Secrets of 42nd Street and Fugitive Literature Ted Poole and The Missing Book

"Legitimate" books are those for which the Library of Congress received two free copies. That is how copyright is established for a book. (It is also a smart way for the nation's library to build their collection) It is also a law, in some states anyway, that books published must show the actual publisher and location where it was printed. These laws are enforced selectively...so that, for example, a mobster printing smut could be found guilty of SOMETHING to keep the magazine racks clean, even if his product did not satisfy the nebulous requirements to be banned as obscene.


Book folk, of which I am one, refer to books not within the system of copyright and above-ground publication as "fugitive literature" when they lack any form of bibliographic control. No Library of Congress number, no ISBN, no indexing and I suppose no "accountability" though I don't think the Constitution had an ISBN number. Or Walden, Common Sense and Leaves of Grass for that matter, but they all do now.


Try to find a copy of Secrets of 42nd Street. I did for a year. I failed! And I hate to fail.


Now this could be for many reasons. Rare? Thrown away? A ruse designed to collect $1.98 from pervs who lived in Podunk? Trust all are quite possible. If any of you actually HAVE a copy, let me borrow it...I need it and my research doesn't depend on any stinking numbers!

I am starting to suspect this book may not have ever existed, nor did the apparent companion volume Secrets of Greenwich Village advertised two pages away. Unless they really were "fugitive" literature and just plain slipped into and out of the system for good.


Claimed author Ted Poole existed...sorta. In addition to the ad copy here (From a 1960 issue of MAN to MAN, a real stinker from Picture Magazines, AKA Volitant Publishing, Adrian Lopez's pulp empire) I have found TWO articles Mr. Poole was responsible for. Ready? "The Lonely Women of Lesbos Island" which ran in Sir magazine in 1959 and "My Life in an Arab Harem" in South Sea Stories 1962. For all I know Ted was their staff writer, or as the copy claims their "famous adventure writer" as Sir isn't too well indexed either. Though it did spew fiction as fact for a long time.


So having established, almost, that Ted Poole existed, even if in pseudo anonymous form...you would think I could find a copy of the books. Nope. I'm not sure how carefully MAN to MAN checked their advertisers, but we might assume they didn't at all...so maybe this mail drop was a ruse and your money order crossed the bridge into Brooklyn only in turn to be loan-sharked back to some other looser in Queens. Or maybe the book was literally one mimeographed page...just enough to satisfy the price.

Whatever. I'm intrigued by the ad copy here and I need the book for my OWN book I am writing which WILL have a LC number and an ISBN. So if you have one, let me know. I'll even go the $1.98 but I'd prefer a real address, not a PO Box. I really, really need this book to strip it for content and then make fun of it.


I already know "where you can go for a cheap drink, when you're short" (The Landmark Tavern on Tenth Avenue and 46th...they waved me away once after three bourbons) and I also know what the ladies of the night "want..and how to outwit them" but that stays with me.


Seriously, if you know of a copy, share?


Jim Linderman is is author of "TIMES SQUARE SMUT" which tells the story of a few rouges who changed the world by publishing illegal soft-core digests during the 1950s.

MOST DULL TOOL DIM BULB BOOKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AS E-BOOK DOWNLOADS FOR THE I-PAD ($8.99 each) Check the catalog HERE



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Ablest Exhortation of Boy Preacher Paschl Porter CDV Photograph Collection Jim Linderman

Paschal Porter was born 1877 at Bee Camp (a settlement of four log cabins) on the Ohio River in Indiana. He was one of the few literate members of the community. He announced his desire to be a preacher at age five. By age eleven he was touring the country and beyond with his father and his manager Mr. Bingham. I say "beyond" as the boy preacher was a hit in Canada as well as the states.

The St. Andrews Bay Pilot March 15, 1888 reports on what much have been a typical performance. "Paschal Porter, the wonderful child revivalist, of Indiana, who is now only 11 years old, recently preached a sermon, in the Baptist Church at Williamstown, Ky., that astonished everybody who heard it. The pastor of the church says that he has read sermons on the same subject delivered by the ablest preachers, but not one of them could compare in power or in elegance of diction with the boy's exhortation."

Additionally, the Ashburton Guardian of November 24, 1888 reports "Among the coming sensations from America we to have a "pulpit tour" by a boy only 11 years of age, called the Rev. Paschal Porter. His eloquence is said to be such that thousands sit and listen to him for hours, while he preaches the most brilliant and profound sermons." The best copy on the little fellow is from the Little Falls New York Evening Times of March 21, 1888, which reports "So extraordinary are his powers that Simeon Marks the leading Hebrew of the village is so impressed the he almost believes little Paschl is the "Messiah for whom his race has so long waited."

I'm not going to argue with Mr. Marks, who was there (several times..it is said he attended many sermons) but as the Paschl trail ends in 1888, I am going to surmise he was not the second coming.


Original CDV Photograph by J.Q. Barloup, Williamstown KY with affixed newsprint and handwritten notes, 1888. Collection Jim Linderman

A post here on Dull Tool Dim Bulb AND old-time-religion.

See also Old Time Religion: Faith Healers, Miracle Men, Radio Preachers and Evangelists! Graphics of Revival, the Apocalypse and the Afterlife by Jim Linderman NOW AVAILABLE AS AN EBOOK AND IPAD DOWNLOAD for $5.99 as well as paperback and hardcover.

Deceive the Eye Trompe-l'oeil painting Art History from the Flea market

Too good to let stay behind, I purchased a quite remarkable trompe-l'oeil painting by an "amateur master" (soon to be my trademarked phrase) at an antique mall yesterday and promptly posted it in the Museum of Ebay. (Trademark pending)

SEE LISTING ON EBAY HERE

An "Art Lesson from the Flea Market" (My NEXT trademarked phrase, so don't even think about it.)

The best Trompe-l'oeil paintings are the ones done during the great Depression, when hungry artists would paint their dreams.. artists so poor, they literally PAINTED money. The idea is to render an object so good, you think it is sitting right on the canvas. Reach up and pluck that bill off...and go buy soup.

Also common in Trompe l'oeil are playing cards, and that's what my Sunday painter did...but he threw in a surrealistic twist and a reflection!

Quite a painting, but not my thing, so up it went. Have a look. Tell your friends. Deceive YOUR eye!

Bid like Oprah at a Shaker Auction! (Those in the trade will know what that refers to)

Trump any other Trompe bidders HERE

Trompe -l'oiel painting looking for a home Circa 1920-1930? Currently, but not for long, Collection Jim Linderman

Dull Tool Dim Bulb Books available HERE

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Best Devil Costume! Halloween Prize Winner Graphic

Best Costume! El Diablo gives it his best.

Early child's costume, circa 1950? No date of mfg. Collection Jim Linderman

Early Graffiti on a Rock for God Dull Tool Dim Bulb

From the pamphlet "God's Way of Salvation Illustrated by Comparison and Contrast" No Date (Circa 1930?) Gospel Folio Press.

See also Old Time Religion the Blog

Folk Art Tintype Background and Backdrop Naive and Primitive

NOTE: THE BOOK "PAINTED BACKDROP: BEHIND THE SITTER IN AMERICAN TINTYPE PHOTOGRAPHY 1860 - 1920" by JIM LINDERMAN is now AVAILBLE AS A DOWNLOAD FOR APPLE IPAD AND E-BOOKS
HERE








For me, the most beautiful tintype photographs are those which do not aspire to be something greater than they are, those with elaborate Victorian backdrops and over-decorative props. Far more beautiful, and representative of the times, are the makeshift, naive and primitive hand-painted backgrounds done by the amateurs and rudimentary early photographers. Traveling camera men who needed to control the background but enhanced a sheet of muslin, not silk.

Set of Folk Art Tintype Backdrops Collection Jim Linderman circa 1870-1880.

SEE ALSO THE BOOK THE PAINTED BACKDROP BY JIM LINDERMAN HERE

Trigger (Surface, Form, Patina) Willie Nelson

Trigger
Willie Nelson's Guitar
Photographer Unknown

Snake Scarecrow Robin Shocker! Research Expenditures of General Electric

So there has much in the press of late that General Electric, or GE, doesn't pay their fair share of taxes. Well I'm here to tell you the reason is the phenomenal amount of dollars they plow back into the company as research expenditures. Where do you think new products come from anyway?

GE Snake Shocker to Scare Robins Original Press Photograph, 1951 Collection Jim Linderman.

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Urban Exchange East Fulton Grand Rapids Consignment Class Community and Change

Big box retail is dying, long live little bags. As chain stores ruined the landscape by making every highway exit look exactly the same from coast to coast, I just quit traveling. Why go there if it looks just like here?

Greed got in the way too...the more the behemoths grew, the less they participated in the community and the more they ruined the lives of those they sold to. Stagnant with wages, reluctant with benefits...phooey on them. Gap has announced they are closing stores. Have you heard anyone say they will miss them? Well, if you do, just drive to the OTHER mall right across the exit exchange, there is a Gap there too, and they have the inventory of every one of the remaining 2,500 Gap stores.

Finally, in every urban center of the land, let the small neighborhood business thrive. Beholding to the community they serve, friendly and charming, with individual attention geared to their specific clients. Small business WILL drive the recovery, and with it hopefully bring back some community, some family, some taste and some love.

It will take some time, but it will happen. I have SEEN the recovery, and it is in hundreds of little gentrified neighborhoods like the East Fulton Business District in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A few short blocks, ethnically diverse, walking friendly, hype-free and lovely. If there is a sign or a logo there, it was made by hand and made locally. Full of beautiful, happy store clerks, beautiful, homemade things, real food from local owned restaurants in buildings which once stood vacant...but each of them with an architectural charm from the past and renewed vigor for the future. I am going to guess a few folks were employed to fix things up too.

I was so impressed with one little establishment I asked my family friend to take a picture. Urban Exchange is a perfect example of the new economy and new business model. A consignment shop, upscale but down home (and right down the street) filled with beautiful affordable things and beautiful friendly employees.

Urban Exchange is located at 926 East Fulton Street, in The East Fulton business district. Consignors may drop off pieces ANYTIME during business hours, although week day drop offs are preferred. No appointment is necessary. Urban Exchange pays 40% of the selling price for current fashion women’s clothes and accessories that are in excellent condition. They are looking for brands such as J. Crew, Banana Republic, Free People, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, H&M, BCBG, Bebe, Diesel, Nine West, Steve Madden, AND so much more! They are looking for funky tops, hip denim, every day khakis, comfy sweaters, cheeky coats, jackets, hats, shoes, jewelry, belts and handbags......and so much more! We also collect hand made fashions made from repurposed materials. They pay 40% of the selling price. Payments are available for pick up on the 1st of every month.

They will look through your items, assess the style and label, and ensure all pieces are in excellent condition. They ask only all pieces are freshly laundered and pressed, and they steam each piece before displaying. They select the items they would like to accept into their collection, enter the description into the computer and assign an item number. Unselected pieces may be picked up within 72 hours and will be donated or responsibly disposed of if not claimed. Pieces are displayed for 60 days. Any unsold items may be picked up prior or upon the 60th day. Unclaimed expired pieces will be donated or responsibly disposed of.

Okay, so I didn't write the description above. But Stephanie Johnson did, the proud business owner who hired and pays the salaries of several wonderful people...and you can see she did it with care, respect for her clients and love.

I am choosing to show the shoes only, not because I have a shoe fetish, but because every woman I know does...and the selection is lovely and colorful. The clothing here is beautiful, and both lovely women I was with tried things on and I ended up paying for one of them. The little shop was full of happy folks and no one was herded into a cattle cage to pay like the Gap checkout. In fact we had to ASK where to pay, and it was right behind us staffed by ANOTHER lovely person, who I am sure the boss knows the name off, and will likely one day know the name of her husband, should she have one, and her children too, again if that is what she chooses. Maybe one day the cashier will drive past and remember working there, and point it out to her children.

As we drove home, we passed the "occupy" folks. I agree with them, but they might start thinking a little smaller and doing a little better. Rick Danko, a gentle talented man I respected much, once said something like "We thought we could change the world, but maybe we should just try to help the neighborhood."

Urban Exchange, a business model for the recovery AND a splendid place to shop has a website HERE.

(Please note Urban Exchange did not select this "media placement" or ask for a "click-through rate" or anything like that. Nor did they ask for this endorsement. I just liked being there, and I can share.)

COOL SHOE PHOTOS BY TOM SMITH
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Untitled (Staff Meeting)

Pozart Portrait circa 1965 Untitled (First Shift?) Collection Jim Linderman

Incredible Cowboy Magician collection Jim Linderman

I know... I hate to see watermarks on images too...but lately things I have posted have turned up as refrigerator magnets on Ebay. In enormous quantities! So much for sharing. Which is also the reason you may see my name in the title field here more often.

Anyway, as I really love this original photograph of a Cowboy Magician, I'm sharing it here but not sharing it without credit, dammit.

Untitled Photograph, circa 1920? Collection Jim Linderman

Dull Tool Dim Bulb Visual Dictionary and Reference Manual

Toy Club of America products 1960

Old Folk Art Cat (Early Weathervane Fragment Folk Art Cat) Collection Jim Linderman

Wood doesn't last long outside, which is why most weathervanes that remain are metal. This one was made by hand, likely using a pattern from a hobbyist magazine. Traces of the original gray paint remain. Traces of the attached mount remain as well. One can tell if a wooden folk art weathervane is authentic by the age and wear...as there are prevailing winds (and an imperfect balance) the wear should be uneven. I have seen some nearly destroyed on one side, but with plenty of paint and color on the other.

Wooden Weathervane Figure, circa 1920? Collection Jim Linderman

Surly Punk mans the Ball Toss at the Carnival Vernacular Photograph collection Jim Linderman

Click to Enlarge to browse "PRIZES"

Undated photograph (Ball Toss) Collection Jim Linderman

Pin Up Pete Comic Book 1952 Pete Spins some Wartime Yarn

What were they thinking? The book Commies, Cowboys and Jungle Queens calls this pre-code debacle "a blatant vehicle for sexual fantasy." Hah! Published to no acclaim in 1952, this is issue number one (of one) of Pin Up Pete. The lives of a GI Casanova!

And sure enough, there stands Pete, fresh and clean, home from the war, with jungle girls and some hot tang from the Ice Capades on his arms. Inside, Pete is in much poorer shape, as he and his friends, rendered like Bill Mauldin's Joe (bearded and sloped) pour over pin-up conquests from Pete's past. I think they are supposed to be dead, and we are supposed to think wherever they are, they are still living their pin-up dreams in heaven.

The intended audience? Sheesh. Certainly not the 8 year old sons the vets who made it home produced. Could be their younger brothers who followed the war at home and were now about of "pin-up-pounding" age? Maybe an aging vet who only read comic books and wanted to relive the glory of his paper-doll friends instead of the horror of war?

Pete was a lucky man. Not only did he survive the war, he survived with every memory of his lusty comic-book cuties intact. He had them all in his dreams...and he's willing to kiss and tell. Nary a Rosie the Riveter escaped his dogging...and in his mind they were all tough, beautiful and somewhat dominant dames, just like every cartoonist with a pervy bent drew them before Kefauver forced them into drawing REAL smut to make a living!

Whatever, There was only one issue, and from an age when anything went in comic books...just like today!

Some pages have a pin drawn in! Maybe so few of these exist today because kids tore it up and stuck them on the wall just like real pinups?

The great BookSteve has a copy and so do I. I'll post some of the pages he didn't.

Pin Up Pete: Loves of a GI Casanova! Toby Press (A Minoan Magazine) 1952 Collection Victor Minx

This is also a post on Vintage Sleaze the Blog
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Find the Drunken Duck (German Health Club)

"Gesenheit Verfin" translates to "Health Club"...so this is a joke photo, unless you feel beer is good for your health, in which case it is no joke. Except for the duck.

Real Photo Postcard circa 1900 Collection Jim Linderman

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STUMP MAN Folk Art Vernacular Snapshot Collection Jim Linderman

Close relative to the Scarecrow.

Untitled Vernacular Photograph (Ephemeral Sculptural Figure) circa 1940 Collection Jim Linderman