Children in Vintage Photos

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of trick or treat (go crazy with this one and post as many photos as you want--no limit! Halloween, costumes, masks, skeletons, devils, human monsters, things that go bump in the night, ghostly apparitions, or anything you find scary or creepy) . I thought I'd prime the VPTP pump and post the first Halloween photo this week before Ipernity temporarily goes offline for maintenance tomorrow, October 24 . This photo, "Taken Oct. 29, 1951," as it says on the back, shows kids dressed in Halloween costumes for what I interpret as a Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood , with only a jack-o'-lantern separating the bad wolf from the little girl. Added bonus: the photographer is casting a shadow on the wolf.

Two men, one of whom is holding a child, pose with turkeys.

"The Dé Lardis. 1938 Season's Greetings." Photographer Alfred A. Dé Lardi (1900-1993) created this small but unique greeting card that superimposed photos of himself, his wife Dorothy, and his daughters Janice and Yvonne onto individual playing cards (plus there's an extra card that doesn't have a photo). Since there's a total of three queens and two kings (three of a kind and a pair), I think he was suggesting that there was a " full house " at the Dé Lardi residence in 1938! Alfred Dé Lardi was a well-known photographer who worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, Holiday magazine, and various companies, including the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Philadelphia Electric Company. He taught photography courses at a number of schools and colleges in the Philadelphia area, and he also authored or edited a number of books on photography, such as Let's Make a Portrait (1937), Your Child's Portrait (1937), and Ships and Water (1938). A collection of Dé Lardi's works was held by the Philadelphia History Museum, and a finding aid, Alfred A. Dé Lardi Negatives and Photographs , circa 1929-1964, was formerly available through the University of Pennsylvania Libraries (unfortunately, the Philadelphia History Museum closed in 2018, but there are plans underway to transfer its collections to Drexel University). I'd like to acknowledge Gary Discavage, a dealer at Apple Hill Antiques in State College, Pa., who graciously gave me this photographic greeting card. Gary originally received the card from Alfred Dé Lardi, who was his friend and neighbor when he lived in Philadelphia. Thanks, Gary!

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of piercing, unusual, or distinctive eyes (a photo featuring someone or something with expressive eye; the eyes can belong to people, animals, or face-like objects) . Embossed at lower right: "Felker's Studio, Easton, Pa." Handwritten name and date on the back of this real photo postcard: "Harry Johnson Everitt. April 8th, 1917." With their frowns and staring eyes, this family doesn't appear to be enjoying their photo session. I'm not sure if Harry Johnson Everitt is the name of the father or the son.

Like Ellie, I thought I'd add an extra photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park monthly topic of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, or any other similar holiday celebration (submit a photo on this topic each week in addition to—or instead of—a photo for the weekly topic) . From a stereographic card captioned, "Christmas Morning—Saying Grace," which was published in 1901 by Geo. W. Griffith, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Six little girls are sitting around a table with their hands folded as they say grace. Are they really having breakfast on Christmas morn, or could it be a pretend tea party? There's a doll sitting on a rocking chair at the head of the table, and two more dolls are lying on a small bed at the other end of the table (in the lower right-hand corner of the photo). Other toys, including a drum and a horse pull toy, are visible on the floor between the two girls on this side of the table. Take a look at the variety of ornaments and decorations on the Christmas tree in the background. Among them are two small U.S. flags, and there's a larger flag on the right-hand side of the tree. For the full card, see Christmas Morning—Saying Grace (Stereographic Card) . This was one in a series of stereographic cards with similar scenes of Christmas. For another in the series, see After the Joys of Christmas Day , which is available on the J. Paul Getty Museum web site. Text printed on the card: 2119. Christmas Morning—Saying Grace. Geo. W. Griffith, publisher. Philadelphia, Pa. Sold only by Griffith & Griffith. Philadelphia. Chicago. London. Hamburg, Ger. Milan, Italy.

For more information about this stereographic card, see Christmas Morning—Saying Grace, 1901 . 2119. Christmas Morning—Saying Grace. Geo. W. Griffith, publisher. Philadelphia, Pa. Sold only by Griffith & Griffith. Philadelphia. Chicago. London. Hamburg, Ger. Milan, Italy.

First of two in a series of two or more photos that tell a story (number them, if appropriate) for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. This is a real photo postcard addressed on the other side to " Mrs. Mollie Neperiny , Lacrosse , Kansas USA." There's no stamp or postmark, however, so it was evidently sent in an envelope rather than mailed separately as a postcard. Handwritten note on the back: "30/12/61. Aboard the ship San Georgia. Bound for Napoli. We are in Athenia now. Expect to arrive in Germany about 6 Jan. 62. Will send Xmas present then. Too many thefts at Turkey in mail. Will explain in letter. Received your pkg. George, Jan, Kit." As far as I've been able to determine, George, Janet , and Kit (or Katherine?) Buck were traveling in Europe--from Turkey to Greece and then on to Italy and Germany--in December 1961 and January 1962. Janet and Kit are posing in front of a giant Santa located on a square in "Athenia" (Athens), Greece. The blurred figures of the pedestrians behind them suggest that the camera was set to a slow shutter speed--perhaps it was a cloudy day. The building in the background on the left appears to be under construction. The one on the right has shops on the first floor, and a sign with Greek letters is partially visible on its roof. As Janet wrote in her note to her mother Mollie, the family was bound next for "Napoli" (Naples, Italy). Take a look at the second photo to see the Santas they encountered there.

Second of two in a series of two or more photos that tell a story (number them, if appropriate) for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard: "Naples, January 1, 1962." Janet, Kit, and George Buck pose with two Santa Clauses in Naples, Italy, on New Year's Day in 1962. These two Santas, with their masks, slightly different clothing, and one holding a cane, seem to me to be rather mismatched and maybe even a bit creepy, but Kit is smiling broadly and looks happy. Janet and Kit previously had their picture taken with a giant Santa in Athens, Greece , on or before December 30, 1961. Based on the note that Janet wrote on the back of that first photo , the family was continuing to travel and expected to arrive in Germany by January 6, 1962. These two photos provide a glimpse into what must have been a busy and fun-filled European trip.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo of strollers, prams, or baby carriages (including the kind that's the subject of Rick's Taylor-Tot Stroller Vintage Memories group) . Stamped on the back of this photo: "James Lett Co., Dec. 29, 1942." I've heard about rubber baby buggy bumpers, but this is the first time I've seen a baby carriage made out of bricks! Or at least that's what it looks like in this wintertime double exposure of a kid in a stroller combined with a brick porch. Check out the full, uncropped version , too.

An odd double-exposure photo of a bricked-over baby carriage that's more amusing than ghostly. See the cropped version for additional information.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of flawed memories (photos that are damaged, faded, or have other imperfections, especially ones in which the flaws somehow enhance the image; this includes photos with defective processing, light leakage, and double exposures) . A spooky CDV with an unidentified faceless family. Perhaps their faces were somewhat washed out in the original photo, but they may also have been intentionally rubbed out afterwards. Take a gander at a cropped version of the CDV for a closer look at the family's faint facial features. For another faceless photo, see Who's the Dummy Now?

A close-up of a faceless family foursome on a nineteenth-century CDV. See also the full photo .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of photos in photos (photos that intentionally or inadvertently capture one or more photos displayed in frames, on walls, or elsewhere) . After searching all week for a photo in a photo that I hadn't already posted, I was pleased when I finally found this one in my collection. It's a cabinet card photograph of a little girl who's holding a photo in her hand as she stands on a chair to pose for a photographer named "Fordtran" who had studio locations in "Kensington, Blue Island, and Riverdale" in the Chicago area (the name and locations are embossed on the border along the bottom of the card). I cropped the photo for a close-up of the girl , and I edited and rotated a portion of the image so you can see the photo that the girl's holding . I uploaded all three files and then added them to various albums. As I was adding them to Cabinet Cards and CDVs , I decided to look through that album. That's when I discovered that I had already posted an earlier scan of this photo almost five years ago under the title, Girl Holding Photograph , along with a rotated version of the photo in her hand . So even though you may have already seen the five-year-old photo, this is a nice fresh version created specifically for the Vintage Photos Theme Park! 8) (For some reason, this silly situation reminds me of my adventures with the Cowson Farm photo.)

A close-up of the girl. See also the full photo .

A detail showing the photo that the girl is holding. For more information, see the full cabinet card photo of the girl .

A photo of bikes or trikes for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. An undated snapshot of a girl posing with her dog and puppies as her spiffy bike is parked on the porch behind her.

A photo of an accident waiting to happen for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Three children pose in front of a flowering bush in this real photo postcard. The nonchalant way that the youngest kid is leaning on a gun seems like it could lead to an accident (see a cropped version for a better view of the kids). It wasn't until I scanned the photo that I noticed the strange toy—a stuffed bunny with a human-like doll's face—that's on the grass in front of the children (see a close-up of the toy ).

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