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

Those Dreamy Eyes

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 03:52:02 +0000

This is a postcard that's addressed on the other side to Miss Nellie Groves, Greenland, West Virginia. It was postmarked in Maysville, West Virginia, but the date is missing.

Handwritten message: "Hello Nellie, How are you by this time. I am going to school today, when are you coming over. This is from your beau. Henry."

For a similar postcard, see Here Is Looking at You.

Savage Elementary School, Grade 3, 1964-65

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 03:53:45 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

An elementary school photo taken by a professional photographer for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

Sign: "Savage Elementary School, Mrs. Rhoads, Grade 3, 1964-65." Studio name on accompanying photo folder: "Mealey - Maryland."

Although some students undoubtedly find their school to be a savage and unforgiving place, the name of this Savage Elementary School came from its location in the town of Savage, Maryland.

The students have assembled in the library for their class photo. Some of the books on display on the top shelf behind them include Hercules: The Story of an Old-Fashioned Fire Engine (1940), A Fly Went By (1958), The Little Twin (1953), Stagecoach Sam (1940), and Caps for Sale (1940).

Many of the students are wearing red-colored clothing, but the boy standing at the end of the fourth row in the upper right-hand corner of the photo is dressed in a grey shirt and pants with a "U.S. Army" patch over one shirt pocket.

Similarly, the boy sitting on the floor at the end of the first row in the lower right-hand corner is wearing a blue uniform-like outfit with an "Air Force" patch on his shirt.

Finally, notice how the boy at the end of the third row closed his eyes and scrunched up his face as the photographer snapped the picture.

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.

Merry Halloween

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 16:55:02 +0000

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In this Halloween postcard dated 1908, a couple of black cats are looking up at a girl and boy who are leaning over a winking jack-o'-lantern.

Handwritten message on the other side of the postcard, which was postmarked in Nelson, N.Y., on October 30. 1912:

"10/30/12. Dear Nephew, Have you gathered many nuts this fall? Best wishes for a Happy Halloween. With love from Aunt Cora."

Star-Shaped Logo with Extracted Teeth, Dr. A. A. Wasson Billhead, Dental Surgeon, York, Pa., April 22, 1893

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 03:52:02 +0000

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A portrait of Dr. Andrew Aikens Wasson (1844-1918), a dentist from York, Pennsylvania, is the main feature of this star-shaped logo from the billhead he used in the 1890s. The design also includes a heart, a pair of pointing hands (manicules), and—holy molar!—two extracted teeth.

For the full billhead, see Dr. A. A. Wasson Billhead, Dental Surgeon, York, Pa., April 22, 1893.

Faceless Family CDV (Cropped)

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 04:42:02 +0000

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A close-up of a faceless family foursome on a nineteenth-century CDV. See also the full photo.

Faceless Family CDV

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 04:42:04 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of flawed memories (photos that are damaged, faded, or have other imperfections, especially ones in which the flaws somehow enhance the image; this includes photos with defective processing, light leakage, and double exposures).

A spooky CDV with an unidentified faceless family. Perhaps their faces were somewhat washed out in the original photo, but they may also have been intentionally rubbed out afterwards.

Take a gander at a cropped version of the CDV for a closer look at the family's faint facial features.

For another faceless photo, see Who's the Dummy Now?

Have a Gleeful, Fun-Filled Holiday!

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 23:04:16 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

Hope you have a holiday celebration filled with as much fun and excitement as these kids seem to be having (well, the youngest one, at least, appears to be having a good time)!

Best wishes,

Alan

Christmas Candle Kissing Apple

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 13:56:02 +0000

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"Merry Christmas. Love and best wishes, Catharine."

An odd anthropomorphic scene of a burning candle kissing an apple as they hang together as ornaments on a Christmas tree.

This postcard dates to the first decade of the twentieth century.

Here's to a Jolly Thanksgiving Feast

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 17:02:03 +0000

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"Here's to jolly feast with Thanksgiving greetings." Printed on the back: "Thanksgiving Series No. 26."

A male turkey with a woman's head? Or a woman wearing a turkey costume? Just another quirky American Thanksgiving postcard from the early twentieth century.

May Love Light Your Halloween Lantern!

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 04:30:10 +0000

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"May love light your Hallow-e'en lantern! H.B.G."

A Halloween postcard illustrated by H. B. Griggs (H.B.G.).

For another Griggs card, see Have a Devilishly Happy Halloween.

A Jolly Halloween with Witchy Woman, Scarecrow Man, and Screechy Owl

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 13:32:38 +0000

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A quirky Halloween postcard addressed to R. D. Bell, Bellwood, Penna., and postmarked Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 2, 1910.

I'm All Ears

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 19:02:25 +0000

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"I'm all ears. Tell me all about it. Wall."

A corny postcard by illustrator Bernhardt Wall.

Meeting of Ye Halloween Spirits

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 20:34:46 +0000

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"Meeting of Ye Hallowe'en Spirits. This way! OWL."

In this unusual Art Deco postcard from the 1920s, pointy-eared Smurf-like creatures ride a turtle through the woods on their way to a meeting of Halloween spirits.

Halloween–Friendly Fairy, Witch, or Fay, Fulfill the Wish You Wish Today

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 18:32:58 +0000

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"Hallowe'en. Friendly fairy, witch, or fay, fulfill the wish you wish to-day. Ellen H. Clapsaddle."

Before Eating Potato Chips / After Eating Potato Chips

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 21:19:25 +0000

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"Potato Chips, 1¢, Packed for Interstate Biscuit Co., Bronx, New York. Net weight one-quarter ounce or over. Before eating. After eating."

For a similar item, see I Eat at the Royal Coffee Shoppe / I Don't:

The Joys of Halloween Be Yours

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 15:20:06 +0000

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An owl and a bat flap their wings through the nighttime sky as Cupid stands on a cloud and contemplates whether to shoot an arrow at the full moon, where a witch has replaced the Man in the Moon.

I can't help but wonder whether L. R. Conwell, the publisher of this 1909 postcard, recycled a Valentine's Day card to compose this perplexing scene, but a search for other Cupid cards didn't uncover any similar postcards.

Conwell also featured Cupid in at least one other Halloween postcard. See Wishing You a Lucky Halloween:

Halloween Games at Midnight

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 18:40:06 +0000

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Postcard addressed on the back to Earl Elliot, Douglassville, Pa., and postmarked at Douglassville, Pa., Oct. 31, 1906. The handwritten message on the front is "Greetings for the day," and the initials "L.U."--presumably those of the sender--appear in a number of places on the front, including on the wall next to the fireplace.

The clock strikes midnight on Halloween as a woman gazes into a fire and children bob for apples in a wash tub and on a string. Jack-o'-lanterns form a border around the scene, and ghostly figures hover in the message box at the bottom.

The woman in front of the fireplace may actually be playing a fortune-telling game involving three nuts, which she has named after three of her suitors. After placing the three nuts in the fire (I think the nuts are visible here on the top of the grate at the front of the fireplace), she watches to see how they burn. The following poem, which appeared in 1900 in The Jolly Hallowe'en Book, by Dorothy M. Shipman, p. 68, describes the practice.

The Test of the Nuts

I've named three nuts and placed them
Side by side on the grate,
The one which cracks is unfaithful,
The lover I know I should hate.
The one which blazes with brilliant fire,
Tells of high regard, 'tis said,
But the one which burns with a steady flame
Names the man whom I shall wed.

Apples for Bobbing

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 18:40:08 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

Message on the back of this postcard: "Wish you a Merry Halloween from Isabelle."

Addressed to: Howard Knicley, Brookville, Pa., R.F.D. No. 2.

Postmarked: Punxsutawney, Pa., Oct. 27, 1909.

Printed on the back: "Raphael Tuck & Sons' 'Hallowe'en' Post Cards, Series No. 160."

In the scene on the front of this Raphael Tuck & Sons postcard, anthropomorphic apples jump into a wooden wash tub filled with water to initiate bobbing for apples on Halloween.

Here are some other colorful Tuck Halloween postcards:

Good Humor Man Mask

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 20:38:22 +0000

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The back of this Good Humor Man paper mask from the 1960s gives assembly instructions (push out the perforated ear flaps, attach elastic band, put it around your head) and then advises, "Hi, now you're a Good Humor Man, too. Always remember why Good Humor Ice Cream is by far the best. Good Humors are made from sweet ice cream and delicious fresh fruits.... And Good Humors are covered with a thick layer of rich Dutch chocolate." Yum!