Men in Vintage Photos

Two sailors "Just leaving Milwaukee," one with a drink in hand and the other with a gun at the ready! Yikes!

A cyanotype photo cut to fit into an oval frame.

Getting ahead among the roots and rocks. The dealer from whom I purchased this photo speculated that it may have been taken at Devil's Den or some other rocky area on the Gettysburg Battlefield in Adams County, Pennsylvania, but I have not been able to confirm this.

Handwritten on back of photo: "Orville Mellis, Decatur, Illinois, 1938, Lincoln impersonator." Reminiscent of Alexander Gardner's photo showing Allan Pinkerton, President Lincoln, and Maj. Gen John A. McClernand posed in front of a tent on the Antietam, Maryland, battlefield, Oct. 3, 1862.

A souvenir photo ("no. 3729," as noted by the photographer) showing four men at Devil's Den , an outcropping of massive granite boulders located on the Gettysburg Battlefield in Adams County, Pennsylvania. The man who's partially visible at far left is probably looking at a small pool of water produced by a spring underneath the boulder (the sign on the rock above him--although unreadable in this photo--likely provides information about the spring). For more photos, see my album of Souvenir Photos from the Gettysburg Battlefield .

Three out of four men display their patterned footwear in this socks (striped, Argyll, tights, fishnets, men's/women's garters) photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. For some other pertinent previously posted pictures, see my slides of Yellow Socks Guy (also known as Pipe-Smoking Man ). This is a real photo postcard showing four men posing for a souvenir picture at Devil's Den , which is an outcropping of massive granite boulders located on the Gettysburg Battlefield , a U.S. Civil War site in Adams County, Pennsylvania. The man who's barely visible at bottom left is probably peering down to take a look at a small pool of water produced by a spring underneath the boulder. For additional photos, see my album of Souvenir Photos from the Gettysburg Battlefield .

Photographer: "C. C. Keim, Middletown, Pa."

Fortunately, the two aeronautical gents pictured here in this souvenir real photo postcard are safely ensconced in a photographer's studio and aren't actually risking catastrophe by flying low over the heads of oblivious beachgoers. The "Los Angeles" and "California" pennants hanging on the plane presumably identify the location.

I hope they escaped in time! A Florida souvenir real photo postcard. Postmarked: Miami, Florida, Nov. 13, 1923. Addressed to: Mr. Adam Petcher, Box 515, Somerset, Pa.

Posted to the Vintage Photos Theme Park group as a "strange clothing" photo. This real photo postcard shows a group of men who belonged to "Katunka Tribe No. 453," which was the York, Pa., chapter of the Improved Order of Red Men , or IORM for short. The York chapter no longer exists but the national group is still around (despite the fact that "Red Men" is now considered an offensive term for Native Americans) and calls itself " America's Oldest Fraternal Organization " on its Web site. When you realize that none of the men in this photo were Native Americans, it seems awfully strange--at least from our modern perspective nearly a century later--that they dressed in Native American garb (however inauthentic their interpretation of the clothing may have been) for their group ceremonies and rituals. In case you're interested in additional information, Blake Stough discussed the history and controversial aspects of the York IORM group in his article Politically Incorrect or Not--Still A Part of York County History on the Preserving York blog (the article included this photo with my permission).

Handwritten message on the front of this real photo postcard (see writing at right, above): "High Water Mark. 12/2/06. This was all done today. What do you think of that grin? The fellow tried to take the picture without exposing the plate and we were trying to keep from laughing." The giant book behind the two men is part of the High Water Mark of the Rebellion Monument , which is, as Wikipedia explains, "a Gettysburg Battlefield memorial which identifies the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia units of the infantry attack on the Battle of Gettysburg, third day, with a large bronze tablet, as well as the Union Army of the Potomac's 'respective troops who met or assisted to repulse Longstreet's Assault.' The memorial is named for the line of dead and wounded of Pickett's Charge which marked the deepest penetration into the Union line at The Angle when '4,500 men threw down their arms and came in as prisoners.'" For later views of the monument, see Bicyclists at the High Water Mark Monument, Gettysburg, Pa., 1912 and High Water Mark Monument, Gettysburg, Pa., August 8, 2013 (below).

Handwritten on the back of this real photo postcard: "Grandpa Boor. Robert H. Studebaker. 82 & 2." Posted to the Vintage Photos Theme Park group for "old age" theme week. It's poignant how the boy is resting his hand on top of his grandfather's.

For this cabinet card, see the front , a cropped version , a detail showing a close-up of the lyre and Miniature Masquerade Ball , and the back (thumbnail images for each of these are below). Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate any additional information about Frank Meger and his Miniature Masquerade Ball beyond the advertisement that appears on the back of this cabinet card photograph (see text below). -------- Photographer: B. F. Reimer, 13, 615, and 617 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. -------- Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball is herewith introduced to the public. This is something altogether new and novel, creating a great deal of amusement whenever shown (especially to children), and is intended for private entertainments, such as birthday parties, etc. This entertainment is all the more interesting since the lyre used is 200 years old, and was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Whenever this Miniature Masquerade Ball is engaged, I give flute solos and dance music. For the above entertainment the terms are: to any part of the city, $3.00 from 8 to 12 p.m.; after 12 o'clock, $2.00 extra. Should piano or violin be desired, I can furnish the same at about the same price as the above. For special terms, address Frank Meger, 1309 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (Comrade of Fred. Taylor Post, No. 19, G.A.R.). These photographs can be had for 25 cents each.

For this cabinet card, see the front , a cropped version , a detail showing a close-up of the lyre and Miniature Masquerade Ball , and the back (thumbnail images for each of these are below). Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate any additional information about Frank Meger and his Miniature Masquerade Ball beyond the advertisement that appears on the back of this cabinet card photograph (see text below). -------- Photographer: B. F. Reimer, 13, 615, and 617 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. -------- Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball is herewith introduced to the public. This is something altogether new and novel, creating a great deal of amusement whenever shown (especially to children), and is intended for private entertainments, such as birthday parties, etc. This entertainment is all the more interesting since the lyre used is 200 years old, and was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Whenever this Miniature Masquerade Ball is engaged, I give flute solos and dance music. For the above entertainment the terms are: to any part of the city, $3.00 from 8 to 12 p.m.; after 12 o'clock, $2.00 extra. Should piano or violin be desired, I can furnish the same at about the same price as the above. For special terms, address Frank Meger, 1309 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (Comrade of Fred. Taylor Post, No. 19, G.A.R.). These photographs can be had for 25 cents each.

Detail showing a close-up of the lyre and Miniature Masquerade Ball. For this cabinet card, see the front , a cropped version , a detail showing a close-up of the lyre and Miniature Masquerade Ball , and the back (thumbnail images for each of these are below). Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate any additional information about Frank Meger and his Miniature Masquerade Ball beyond the advertisement that appears on the back of this cabinet card photograph (see text below). -------- Photographer: B. F. Reimer, 13, 615, and 617 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. -------- Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball Frank Meger's Miniature Masquerade Ball is herewith introduced to the public. This is something altogether new and novel, creating a great deal of amusement whenever shown (especially to children), and is intended for private entertainments, such as birthday parties, etc. This entertainment is all the more interesting since the lyre used is 200 years old, and was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Whenever this Miniature Masquerade Ball is engaged, I give flute solos and dance music. For the above entertainment the terms are: to any part of the city, $3.00 from 8 to 12 p.m.; after 12 o'clock, $2.00 extra. Should piano or violin be desired, I can furnish the same at about the same price as the above. For special terms, address Frank Meger, 1309 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (Comrade of Fred. Taylor Post, No. 19, G.A.R.). These photographs can be had for 25 cents each.