Frederick's of Hollywood closed all their retail outlets this year. A shame. Somewhere between on-line sales and the power of Victoria's secret lies the reason. Soon, all retail will be gone and shopping neighborhoods will only be good for an ice cream cone or one of those dough pretzels. There is just no way to compete with online sales, at least in America. If what remains of the middle class had any disposable income anymore, they might walk into a mall once in a while...but it won't last much longer. Soon even the minimum wage retail jobs will be gone. Stores will hire extra help for Black Friday and lay them off the day after.
Still, Frederick's lasted quite a little while. The company was started in 1947, but it was taken private by a conglomerate after bankruptcy in 2014. It is now owned by "Authentic Brands Group" who buys brands to license them for tacky products. They own Elvis, Muhammad Ali and Marilyn Monroe too. Authentic!
Vintage Frederick's of Hollywood cribbed from ebay.
It's bad enough to move a refrigerator, but when the International Harvester company went into the fridge business, they had to move their humongous fabricated salesman too! Many of the ill-fated giant boxes survive, but I am not sure where the dummy ended up. I also do not find anything which indicates the box "ran silent" which is no surprise.
The web is full of folks asking if the International Harvester refrigerator they found in the barn has any value. One helpful suggestion says "they make great smokehouses" and another drilled a hole in his for a spigot and keeps a keg of beer inside!
Apparently the machine talked too...I don't know if the dummy did. There is another postcard with a woman trying to open the giant door, and it says the box talked to her on the reverse.
Real Photo Postcard 1951 "Have just seen this 13 ft. giant at the 1951 Ohio State Fair. He was telling every one about the many exclusive feathers of the International Harvester Refrigerators and Freezers" caption on reverse. Collection Jim Linderman
From CURLEY'S ANTIQUES.
Antique Folk Art Turnwheel Crank Whirligig Sculpture made from Cigar Boxes, circa 1940 Collection Jim Linderman
A pair of large, hand carved Turkey Vultures! Aieeee! Also known as Turkey Buzzard, John Crow or Carrion Crow. These wooden figures (in original paint) were possibly used as decoys to scare away vermin? I have no idea, but they certainly seem appropriate for the season.
"Turkey Vultures are accustomed to living near humans and snacking off of our leavings. You will often see them in farm fields or hanging out next to the road. However, they are not likely to be in your backyard unless something has died…" Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Pair of wooden turkey vultures, circa 1940 Collection Jim Linderman
Untitled (Big Head Parade of 1940) Vintage Snapshot photograph by Leslie H. Gardner November 1940 collection Jim Linderman
The visually acuity team here at Dull Tool Dim Bulb finds proof the 1950s comics were as bad as Kefauver and his confederates thought. Veronica is BETTIE. Page, to be exact. Here Dan DeCarlo (of Archie Fame) bases a gag drawing on America's favorite fetish model! The Bettie page photo is from a stereoslide of the model which circulated in the late 1950s. DeCarlo reportedly first freelanced for Archie Comics in the late 1950s. Betty and Veronica were created before DeCarlo took over the drawing duties, but certainly he was looking at some smut during his off hours.
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Early automobile race? Horse race? Guesses? Somebody is going to need a whole lot of chalk. Undated Snapshot
Vintage Folk Art Sculpture Carnival Ball Toss Collection Jim Linderman
Wood with metal border, sharpened at edges for industrial cut of an apple form Undated, circa 1940.
Collection Jim Linderman
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A Pair of Painted Pixies frolic in the buff. Estate Sale Find (two dollars for the pair.) Circa 1980.
Antique Scarecrow Photographic Essay Ephemeral Folk Art Figures at the Farm Collection Jim Linderman 19th and early 20 Century snapshots of working dummys! USE WITH PERMISSION ONLY. See also the new book THE BIRTH OF ROCK AND ROLL for a photograph collection and music book unlike any you have seen.
A young boy draws America's game in 1932. Cubs and Yanks appear on the scoreboard. The two teams played each other in the World Series in 1932 and 1938, but I am calling this undated drawing 1932 because it was the series Babe Ruth called his home run. Maybe he did it for the boy who drew this at home listening on the radio.
Vintage Sleaze the Blog comes and goes without warning. It is currently on hiatus, but this couldn't wait. Original watercolor circa 1940 and reverse Will You Sleep with me Jac? Please? Collection Jim Linderman Stay tuned to Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Blog for upcoming projects. Thanks. Also of interest, The Birth of Rock and Roll is available from Amazon HERE and Dust to Digital HERE.
Original Photograph 1940 by Leslie H. Gardner. Collection Jim Linderman
Also of interest, The Birth of Rock and Roll is available from Amazon HERE and Dust to Digital HERE.
