Parties and Picnics

An undated red-border Kodachrome slide.

Fuzzy out-of-focus quirkiness with penguins, masks, and party hats.

Women dressed in costumes for a Halloween party or some other occasion.

A teen attitude / teenagers in love photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A photo from a college get-together sometime around 1910. The two pennants at top center are ones for "F. & M." ( Franklin and Marshall College , located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) and "1910." The smaller pennant at top right is difficult to read (even in the original photo), but appears to be "Souvenir 1908." Franklin and Marshall College didn't admit women until 1969, so only the men would have been students. Everyone in the photo seems to be looking in a different direction. The guy and gal in the lower right-hand corner, however, seem to be looking intently at each other, and they appear to be young enough to be teenagers in love.

A real photo postcard showing the women who participated in an all-female mock wedding, date and location unknown.

"Hats" for the Vintage Photos Theme Park . In this real photo postcard, fourteen fellows doff their hats to reveal their membership in the "Bachelor's Club." Note that a dog helps out by wearing a hat that displays a period as a concluding punctuation mark. Although it's difficult to make out, a second dog is lying on the ground on the left-hand side. In the middle are cut pieces of watermelon with forks stuck in them. So what did the club members do next? To find out, take a look at a second Bachelor's Club photo .

After posing for their official photo (see below), the members of the Bachelor's Club enjoy some freshly cut slices of watermelon. The two dogs in the previous photo have left, but a cat is now standing guard at right.

A real photo postcard showing a picnic scene with a ghostly double exposure.

Or at least that's what I thought it looked like!

A "Guild Color Processing" slide.

A real photo postcard showing two couples--Cal and Grace, Harry and Alvilda--picnicking somewhere in or near Portland, Oregon. See also a cropped version of this photo showing a close-up of the picnickers and their box of Abetta Biscuits. Posted as a barbeque/picnic photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park group. Handwritten message on the front (above) by "Alvilda," who's the woman on the right in the photo: This is Cal and Grace, Harry and I, out on a picknick . Printed on the back: Cal Calvert, 10 Minute Postcard Man, City Park, Washington St., Entrance, Portland, Oregon. Mazeograph process. Copyrighted. Handwritten message on the verso (there's no address, stamp, or postmark): Hello, Mama and Papa, When are you coming to see us. We are having lovely weather and would like for you to come before the rain starts again. Cal and Grace was down and spent the eve last night. Business is doing fine now. Hop-picking is over you know and people have money now. Good bye, your Alvilda.

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard:

Evidently these partygoers have just exchanged gifts. The woman directly in the middle of the photo is holding a copy of How to Make Love , a circa 1930s booklet whose suggestive title promised more than its contents could actually deliver (it was innocuous enough that Archie McPhee sold a reprinted version).

"Social Party. Yourself and lady are respectfully invited to attend a social party at the Lansingville Hotel, Friday evening, February 22, 1884 . Music by Jacob's Full Band. Bill, $1.50. W. DeCamp, proprietor."

"Basket. Yourself and friend are cordially invited to attend an evening sociable, complimentary to Mr. Clayton W. Souders, on Saturday evening, October 12, '95. Meet at his home, near Maytown, at 7 o'clock. Committee: Mary K. Felker, Lizzie H. Farmer. Should the weather be unfavorable the sociable will be held the following Wednesday evening."

A birthday cakes photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. For another fun birthday cake photo, see Happy Birthday to--Hey, Are You Taking My Picture? After enlarging this snapshot, I was able to determine the birthday boy's name--Kadin--from the decoration on the cake, and one of the cards revealed that he was celebrating his second birthday as he posed with his gifts. Kadin's 1950s-era toys include the kaleidoscope he's holding, a metal spintop next to his left foot, some sort of metal cylindrical push toy to the right of the top, an inflatable Goofy Ball, and a drum (mouse over the image to see my notes). The room's decor features boldy decorated cushions leaning against the wall behind Kadin and a square-base table lamp positioned on the end table on the right-hand side.

See also the cropped version of this real photo postcard.