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.