Hands

Explanation When we speak of "scrap cards" or "scrap picture covering name," we mean that after the cards are printed, the scrap is placed over the name and fastened to the card at one end. In presenting a card to a friend, your name is hidden till they lift the scrap in the manner shown in this illustration, which exposes the name to view and shows the back . of the scrap; on taking the finger off, it again falls into place and hides the name. This style of visiting card is all the rage this season [1886], and is very unique as well as beautiful. --Excerpt from an 1886 sample sheet with illustrations of calling cards for sale by the Connecticut Steam Card Works, Hartford, Conn.

Bible verse printed on the back of this Rally Day tag: "They received the Word with all readiness of mind and search the Scriptures daily. Acts 17:11."

"Certificate of Weight. Finger points to your exact weight: 109. Date this and keep for reference: ________. The Electrical Advertising Scale Company. Office: 97 Fourth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa." Printed on the back of the card: "If thou do the contrary to that which someone will shortly whisper in thine ear, thou will have good fortune."

"Acquaintance compliments with confidence & respect. Can I have the pleasure of your company this evening? If so, keep this card; if not, please return it. O. G. Pfleogor." This is the only card I've come across that has a name printed on one side (like a calling card ) and a "let's get acquainted" message (like an acquaintance card ) on the other side.

"Rehn & Sons' new & commodious ground floor galleries, 510 Arch Street, Philadelphia. Portraits, card, ivorytypes, ambrotypes, photographs, in crayon, pastel, water, and oil." The U.S. Internal Revenue stamp on this CDV backmark dates it to between August 1, 1864, and August 1, 1866. Another Rehn and Sons backmark , which is part of Richard D. Sheaff's amazing collection , has an added border and a handwritten date of March 1866.

A "Step Down" sign (featuring a manicule or pointing hand mark, like this: ☞) at the Lincoln Train Museum, Gettysburg, Pa., August 12, 2011.

A "Please Push Button" sign (featuring a manicule or pointing hand mark, like this: ☞) at the John Brown Wax Museum, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, August 4, 2009.

A colorful touch typing chart on heavy cardboard with an attached easel on back that allows you to place it upright on your desk while you learn to type with your new 1959 Remington portable typewriter. Remington Color-Key Touch Typing Chart Here is exactly the same type of keyboard chart found in typing classes in leading schools and colleges throughout the country. Use this chart with the Touch Typing Instruction Booklet packed with your Remington Portable. This approved typing course is the fastest, easiest-to-lean of any because it relies on simple visual methods. You will actually be typing sentences after just a few hours of practice.

"May I see you home?"

Cover of Francis D. Nichol, Wet or Dry? A Brief, Candid Examination of a Moot Question in American Life (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1932), which was published prior to the repeal of Prohibiton in the United States in 1933.

A hidden name calling card with an illustration of U.S. President Grover Cleveland . Cleveland married Frances Clara Folsom in 1886 during his first term as president, and she was also the subject of a similar calling card :

Caption: "Mrs. Cleveland." Name hidden underneath the printed scrap: "Rue Crounover" (see Explanation of Hidden Name Calling Cards for an illustration showing how these cards work). Grover Cleveland , the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, began his first term in office (1885-1889) as a bachelor, but married Frances Clara Folsom in 1886. She served as First Lady during the remainder of Cleveland's first term and again during his second term (1893-1897). President Cleveland was also featured on a similar calling card :

A Vintage Photos Theme Park posting for the topic of hands/feet (a photo in which hands or feet are prominent)--if you have both, please feel free to post 2 photos . All but one of the gents in this photo have raised one of their hands in order to point upward with their index fingers (mouse over the image for a closer look ). Are they pointing toward heaven? Is their sports team ranked number 1? Whatever their gestures might mean, the guys certainly don't look too enthusiastic about it.

For more information, see the uncropped 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."

"Long may peace attend thee!" A Victorian-era hidden-name calling card with shaking hands, a sailing ship, and the Statue of Liberty, all surrounded by a border of roses and forget-me-nots. The colorful illustration consists of a separate die-cut that lifts up on the right-hand side to reveal the name of "Edward M. Mercer" printed underneath.

"John D. Lemer, 1218 North 3rd St., Harrisburg, Pa." For the Vintage Photos Theme Park, a hand in the photo with the person cut off .* For more of the same, track down a copy of Linda Fregni Nagler and Gioni Massimiliano's book, The Hidden Mother (London: MACK, 2013), which is a compilation of over 1,000 vintage photos of mothers attempting to remain hidden as they comfort children who are being photographed. *I try to sort through my collection in order to post a brand new photo for each week's theme, but I came up short this week and had to use one that I had previously posted elsewhere on Ipernity.

A French hand-tinted real photo postcard. For another postcard with a similar image, see Breaking the News, Lititz Express, July 4, 1907 :