Mrs. Albert Friedrich's Rattle Snake Deer

Life size deer made of 657 Texas Rattle Snake Rattles "the patient and artistic work" of Mrs. Albert Friedrich, San Antonio Texas.
"Life Size Deer" Curteich Postcard c. 1950. Collection Jim Linderman

Rev. Anderson Johnson Artist Singer Preacher

The congregation of Reverend Elder Bishop Anderson Johnson numbered in the thousands, but they were virtually all painted by the preacher himself and most hung by threads from the ceiling instead of sitting in pews. Surrounded by crime, blight, drugs and wig shops, he appeared to lead a quiet life on Ivy Street in Newport News, VA following a long career of selfless ministry. I am only now beginning to appreciate, some 15 years after my first visit, how special was his gift and talent. Within the door of his church and home a dark cave of religious passion entirely of his own making awaited. Completely surrounded by his own paintings of "followers" he performed on guitar, pedal steel and piano, hidden within the walls and largely for himself. I was surprised years later to find he had recorded commercially. Despite many conversations about his life, service and mission, he never mentioned his gospel steel guitar recordings made by Henry Stone in Florida in the late 1950's released on the Glory and Angel Labels. I understand there has been a resurgence of steel guitar gospel players in Florida since, I suspect the roots of this movement were planted by Reverend Johnson. He passed away near poverty, but at least one painting was added to the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 1998. He once told me, in all seriousness, the reason he painted so many portraits was that he hoped to find work as a courtroom artist. The house he transformed was destroyed by urban renewal (which in this case was needed, believe me) Portions of the environment also remain in historic preservation museum projects in Virginia and in private collections. There is a beautiful essay about his life on the website of the Middle Passage Project run by the College of William and Mary. Some of Mr. Johnson's recordings have been reissued, one appears on the Dust-To-Digital "Goodbye, Babylon" box set of 2003

Original 35mm photographs 1993-1995 collection Jim Linderman

Wallace the Dictator Box Set

I have some friends who create the most beautiful box sets of sound recordings, and I mean truly beautiful works of art by any standard. One day I intend to link to them all. But even they might have trouble matching the glory of "WALLACE DICTATES" which came with six 78 rpm records each in fold out sleeves, no less than ten printed inserts of various forms, including the book "A Woman's Birthright" (a slim body) with 15 pages of testimonials, a diet chart to record your progress and more in a HUGE box which they were able to mail for 15 cents. The original owner of my set lost 5 pounds she dutifully recorded, an amount about equal to the weight of the box. Wallace Camp founded the Wallace Institute in 1920. Shown are only a smidgen of graphics including the time-dishonored technique of "Before and After" testimonials.

Wallace Records Box Set Chicago Illinois c. 1940 Insert details collection Jim Linderman

Three Original Sponge Bobs

Must be HOT in these suits, note tacky air-conditioner and wire next to the fellow in the middle here. Some "museum." Sponges are alive but don't have any guts! They just sit around with water rushing through them for nutrition. If you want to read some big words, look them up...(gemmules, viviparous, spicules, syncythia, homoscleromorpha, halkieriids, chancelloriids, sessile, calcareous, cchonocytes, asconoid, endosybionts and on and on and on) No wonder we prefer plastic ones. By the way, these are indeed "bobbers" as they would float unless wearing lead shoes.
Three "spongeworthy" postcards, c. 1960 collection Jim Linderman

Another Bob (Horrors in Wax #3)

Say...isn't that something? Bob "Ski-Nose" Hope's head packed securely for a trip to the wax museum back room. Mr. Hope lived until the age of 100 yet never told an old joke. This is a press photograph, earlier known as wire photos, radiophotos, telediagraph and belinograph (jeepers, am I looking up words today) There has been some question as to the legality of buying and selling press photos, they have copyrights after all...but I guess if the agency wants this one back, they need just ask.

"Heading for Cold Storage" UPI press Original Photo 1968 Collection Jim Linderman

Incongruity Tintype The Painted Backdrop

Not Harmonious. Lacking Propriety. Incompatible. Incoherent and Illogical. Those are dictionary entries. "That's just wrong" says it these days. Incongruity marks most tintype photographs. ANY photo was still just about fine, since a good part of the country still had very few photo albums indeed. The photographers who were in business collected around crowds for the most part...vacation spots, large cities, and at the end of the train line where folks joined horse transportation to REALLY reach home. 1880 or so, this baby might be incongruously posed against a sunny seashore (or even a raging storm for that matter) but I'm pretty sure it was the first time she had her image documented and given the life-span and lack of antibiotics, it could have even been the last. My book The Painted Backdrop will be published in 2010.

Original tintype with backdrop c. 1880 Collection Jim Linderman

The Devil has the whole world Hypnotized Tract (let)

What is smaller than a Tract? A TRACTLET! A one page version of the small booklet warnings you'll remember finding on your windshield after shopping or being handed while you're in line for a rock concert. The most famous tract company is Chick Publications, named after Jack Chick, a man who could not decide to pray or draw, so he did both. I was pleased to see Chick has kept up with the times for you young kids, creating cyber "flip pages" for the Lord which you can even select and embed in your own webpage. (I have chosen not to, but I bet you will)

Chick Publications
Miniature One page Tractlet Gospel Stationary & Tract House, c. 1890 Collection Jim Linderman

Rev. N. T. Rucker Brown's Holy Chapel

Unknown Location, American South c. 1995 Original 35mm photo collection Jim Linderman

Color if you like Draw if you like

Crayola comes from the French words for chalk (craie) and oily (oleaginous) which were joined in1903 by Alice Stead Binney, wife of industrialist J.W. Binney. Binney's company was responsible for RED BARNS... how iconic is that? His company created the first red paint containing red oxide. Binney's boys had also invented a carbon stick which was used to mark barrels but it was toxic, they later came up with a product safe enough for children to eat, stick in their nose or mark any surface they could reach.

Pages from Child's commercial drawing and coloring book c. 1920 collection Jim Linderman

Split Silk Baptist Church

Original 35mm Photo Between Atlanta and Athens, GA c. 1995 Collection Jim Linderman

Dull Tool Dim Bulb's Greatest Hits art photography culture humor

JUMBO PICTURE ARCHIVE

(click the Blue for Dull Tool Dim Bulb Greatest Hits compilation, watch as slideshow)

1954 "Ten in One" Circus Sideshow Banner Photographs At the Circus in Black and White (in COLOR)

I'll post the history and such later. Until then, sometimes don't you wish you were born a few years earlier than you were?

4 Original Kodakcolor Prints (w/details) Week of December 6, 1954 Collection Jim Linderman

Tintype Painter Backdrop Occupational Pair Tintype The Painted Backdrop

Pair of tintype photographs depicting a painter working on a photographer's backdrop. My book The Painted Backdrop will be published in 2010

Two original tintype photographs c. 1870 Collection Jim Linderman

Country Gentleman Crooners (Horrors in Wax #2)

Gentleman country crooner Wax Roy Acuff, front and center, tries to attract attention from his better dressed friends Wax Webb Pierce, Wax Carl Smith and Wax Hank Snow. Webb Pierce is the one in the spider web outfit.
Wax Museum Post Card C. 1965 Collection Jim Linderman

Mob Hits Oswald in Wax (Horrors in Wax #1)

The FIRST in my new series "Horrors in Wax"

Wax Lee Harvey Oswald, the only "lone nut" who worked for American Intelligence in at least four countries meets his old friend Wax Jack Ruby, who had more connections to the mob than Carlos Marcello.

Wax Museum Post Card circa 1965 Collection Jim Linderman

The Last Word in Sewing Cards

The most primitive, my favorite, and proof sometimes little brother helped. See following posts.

Primitive hand-sewn card, c. 1900 Collection Jim Linderman

Leaf Sewing Cards

Same thing as the post following, but secular and much more fun! Milton Bradley invented the paper cutter (!) but his endearing quality was quality toys. I can't date this set, but each represents a different leaf, thus teaching the child understanding of the world around them rather than the one only available to those who follow. These splendid cards would easily date to the late 1800's, but the company continued producing them in various versions, such as farm animals, well into the 1950's.

Leaf Sewing Cards and box c. 1880 Hand-Stitched Collection Jim Linderman

The Law of Love Temperance Lesson Sewing Card

A "stitch by hand" religious card. Most commonly known as "sewing cards" these were primitive pre-printed versions of 18th century samplers. Their function was to encourage a young woman to learn a proper home skill with a bonus moral lesson. "For God and Home and Native Land" was a slogan of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the white ribbons printed on the thread frame represent purity. The Reverend W. F. Crafts had a long career arguing for censorship, "blue laws" and such, his wife advocated Sunday School and wholesome pursuits as this card. Dated April 1903, one could subscribe and receive four cards a year. Publishers Ward & Drummond printed Mormon books among other religious material.

The Law of Love Temperance Lesson Hand-Stitched 1903 Collection Jim Linderman

Chess McCartney the Goatman

Forgive me for recently forgetting the birthday of Chess McCartney, the Goatman, who settled in Georgia after decades of travel across the country with goats pulling his wagon. By all accounts, his approaching town was announced by clanging pans and bleating animals, followed soon after by his pungent odor.

Free Thinking Christian Mission Headquarters of Chess McCartney The Goatman RRPC c. 1957 Collection Jim Linderman

Vintage Erotic Photography Site SSSSH!

NOW PUBLISHED IN BOOK FORM! Link HERE
NOTE: Shy Shamed Secret Shadowed Hidden blog was closed by the provider. Too Hot for the Web!!! Sample images, the essay and other material from the site is posted HERE