that they used them to sew masks. A century later, sewing and wearing masks once again became a familiar sight, unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A lines/stripes photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard: "Gerald. Taking two at a time." I wish we could compare this photo with the one that Gerald was taking, but at least we have this single one of the two photos that were evidently being snapped at the same exact time. I like how the lines formed by the rails of the tracks converge to a vanishing point in the distance, and then the three legs of the tripod, of course, similarly converge upon the camera.

A real photo postcard of three women clowning around with a wheelbarrow. For some similarly amusing photos, see my Wheelbarrows, Carts, and Other Conveyances album, or check out the Vintage People in Wheelbarrows group.

"Chas. K. Hamilton Flying at Cameron Co. Fair, Emporium, Pa., Sept. 14, 1911." A real photo postcard addressed to Anneada B. Secrist, Rebersburg, Pa., and postmarked Emporium, Pa., Oct. 2, 1911. Message: "Dear Anneada, Am waiting for a letter from you and very busy but am going to write you a letter if you don't soon write. Have not heard from May in two months. Lovingly, Ophelia." According to Wikipedia, Charles K. Hamilton was "an American pioneer aviator nicknamed the 'crazy man of the air. He was, in the words of the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission, 'known for his dangerous dives, spectacular crashes, extensive reconstructive surgeries, and ever present cigarette' and was 'frequently drunk.' He survived over 60 crashes." Oh, in case you didn't notice the daredevil aviator in his Curtiss biplane, mouse over the image above to reveal the tiny silhouette of the man and his plane above the trees near the center of the photo.

A detail from a real photo postcard showing daredevil aviator Charles K. Hamilton flying above the trees in his Curtiss biplane in 1911. For more information, see the full version of the photo:

What appears to be an odd game of hide-and-seek in a spooky forest is captioned "Peek-a-Boo, July 3, 1908," on the front of this real photo postcard. The image's irregular edges add to the strangeness of the scene. The imprint on the back—"W. W. Deatrick, Kutztown, Pa."—identifies this as a photo by William Wilberforce Deatrick (1853-1925), who was a longtime faculty member at what is now Kutztown University . Additional examples of Deatrick's photos are available for viewing in the Kutztown University Postcard Collection . See also " W. W. Deatrick Left His Mark at Kutztown ," an article by George M. Meiser that appeared in the Reading Eagle , April 6, 1983.

"Miss Rosemary, WKBN-TV, Romper Room, Channel 27." Miss Rosemary was the hostess for the local version of the the Romper Room children's show that aired on WKBN-TV in Youngstown, Ohio. For a similar real photo postcard featuring a different hostess, see Romper Room, WGAL-TV, Lancaster, Pa., ca. 1950s (below).

"1er Avril. L'amitié vous l'envoie." A hand-tinted French real photo postcard for the first day in April.

Handwritten message on the back of this real photo postcard (no date, address, stamp, or postmark): "This is where we stay most of the time. Come over to our house, and bring the baby along. Mary and Charlie."

"1er Avril. Souvenir d'une amie." Handwritten on the back: "Devinez qui vous aime." "April 1st. Remembering a friend." Handwritten: "Guess who loves you." A French hand-tinted real photo postcard commemorating the initial day in the month of April.

"1er Avril [April 1st]." A-tisket, a-tasket, that's a lot of fish in one basket! A French hand-tinted real photo postcard commemorating the first day of the fourth month.

A real photo postcard addressed on the other side to Miss Millicent Edinger, 6709 Leeds St., Philadelphia, Pa., and postmarked Luthersburg, Pa., May 16, 1907. Handwritten message: "Please send us some cards with views from your city. This is Lee & Lester shooting birds off the church steeple." I sure hope Lee and Lester didn't actually hit any birds or the steeple!

An early twentieth-century French tinted real photo postcard for Easter. Pâques Pour Pâques choisissez les fleurs ou mon amour, Je vous donne les deux en ce bienheureux jour. Google translation: Easter For Easter choose flowers or my love, I give you both on this blessed day.

A hand-tinted real photo postcard that's postmarked Accrington, Lancashire, England, 29 March 1918. A Happy Easter May my greeting be the first To meet you, on this Easter morn, May nothing mar your happiness, And only peace and joy be born.

A man pretends to steer an airplane in this early twentieth-century real photo postcard that's survived the years despite some damage. The painted plane that he's piloting may be a Curtiss Model D biplane, circa 1911. For a similar photo with a younger pilot, see Inflight Infant in an Early Biplane (below).

Apologies to Lisa for missing her posting of the VPTP themes for May until now! If I may be permitted to catch up, here's a photo for last week's theme. A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo of May Day Celebrations - May Pole dancing, May Queens, or anything else associated with May Day . A maypole dance scene from an unused real photo postcard. The girl standing in the middle next to the pole doesn't appear to be too excited about the festivities--perhaps she's hanging her head in embarrassment over being the center of attention.

A photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park for the theme of famous--a person or place . As far as I can determine, the famous person that the fellow in this real photo postcard is pretending to greet is William Howard Taft , who won the U.S. presidential election as the Republican nomnee in 1908 and served as the twenty-seventh president of the United States from 1909 to 1913. I found a similar postcard (see below) with another guy pretending to have his picture taken with a man who's sitting at a table and reading a newspaper. This man, as far as I can ascertain, is William Jennings Bryan , who ran unsuccessfully against Taft as the Democratic nominee for president in 1908. I haven't located any other novelty photos featuring Taft or Bryan, but I wonder if these were produced in 1908 during the presidential election.

A real photo postcard of a guy pretending to have his photo taken with a man who appears to be William Jennings Bryan , the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for U.S. president in 1908. Interestingly enough, a similar novelty photo (see below) evidently features William Howard Taft , Bryan's Republican rival in the 1908 presidential election. Taft won the election that year and became the twenty-seventh president of the United States (1909-1913).