IN 1947, a strange man entered a Kansas City pawn shop and left with $750 dollars in his pocket. He had pawned an amazing book. It was handmade and two feet long, covered in the finest red leather, encrusted with jewels and titled "Orange Blossoms Over America." The author, and the man pawning the book was Jesse T. Stubbs. The book was locked and encased in a box a foot thick.
There were 13 stones. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires. Mr. Stubbs told the pawn owner he needed money to travel to Washington. He said he would return in a few months to reclaim the book. He never did.
Two years later, Pawn owner Phil Tobias had a duplicate key made to open the book, and the story of Mr. Stubbs was revealed.
Once a wealthy man, Mr. Stubbs had lost it all during the stock crash of 1929. His wealth had apparently come from prospecting and then selling securities. He also obtained a small orange grove and began tending orange trees as a hobby. At some time, an accident left him unable to straighten up…hit by a steam shovel.
Stubbs came upon a notion. He decided to spread orange trees to every corner of the country. He uprooted a tree and planted in on the back of a trailer and began his travels. He reached too many cities and states to count. Ending up in NYC, he built a large glass encased box for his orange tree. He took a job as a parking attendant to pay for the project and to protect his tree. The parking lot, (apparently the very same one Kramer on Seinfeld found a condom in George Costanza's car) was on 12th Avenue and 42nd street. By 1939, his tree was living in a corner of the lot. The glass for the case came from discarded window glass. Below is Jesse's Orange tree standing in the shadow of the New York Skyline, a detail from the painting above.
At one time in Jesse's life, he took a break from tending the tree to walk to Alaska. The famed humorist Will Rogers and his buddy Wiley Post were killed in an airplane crash in 1935, and the tree-tending parking lot attendant had a "retroactive" vision of sorts…he decided to travel to Alaska and build a memorial to Will Rogers 15 years after their plane went down in the most remote area of the state. At the time, Stubbs was 72 years old. He made it to Anchorage, but the last 850 miles would be tough. He left with a 60 pound Siberian husky named Quacco pulling an 80 pound sled. They made nearly 450 miles on their own, and upon reaching Fairbanks and he accepted a plane ride to the site in Barrow, Alaska.
There ARE powerful miracles made by man, and Jesse Stubbs not only made it to the crash site, he completed his stone and concrete monument to Will and Wiley! The statue, an obelisk ten feet tall with four square blocks was completed. it is still accessible only by airplane.
The "more official" monument gets most of the attention, but here is Jesse's on the right, still standing, in a photograph from the National Register of Historic Places.
Jesse Stubbs passed away in 1960 at the age of 81.
The image above is a real photo postcard which shows a painting of "The Traveling Memorial" by Jesse Stubbs depicting an orange tree in full bloom that he transported from coast to coast in an exhibit so that people could see the growth of an orange After V-J Day he decided to exhibit a painting of his exhibit at Times Square in New York City to honor the sacrifices made by the military during WW II. This card is a photograph of that memorial. It appears in the book AMERICAN FOLK ART IN PLACE: IN SITU AVAILABLE HERE. The back of the image is below.
Real Photo Postcard circa 1945 collection Jim Linderman
Aieee! Three dead animals stapled to wood decorate the yard of a woman! I'm not sure if they were just dropped off by the taxidermist or she IS the taxidermist! For my thoughts and additional pictures of stuffed creatures, see my article HERE in Paraphilia.
It's bad enough to move a refrigerator, but when the International Harvester company went into the fridge business, they had to move their humongous fabricated salesman too! Many of the ill-fated giant boxes survive, but I am not sure where the dummy ended up. I also do not find anything which indicates the box "ran silent" which is no surprise.
The web is full of folks asking if the International Harvester refrigerator they found in the barn has any value. One helpful suggestion says "they make great smokehouses" and another drilled a hole in his for a spigot and keeps a keg of beer inside!
Apparently the machine talked too...I don't know if the dummy did. There is another postcard with a woman trying to open the giant door, and it says the box talked to her on the reverse.
Real Photo Postcard 1951 "Have just seen this 13 ft. giant at the 1951 Ohio State Fair. He was telling every one about the many exclusive feathers of the International Harvester Refrigerators and Freezers" caption on reverse. Collection Jim Linderman
From CURLEY'S ANTIQUES.
A stone birthday cake topped with wedding photographs welcomes you to the creations of Mr. Wegner. An American flag made from shards of colored glass. A replica of the ocean liner which brought Paul and Matilda Wegner to America. All circa 1925 - 1935 creations built in the yard to attract visitors. Automobiles were becoming common, but what the hell was there to drive to? Wegner's Garden. The couple did not allow photographs, choosing rather to sell real photo postcards to visitors. There are 24 different images known, here are four of them. It is good to remember real photos were more commerce than art. A photographer or "publisher" would print as many as he though would sell.
Real Photo Postcards of the Wegner Grotto.. circa 1930 - 1935 Collection Jim Linderman
An unusual miniature Trompe L'oeil drawing seems to depict Real Photo Postcards circa 1910. Trompe L'oeil drawing is intended to "trick the eye" into seeing three dimensional objects rendered in painted or drawn detail. This miniature drawing shows three real photo postcards atop the cover of a book. As such, it represents how RPPC images had become common objects early in the 20th century, and also that they were familiar enough to be used by visual artists. Gems by the Wayside was a collection of religious and domestic poems published in 1855 by Lydia Odell Baxter, an invalid bible student and writer who passed away in 1874. I find no information as to when volume 2 was published. The signature of the artist is illegible. The book is only 3" x 4" and the post card "on top" is only 1.5" x 2.5". Circa 1910 Collection Jim Linderman
Pole sitting as a means of demonstration, and during the Great Depression a way to raise money...but does this RPPC depict a tragedy? It looks like someone is being carted away on a stretcher. The two sitters on top watch the action with seemingly sloped shoulders of despair. Any thought?
RPPC Pole sitters Real Photo Postcard turn of the century. Collection Jim Linderman
An unidentified Snake Handler stretches his arms as far as he can, but the serpent still has slack! An original Real Photo Postcard dated on the reverse 1932. Thanks to a fan and follower.
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Folk Art carved figures go through the motions. Looks like they are working far harder than the men... Whether these carvings were articulated is unknown, but the chores they perform are typical subjects for automatons and whirligigs. If anyone knows where this object is today, I would love to see it.
"Our Homestead" Domestic Chores in a Folk Art Dollhouse Cyko Real Photo Post Card circa 1910 unmailed.
A Hot Chile restaurant circa 1910. I spell it Hot Chili but both are correct. This fellow, (likely owner and chief chile slinger?) was ahead of the time. Why?
First of all, as the US population ages, those millions of baby boomers now old as hell...their taste buds like all parts of the body wear out. So we are eating more spicy food. Secondly, folks from south of the border are coming this way, and they like hot food. And yes, we have room for them all and they are welcome, so STFU all you scared, white losers. We are all immigrants, unless you are a member of the 500 nations...in which case your family crossed over through Alaska centuries ago.
Real Photo Postcard Untitled (Hot Chile cooled off with Cyanotype Blue) circa 1910 collection Jim Linderman
First African-American Armed Cross Dressers Pose for the Camera?
Even though I suspect the gun, holster and guitar are studio props, you have to GIVE props to this African-American couple who had the nerve to exchange clothes for the photo. It is a man and a woman, as the gentleman in drag has an Adam's apple. The RPPC dates from 1910 to 1930. If they are not using props, this could have been quite a team, musical or criminal. A rare, tough image with lots of cultural resonance today. The first cross dressing African-American photograph, even if done for the photographer only?
Real Photo Postcard with Azo Back circa 1910 - 1930 Unknown location and photographer. Note on reverse Collection Jim Linderman
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Daniel Rose Folk Art in Bottles Master Whimsey Folk Art Sculpture.
What is known about Whimsey in a Bottle carver Daniel Rose comes from "Genius in a Bottle" by Susan D. Jones, or at least the website devoted to same. The book is sold out, but the extensive website provides all you would want to know about Ships in a Bottle, Whimseys, you name it. Fantastic research, and deserving your attention.
I do not know if the book contains these images I was fortunate to acquire, but they are wonderful.
As you can see, Mr. Rose created his amazing carved constructions in miniature while handicapped…through considerable persistence. Folk Art in Bottles contains a picture of one of his bottles HERE. He signed his work, so you can all pick up your bottles and see if there is anything written on the base.
Mr. Rose lived in Johnstown, PA, born 1871. He passed away in an automobile accident at the age of 51. He apparently created some 120 works of art in bottles. Recognized for his work during his lifetime by an article in the Christian Science Monitor, I hope these real photo postcards produced during his lifetime will bring him more recognition.
Pair of Daniel rose Real Photo Postcards circa 1910. Collection Jim Linderman
A Most Curious Real Photo Postcard. Young Girl with a (new?) Coat stands on a tree stump amid rubble, the city in the background. She nearly blends into the tree behind her...almost like a camouflaged animal who has adapted a defense mechanism. A Hobo camp? Kruxo RPPC, which would indicate somewhere from 1905 to 1925.
Untitled Real Photo Postcard Collection Jim Linderman
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There IS a wonderful book useful for dating Real Photo Postcards, but once in a while the original owner (or person who commissioned the photo) makes it easy. This giant pig slopped his last in 1913, but unlike many of his fellow porkers, was documented for all.
The book is Real Photo Postcard Guide by Roberrt Bogdan and Todd Weseloh from 2006.
Real Photo Postcard (The Dead 1913 Pig) Collection Jim Linderman
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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
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Thinking of a few corn cobs hanging on the outside door for Halloween? Beat This.
"Today" panel made of natural colored grains WORLD'S ONLY CORN PALACE - MITCHEL S.DAK D. Grigg Pix Co. No Date (circa 1940?) Real Photo Postcard
Collection Jim Linderman
