Dapple Painted Honky Tonk Piano and a few Burleskers photograph collection Jim Linderman

No date, but a nice photograph of the "glory" days of burlesque.  Note folk art dapple-painted piano at left and performer slugging hooch.

Original photograph no date Collection Jim Linderman

Antique Folk Art Whirligig Sawing Wood Man

Antique Folk Art Whirligig Sawing Wood Man.  A whopper...23 inches tall.  This would have been quite the sight on a windy day when intact.

Whirligig Fragment Collection Jim Linderman

Pick a Pair of Folk Art Peckers Antique Handmade Chicken Toy Original Paint collection Jim Linderman

Vintage Homemade Folk Art Toy with Original Paint collection Jim Linderman

A Tintype GHOST collection Jim Linderman

A tintype ghost.  "A bad Victorianish" painted backdrop has through wear become a ghastly apparition over this bloke's shoulder!  

I spent five years looking "behind the sitter" in every tintype I could find putting together my book titled "The Painted Backdrop" available in easy $5.99 ebook form, ahem, HERE.  I still can't break the habit.  Which is fine, as the backdrops are often far more interesting than the people.  In this case, particularly so.

$5.99 ebooks by Jim Linderman available HERE. 

This Is Why the Girls Leave Home (?) Heavyweight Mackenroth Brothers and B. E. Howlett

Some serious poundage from the Great Depression!  How four brothers managed to put on so much chunk when the rest of the country was struggling is beyond me, but here they are.  Look close at the upper right and you'll see they are standing in front of a bakery.  That might give us a clue.  Fat cats. 

GRILS???   That one is easy, our fat-fingered typist meant "Girls" certainly.

Why the Girls Leave Home?  Hmm.  A song title, at least twice.  Once in 1914 and again in the 1940s.  I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the photo.   

Books and ebooks by Jim Linderman are available HERE

Original Snapshot 1933 Anonymous, Collection Jim Linderman

Vintage Folk Art Handmade Tiger Mask (Go Tigers) Circa 1950 collection Jim Linderman

Vintage Folk Art Handmade Tiger Mask (Go Tigers) Circa 1950 collection Jim Linderman

The Detroit Tigers are in the playoffs and need my support!  The rest of the city? Well...it's a little more complicated.

Vintage Folk Art Handmade Gameboard Parcheesi Original Paint circa 1920 Collection Jim Linderman

Vintage Folk Art Handmade Game Board Parcheesi circa 1920 Collection Jim Linderman

Dapple Painted Depression Era Blonde Dame Folk Art Woman Wood Carving Collection Jim Linderman

Dapple Painted Depression Era Blonde Dame  Folk Art Woman Wood Carving with Original Paint
Collection Jim Linderman

True Crime Lost in Time ? Siple RELEASED? Hex Ridden Witchcraft Murder

True Crime Lost in Time ?  Siple RELEASED?  Hex Ridden Witchcraft Murder.

Well, I'm not quite sure how one makes a mistake about a faith healer killing his family, but sure enough, read the small notation scribed by someone down at the paper.  "Siple was released"

Released? 

"Father seized in "Hex" Death"

"Howard Siple, 33 year old faith healer and head doctor, has been jailed at Clarksburg, W. VA, charged with the "witchcraft murder," of his 12-year old daughter, Helen, and the poisoning of six others of his nine children.  Siple migrated to Clarksburg from the Hex-Ridden farmland near York, PA.  Siple is shown above left standing beside a state policeman.  7/3/34"

Now here is a real mystery for you.  Why is Siple smiling if his family was murdered?  I can only think it was a mistake, maybe involving a bad furnace and carbon monoxide?  But even so, why is Siple SMILING?  What is a "Head" doctor?  For that matter, what is a "Hex Ridden Faith Healer?"

I looked around a little and found less.  Short of calling the town historian, I'm not quite sure how to figure this one out.  As you can see, they cops "collared" him…but the touch up guy at the newspaper actually drew in the collar.

Howard Siple Original Press Photograph 1934 Collection Jim Linderman

Folk Art Kicking Man Whirligig Remnant

Folk Art Man Kicks Mule. What is left of a "Man Kicks Mule" Whirligig.  Intricate mechanism inside allows the arm to be pulled down producing a firm kick in the rear.  Circa 1930?  
Collection Jim Linderman

Debt Crisis Averted! Giant Texas Dollars to Pay Off Debt

Now that Junior Senator Crazy Cruz has somehow achieved the impossible:  becoming as hated as it took fellow Republican Dick Nixon DECADES to do…the debt looms over us like never before.  Cruz is formerly best known as an advisor to George Bush (the little one) also of Texas (purportedly.) He is now widely recognized as the biggest fruity pebble in the box.  So it is appropriate Texas has offered to pay off the Chinese with the biggest bucks in history!  Five times the size of regular dollars, each "Houston Buck" is worth one million dollars, and fully backed by the bank of the memory of Sam Houston! 

With the motto "The Eyes of Texas" (are upon you) the huge currency lauds the city, but omits that the state has 25 million inhabitants without health insurance.  Not to matter!  With money like this, every one of us can afford the emergency room for even a hangnail!

BIGass Houston Dollar 1952 Premier Printing Houston  Collection Jim Linderman

Life Size Folk Art Mannequin Head with Recessed Blue Eyes collection Jim Linderman

Life Size Folk Art Mannequin Head with Recessed Blue Eyes No Date 
Collection Jim Linderman

Daguerre's American Legacy on Exhibit

 

A trip to France may not be in my cards, but then it IS fitting this landmark  exhibit is located in the town from which Louis J. M. Daguerre hails.   It will also be documented in the new book Daguerre's American Legacy: Photographic Portraits 1840-1900 as well…and it is reviewed in the newest issue of the Photogram, the Michigan Photographic Historical Society Newsletter from where these images come.  The Book, the Show and the Newsletter are all wonderful and recommended.

Wm. B. Becker is the founder of the American Museum of Photography, is a multiple Emmy winner and a collector fortunate to have started his collection 40 years ago. Co-Curated by 
Professor Francois Brunet of the University of Paris. 
 
Follow the links above for more information!

Subscriptions to the Photogram are available HERE.

Richard and the Hollywood Puppet Show! Vintage Vernacular Photographs

Richard and the Hollywood Puppet Show.  Group of three original snapshot photographs, circa 1950 Collection Jim Linderman

Woman with Checkered Dress Folk Art Lawn Art

Woman with Checkered Dress Folk Art Lawn Art Collection Jim Linderman

See also IN-SITU: AMERICAN FOLK ART IN PLACE book and Ebook HERE

Juvenile Gospel Singers with Hair Grease

Juvenile Gospel Singers with Hair Grease is a post on the Old Time Religion site as well.  

The young Brown boys gussied up for performance with pomade!  
Real Photo Postcard (no date) 
Collection Jim Linderman

Articulated Figure Graphic Design Postcard from the USPS (Chicago Branch)

Articulated Figure Graphic Design Postcard from the USPS (Chicago Branch)

No Date Collection Jim Linderman
BOOKS and $5.99 ebooks by Linderman HERE

The Forgotten and Deserving Coen Brothers film Catherine Zeta Jones Files for Divorce

Film predicts reality, as Catherine Zeta Jones has apparently decided to divorce Michael Douglas.  I have no idea why, and it is none of my business…but what poses as "news" today brought it to my attention.  Which is why I watched the most underrated Coen Brothers movie ever,  Intolerable Cruelty.    How well does she play the uber-litigious spurned spouse?  You'll see if you take my advice.

Personally, and I'll go right out and say it...she reminds me of the first woman Bruce Springsteen married.  Remember her name?  Nope.  An actress.  Again, I have no idea of the irreconcilable differences between Catherine and Liberace...but I hope they can work it out. 

Lost at the time, as it appeared to be yet another cruddy romantic comedy…guess what folks?  It's a COEN BROTHERS MOVIE and it is great.  A gift.  It's like being given a present you couldn't even imagine..   FULL of Coen brothers odd film angles, weird perspectives, outrageous characters… and every bit as funny as the Dude's dream.

By the way...Inside Llewyn Davis isn't the first film making use of a folksinger by the brothers.  Let's just say Paul Simon songs appears on the soundtrack. Often.  Repeatedly.  Hilariously. 

Watch it while you wait for Inside Llewyn Davis.

You'll thank me.

Antique Folk Art African-American Puppet Doll Head Sculpture

Antique Folk Art African-American Puppet Doll Head Sculpture  Collection Jim Linderman

Asphalt Bootjack

Asphalt Bootjack No Date

Collection Jim Linderman

Antique Folk Art Painted Barn Door Star Original Paint collection Jim Linderman

Antique Folk Art Painted Barn Door Star Original Paint and wooden latch.  
Collection Jim Linderman

Buck Barry Singing Cowboy of WOOD TV

Buck Barry Singing Cowboy of WOOD TV
Every town with a television station had their own local celebrities, and they still do.  The local weatherman is still recognized when he goes to the mall, and local broadcasters still make their appearances at local food festivals and such.  My local celeb as a boy was Buck Barry. Check out the primitive "cowboy style double B brand" signature!

I've found two pieces of Buck Barry detritus since moving back to Michigan and each brought a smile, as I was on Buck's afternoon show along with the other members of my cub scout troop.  How my (Den) mother arranged for it is a mystery now, but it was just one of the things she did while raising me which I have learned to appreciate.  No, I did not "buck up" in cowboy drag like the little buckaroos here…I wore my cub scout uniform, and remember being terrified to lead the pledge of allegiance at the start of the show.

I was prepared to slam Buck with my typical hip irony, but it  turns out Mr. Barry the buckaroo had quite a career before settling in as the afternoon three stooges host.  (He introduced a segment every day, and made sure we understood their gags were not to be done at home.) 

Buck Joseph Barry was a singing cowboy with Gene Autry Credentials.  He was born in 1917 and rode with the Col. Tim McCoy Wild West Show starting in 1938.  He landed a radio gig on WOOD radio which eventually led to his afternoon television show.  He often yodeled on the show and played a sunburst Gibson while doing it.  He recorded one 45 rpm with The Countrymen and gave a lesson on the flip side.

There were two horses named Thunder (who also appeared with Buck at events.)  One was lost in a fire, but everyone pitched in and bought Buck Thunder two.  Both are shown in my "Thunder career-spanning" ephemera collection! 

The Cowboy revival band "Riders in the Sky" have a special relationship with Buck's memory…Fred "Too Slim" LaBour who plays bass in for the band is a Grand Rapids native and credits Buck with their yodeling.

The Buckaroo Rodeo ran for nearly 15 years on WOOD-TV out of Grand Rapids.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum, who mounted a Buck Berry exhibit in 1997, provides the studio set photograph above.  More information on Buck is HERE and his wiki is HERE

Buck is buried in Texas.

Official Buck Barry postcard swag collection LIttle Jimmy Linderman