My favorite chair of all time is the one Gary Panter designed for Pee Wee Herman long ago. He also made one for the "kid's rec room" at the Paramount Hotel on West 46th Street, and I used to sneak dates in there late at night after shows in Times Square. He recreated the Playhouse in miniature, and for years it was the best-kept secret in Hell's Kitchen. Then they locked it...then they closed it. Sigh. Gary Panter is one of my favorite artists, search him up, you won't be let down. He is also a terribly nice fellow, I've met him briefly several times. He doesn't really look like Jimbo the pre-historic punk rocker.
The first chair here is a discovery. I found it in a flea market 15 miles from Herman Miller central, so I suspect it is an early prototype. It is handmade, without nails (glue) and the cut-out in the chair back is uneven...this was not a manufactured piece, although it should have gone into production, it is literally more sculpture than seat. As you can see from the average size banana clump, it is also quite small. I've submitted it to the editors at Atomic Ranch for their experts to figure out...any help out there in the meantime would be very much appreciated. The plywood is ancient. I said ANY HELP OUT THERE?The other chairs here? In order: The metal "one arm" school chair at the National Inventor's Congress in 1932 (are they only that old?) The fashionable "handbag chair" which is indeed that. A purse which opens up to "support the heaviest sitter" in 1925. The R. J. "IDEAL" chair in 1926. Finally, a huge chair made in the largest chair town in the world!
Modern three-leg chair, c. 1950 Collection Jim Linderman
Original Press Photos, 1932, 1925, 1926 Collection Jim Linderman
Gardner Largest Chair real photo post card 1908 Collection Jim Linderman
A serene, quiet, safe, modern, perfect example of WHITE COLLAR CRIME? "Another Planned Community" by Robert J. Schmertz. In addition to owning the Boston Celtics and the Portland Trail Blazers, Schmertz founded Leisure Technology, a developer of retirement communities. In 1975, Schmertz was indicted by a New Jersey grand jury on bribery charges. He was accused of bribing a local Mayor for favorable real estate deals. Schmertz pled innocent to the charges, but In July of that year he died. Leisure Technology would become a major developer of retirement communities, but would go bankrupt in 1991. I do not know if these models were ever built ... actually make that "Robilt...Homes of Guaranteed Quality".Trio of Advertising post cards, c. 1970. Collection Jim Linderman
The Four Jessup Brothers, Jimmy, Charity, Darrel and Byron, the oldest only 23, are putting on a religious healing show. The boys are literally "laying them in the aisles" as shown in the above photo of a woman patient swooning into the arms of Jimmy, the "catcher" after Charley finished his "cure."Original 1939 Press Photo, collection Jim Linderman
TO SEE MY BLOG OF SIMILAR MATERIAL click OLD TIME RELIGION
Group of tin Japanese badges, c. 1960 Collection Jim Linderman
The demise of Jacko has had me thinking about music, authenticity, value and how they intertwine. It is increasingly difficult for me to write about music without sounding bitter or elitist, so the best approach is virtually no approach. The incredible Joe Bussard probably has a greater effect on my ears than Entertainment Tonight or TMZ...so i'll just refer you to his website and leave it at that. I was born the same year Hank Williams died with his boots on, the year Elvis recorded his first tune, a year after Harry Smith released the Anthology, ten years before Dylan signed with Columbia and 20 years before Willie went outlaw. I was in the first row to see Muddy Waters, James Brown, RL Burnside, Dr. John, Bill Monroe, Ike and Tina and an 18 year old Alison Krauss...so I can hardly complain about anything musical anyway. But you know what? There just seems to be something wrong with someone taking "Thriller" money and outbidding Sir Paul for his own lifeblood (and later refusing to sell it back to him) I'll just post my two favorite publicity photos of all time and leave it at that. It's ALL good.Two Press Photos. The Undisputed Truth 1971 and Take Me to your Leader 1958 Collection Jim Linderman
Grab your ape hangers and hit the big slab! We don't need no skid lid brain bucket, just jack the jiffy, mount, blip, crack and catwalk. These sleds are pure NBD and they show it...just check the skin! Any one of the would blow any pasta or rice rocket, and if the pussies even TRY to SQUID, they'll sparkle the pavement and surf. Thrash it, but avoid static, and above all stay vertical, Angel. Keep the dirty side down.Five Street Chopper Cards (from a set of 60) TRM publications, circa 1977 Collection Jim Linderman
Pair of Real Photo Postcards c. 1910 Collection Jim Linderman
Bottle Farms are traditionally understood as an African-American phenom imbued with spiritual baggage from Africa. Could be...however, they are also a documented Caucasian practice. This is also my nomination for the oddest official historical marker in the country. See if you agree. Text of Roadside Marker follows:
A direct descendant of original settlers in Jackson Township, Winter Zellar (Zero) Swartsel was born in 1876. Throughout his life he was a natural born showman, teacher, eccentric, anarchist, and “possibly the grandfather of American Pop Culture.” At a young age and tired of the routines of Farmersville, he declared that, “He would live by his wits while his brothers lived by the sweat of their brows.” He and a friend bicycled first to New York City and then turned around to head west and eventually the world. Later his home would overflow with items collected while traveling the world. Outside was a similar story. While chiding the American people for their wastefulness and abusing their environment, his 22 acres of farmland became his artist's canvas filled with the thousands of items he collected from the “wasteful.” Winter Zellar (Zero) Swartsel's farm property became a field of glass as he adorned it with sculptures and “art” using glassware of all kinds, bells, bed frames, wood, and other discarded items. His finest works, fashioned from bottles titled “Kindly Light” and “Full Measure” created the popular Farmersville Bottle Farm. The farm also provided interesting listening experiences. In addition to the bells and twinkling glass that rang out in the wind, residents in town could count on hearing “The Old Rugged Cross” played on loud speakers on Sundays. Bells on grazing sheep added to the “noises” he described as restful. The farm attracted visitors from every state in the nation except Delaware. Dying in 1953, Swartsel bequeathed his land to the community to become the Farmersville-Jackson Township Joint Recreation Park to be used for the pleasure of children.
Snapshot of Swartsel bottle farm, c. 1955? Collection Jim Linderman
Note on Reverse:
"When the preacher wishes to stop the dancing he has a big bell which he rings. But sometimes it fails; the spirit has too much of a hold upon them and all the ringing in the world wouldn't stop --- so it just winds up in the bell being rung in a rhytmatic (sic) manner and the spirit emotions overcome the preachers who too begin dancing"
Pair of Original 8" x 10" Photographs, Dated 1937 Unknown Photographer. Collection Jim Linderman
TO SEE MY BLOG OF SIMILAR MATERIAL click OLD TIME RELIGION
A revolution in photography...except that I can't quite figure out what it does. I don't think Mr. Jacobus knows either. Original Glossy Press Photograph 1936 Collection Jim Linderman
Two Real Photo Postcards, date unknown. Collection Jim Linderman
