Smiley Derleth's favorite photos

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Stamped on the back of this photo: "Aug 18 1949." Posted to the Vintage Photos Theme Park group as an "unintended people's shadows" photo (and there's a dog, too!).

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"Pamper your man . . . and the whole family, too! Dremel Electric Shoe Polishers." This is the front panel of a folded product tag that was originally attached to a shoe polisher purchased in 1965 ("7-65" is penciled in on the back). Inside are brief descriptions of the different models--The Aristocrat, The Diplomat, and The Executive--and a service guarantee. The inside text begins with the statement, "This Dremel Electric Shoe Polisher is a man-pleasing gift the whole family can use--and enjoy." A "man-pleasing gift"? Yikes!

"Cheryl Lee and the Carter Brothers. Stage, radio, television, recordings." Manufacturer name on the pedal steel guitar: "Sho-Bud, Nashville, Tennessee." A glossy promotional photo, with the year "1968" handwritten on the back along with autographs by Cheryl Lee and Roy Dudley. Dudley was the drummer, while Gary, left, and Jimmy, right, were the namesake brothers. Cheryl, despite her separate billing as "Cheryl Lee," was Gary and Jimmy's sister. These cool kids performed at fairs and carnivals in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere in the 1960s and 1970s. They recorded 45s with songs such as "Is That My Baby," "This Man Has Taken All He's Gonna Take," "Muddy Mississippi," and "Left Over Feelings."

"Your story has touched my heart. Never before have I met anyone with more trouble than you. Please accept this token on my sincerest sympathy."