Men in Vintage Photos

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of barns, barnyards, and barnyard animals . This is a real photo postcard of a man and woman posing outside a barn with a cow and the cow's twin calves. The photographer's shadow fell across the woman and one of the calves. The postcard is unused with a divided back, but there's no stamp box or other details on the other side to help determine when or where the photo was taken. It's likely, however, that the image dates to the late 1900s or 1910s, and the location may be somewhere in Pennsylvania. For some comparable photos, see Fancy Cow and Calf and Triplet Calves, Rooks County, Kansas .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of disaster . The handwritten caption on the other side of this unused real photo postcard identifies it as the "Fred Duenow Barn." The Azo stamp box (with four corner triangles pointing up) on the back suggests a date that may be as early as 1904 to 1918. I haven't had any success in uncovering any information about Fred Duenow, the location of his barn, or what windstorm or tornado might have destroyed it. I also can't figure out why more than 50 men, women, and children are sitting and standing in front and on top of the remains of the barn to pose for a photo. Some of the men standing on the barn are dressed in overalls, so perhaps they're getting ready to start work on taking apart what's left of the barn. The other men and women, however, are wearing suits and dresses more appropriate for a picnic than a work crew. For better views of the group, see cropped versions of the left side and right side of the photo.

A close-up of the left side of a real photo postcard showing children and women posing in front of a destroyed barn. See also a cropped version of the right side . For more information, see the full version .

A close-up of the right side of a real photo postcard showing showing men, women, and children standing in front and on top of a destroyed barn. See also a cropped version of the left side . For more information, see the full version .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of law and order . A real photo postcard dating to the early twentieth century. The partially visible sign in the background indicates "18 Miles to Balto" (an abbreviation for Baltimore -- I identified the sign based on another photo posted online). The same automobile and painted backdrop also appear in a photo showing Three Gents in a Car .

A real photo postcard. The same automobile and painted backdrop also appear in a Police Car photo.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of with Santa . "Merry Christmas." Two girls and a man pose for a photo next to a remarkably tall Santa Claus. This real photo postcard has a "Devolite Peerless" stamp box on the other side, and it's likely that it dates to the 1950s.

Twenty-four adults and one child posed for this real photo postcard, which was used as a New Year greeting. Handwritten message (at right): "Wishing you all a Happy New Year. Lovingly, Emma." Addressed on the other side to Mrs. John Kreisel, 17 Cherokee St., S. Bethlehem, Pa., and postmarked in Allentown, Pa., on Jan. 3, 1908. Compare this photo with New Year Gathering, Chicago, Illinois, 1912 .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of romantic or in love . "Greetings from Elitch's. Smile-A-While Studio, Elitch's Gardens, Denver, Colorado." A souvenir novelty photo from Elitch's Gardens , an amusement park in Denver, Colorado. For an earlier picture from the park, see Labor Day Photo from Elitch's Gardens, 1905 .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of a favorite vintage portrait, formal or informal . This is a combination of two slides ( Pipe-Smoking Television Man and Birds at Home ) showing the opposite sides of a room in the 1950s home of a man I've called -- for lack of his real name -- "Pipe-Smoking Man" or "Yellow Socks Guy." These images were among the ones in several slide trays I bought at an antique mall a few years ago. They're some of my favorites for their bright and colorful depictions of mid-century people and furnishings. For more examples, see Pipe-Smoking Man in Front of the Fireplace and my album of Pipe-Smoking Man and His Family .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of eyeglasses, goggles, and other eyewear . "A Happy New Year, Ben. K. Emerson." A New Year's greeting from bespectacled American geologist Benjamin Kendall Emerson (1843-1932). This is an unused real photo postcard with a PMC stamp box (suggesting a date between 1920 and 1935) on the other side. For some other photos with identifiable eyewear, see Spinning a Tale of Dogs in Glasses and Mother and Son with White-Rimmed Sunglasses .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of sitting on a park bench . Printed on the verso: "Luna Park Photo Co., Scranton, Pa. Souvenir Luna Park." Names handwritten on the other side: "Rosa & Tom." Tom was sitting on a park bench and Rosa was standing behind him as they posed for this photo as a souvenir of their visit to Luna Park , an amusement park located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, sometime in the late 1900s or early 1910s. The painted backdrop behind the couple depicts a scene in the park (see a photo of the southern section of Luna Park, Scranton , for a similar view). To the right of the couple is the park's Shoot the Chute water ride. The building to the left of Rosa's head is the park's dance hall. This is an unused real photo postcard with an Azo stamp box on the other side (diamonds in corners) that indicates a date that may be as early as 1907 to 1909.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of hat in hand . Five fellows pose for a photo on a sunny day. The right side of the image is a bit washed out due to the bright light, but it's evident that the man on the end is holding a straw hat in his hand. What may not be obvious at first glance, however, is that the man in the middle is balancing a mounted deer head against his leg as he holds on to it with both hands. There's no address, message, or postmark on the other side of this unused real photo postcard. The type of Azo stamp box (with four corner triangles pointing up) printed on it suggests a date that may be as early as 1904 to 1918. Although animal head taxidermy mounts seem a little macabre to me, I do have two other similar photos. See A Man and His Deer Head and A Man and His Moosehead Bier . For another photo with multiple hats in hands, see Bachelor's Club Hats .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of crossed arms . A real photo postcard postmarked in Groton, South Dakota, on August 23, 1909, and addressed to "Mrs. Lottie Larson, [Westley?], [Wis.?]." Handwritten message: "This Is what we did last Sunday. What do you think of it? Frank." For another photo with crossed arms, see Girls and Women on a Rustic Bridge .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of from the photobooth . Written on the back of the photo: "Luther & Dick." For more photobooth photos, see Photobooth Girl in Forty Poses and other photos in my Vintage Photobooth album.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of famous - a person or place . On June 19, 1945, General Dwight D. Eisenhower , the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force and future U.S. president, rode in a car with New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia ias part of a parade to celebrate the end of World War II. In this snapshot, Eisenhower is standing in the parade car with his back to the photographer, and La Guardia is seated behind him. The building in the background, located at 680 Fifth Avenue, housed the tobacco and gift shop of Alfred Orlik on the first floor and -- according to the sign in the window -- "Bernard Weatherill, London, Civil & Sporting Tailors" on the second floor. For additional information about the parade, see When Johnny Came Marching Home to Cheers , an article by Stuart Marques on the blog of the New York City Department of Records and Information Services, November 8, 2019. The blog post includes a photo of Eisenhower waving from the parade car . For a close-up of the car, crowd, and building, see a cropped version of the photo.

A snapshot of General Dwight D. Eisenhower riding in a parade car with New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia on June 19, 1945. Note the people visible in the window of the tailor shop on the second floor of the building. For more information, see the full version of the photo.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of ice cream . To pose for a picture, some young men and women have gathered around a table in what may be a soda shop or ice cream parlor. One of the guys is wearing a paper soda jerk cap, and another one has a "Marco" baseball jersey. Three of the women have saddle shoes, and the one standing on the left-hand side is wearing a skirt with a nautical theme (the pattern in the fabric depicts boats and docks). A number of Coca-Cola bottles are on the table, and the signs arranged around the room feature advertisements for Dolly Madison ice cream, ice cream soda, Coca-Cola, and ice cream cones. The back of the photo is stamped with "Property of Mrs. Napoletano," but there's no other identifying information. Signs: "Dolly Madison Bulk Ice Cream. Deliciously Different. New! Convenient Shape. Easy to Dip. Easy To Store." "Chocolate Ice Cream Soda." "[Hospitality.] Coca-Cola." "[Image of an Ice Cream Cone.] Great for the Kiddies. Good for You."