Fresca Dog House and 7-Up Castle in Arcola

Just one of what was a whole slew of handmade bottle houses built by Arthur Martin in Arcola, Illinois. He started in 1939, and eventually the glass environment grew to 20 acres. This is the largest, it was made from 1200 7-Up bottles. There was also a "Fresca House" and a "Fresca Dog House" in the yard, which came to be known as "Rockome" and was opened to the public in 1958. As this was well before the days of diet soda, and the average 16-ouncer contains 12 teaspoons of sugar, I am going to guess Mr. Martin had bad teeth and a big waistline. (The Perky Perm woman is unidentified)

Dexter Press Post Card c. 1960 Collection Jim Linderman

An American Hero, Salesman Sample, Lead Paint and MORE

Philip J. Landrigan, a fellow you won't recognize but one we should all thank. It was his research which "led" to banning "lead" from paint. The children he saved from impaired brains, kidneys, and more is countless. As if that wasn't enough, Landrigan has figured prominently in ALL of the following: Removing lead from gasoline. The banning of several lethal pesticides. Figuring out the Gulf War Veteran's Illness. Refusing to let the effect of asbestos in New Yorker's lungs following the World Trade Center attack be dismissed. (Having breathed in the burning WTC for 6 solid months, this one is of particular interest to me) The minimized and emasculated Environmental Protection Agency of George Bush attempted to say the particles were "too small" to do damage, but Landrigan showed that the smaller the asbestos particle, the more dangerous it was. He was instrumental in passing the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. I could go on and on. This man is a hero. Needless to say, THIS is a man our children should look up to rather than some meathead beefcake baseball player on steroids.

But I digress. These see-through templates allowed one to preview house colors with the included color cards. Each set came in a leather case embossed with the Eagle Paint logo. The kids who come to my house in summer asking if I need a paint job (I do) don't bring nothing but an earnest pitch.

Set of Eagle Lead Paint "chips" with Transparent house templates Salesman Sample c. 1945. Collection Jim Linderman

Mail with Stamps on Both Sides

Waste not, Want not. I especially like the Columbus discovers America clock.

Group of Postcards with applied stamp decoration and paint. Circa 1900-1945
Collection Jim Linderman

Leaving the Baptism Real Photo Post Card Jim Linderman Thanks

Many years ago a good friend told me the art world works slow. It does indeed. I started collecting antique photographs of folks being washed and saved many years ago. With each one I found and acquired, my desire to share them with others increased. All good things come to he who waits. I was fortunate indeed to find Lance and April Ledbetter at Dust to Digital, they brought a professionalism and respect to the material I could have not have even imagined. Master designers John Hubbard and Rob Millis have recreated my delight finding the photos with every turn of the page. Luc Sante, who has a remarkable acuity for translating visions into text generously provided words I am incapable of. Many others were involved, Lance thanks them in the credits. I am pleased the originals have been accepted into the permanent collection of the International Center of Photography, where, unlike many of the things I have assembled over the years, they will be kept together for all to enjoy. Today, anyone can leave a footprint...all it takes is the ability to hit "send" or "upload"...but to have a physical object as beautiful as the book and CD my friends have produced is a wonderful thing.

So, on to the next. I have shoe boxes full and ideas plenty.

"Baptism on the Ohio River, near Cincinnati, Ohio" Azo Real Photo Post Card circa 1910 Collection Jim Linderman

Gladis Smyth's Drawing Teacher

Drawing Teacher boxed game and three templates Parker Brothers c.1890 Collection Jim Linderman (ex-collection "Gladis Smyth")

Alonzo Hall Blind Accordion Playing Pastor Phones in a Performance

Blind Columbus Ohio Pastor Rev. Alonzo Hall plays accordion over telephone to congregation.

Original Wire Photo 1949 Collection Jim Linderman

UNOFFICIAL START OF SUMMER (formerly Memorial Day) FITS-IN

Fits-In Lightweight Unbreakable plastic lens c. 1965 (?) Collection Jim Linderman

The Emotion Control Machine of Mr. Higgins 1930

Laurence Higgins of Cleveland, OH explains how his invention "The Emotion Control Machine" works.

Original 8 x 10 Photo by J. L. Greenfield 1930 Collection Jim Linderman

Take Me to the Water Promotional Film BOOK and CD RELEASE 2009

Take Me to the Water from Dust-to-Digital on Vimeo.

Lew Moberly's Post Card Preserved Locks

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

Victoria Plaza from Passaic and her Proud Baseball Moment

Victoria Plaza's moment came against the Rutherford, New York girls baseball team in Spring 1921. The Passaic New Jersey student pitched a no-hitter. When she woke that morning, could she have suspected her photo would be taken against a wall near the dugout? She seems to be handling her momentary fame with considerable style and grace.

Original photo with pencil caption and date stamp, 1921 Collection Jim Linderman

Big Purse Big Perc Big Pie (Meet the Press)

Three original 8 x 10 Press Photographs, 1950-1960 Collection Jim Linderman

Lifting Up Jesus Ministries

Original 35mm photograph, location unknown, American South c. 1993 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

Jim Linderman Interview Folk Art Magazine Fall 2005

Earl Moran Cheesecake and the Rifkin Safety Sac with Arcolock

Here is Earl Steffa Moran taking some time from throwing fabulous parties in the San Fernando Valley and arranging for his work to be shown in prestigious journals of art such as Flirt, Wink and Giggles. Having his paintings licensed for use on advertising cards for Rifkin's Bank Bags and Safety Sacs was also not quite what he had in mind when he was studying at the Art Student's League in Manhattan (a place I once wandered into after shopping at the now closed Coliseum Books on West 57th Street and encountered two nude models chatting near the admissions office) Moran is probably the most prolific pin-up artist of all time. He also discovered and as seen here, painted one Norma Jean Dougherty who later went on to seduce a baseball player and a president. After years of partying and painting, Moran decided to concentrate on his work and began painting more seriously. His subject? I kid you not...Nudes.

Four Advertising price list cards, c. 1945. Collection Jim Linderman

Three Vans

Three Advertising Postcards, c. 1965 Collection Jim Linderman

Fury in Whittier Park! Vernacular Photographs of Motion Picture Making in the Early 1930's

Fury in Whittier Park? Actually, Fury in Malibou Lake, a place you've seen without even knowing it. These rare, original photographs were taken during the filming of "Fury in the Jungle" in 1933, a typical, disposable adventure yarn directed by Roy Neill, who would go on to direct, among many others, the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films, several Three Stooges shorts and even the noir classic Black Angel. No one of any great consequence acted in this film, at least as far as I can tell...but the STAR is the lake itself! In 1931, Boris Karloff as Frankenstein met the girl here. In The Bad Seed this was the location of the drowning scene. Chaplin filmed pieces of The Great Dictator here. In this potboiler, Malibou Lake became "Morongo, South America" and was filled with rubber alligators. Many of the photos here have notes describing the action being staged. Unusual historical content for a group of snaps!

Set of Original Snapshots of a Motion Picture Set, California, 1933 Collection Jim Linderman

United Society of Christian Endeavor Tool Chest Price List

Prayer Meeting Topics, Daily Readings and Price list for 1900. United Society of Christian Endeavor
Collection Jim Linderman