Photos, videos and docs of Alan Mays, with the keywords: "blue"

Lobster, Hamburger, and a Coke

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 04:56:02 +0000

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of forks, knives, and/or spoons.

Yum! The photographer caught this woman in midbite as she lifted a forkful of lobster to her mouth. This is an undated slide with no location information.

Ice Cream Ticket, F. W. Fraley, August 19, 1916

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 03:24:02 +0000

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An ice cream ticket used by Frank W. Fraley, who ran a general store in Catoctin Furnace, Maryland.

For similar tickets, see Ice Cream, Clifford Sutton, 5¢ and Ice Cream, 5 Cents.

Typefaces: Engravers Roman ("Ice Cream Ticket"), Copperplate Gothic ("August 19, 1916," "F. W. Fraley").

Thanks to Florian Hardwig for identifying the typefaces.

10c Ice Cream Ticket
August 19, 1916
F. W. Fraley

Glass Bottom Boat Ride at Silver Springs, Florida (Red Border)

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 00:19:02 +0000

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A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of smiling faces of yesteryear - photos of smiling people.

A Silver Springs souvenir folder with a photo positioned so that it looks like we're peering into the front of the boat to see the smiling passengers inside.

Silver Springs is a Florida tourist attraction -- and now a state park -- known for its artesian springs and glass-bottom boat rides.

For an earlier example, see another Glass Bottom Boat Ride photo and folder.

Blue Bug-a-Boo-Boo

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 01:26:02 +0000

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A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of an accident happened (the results).

A 1973 photo showing the aftermath of a fender bender involving a light blue VW Bug. A police officer, partially visible at the right, is already on the scene. Pedestrians on the sidewalk and a telephone booth are visible down the block.

Emily and George Sexsmith, Westlake Park, Los Angeles, California, ca. 1930s

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 04:59:04 +0000

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A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of hand colored.

Handwritten caption on the other side of this photo: "Emily and George Sexsmith, Echo Park (McArthur Park), Los Angeles (about 1930)."

This is a hand-colored photo of Emily (Dippel) Sexsmith (1911-2006) and George Sexsmith (1908-1991) in a canoe, circa 1930. The handwritten caption on the other side of the photo notes the setting as "Echo Park" with "McArthur Park" in parentheses, but it's likely that it's really Westlake Park, which in 1942 was renamed MacArthur Park (not "McArthur," as misspelled in the caption). The park was also the subject of Jimmy Webb's popular song, "MacArthur Park," recorded in 1968 by Richard Harris.

Flower Paintings with Lamp and Stereo

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 03:48:02 +0000

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A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of lamps, chandeliers, candlesticks, and other types of lighting.

This is a color slide, circa 1959, that shows two flower paintings hanging on a wall. Below them is a Motorola "Stereophonic High Fidelity" console. Based on the online documentation for a similar model, the top of the stereo lifts up on the right for access to a record player inside. The six knobs on the left are labeled Function, Compensator, Loudness, Treble, Bass, and Balance. On top of the left side of the stereo are a decorative porcelain table lamp and a framed photo.

This is another slide from the collection of the Pipe-Smoking Man's family. I only recently realized that two other photos from the collection show different parts of this same room. A photo taken to the left of this one also captures part of the stereo console (see Flowering Plants and Groovy Curtains). The door, wall thermostat, and chair in this photo are visible in a photo taken to the right of this one (see Still Life with Television). The flower paintings may be the work of "Ethel", a relative of the Pipe-Smoking Man (see Ethel's Oil Painting, 1967).

Blue Couple with a Blue House, 1965

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 04:34:02 +0000

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VINTAGE PHOTOS THEME PARK - UPDATE TO MONTHLY TOPIC (12/13/2020): FREE-FOR-ALL (Uploading to Ipernity isn't currently working, so let's make it easier to find an already-uploaded photo to post. Submit as many vintage photos ON ANY TOPIC as you'd like each week in addition to—or instead of—a photo for the weekly topic. Let's end the year and celebrate the new one by continuing this Free-For-All through January.)

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of in colour.

A man and woman dressed in light blue or grey clothes pose in front of their house, which is painted in pastel shades of blue. There's a blue Adirondack chair on the porch, a bicycle on the sidewalk, and a car--barely visible on the right--parked in the driveway.

A Thanksgiving Greeting from the United States Capitol

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 22:58:02 +0000

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A couple of turkeys arrive at (or depart from?) the United States Capitol Building, Washington, D.C., in this illustration from a Thanksgiving postcard dated 1910.

The postcard is addressed on the other side to "Mrs. Geo Hamlin, 9 Dean[e] St., Portland, Me.," and postmarked in New York City on November 23, 1910.

Handwritten message: "Rena & Geo out for a ride. Best love to both of you & hope you have a happy Thanksgiving. Kitty."

Rena (1882-1974) and George Hamlin (1882-1958) were both twenty-eight years old and had been married for about three years when they received this postcard. It's possible that Kitty, the sender of the card, was Catherine Lewis, Rena's mother.

For some other turkey motorists, see Thanksgiving Day Fugitives and A Wingless Steed Will Take the Winner to a Fine Thanksgiving Dinner.

Women in Suburbia, 1963

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 03:21:02 +0000

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A fashion (in its day) photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

This is a Kodachrome slide processed by Kodak in July 1963. The image shows two women and a small child posing for a photo among the orderly lawns and houses of a 1960s suburban development. The older woman is dressed up in a patterned dress, necklace, and earrings, while the younger one is wearing a striped cover over her dress.

The woman on the left is named Ethel (last name unknown), and she appears in other slides that I purchased along with this one. See, for instance, Ethel's Oil Painting, 1967.

Easter Seals Space Ranger Pin

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Wed, 21 May 2014 21:25:11 +0000

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"Easter Seals. Space Ranger."

A tin-lithograph tab button pin issued by the Easter Seals charity in the late 1950s. The satellite depicted on the pin looks similar to Vanguard 1, which was launched by the United States in 1958. It's still orbiiting the earth today even though its solar-powered radio transmitter stopped working in 1964.

Easter Chick Recital

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 16:04:02 +0000

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"A Happy Easter." These strange but distinguished chick musicians appear on a postcard that was postmarked in Baltimore, Md., on April 5, 1912.

Easter Bunny Kids

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 19:19:02 +0000

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A photo of people looking right at you for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

And this doubles as a photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park monthly topic of the 1960s (submit a photo on this topic each week in addition to—or instead of—a photo for the weekly topic).

Yet another snapshot of those Quizzical Kids in Easter Costumes, who were celebrating Easter and springtime in 1963.

Cyanotype Woman with May 1908 Calendar

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 04:56:02 +0000

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Handwritten note on the other side of this calendar: "Ida Massimore. For faithful attendance at Sunday School. From your teacher, Mrs. E. W. Gregory."

Mrs. Gregory is wearing a cross necklace in the blue-tinted cyanotype photo on this calendar, which she used as an attendance reward for her Sunday school students.

Christmas Greeting, Edward Ridley & Sons Department Store, New York City, 1880

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 16:45:02 +0000

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Edward Ridley & Sons, a New York City department store, printed this trade card for customers during the holiday season in 1880, and the store also took out newspaper ads to offer its "annual greeting."

The other side of the trade card is a wintertime illustration of a little girl holding some toys as she stands in the snow. This side (above) features the store's Christmas greeting:

32nd Annual Greeting

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Toys, Dolls, and Holiday Presents.

Edw. Ridley & Sons

309, 311, 311½ Grand St.
59 Orchard St.
58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70 Allen St.

New York

The following excerpt from the store's advertisement in the New York Herald on December 5, 1880, provides additional details about its holiday sales:

Thirty-second Annual Greeting

Santa Claus' New Building. Opening Monday, December 6.

First Floor—Endless variety toys, dolls, hobby horses. Also china, glass ware, &c.

Second Floor--Work boxes, writing desks, Japanese varieties, &c., &c.

Tuesday, December 7. Third Floor—Dolls, dolls, dolls. And everything belonging to a doll.

Fourth Floor—Wednesday, December 8. Will contain toys of the very finest description….

Our new building gives 23,000 square feet. All devoted to toys. Come and see the toys and our methods.

Worsted embroideries, slipper patterns, brackets, &c. Photo and auto[graph] albums, in plush, Russia[n] leather and French calf bindings.

Handsome jewel and combination cases, pocketbooks, cigar cases, &c.

Prices below every other house—we warrant.

Girl with Toys in Snow—Christmas Trade Card for Edward Ridley & Sons, 1880

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 16:45:04 +0000

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This is the front of a Victorian-era trade card advertising a New York store (for the other side, see Christmas Greeting, Edward Ridley & Sons Department Store, New York City, 1880).

I'm not sure why this wide-eyed little girl is taking all those toys with her out into the snow. She's dressed for the winter weather, however, and is even holding her hands—and her doll—in a muff to keep them warm.

A Merry Christmas—Let Every Heart in Christmas Customs Bear Its Part

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 16:49:02 +0000

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A small Victorian-era Christmas card featuring a fairy and flowers.

The verse on the card appears in J. S. Ogilvie, compiler, The Album Writer's Friend: Comprising More Than Three Hundred Choice Selections of Poetry and Prose, Suitable for Writing in Autograph Albums, Valentines, Birthday, Christmas, and New Year Cards (1881), p. 60.

A Merry Christmas

Christmas comes, let every heart
In Christmas customs bear its part:
The old be young, the sad be gay
And smiles chase every care away.

Indiana Iron Works Store Scrip, Indiana, Pa., January 1, 1856

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 04:53:04 +0000

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Nineteenth-century scrip issued by the company store at the Indiana Iron Works (also know as Baker Furnace), which was located near Cramer in East Wheatfield Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

For more information, see G. Robert Ganis, "Iron-Mining Store Scrip in Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania Geology vol. 19, no. 3 (June 1988): 2-5.

The Store at Indiana Iron Works

Will pay to bearer ten cents on demand in dry goods & groceries.

Ind. Iron Works. Jan. 1st, 1856.

Ten cents. 10. 10.

Halloween—Woman with Bowl and Jack-o'-Lanterns

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 03:55:08 +0000

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"Hallowe'en. HBG." Printed on back: "2215. Printed in Germany."

A Halloween postcard illustrated by H. B. Griggs. Other cards in Griggs' 2215 series of postcards show women who are holding a candle and mirror, bobbing for an apple on a string, or tossing an apple peel over a shoulder. Each of those other postcards depict traditional Halloween fortune-telling activities or games intended to reveal the identity of a future husband.

I haven't, however, been able to figure out what the woman on this postcard is doing. She appears to be holding her hand over a bowl as steam or smoke rises from it, but I haven't uncovered any descriptions of similar Halloween practices.

Halloween Jack-o'-Lanterns, White Robes, and a Black Cat

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 03:55:10 +0000

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The word "Hallowe'en" in gold letters is barely visible against the dark blue nighttime sky at the top of this postcard. On the ground down below, five young women carrying jack-o'-lanterns and wearing white robes are accompanied by a black cat as they make their way through a scary forest where even the trees and rocks seem to have menacing faces.

I'm not sure what to make of this scene. Could these be novice witches on their way to a Halloween initiation where they'll receive their broomsticks and black garments? Or perhaps they're just Halloween partygoers who've gotten lost in an appropriately sinister setting.

Unfortunately, the other side of the postcard doesn't provide any clues to explain the illustration. A handwritten message says, "Was at Phila. [Philadelphia] for first time, Oct. 17, 1914, Ida," but otherwise there isn't any address, stamp, or postmark.

Halloween Mischief—What the Boys Did to the Cow

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 21:03:04 +0000

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"What the boys did to the cow."

A comic Halloween postcard published by Julius Bien & Co. in 1908.

This postcard was addressed on the other side to Miss Lille Collins, 122 Dickerson Street, Newark, N.J., and postmarked in Smyrna, Delaware, on October 30, 1911. Message: "Love to all, E.R.C."

For a another card from the same publisher, see What the Pig Thought of the Ghost on Halloween.