She Loves Me! Pull the Ribbons Postcard

Imagine being the recipient of the card above.

"Pull a Ribbon" Love Card circa 1900 Collection Jim Linderman

Tiny Lord's Prayer from Zion Illinois RPPC

Well, I'm posting an enlargement to keep teeny tiny writer George Chenoweth honest. He claims this microfilm size Lord's Prayer is written NINE TIMES in the space of a postage stamp. 645 words, 2489 letters, and his name and address is also written in full. Squint. Count. Ta DAH!!!!!

Please also note I have started a "line extension" which is a term used in advertising to indicate a new flavor for an old product. That would be "OLD TIME RELIGION" on which I am posting just that, and every damn day rather than just saturday nights as I used to here. Feel free to follow! It's gonna be Heavenly!

The miniature Lord's Prayer on a Postage stamp sized piece of paper on a Real Photo Postcard, Collection Jim Linderman

Harvest

Real Photo Post Card Providence, RI 1915 Collection Jim Linderman

A Little Birdy Told Me To INSULT Your Ass.

I have trouble imagining the bitter rancorous old goat who came up this idea. "Prize Sap" indeed. At least they weren't mailed.

Set of Insult Postcards, 1945 Privately Printed in Chicago Collection Jim Linderman

Anon, The Second Worst Cartoonist in History Privately Printed Postcard Set

The only thing worse than worst is one worser. This one comes close. A few months ago, I profiled the world's worst cartoonist, one Rod Raymond and his privately published set of dreadful, dreary, gruesome and just plain bad homemade postcards. (See Dull Tool Dim Bulb of June 25 2009) Rod retains his title, but barely. Along comes "Anon" to give Rod a run for his money. Again, self-published. Unfortunately, this time anonymous, he didn't even sign his name. The least he could have done was typed it. Whoever he was, I presume he learned "there ain't no money in postcards"...something I hear at antique shows all the time.

Set of five anonymous privately published postcards c. 1950. Collection Jim Linderman

If the Shoe Fits, Mail it. Handmade Postcard Folk Art Foot

Handmade Postcard in the Shape of a Shoe, mailed c. 1906 Collection Jim Linderman

Mouth Painters (?) and the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists

Who would think there is an organization called "The Mouth and Foot Painting Artists" and that they operate their own website? I guess as a former researcher familiar with the Encyclopedia of Associations, nothing should surprise me anymore. Two talented artists who would certainly meet the membership standards are represented by my modest collection. The first, painter of the postcard here with a floating lilly pad rendered in oil and water, is the astounding Nyla Thompson. Note this is an original painting, not a reproduction, though I have read some were reproduced as standard postcards. She obviously painted the title as well. There are hundreds of dots which outline the petals...Nyla leaned forward many, many times to complete this painting. The second artist is Grace Layton, shown in a 1952 photograph by Warner Clapp.


Original hand (whoops...) MOUTH painted postcard, c. 1955 and Original Press Photo, 1952
Collection Jim Linderman

Fred, Mildred, Gladys and 1,200 carved pieces

Fred W. Stice liked to whittle. He whittled 53 intricate scenes with 1,200 pieces. He whittled from 1930 to 1977 and whittled through two wives. He whittled Minstrel shows, the Last Supper, JFK's funeral, Iwo Jima and much, much more. Mildred, his daughter, collected dolls. Gladys, his second wife, managed the collection as a museum until she was worn out, and the entire lot was donated to the State Historical Society of Iowa. "To some people, the thought of carving may seem a little silly, but it takes a lot of hard work. I was always interested in history and this is one way to preserve it. The scenes are interesting for the children who haven’t seen them, and for the older folks who remember them." – Fred W. Stice

Linen "bursheen" post card, c. 1954. Collection Jim Linderman

At the End of the Road you Meet God

REPENT and BELIEVE the GOSPEL



Ralph and Martha Palmer and their Bus Post Card Newport News, VA c. 1950 Collection Jim Linderman

Lew Moberly's Post Card Preserved Locks

Mundane post card with affixed Baby Hair, c. 1900 Collection Jim Linderman

Three Vans

Three Advertising Postcards, c. 1965 Collection Jim Linderman

The Brothers Bily and the Spillville Clocks

Frank and Joseph Bily worked "on the clock(s)" for 30 years, all of them before computer games came along to waste time, a concept which certainly meant a lot to them. Shown here are the Parade of Nations clock with 36 revolving figures, the American Pioneer History clock and the Paradise clock . More clocks are in the Bily Clocks museum, the brothers bequeathed them all to the town of Spillville, Iowa. Despite having a population of only a few hundred, Spillville has one of the finest "portable polka floors" in North America. Visit soon, Tempus Fugit!

Group of Bily Brothers postcards, date unknown, collection Jim Linderman

Wendover Will vs. Big John

Wendover Will wins at 64 feet. Big John? A paltry 40 feet. John is also stationary, while Wendover Will waves!

Two Advertising Sign Post Cards, c. 1960 Collection Jim Linderman

Painted Ladies Mail Art Mystery

Curious. I guess 1910 was a good year to paint huge hats on postcards. All are American, from various printers, but each has been doctored to the extreme. All were mailed, making the modern day contemporary "mail art" movement seem tame. I have no idea why these victorian ladies with hats galore were painted, but it is a trail I intend to follow. I suspect they COULD have been enhanced as a form of tramp art...painted by local artists on the street and peddled for pennies, a "value added" trinket. They are by various hands, but all similar. Any help out there?

Six Hand Painted Victorian Post Cards circa 1910 Collection Jim Linderman

Paul Bunyan Fakelore Urban Legend and Professor Dorson

Giant Paul Bunyan and his friend Babe the Blue Ox tower over parents and kids who have been in the car too long. Professor Richard Mercer Dorson invented the term "Fakelore" and used the big lumberman as a prime example. Somehow Paul was transformed from bawdy 19th century lumberjack tales involving seedy events, (such as peeing from a tree to make a giant urine icicle) to the lovable hard-working big guy we know today. The modern day Paul was created from authentic lumberjack tales collected by itinerant newspaper reporter James MacGillivary in 1906. Professor Dorson complained that the "real" Paul Bunyan tales were full of technical logging terms and were meaningless and obscene, whereas the popularized, kid friendly Paul became a "pseudo folk hero of mass culture" who in effect had smaller balls than a neutered Babe. (well, I said that, but he implied it.) Amazingly, the little known and under appreciated Richard Dorson also invented the term "urban legend".

Seven original postcards circa 1950-1960 Collection Jim Linderman

Conrad Schuck and his Wonder House

Conrad Schuck had more than a great name, he had a vision. The Wonder House was 15 years into construction when this postcard was published. Schuck started construction in 1925 after being told by his doctor he had only a short time to live. Rather than worrying or checking off his bucket-list...he built this eccentric marvel. It had natural air conditioning using rainwater, outdoor bathtubs and numerous innovative and downright strange enhancements. By the way, you all know by now I love postcards. So did Walker Evans. His postcard collection is on display now through the end of May 2009 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Evans built his collection for 60 years. The Met acquired the lot in 1994.
Conrad Schuck's Wonder House Curteich Linen Postcard, c. 1940. Collection Jim Linderman

Mrs. Albert Friedrich's Rattle Snake Deer

Life size deer made of 657 Texas Rattle Snake Rattles "the patient and artistic work" of Mrs. Albert Friedrich, San Antonio Texas.
"Life Size Deer" Curteich Postcard c. 1950. Collection Jim Linderman

Three Original Sponge Bobs

Must be HOT in these suits, note tacky air-conditioner and wire next to the fellow in the middle here. Some "museum." Sponges are alive but don't have any guts! They just sit around with water rushing through them for nutrition. If you want to read some big words, look them up...(gemmules, viviparous, spicules, syncythia, homoscleromorpha, halkieriids, chancelloriids, sessile, calcareous, cchonocytes, asconoid, endosybionts and on and on and on) No wonder we prefer plastic ones. By the way, these are indeed "bobbers" as they would float unless wearing lead shoes.
Three "spongeworthy" postcards, c. 1960 collection Jim Linderman

My Big Brother Jesus

Mail for the kids from Jesus, 1960 style. One even has a mirror so the offending heathen can't avoid seeing their own guilty mug.

Three "gentle reminders" circa 1960 Collection Jim Linderman