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Showing posts with label Real Photo Post Card. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Real Photo Post Card. Show all posts
Wooden Lumberjack at the Snohomish, Washington Grange State Fair 1936 Folk Art Sculpture Real Photo Postcard
Early Adopter John Willis and his Electric Bungalow
Two miles from where George Washington crossed the Delaware, on a tiny island where he had been living some thirty years, electric wizard Jim Willis rigged his modest bungalow with 100 dry cells of electricity. He also tapped into the nearby trolley line for another 600 volts. There were over 150 electrical connections which animated the place from top to bottom. In 1912, the Popular Electricity and World's Advance described the wonder thus: "…when all the switches are closed, it is almost impossible to move a muscle or touch a thing without receiving a shock or turning on the lights or ringing an alarm bell. If you pick up a book, a pipe, or lift the lid of his tobacco jar, you start an alarm. You can't even take a pin from his pin cushion, or a toothpick from its holder, nor can you even turn the water into the lavatory without the same result." Willis also created an electric clock out of an empty tomato can which would automatically draw the shades when the lights came on!
He welcomed visitors and averaged a few thousand a year. If anyone attempted to swipe something, a gong alarm would sound.
Willis' Electric Bungalow Willis Island on the Delaware. Real Photo Postcard c. 1912 Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb.
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A curious photograph. Orphans? Wards of the State?
A real photo postcard from the turn of the century depicts three children with odd dresses. The woman in charge is "Mrs. Davis" and all three youngsters have different last names. Each has a small number written on them, the corresponding names are written on the back. My first thought was they they could be orphans. Early visitors to Japan? Any guesses welcome.
Real Photo Postcard c. 1900 - 1930. Collection Jim Linderman
First African-American Armed Cross Dressers with a Guitar Pose for the Camera collection Jim Linderman
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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World's Biggest Ice Cream Cone fights Midwestern Heat!!
I gotta say, this summer of 100 degree plus days and apocalyptic, biblical quality drought is starting to bother me...but then I moved to the mitten after reading the day would come when water would be more expensive than gasoline. I can go dip it out of the lake with no problem, but as it has been sullied by mankind, I hate to think of all the wood I'll have to chop to boil it first.
Oh well, junior here isn't worried about the heat.
Books and ebook downloads by Jim Linderman HERE
A Delicate Balance Curt carries a Chair RPPC collection Jim Linderman
Curt "No Last Name" and "A Member of Our Group" balances a chair.
Real Photo Postcard circa 1920 Collection Jim Linderman
La Lettre Review International Center of Photography Take Me to the Water
A nice review in La Lettre HERE of the Take Me to the Water exhibit at the International Center of Photography which runs through the first week of May 2011. The book and CD is available from Amazon, the publisher Dust-to-Digital and at the ICP Bookstore.
Crazy Chiropractic Science BJ Palmer's Grotto of Greed
Chiropractic "medicine" is controversial still after all these years for a reason. It isn't science. It isn't even bad science. I have always suspected it had more to do with manipulating one's wallet than manipulating one's spine, and most serious scientists, doctors, scholars and legal professionals will agree with me. Yet it persists like chronic pain, bilking pain sufferers now for 100 years.
Since we recently had an election where candidates who deny evolution, climate change and even the legitimacy of social security not only were on the ballot but WON is an indication of how gullible a good percent of our population is...and since several bloated "entertainers" on the radio continue to line their pockets while spewing nonsense as news, things will only continue to get worse. Let's face it...the windbags (one with a crazy brush cut and chalkboard, the other an obese joke who avoided jail after doctor shopping for his Oxycontin addiction) have a hold of hundreds of radio stations, just like so many quacks of the past. And just like the earier generation of quacks, they blanket huge swatches of the country like a blizzard of bile and bilk.
In fact, the quack who invented Chiropractic "science" was a quack with a radio station. Like Dr. Brinkley, who planted goat gonads into people to cure their libidos, D. D. Palmer and his nutty son "B.J." factored in a radio station to broadcast their crazy ideas. BJ's station was WOC (by strange coincidence the station Ronald Reagan would later lie the sports news on) which stood for Wonders Of Chiropractic. Guess who fills the time slots on WOC now? I don't have to tell you.
D.D invented chiropractic after failing to get rich off his first "scientific" discovery, magnetic healing. Now THAT is a strong foundation for your research.
Anyway, the point of this story is Crazy B.J. Palmer and his "Little Bit of Heaven" shown above. Can the story get any stranger? Well, BJ (who once ran over his father with a car contributing to his death...can you hear the bones cracking?) fancied himself an art aficionado. In fact he had an enormous collection put together on the fortune built from bone tugging...including a gigantic collection of phallic symbols, totem poles and salon nudes. Maybe B.J should have invented a cure for impotence instead of stretching limbs. Lil' Bit O Heaven was built to show off the tons of useless bric-a-brac he lugged home from his world travels. Among the live alligators and fertility objects on display, he added trite platitudes to the good, honest and healthy life he advocated along with his insane ideas of medical care.
I swear...what a country.
To learn more about B.J Palmer's Grotto of Greed see the sources highlighted.
Little Bit O Heaven real photo postcard circa 1920 Collection Jim Linderman
NOTE: I've been getting lots of mail from Chiropractic practitioners (not surprising since "marketing" is one of most intensive classes in the school of chiropractic stuff, another fact, look it up) I refer ANYONE who is either interested in, or disputes ANY PART of my essay above to consult the reasoned and detailed Wikipedia article on same...which is not only well-researched...to be fair upon reading I find I could have actually been far, far harder on both the "profession" AND those who pay for the services. At least I didn't refer to it as an "unscientific cult" as others have, but I would clearly been on solid ground if I had! If it helps anyone, fine, great...but as you can see in the article and the references cited...I'm far from alone. In fact, I seem to have been more than generous. Keep those cards and letters coming anyway!
Dull Tool Dim Bulb Special Snow Blizzard Post RPPC
"Big Chief Petoskey" Snow Sculpture East Jordan Michigan Real Photo Postcard circa 1950
Collection Jim Linderman
Alaska Tlingit and the Bear Totem Store RPPC
I feel sorry for Alaska, by FAR one of the greatest states in the Union. Since the collective attention span of the United States has been scientifically determined to be only several months, unfortunately, for most Americans when the state is mentioned they think of future failed talk show host Sarah Palin and her grandson Tripp, the future governor of the state. However, Alaska truly has a rich, historic past which reaches far beyond our increasingly shrinking memories.
Wrangell is one of the oldest non-Native cities in Alaska, yet still only has a population of a few thousand. For a little town, it has an Alaska-sized history. And I mean Petroglyph era history. The Tlingit lived there, a tribe of people with a great cultural heritage of their own and superb artistic skills. Wrangell was actually founded because of a Russian, Ferdinand Petrovich Wrangel, the Russian "go-to guy" in Alaska, in 1834. The intention was to trade with the Tlingit. And no wonder...they trapped sea otters, harvested beaver and made sublime crafts, of which the Totem Pole is one of the best known.
In 1920, Walter Waters established the above shop, The Bear Totem Store, to sell Tlingit art. Walter was a former mailman who, considering the size of Alaska, probably went though a pair of shoes a day. However, along his travels he met many natives and acquired not only a wonderful collection, but established good relations with the artists and craftspeople, thus opening the curio shop above to trade in their goods. It must have been an extraordinary place. Unfortunately, The Bear Totem Store burned to the ground along with virtually the entire town of Wrangell in the 1950's. For those of you with family who purchased items there, the phone numbers for Sotheby's and Christie's are available online.
The Bear Totem Store Wrangel Alaska Real Photo Post Card c. 1941 Collection Jim Linderman
The ARK Strange Man Strange Wagon Strange Poem
Poem printed on reverse of card, with no address or contact information
My kind friends should ever speak
Of the strangest man you know
It would be strange did you not wish
How strange he was to show
Strange pictures on strange cards I have
Telling in a way new
Where you can learn many strange things
Which are both strange and true.
From these strange cards you'll also fine
How very strange I be
And then perhaps you'll purchase some
Strange books written by me
It matters not how strange your church
Or how strange be it's Creed
In my strange teachings you will find
Strange lessons that you need.
To those who see not my strange car
Or look in my strange face
Will your dear friends tell them that I
Am strangest of our race
Then should they wish strange cards or books
My strange writings to see,
Let me know the strange ones they wish
I'll mail them C.O.D.
Cheap photo postcard, c. 1890. Collection Jim Linderman
(also posted on old time religion blog)
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
Fred Smith and his Giant Concrete Friend RPPC
Until I came across this real photo postcard, I don't believe I had seen a photo of artist Fred Smith standing next to his concrete work, nor did I have an idea of the scale! The Wisconsin Concrete Park is being rigorously restored and protected by the Friends of Fred Smith, their site tells the story. I love how he constructed the wagon and horses into the trees. Astounding.
Real Photo Postcard, circa 1955 Collection Jim Linderman
Gust Pufohl "The World's Greatest Whittler" Real Photo Postcard RPPC
Gust Pufohl laid claim to the title in the 1920's. Who is to argue? Note the necklaces here are carved from one piece of wood. That's right...one board was cut down complete with links in the wooden chain. Little wooden dodaddles like this are called whimsys or whimsies in the antique trade. They were once common but peaked around the same time as radio...and declined like a stone when the TV (excuse me..."flat screen") remote began to fit into the hand better than a pocket knife. Mr. Pufohl is himself illustrated on page 129 of "Real Photo Postcard Guide" by Bogdan and Weseloh...which you can purchase following the Amazon link to the right.
Gust Pufohl "See Wonderful Whittling Exhibit of World's Greatest Whittler" Monona, Iowa. Real Photo Post Card, c. 1923. Collection Jim Linderman
God Happens! Church Before and After Real Photo Postcards
Pair of Real Photo Postcards c. 1910 Collection Jim Linderman
The Man with the Wooden Pants "Buryl" Freak Real Photo Postcard
Two Real Photo Postcards, date unknown. Collection Jim Linderman
Get Right With God Tabernacle Barn Three Rivers MI RPPC
Real Photo Postcard c. 1920 Collection Jim Linderman
TO SEE MY BLOG OF SIMILAR MATERIAL click OLD TIME RELIGION
High art versus Low art Witness the Elks RPPC
I had intended to take on the sticky issue of "High" art versus "Low" art today, but I smashed my thumb working in the back yard and typing is more laborious than usual. As such, i'll try to let the pictures do my typing for me.
"High" art and "Low" art is a concept which one may approach from a dozen angles. Economically (art for the rich and art for the poor) Esthetically (beautiful art and ugly art) Intellectually (smart and dumb) Compositionally (both in materials used to compose AND how the object is positioned)...by Audience (art for the elite and art for the masses) Scarcity (rare versus common, or a diamond versus "THE BEDAZZLER") Paintings versus comics, fine versus primitive, trained versus untrained, erotic versus pornographic, insider versus outsider, decorative versus functional, fine versus folk...All those and I'm only starting my coffee.
The concept implies a cultural stratification and indicates social identification. I suppose I lean towards low...being a common man myself. If you've followed the 6 months of my blog, that my taste runs right down the stairs to the artistic basement should be obvious. I like my music scratchy, my clothes worn and my fiction trashy.
A pair of images here to illustrate. Two elks. Both representations of the same animal. Both from roughly the same time period. One is "better" by even the most generous standards of high versus low... and it is most certainly BIGGER...note tiny, tiny fat man in between white elk's hoofs. (he is also an "elk" by the way...in that he is a member of a fraternal organization, hence the title of the card) But is the rag-tag, make-do stump art Elk shown less real? Less valid? Less important? Less pleasing? Nah. They're both great.
The most valuable "non-academic" folk art weathervanes were manufactured and forged. The most "interesting" folk art weathervanes were made by hand from materials around the farm. Both told the direction of the wind.
Comments welcome.
Pair of Real Photo postcards "The Two Largest Elks at Carnival Fulton N.Y." and "The Elk?" both circa 1910-1930. Collection Jim Linderman
Paul Wegner "Summer Home" Sparta Wisconsin
Hand-written on reverse "The boat on this card is made of cement and then covered with broken glass in all colors. Will tell you about the other things made of cement when I see you" Love to all, Marion
Real Photo Post Card c. 1930 Collection Jim Linderman
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