Little Women Folk Art Carvings by Anonymous

Wee whittled women.  Size 3" to 7" tall.  Found in New Jersey, circa 1940 - 1950.  
Collection Jim Linderman

The Normal Union System of Industrial Drawing 19th c. Watercolor Paintings

There were eight volumes of the incomprehensible Normal Union System of Industrial Drawing published by Sower Potts and Co. in 1878.  There were dozens of private "textbook" publishers at the time who sold technical manuals to schools and individuals.  The bulk of this one seems to be as simple as replicating simple designs in the blank spaces.  The written instructions require a microscope to read!  Obviously, our student didn't do very well, and upon failing it appears a younger sibling repurposed the pamphlet as a coloring book for watercolors.  Both fail.  A few pages of examples.  

National Union System of Industrial Drawing (5" x 9") 1878 with watercolor embellishments.  Collection Jim Linderman

Folk Art Mail Art 19th Century Bike and Bridge

Folk Art Mail Art 19th Century. A bike and a bridge! Mailed within New York state, 1888. Collection Jim Linderman

Here Today... Sam Doyle's House c. 1992

Here today, gone tomorrow.  Original photograph of Gullah artist Sam Doyle's house c. 1992 by Jim Linderman (bottom) and the same as seen in a cropped photograph by Roger Manley, I believe, from the early 1980s (top)  A beautiful essay with considerable photographs of the environment are HERE on the Sam Seawright site. 

Best Handmade Get Well Card EVER!

"Cheer up" made by hand get well card by Ellen B. Moore-Morrill circa 1950.
Courtesy BOXLOT on Facebook.

VICE ! 10 Original Press Photographs from the Golden Days of Obscenity collection Jim Linderman

The doorway to the Book Shack photograph by John Collier 1973 Free Press (Detroit?)

Candy Barr Stripped of Freedom 1957 photographer unknown, no source indicated

Pornography businesses line part of 66th Street N in Pinellas Park 1979 photograph by Barbara Hansen St. Petersberg Times

An interior view of the lobby office at the Geisha House which is a massage parlor and peep show at 414 West 42nd Street.  The two gentlemen pictured are employees  1972 photographer unknown, New York Times

King's News raid  1961 photograph, source unknown

After some local residents complained and called the sign lewd and indecent, the North Hempstead Town Board asked him to add more clothes to the sign  1957 photographer unknown N. E. A.

 Peep Shows 1953?  Photograph by Knefel Chicago Sun Times

Vice raid  1957 photograph by Clarence B. Garrett The Sun Papers

New York minister holds news stand magazines that caused objections 1963  AP wirephoto photographer unknown

Customs officers check the books in preparation for burning 1964 photographer unknown Keystone Press Agency




 

Folk Art Shovel-Tailed Snow Snake Real Photo Postcard

Folk Art Shovel-Tailed Snow Snake Real Photo Postcard of Rice Lake, WI.  "Largest one ever seen."
Collection Jim Linderman courtesy Curley's Antiques

The Church of God Jesus and the Holy Ghost by W.C.Rice

The Church of God Jesus and the Holy Ghost by W.C.Rice, Alabama. Original photograph Jim Linderman

Large Folk Art Whirligig in the Sky

Large Folk Art Whirligig  original snapshot c. 1950? Collection Jim Linderman

Puma by Michigan Carver Fred Alten c. 1910-1945 Collection Jim Linderman

Collectors Joe and Lee Dumas discovered 156 carvings by Mr. Alten hidden in a backyard shack 30 years after his death.  There were 14 hand built cages holding the menagerie in darkness since Alten passed in 1945.  Collector Julie Hall wrote in the first catalog devoted to the work. "Alten's animals were "captured" in green wood cages with metal bars.  It was apparent that, once Fred finished a dozen or so animals, he stood them in cages, and then permanently fitted the metal bars around them in a rigid wooden frame."  "They were very strong, and I had to smash some of the animals to get them out…" Dumas is quoted in The Detroit News in 1986.  It appears now this figure was one of them.  I was told the tail was likely broken at that time.  It also explains why the figure was photographed here (Country Living Magazine September 1986) on their shelves positioned with no tail showing!  I also now have the tail.

Over the years, Alten's works have been added to many museums, some through purchase, others by generous donations.  A dozen standard works on folk and outsider artists include his work. 

Alten created his animals from several pieces of wood mortised together.  Joined portions are seen here.  He also often covered the carvings in wax while painting them and used a comb or pointed object to create a "hair" effect.  A good portion of this has been lost since the little fella was photographed, but it has knocked around a good while.  The puma was an orphan.

Shown here in Country Living Magazine 1986.

Puma Fred Alten c. 1920-1945.  Wood, was, original paint.  Collection Jim Linderman

Elke Sommer Celebrity Artist

Celebrity painters seldom amount to much.Red Skelton, Ronnie Wood, Sly Stallone, Miles Davis...even Tony Bennett. All great, but snubbed by the insular real art world. They painted when they should have performed. But we make an exception for Elke Sommer.  Why?  Because the art world treats women artists like crap.Sexism abounds. Painting is STILL seen as a hard ham-fisted manly activity.Think Jackson Pollock grunting over a floor-sized abstract, or Julian Schnabel bossing the city of New York into allowing his rooftop to exceed New York City limits. It helps if you are a troubled genius who drinks too much too. Well, Elke is neither of those, as far as I know..AND her paintings are FOR SALE HERE  I think. Most seem sold, but I didn't click through too many. Give Elke Sommer some major love. Buy a Painting!

New York Corn Shuckers original photograph c. 1905

A nice group photograph of what appears to be a good portion of the town shucking the corn crop.  Note remnants of outer leaves on the ground. I'm not sure how much work they got out of the two fellows lower right.  I have to say they appear to have spent the day with corn liquor instead of shucking tools.  Photograph by Lorenzo  Short, Rondout NY circa 1905.

Love During Wartime Anonymous Photographs Continuing Series

Pair of Vietnam-era amateur photographs.  Love During Wartime is a continuing series on Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Blog.  Collection Jim Linderman

Vagabond Rat Hand drawn Postcard

A Vagabond Rat Hand Drawn postcard from a traveler. 
Ohio dated 1906 (detail)
collection Jim Linderman

old time religion Jesus Saves from FIRE

old time religion Jesus Saves from FIRE.  Original photograph Jim Linderman.  Circa 1995.

Women of the 1950s Drawings by Anonymous Self Taught Artist

A few of the hundreds of drawings produced by a West coast "shut in" during the period from 1950 to 1960.  An earlier post on the artist appears HERE.

Robot Sex (It's our own fault, guys)

Looks like Robby the Robot is going to get lucky!  Cribbed from the blog Good Stuff is the frightening modern world coming when men will be replaced with robots. I'm not surprised to find women might consider replacing us with plug-ins. It's our own fault. 

Son Ford Thomas Bluesman, Sculptor, Gravedigger and his son James c. 1992

Son Ford Thomas Bluesman, Sculptor, Gravedigger and his son James Leland, Mississippi c. 1992 
Original photograph Jim Linderman

Folk Art Tillie Toy circa 1930 Ashbury Park New Jersey Symbol Carnival Figure Original Paint

Handmade Folk Art Tillie, the famed character who represented the Ashbury Park, NJ arcade for a century.  Named after George Tilyou, the owner of Steeplechase Park in Coney Island…but it was the New Jersey Tillie who was saved by Bruce Springsteen fans.

"Tillie" Folk Art carving made from cigar box wood. Circa 1930.  Eyes move.  Collection Jim Linderman

Lincoln Statue by H. Landsverk Folk Art Sculpture

Lincoln Statue by H. Landsverk.  Does anyone know what happened to Big Abe?

Flirting with Death Hollywood's Stunt Stars in Person Photographic Lobby Cards

Some slick format photographs for promoting an appearance of the Hollywood Stunt Stars, each 10" x 13".  I haven't found any references to the production, so date is a guess.

Flirting with Death Hollywood's Stunt Stars in Person Photographic Lobby Cards circa 1950?  Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb  THANKS to Curley's Antiques.

The FIRST Elvis Impersonator was a DAME! Elvira Presley 1957

The First Elvis Impersonator Elvira Presley!

Complete with guitar-shaped pasties, Elvira Presley hits the stage in 1957 in the not-so legendary strip dump "The Near and Far Club" operated by Al and Mal Warner in Los Angeles.  They were looking for a sensational act to celebrate a club makeover, and when they heard of a model who looked like the "Mississippi Peckerwood" Elvis, they convinced her to put on Levi jeans and then immediately take them off on stage!  Complete with Elvis gyrations which even Ed Sullivan would have enjoyed.

Elvira was thus not only the first Elvis Impersonator, she was the first with 38-28-37 measurements!  Like the real Elvis, she came from Mississippi. 

The act began with the house orchestra playing "Don't Be Cruel" while Elvira made her entrance with a guitar.  As the band continued performing without paying royalties to the illegal immigrant Colonel Tom Parker, Elvira pops out of her Levis to "Blue Suede Shoes" and then out-hip-shakes the hip shaker with "Hound Dog" while tearing off her bra revealing sequins shaped like a Nashville guitar-shaped Swimming Pool!

Elvira became the first to set the standard Elvis Impersonator patter.  When interviewed by the press, her answers are filled with "I hope he would be flattered" responses, but she avoids the "it's not an imitation, it's a tribute" banal platitude adopted by every single Elvis imitator since.  It was an imitation for sure.

Uncredited Photographs appeared in Modern Man Magazine 1957

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