I Desire a Return of Affection: Calling Cards and Tokens of Affection

These weren't made with a dull tool or a dim bulb. Often sold by traveling salesmen for a dollar a bundle, these engraved paper tokens were given as polite gestures, presented for thanks and left in a small tray near the doorway for visitors. I've touched on calligraphy in an earlier post, it was a skill which used to be taught to children in school. These are all printed examples, but hand drawn ones are only a little harder to find, they are often glued in scrapbooks or at the bottom of a box of paper objects. Each is smaller than a credit card. Assorted Calling Cards and Tokens of Affection. C. 1860-1890. 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

Cupid's Destiny (Voice of the Lonely Heart #2)

Arnold Ziffel, Porcine Pneumonia and the Educated Pig

Be it an educated pig as shown here (taking a slider face first to serve some point) or the famous "learned pig" national treasure Ricky Jay has written about, the swine has long been man's smart friend in the animal world. Anyone who doubts this need only watch an episode of Green Acres featuring Arnold "The Pig" Ziffel. In one episode I remember, not long after the series went to color, he even BLUSHED himself RED. In another episode, Arnold became a painter and adopted the name "Porky Picasso" until his masterpiece "Nude at a Filling Station" was banned. At any rate, the Porcine Pneumonia seems to be subsiding, thanks be to God. I had the flu for six months once, and I do NOT want it again.

Original Photograph "The Educated Pig" circa 1930. 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

Let's go to the Circus IN THE BASEMENT

There are LOTS of circus models, but I think only one is being auctioned this month in Canada. Maynard's in Vancouver is selling the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus made by Bert and Bill Backstein on May 20. As you can see, the Backstein boys even made tiny sideshow banners. The first two photos show but a "small" amount of the material being sold.

Other circus replicas abound. Just a few more are shown here, but there are hundreds of miniature circus carvings, probably one in each town... John Zweifel's staggering miniature with hoards of Lilliputians crowding towards the entrance...and the Lou Ann Circus complete with operating electric generators, room for 10,000 tiny people and enough entertainment for them all, finally the tobacco scented creation of Ed Hollis. Every boy wanted to run away and join the circus at one time or another...some had to be content with making one downstairs.

Assorted Post Card Miniature circus models, c. 1950. Collection Jim Linderman

Young Man BE HONEST Train Yourself for Useful Work

Kalamazoo Vegetable Parchment Company Motivational Religious Placard 1947 Collection Jim Linderman

Dic Dillon's Working World Masterpiece (Ask anyone...)

With my affinity for alliteration, how can I avoid Dic Dillon's Direct from Denmark Double-sized Diorama? Indeed! Hand carved from pocket knives, 8 years to carve, 30 scenes, 150 characters, 1143 pounds of wood, 8 pounds of metal, 6 pounds of silver wire, 30,000 working parts...Valued at $100,000. Well, maybe...we could check it, since I find no record it still remains, SOMEONE bought it. East Liverpool, Ohio does have the world's largest toxic dump incinerator, maybe it was built on the site of this working world masterpiece, which was made by 3 disabled World War Veterans...that would be the first World War.

c. 1925 Hand-out Advertising Card. Collection Jim Linderman

Cowboy and Indian Toys with Eddy Weet and General Electric

A representative sample from 5 different cut-out cardboard toy sets. I found a huge sack. I like to think the little boy grew up happy, healthy and well-adjusted, but he wasn't into them enough to make them all.

Eddy Weet ( from Shredded Wheat?) was one of the the announcers for the Nabisco Radio Theater, a 1952 show which I am sure was great if you would JUST STAY TUNED KIDS, STRAIGHT ARROW HAS A FEW IMPORTANT MESSAGES FOR YOU. The Radio show was produced by Ronald Reagan's brother, who worked at Nabisco's advertising agency and wanted to rope in a few young un's minds along with the cattle.

GE, the brains behind the "General Electric Refrigerator Wild West Rodeo" used to be America's largest corporate polluter, I guess hard times helped them drop to number 5 on the most recent edition of this prestigious list. The other sets here have no identification marks, so are spared my scathing ironical wit.

Assorted Cowboy and Indian cut-out toys, c. 1950-1960 Collection Jim Linderman

Gene Bilbrew African-American Artist of Vintage Sleaze (follow-up)

For those of you who enjoyed my articles on the illustrators for Eddie Miskin's 1960's sleazy paperback book line, in particular the strikingly demented work of Gene Bilbrew...someone is selling two covers I've never seen before on Ebay. It gives me an opportunity to crib the images and use up a days post. I pass...if you bid, good luck! If you haven't seen the earlier posts, click on label Vintage Sleaze below.

Mrs. Hortense Overholzer's Husband and his Rustic Style

R.W. Overholzer, the most inventive and eccentric rustic furniture maker ever. These days, when one thinks of furniture from Michigan, Herman Miller might come to mind. I don't see many "clean, modern design lines" in this work...I don't see any straight lines at all! Each, um...thing was made from white pine stumps left behind by loggers in the 1920's. The trees have grown back now. To purchase the "exciting, detailed account" of her husband's lifetime work by Hortense Overholzer, visit their website here. Yes, they still receive visitors and host weddings. Baldwin Michigan has only has 1,000 inhabitants or so. I believe the souvenir postcards are in color now. Bring your canoe.

Set of Kodak Real Photos c. 1950. Collection Jim Linderman

A Grateful Thanks!

I have been basking all day in the generous, thoughtful and beautiful review of "Take Me to the Water..." posted by John Foster on his Accidental Mysteries site. I have watched from afar as John has become a discriminating and elegant commentator on photography and art of all forms. His blog is adventurous reading for anyone interested in the broadest interpretation of the word art. It is made all the more fascinating by his unique "wide open eye" which is unfettered with divisive definitions...a rare thing in the art world from my view. I am humbled, grateful and thrilled. The photo above was found after production of Dust to Digital's book and CD, I wish the young lady could have been included.

"Going to be Baptized" Azo Real Photo c. 1910 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