Texas Rural Musicians during the Depression Original Photograph c. 1930 Collection Jim Linderman

A rare original image from Depression-era Texas of rural musicians entertaining a small group (and a photographer) in front of their humble home..  Foxtone Border Prints operated out of San Antonio from 1925 or so at least through the 1930s. 

Antique Folk Art Sculpture of Ned Cheeryble from Nicholas Nickelby

Antique Folk Art Sculpture of Ned Cheeryble from Nicholas Nickeby circa 1850 
Collection Jim Linderman

Flag Pole Sitters and Flag Pole Sitting

I've always wondered why flag pole sitting hasn't made a comeback.  I blame lawyers.  No one wants a lawsuit, and I guess if you own the pole, you are responsible for who sits on it,  and thus who may fall.

The first flagpole sitter was Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly.  HERE is the story of flagpole sitting on Wiki. 

Unidentified Flag Pole sitters, circa 1930 Real Photo Postcard Collection Jim Linderman
Books and Ebooks by the author available HERE

Clay Head Folk Art Sculpture

Clay Head Folk Art Sculpture circa 1940 collection Jim Linderman

BOOKS AND EBOOKS BY JIM LINDERMAN HERE

Large Brass Industrial Man Profile Template

Function Unknown.  Brass Man's Profile Industrial Template, no date.  16 inches tall.
Collection Jim Linderman

Who Invented "Making it Rain?"

Making it Rain, an anonymous snapshot circa 1940 COLLECTION JIM LINDERMAN

Tired Sagging Vintage Dart Board

Tired Sagging Vintaage Dart Board Collection Jim Linderman

An Articulated Folk Art Doll Carving with Original Clothes

An Articulated Folk Art Doll Carving with Original Clothes collection Jim Linderman

Erotic Folk Art Motion Toy

Erotic Folk Art Motion Toy with soldered coat hanger handles.  No Date 

Jack Knife Village George Danner Creates a Miniature Folk Art City 1934

George Danner creates a miniature carved folk art city in 1934.  On reverse "Mr. George Danner with his jack knife village"

Pair of original snapshots collection Jim Linderman

The Scrapbook of Folk Art Shell Paintings by Mary Monteath circa 1930

The handmade book / workbook / artist's journal of Mary Monteath circa 1930 contains 50 pages of "shell paintings" along with numerous watercolors, sketches and ideas for craft projects.  All original.  The artist sold her work at craft shows in Michigan.  Included are notes on her projects, a typed letter describing sources for her tiny seashells and more.  Collection Jim Linderman

Two Wise Old Birds Comic Foreground Real Photo Postcard (and Preview of New Book on Same)

Two Wise Old Birds place their mugs above the painted screen.
Collection Jim Linderman 

Spectacles on Trial! U.S. Spectacle Company Chicago IL Advertising Post Card

Spectacles on Trial!  U.S. Spectacle Company Chicago IL Advertising Post Card
Collection Jim Linderman

Tar Paper House Shack Michigan Vernacular Architecture 1911 RPPC Collection Jim Linderman

Tar Paper House Shack Vernacular Architecture Michigan 1911 RPPC Collection Jim Linderman

Homemade Leather Folk Art Cat Antique

Sewn by hand.  Circa 1920.  Leather with remnants of original embellishments.  Collection Jim Linderman

Wood Carnival Ball Toss Folk Art Sculpture

Wood Carnival Ball Toss Folk Art Sculpture. Plywood, circa 1950 Original Paint (traces of "10" under each eye...)  26" x 42"  Collection Jim Linderman

Folk Art Wood Cop Stop Sign

Folk Art Wood Cop Stop Sign Circa 1930 Collection Jim Linderman

Folk Art Nude (Split Woman's Torso Sculpure) Collection Jim Linderman

Anonymous Circa 1950 Folk Art Nude Carving Sculpture North Carolina Collection Jim Linderman

Books and Ebooks by the author available HERE

Make-Do Folk Art Reddi wip Watering Can

Make-Do Folk Art Reddi wip Watering Can No Date Collection Jim Linderman
BOOKS AND $5.99 Ebooks by the author available HERE

Shot from a Cannon F. O. Gregg Daredevil, Stuntman, Astronaut and Fearless photo collection Jim Linderman

 

Shot from a Cannon.  Fearless F. O. Gregg went on to daredevil fame with automobiles, but It would be hard to beat his "shot out of a cannon" stunt.  He poses like an Olympian while flying...and this pose had to come while in transit.  

Original 8 x 10 photograph circa 1930 Van Fossen Photo Chicago, IL and Beckers, Davenport IA, and Real Photo Azo Postcard circa same.  Collection Jim Linderman
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David Blom and his Big Oxen Pete and Punk visit the Fair!

Although I did find an article about Pete and Punk in a 1954 newspaper, it adds little to the big story.

Pete and Punk Postcard circa 1950 Collection Jim Linderman

Amateur Porky the Pig Folk Art Mask and the legendary Porky Son of a...Son of a....Son of A.... Clip

A child's school project of Porky the Pig.  See Porky swear in the clip below.

Amateur Folk Art Porky the Pig Mask.  Plaster of Paris circa 1940 Collection Jim Linderman

A Complicated 6 Figure Antique Whirligig Folk Art

An early 20th century piece, but as it had a rotating circle atop the figures and mechanism while it lived outside, the piece is in pretty good condition.  Two sawing men and four hammering men work as the gears turn by the wind.  It would require a good deal of repair to be put back in working order, but the effort which went into the making is much evident.

Six Figure Whirligig, early 20th Century.  Collection Jim Linderman

Early African-American Beauty Pageant circa 1955? Original transparent Slide Collection Jim Linderman

A striking, and notable photograph slide from the 1950s collection Jim Linderman

A decade or more before the chant "Black is Beautiful" some history appears to be happening here.

While the promoters likely wish you didn't know it now,  "Rule Number Seven" prevented women of color from participating in the Miss America contest until around 1970!   The rule specified contestants had to be of the white race, although much earlier pageants had used them in dance numbers as slaves.  During the nascent days of the 1970s women's movent, they had reasons to hate the show they didn't even know.  That is, the show did not objectify women equally!

This pageant, on the west coast by an unidentified photographer certainly not only proves how wrong the Atlantic City promoters were, it seems to break serious ground.  As I wrote in the book "Secret History of the Black Pinup" it was photographer Howard Morehead who organized the first black beauty pageant in Los Angeles in 1958.  This slide could document one even earlier.

In 2002, PBS aired a documentary in The American Experience series reporting Black communities organized their own, and they did.  This is a splendid example, and one I believe was not widely reported.  Further study?  Black Beauty Pageants.  The documentary mentions a 1968 pageant, but not this one.

Let's hope some doctoral students pick up on this.  Black History Month is on the way. 

Untitled Slide Photograph Untitled (Black Beauty Contest) circa 1955?  3" x 3"
Collection Jim Linderman