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

Ruth and Sara on Board the L-21 Submarine, August 25, 1917

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 17:44:02 +0000

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of fancy studio backdrops.

A novelty photo with two young women in sailor costumes. The elaborate painted backdrop depicts an ocean of heavy waves with two ships billowing smoke on the horizon. A biplane is barely visible in the sky above them. The painted foreground features a submarine labeled "L 21 U.S." The submarine's hatch is open, its periscope is up, and it's flying an American flag.

Submarine hull: "L 21 U.S."

Handwritten caption: "R. Dodd. Sara Miller. 8-25-1917." Writing on the back also identifies the young women as "Ruth Dodd" on the left and "Sara Miller" on the right with the date given a second time as "8/25/1917."

For a similar real photo postcard, see Daddy on the Deck of the F-6 Submarine.

Vacationing at Woodland Beach, Staten Island, New York, August 1908

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 02:56:04 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of on vacation / holiday.

Sign: "The Club." Life preserver: "U.S. Vol. Life Saving Corps."

This is a hand-tinted real photo postcard addressed on the other side to Miss G. Manning, 331 W. 29 St., N.Y. City. It was postmarked at Midland Beach, Staten Island, N.Y., and New Dorp, N.Y., on August 25, 1908.

Handwritten message (with original spelling): "Dear Grace, I'm having a splendid vacation down here. We have a bungaloe down here for the month of August & part of Sept. It's great sport. I would have written sooner but never think of writing down here. I didn't attent that millinery class in the YWCA because you didn't. Love, F. Cooper."

Added to the message: "Drop me a card. My address -- name. c/o W. H. Putnam, New Dorp, St. Island, N.Y. Woodland Beach."

See also the full version of this card.

Vacationing at Woodland Beach, Staten Island, New York, August 1908 (Full Version)

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 02:56:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A real photo postcard from 1908. For more information, see the cropped version of the card.

The Eighty-Eight-Cent Lemonade Stand, Maine, 1949

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 03:58:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of out in the yard or garden.

Handwritten note on the other side of this snapshot: "The Lemonade Stand, .88 profit - Maine '49."

Out in the yard with a couple of kids operating a profitable lemonade stand.

A Sunny Afternoon at Camp Chicken

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 04:55:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A camping/tents photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

Judging by the banner hanging above the tents, Camp Chicken is the name of this encampment. Three women and a child pose in front of the three tents on the right. On the other side, a man is lying in a hammock, and behind him is a boy and another man, both of whom are sitting on chairs.

A breeze blowing through the woods has blurred the large American flag flying above the kitchen tent, and some of the smaller flags hanging above the openings to the other tents are also blurred. Sunlight filtering down through the trees has formed a dappled pattern in the clearing.

This is an unused real photo postcard with an Azo stamp box on the other side (four corner triangles pointing up) that indicates a date that may be as early as 1904 to 1918.

For similarly in-tents scenes, see Tents at Raise 'ell Camp, Cooks Mill, Pennsylvania, Bob White Camp, and The Methodist Church Choir Camp, 1908.

Parade Float, Welcome Home Day, Sunbury, Pa., 1919

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 03:56:04 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A photo of parades and/or flags for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

The dealer's notation on the back of this real photo postcard says, "Welcome Home Day, Sunbury, Pa., 1919."

The city of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, held a Welcome Home Day for returning World War I soldiers in 1919. This was one of the floats in the parade that was part of the celebration. Take a look at a cropped version of the photo for a better view of Lady Liberty and the other riders on the float.

Parade Float, Welcome Home Day, Sunbury, Pa., 1919 (Cropped)

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 03:56:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

Lady Liberty stands in the middle of a parade float in Sunbury, Pa., in 1919. A sailor and a soldier are in front of her, and a nurse and another woman are at the back of the float. For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

Bank of Merit, 20 Shares of Stock

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 05:33:04 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A nineteenth-century reward of merit.

Bank of Merit

20 Shares of Stock to the Holder

God offers reward, my Teacher does the same--they both encourage me. I tried, and success crowned my efforts.

Harry Lightcap, Pupil. Benjamin Rich, Teacher.

20. XX.

A Thanksgiving Greeting from the United States Capitol

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

Alan Mays has posted:

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.

Buchu-Paiba—Rescued from Kidney and Bladder Affections

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 04:37:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

An elaborate nineteenth-century advertising trade card for Buchu-Paiba, a patent medicine that supposedly cured kidney, bladder, and urinary diseases.

Buchu-Paiba

"'Buchu-Paiba,' quick, complete cure [for] all annoying kidney diseases, $1."

Words in the water: "Rescued from kidney and bladder affections."

Flags: "Rough on Rats" and "Wells' Health Renewer."

"Mayer, Merkel & Ottmann, Lith., N.Y."

Excerpts from the ads printed on the back of the card:

"Mother Swan's Worm Syrup. For fever, restlessness, worms, constipation. Tasteless. Perfectly harmless, but the most effective worm destroyer extant."

"Rough on Rats. 15c boxes. Clears out rats, mice, roaches, flies, mosquitos, bed bugs, insects, skunk, weasel gophers, chipmunks, moles, musk rats, etc."

"Wells' Rough on Corns. Complete cure."

"'Bucha-Paiba.' Quick, complete cure, all annoying kidney and urinary diseases. $1.00 at druggists."

"E. S. Wells, manufacturer and proprietor, Jersey City, N.J. U.S.A."

Hearty Partiers (Cropped)

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 04:58:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

The woman on the left is holding a ratchet noisemaker. A BPO[E] (Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks) flag is draped over the shoulder of the woman in the middle. The woman on the right is holding a mask.

Take a look at the full version of this real photo postcard to see the entire group of partygoers.

Hearty Partiers

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 04:58:04 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of the secret lives of grown-ups (adults letting loose and having fun or possibly behaving badly with other adults; all in good taste, of course).

Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "Novelty Studio, 1118 First Ave., Seattle."

These three couples are ready for a party. The woman on the left, who's a little out of focus for some reason, is holding a ratchet noisemaker. The man in the back on the left is holding a BPO[E] (Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks) flag that's draped over the shoulder of the woman in the middle. The woman on the right is holding a mask (mouse over the image for a better look at the noisemaker, flag, and mask). The man on the right has some sort of flag tucked under his right arm, and all of them except that man are wearing party or regular hats.

Were they attending a New Year's party at an Elks Lodge?

Thanksgiving Greetings from Columbia and Her Turkeys

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Thu, 22 Nov 2018 06:23:04 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A Thanksgiving postcard that shows Columbia—"the personification of the United States"—patting a turkey on the head. It's addressed on the other side to Miss Anna Johnson, Rockaway, New Jersey, Easton Heights. and postmarked Middle Valley, N.J., Nov. 25, 1909.

Message: "I guess we can soon skate now if this weather lasts, and I hope it will. You must write and tell me about F., you know I want to hear about it. Laura."

For the sake of comparison, see Uncle Sam's Thanksgiving Greeting for another national personification on a holiday postcard.

Easy-Lite Gold Sparklers Box

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 04:30:07 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

Sparkler box with unique typefaces for Fourth of July merriment.

Palisades Hike, February 14, 1915

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 21:06:30 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A photo of day trippers (people on a day out, groups or individuals) for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

Real photo postcard caption: "Palisades Hike, Feb. 14, '15. #5. E."

Eight individuals appear in this "Palisades Hike" photo taken on February 14, 1915, but I'm not sure exactly what they're doing or which Palisades they're visiting (see a list of possible locations on Wikipedia's Palisades disambiguation page).

The woman in the foreground is carrying an American flag, and the two men on the left are apparently moving rocks around (or looking under them?) as a boy standing in the middle of the stream watches. The others in the background seem to be cautiously making their way over some of the large boulders situated along the other side of the stream.

Perhaps the "#5" designation means that this is the fifth in a series of photos taken that day by a photographer whose name might be indicated by the circled "E." If so, we may have to wait to see if additional photos turn up in order to learn more about these Palisades hikers and the trip they took on Valentine's Day in 1915.

Bear on a Bicycle at the Steel Pier, Atlantic City, N.J., 1957 (Cropped)

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 13 May 2018 15:59:18 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

For more information, see the full version of this photo.

Bear on a Bicycle at the Steel Pier, Atlantic City, N.J., 1957

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 13 May 2018 15:59:20 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A photo of a dock or a pier for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

This is a 1957 snapshot of the Steel Pier, an amusement pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Billed as "The Show Place of the Nation," the pier hosted a variety of shows and acts, including a diving horse and a bicycle-riding bear.

When I purchased this photo, however, I didn't realize that it showed a bear and a woman riding bikes on the high platform visible on the left-hand side (mouse over the image to see an enlargement). After I spotted the bear, I still couldn't imagine that you could train an animal like that to climb a ladder and ride a bicycle. But a YouTube clip of the Bicycle-Riding Bear that's part of The Nieroslavski Family at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, N.J.--filmed during summer 1960--provides a glimpse of how the bear performed its act.

Attitudes toward animal acts have changed over the past fifty years, however, and making a bear ride a bicycle seems inhumane and dangerous by today's standards. As far as I've been able to determine, there are no longer any bicycling bears or diving horses in Atlantic City.

Patriotic Toddler

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 24 Sep 2017 04:44:27 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A photo with decorative border or frame for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

"Reporting for diaper duty, sir!"

With an elaborate border consisting of an eagle, flag, canons, bombs bursting in air, and other patriotic and military symbols, it's surprising that this real photo postcard features an image of a child rather than a soldier.

Ulysses S. Grant Calling Card

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 06:10:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

"E pluribus unum. Remember me."

A Victorian-era hidden-name calling card with an illustration of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885). The colorful die-cut scrap was a memorial to the president, and it lifts up on the right-hand side to reveal the name of "Mabel E. Emerich" printed underneath.

Paddling Their Own Canoe at Olcott Beach

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 16:47:08 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

Printed on the other side of this real photo postcard: "Boeckmann, park photographer, Olcott Beach, N.Y." Handwritten on the other side: "Ornan Rebert."

Two fellows pretend to paddle their canoe in photographer John Boeckmann's studio in Luna Park at Olcott Beach, located along the shore of Lake Ontario in Olcott, New York.