real photo postcard

The Wigwam

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In my collection Pams-Pictorama.com

 

Pam’s Pictorama Photo Post: In the course of my persistent (some would even say relentless) searching of photographs for my collection, I occasionally stumble on one that is entirely outside of my area of interest and collecting, but thoroughly captures my imagination. If it isn’t too outrageously hard to get I will add it to the Pictorama holdings. This card wins on two counts – there is something shining and glittering about the light in the trees that caught my attention, and I have always had a fascination with the idea of staying in vacation cabins and these wigwams would definitely have won me over. As I sit and write this on a snowy January day in New York City, the mind drifts to hot summer days and fantasy vacations in places like Maine. The reality is that Kim and I do not drive and generally speaking do not vacation away from home, but fantasy is the key word here. For the record, the postcard is unused and The Wigwam was neatly inscribed by hand.

Many years ago I did in fact stay in a bungalow (although not of the wigwam variety) in Maine, on my way to attend the wedding of friends. My then boyfriend and I were torn between finding it charming and being faced with a certain musty, buggy reality. It is my only experience in one. It did not dim my theoretical interest in them however. I do not think I ever mentioned that growing up we also did not travel on vacations as a family. From what I hear such trips were mixed bags of great and awful memories, but I really have none. My father was a cameraman for ABC news and traveled constantly so vacation for him (and therefore for us) was spent at home at our house on a river inlet and within walking distance of the beach and the Atlantic ocean, a boat or two moored off a dock in the backyard. Growing up in a beach community we were not deprived in the least. (My childhood summers are an endless string of sparkling days at the beach strung together in my memory.) However, I have few childhood memories of long car rides and family vacation hotel stays of any sort with the exception of visits to family which usually resulted in staying with them. Somehow I don’t see my parents as the types to embrace ancient bungalow holidays anyway, and I have little doubt that my sister, brother and I would have torn each other to shreds trapped in a car together.

Perhaps my apparent adult disinterest in traveling on vacation is rooted in this lack of childhood family vacations. It just wasn’t a habit I formed. I have traveled to far flung places – Tibet twice, Patagonia, much of Europe, but I have never plunked myself down on a beach in another state or country on vacation, and it has been decades since I have been on so much as a random weekend away for the sheer novelty. In reality I travel more on business these days than I manage to for pleasure. Much like my father, vacation has come to mean time with Kim and the kits here in glorious Manhattan, reveling in the novelties that Deitch studio and Pictorama have to offer.

 

Let the Toys Begin!

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Pam’s Pictorama Toy Post: With Christmas rapidly approaching we at Pictorama are focused, as we so often are, on toys. Today is this splendid pedal car and nice, extra large, jointed Schoenhut Felix which appear to be the property of the toddler labeled Paul Shirley. There is no date and no writing on the photo, except the name near the top.

In some ways this is a timeless photo – or at least considering the toys within a certain period of time, between about 1925 and 1940’s. (Although the type of photo print places this firmly in the latter decade.) It is an extraordinary pedal car owned by Master Shirley. Built solidly like a tank, this toy car looks like it might weigh in at the poundage of a real car today. There is a vague farm vehicle utilitarian design about it. Felix is atop – helping to direct the operation no doubt. Despite the somewhat down at the heels nature of the yard shown, this is a pretty lucky kid toy-wise. One has to imagine that this was an expensive toy car – although I might also consider that it was home constructed. Is that possible? Quite a feat for someone if true, well beyond the average soap derby model.

Was Felix a favorite toy I wonder – or did he end up perched there for other reasons? There is a motometer or hood ornament on this car – sadly it does not appear to be the Felix model – the Felix toy makes me think of it. I have included a very nice example here from a Hake’s sale below in case you are not familiar with this item – I have never had the chance to buy one with nice paint on it like this. I do dream of living in a time when cars were decorated with Felix however – talk about jolly!

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Felix hood ornament, not in my collection

 

As children we all seem addicted to movement and locomotion at an early age. Funny that as tots we immediately want scooters, tricycles, bikes, roller skates, ice skates, sleds and toy cars. Why is that? Nothing like the sight of a bike under the Christmas tree or with a birthday bow to wind you up. We love the movement and speed – a taste of independence perhaps. You started dreaming of the adventures you’d have the moment you saw them. Paul actually seems a bit young and overwhelmed by his toy good fortune – or at least indifferent.

I have a vague memory of a bright red trike early on, but my purple and white two wheeler is the one I really remember. Never owned roller skates, they were not in fashion then I guess. I have very fond memory of sleds, first a wooden one with runners and later a metal one, a sort of flexible flyer, that especially pleased me. Sadly we lived near the ocean where snow did not accumulate and we rarely had very good sledding. We made up for it however with bodies of water that frequently froze for skating – a small pond near our house that froze easily, as well as two rivers that also occasionally froze for our ice skating pleasure. I hope Paul grew to love his toy car over time – not to mention his nice Felix toy – and remembered them both fondly.

Blackpool, Felix Cutout Continued

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Posing with Felix at Blackpool, Pams-Pictorama.com

 

Pam’s Pictorama Photo Post:  Devoting ourselves further today to the ever-important work of discovering and discussing Felix the cat photos! This is the second in a three part series of photo postcards taken with a wooden, handmade Felix. When you think about it, despite having to find someone to draw and paint Felix freehand, it was a much smaller investment and less of a commitment than the life-size doll, took up less space in the studio too. Still, a general sense of jolliness prevails.

Here we have a card which is a recent acquisition of mine taken of these two roguish fellows having a holiday in Blackpool, England. (It was never sent and nothing written on the back, therefore I am taking the seller’s word for the fact it was taken in Blackpool.) There are fewer of these photo postcards where Felix is merely a board cut-out to be posed with – or were fewer saved for me to find? While they may not offer the glory of the larger than life-size stuffed Felix at the seaside, someone was still having a mighty fine time posing with him while on holiday. I scooped this one up on eBay, what appeared to be minutes after it having been posted in England as a buy it now. Didn’t even have to wait for an auction. It was waiting for me.

Without any real firsthand knowledge, it appears that Blackpool is a holiday spot which may be a working class, distinctly family oriented holiday locale. A quick look online shows Blackpool on the seashore and sites that rent houses and RV’s and continues as a resort today. Despite their suits, these fellows look less prosperous and less devil may care than last week’s subject in Felix Photo, the Cut-outs, Part 1, and the painted background is also less evocative and interesting. This Felix offers his arm, just like that one, however these guys aren’t having any of that. Unlike that Felix in his happy dancing pose, this one is a bit lascivious. (What’s with the tongue Felix? Can we really imagine small children posing with him?) In fact, these gentleman stand behind Felix as if they are friends of his, taking him home after a long night at the pub, before he can really get himself in trouble. However, here these gentlemen are, in suit and tie – handkerchief and hat for one – posing for the camera; their holiday visit recorded for us to consider, barreling on toward a century later.

In closing, just for the heck of it, I am including a link to a 1920 Felix cartoon, The Circus to help put you in the high mystic mood. It has lots of mice and one of them even does the Felix dance!

Buster

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Pam’s Pictorama: As happens occasionally, but not often, this card has been made better by the writing on the front of it. Usually I find this an affront, but in this case, the very neat, legible hand naming each of those seated in this grand, shiny auto and informing the recipient to Address us = No. 53. E. River Street, Peru, Ind and 1915. She, Florence it turns out when we turn the card over for signature, has written in Mary Lauren (?) Buster, Maura and the penner of this card and driver of the car Florence. On further reflection, I am going to assume that the two girls are Mary and Lauren, obviously sisters, large bows prominent in their hair. Maura, elder statesman, with a jolly hat to keep the sun off in this open car. Of course, Buster, sharing the front seat, is all excitement for the adventure, and Florence, also with hat, at the wheel.

It is hard for us to remember today that a woman (women, although I think we can assume that Florence probably was the only driver here) driving, let alone for long distances, was something to talk about in 1915. I am fresh off of reading the Automobile Girls series and all seven novels are based on that idea. A young woman and her friends, chaperoned by an aunt, drive around the country on road trips of various kinds, written in 1910 and forward. (This photo of Florence, Maura, Mary and Lauren could more or less be an illustration for the book now that I think about it.) Driving was part of the emerging modern woman and it represented a great freedom women did not have previously – and one that was not universally approved of. You were a certain kind of spunky, modern gal if you were going to drive, let alone make this sort of road trip. And road trip it was – the back reveals that they drove from Pennsylvania to Peru, Indiana. A stop in Buffalo is mentioned and we assume there were a number of others.

As it happens, I do not drive. I have a driver’s license, but never drove much and now my many years of living in Manhattan has rendered me a non-driver. However, I can appreciate the freedom of driving – or even riding a bicycle for that matter. It was an important part of the great emancipation of the American woman.

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Graduation Day

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Graduation crowd

Pam’s Pictorama: I have owned this photo postcard for many years. It is one of my early purchases, on eBay I’m pretty sure. The light appealed to me – these girls in white, daisy chain and crowns of flowers – in this halo of light was irresistible. Observing it further it is a bit curious. It appears to be the twenties or thirties, unless their clothes are just old fashioned. It is interracial which seems somewhat surprising for the time. However, presumably left to their own devices, they have divided themselves into black and white groupings within the group. There is nothing on the back to provide further information and it was never mailed.

I especially love the girl three from the end on the right. She is beautiful, but out of all of them she seems to express the most poise, confidence and charisma. I wonder about the boys, they appear younger and have only a supporting role in this play it seems. These kids appear only semi-posed. If they had been properly posed some of the shorter kids would be in the front.

I couldn’t find much on the history of the daisy chain although it is clearly a long one. At Connecticut College, my alma matar, we called a commencement tradition the daisy chain although it was actually a laurel chain. (It was held by women from the rising junior class at commencement.) The symbol of the laurel a bit easier to figure. Still, the idea of flowered crowns and garlands seem an apt way to honor the passing of a stage out of childhood and onto the dubious road to adulthood.

As a kid you are pushed through various graduations, markers ending one stage and another, virtually starting in kindergarten and then junior high and high school. I remember when I graduated from college and somehow it dawned on me (admittedly very late in the game) that it was all just over – a lifetime of school. Now I was dumped into life, faced with the job of getting on with it and figuring it out. I was stunned and terrified. So, to all you new grads out there, here’s to you and please know, it works out just fine.

 

 

 

Alice Smalley

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Pam’s Pictorama Photo Post: I went for this photo in a big way. I am not sure why exactly, there was competition, but I had to have it – there is something very idyllic about it. To begin with, the spot is gorgeous – the back of the card reveals that it is a state forest camp in Eagle’s Mere, PA – and the woman and cat are sort of archetypal. She is in her saddle shoes and is with that sprightly little tabby. He looks like he probably grew into a heck of a fellow.

Meanwhile, I gather Alice did not approve at all. The card is addressed to Miss Amelia Sonna, 121 Main Street, Boise, Idaho. It says as follows, in careful print: Taken On Our Vaction Trip. At a state Forest camp near Eagle’s Mere, Penna. Over the 4th. I think this is a swell photo – but Alice claims the hair + costume makes it ‘terrible’ – How do you like ‘Figaro’, our motoring cat? Love Henry S. It was mailed on July 27, 1940 from Washington, D.C. at 11:30 PM.  Well, I disagree with Alice about the hair and costume and I absolutely love Figaro, the motoring cat! This is one of those photos that leaves me wondering about these folks and what became of them.  A quick search on Henry or Alice Smalley in period Washington, DC does not turn up anything. Eagle’s Mere remains a rather stunning park area with many hiking trails (and a museum of early trains) on a lake in Sullivan County, PA. It gives me a yen for hiking in Pennsylvania, something I have not done for a very long time. I have never been so far west, but used to go to the area near the Delaware water gap with my friend Christine Butler (no relation!) for photos and hiking. Heavenly.

Anyway, as summer 2015 gets underway, there is something soothing and timeless about this photo. A reminder to go outside, enjoy – and take some pictures. Make sure to print them!