The Eyes Have It

"Chas. S. Frantz, graduate ophthalmic optician, watchmaker, and jeweler, Lancaster, Pa." Detail showing the return address in the upper left-hand corner of an envelope printed by D. B. Landis, Pluck Art Printery, Lancaster, Pa. For similar items, see Dr. F. C. Williams, Eye Specialist, Harrisburg, Pa. , and B. B. Lupfer, Graduate Optician, New Bloomfield, Pa.

"Dr. F. C. Williams, eye specialist, Harrisburg, Pa. Eyes carefully tested and examined. Eye glasses and spectacles made to order and guaranteed to give perfect satisfaction. 928 N. Sixth Street, Harrisburg, Pa. Office hours: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 to 4, 5 to 8 p.m. Bell phone 357-R." See also Charles S. Frantz, Graduate Ophthalmic Optician, Watchmaker, and Jeweler, Lancaster, Pa. and B. B. Lupfer, Graduate Optician, New Bloomfield, Pa.

"B. B. Lupfer, graduate optician, New Bloomfield, Pa. Bell 'phone. All work warranted. Office days, Monday and Saturday. 15 years experience. Wide practice." See also Charles S. Frantz, Graduate Ophthalmic Optician, Watchmaker, and Jeweler, Lancaster, Pa. and Dr. F. C. Williams, Eye Specialist, Harrisburg, Pa.

Ouch!

"Leon Finkelstein, optometrist and optician, New York State Certificate No. 214. All work guaranteed for one year. Home office, Syracuse, N.Y."

Santa's wild eyes reveal his determination to complete his Christmas deliveries as the sun rises behind him and his reindeer gallop across the sky, their hooves kicking up some serious dust clouds (or maybe they're just regular atmospheric clouds at that height). "Flora" used only her first name to sign this postcard on the front (at the very bottom) and on the back. The card was postmarked Batavia, N.Y., Dec. 18, 1908, and Flora addressed it to Mrs. Elmira Smith, Gainesville, N.Y., which is located about 30 miles from Batavia. She wrote a straightforward three-word message: "All are well."

"Clarence E., York, Penn'a." I think that this roughly cut card is intended to be a calling card with a puzzling last name in the form of a rebus . I haven't been able to figure out what the name might be--Clarence E. Eishart ("Eyes-heart") is one possibility, I suppose. Any other ideas? Update: This is probably Clarence E. Eisenhart (eyes and heart). See my note below in the comments section.

Rebus: "Eye AM Uriah E. Heckert. W-Hoe T-He Devil R Yew?" Translation: "I am Uriah E. Heckert. Who the devil are you?" Acquaintance cards--like this rebus version--continue to attract some media attention. The latest is a Daily Mail posting by Annabel Fenwick Elliott on April 24. See her discussion of these "cheeky cards": " May I Have the Pleasure of Seeing You Home?' The 'Flirtation Cards' 19th-Century Men Used to Woo Ladies (But They Had to Be Returned If She Wasn't Interested) ."

"What color eyes do you love best? Perhaps blue and light hair. Send me a card [to say] when you will be over. All O.K. but mamma has the grippe. Here comes Tom. Campers by the creek. Jolly time. Tell Alice 'Hello' for me. Ever yours, Mariett." Postmark on back: Hubbard, Ohio, Oct. [6?], 1908. Addressed on back to: "Miss Mina Clark, Hubbard, Ohio. R.F.D. #2. c/o Mr. Taylor Carnahan." Handwritten message on back: "10-6, '08. Hello Kidds! Where are you and what are you doing anyway? Why did you not come over as you said? I have 'sore eyes' looking for you. Would you be the doctor? How are the folks?"

The eye-catching cover of Escape the Night , a 1944 murder mystery by Mignon G. Eberhart .

A Swedish matchbox label branded with the names of Argus , the multi-eyed giant of Greek mythology, and Vulcan , the Roman god of fire. "The Argus Vulcan Safety Matches. Made at Sidaholm, Sweden. Contents 60 matches."

"You are the [apple] of my [eye]. We should make a good [pear]." A postcard addressed on the other side to "Miss E. Jonkin [or Tonkin], Trescobease Manor, Falmouth, [Cornwall, England] ." Handwritten note on the verso: "Dear E., So sorry we shall not make a pair this year on account of this terrible war. Your devoted G." Printed on the other side: "'National' Series. Made in Gt. Britain. No. 1866." Although there's no date or postmark (and the stamp once affixed to the back of the postcard is missing), "G." was evidently writing to "E." sometime during the "terrible" years of World War I (1914-1918). For other romantic rebuses featuring fruit and vegetables, see You Had Better Ask Papa and A Farmer's Love Letter .

Rebus: "Eye wood l-eye-ke two meat u." Translation: "I would like to meet you." "You will find the solution of this riddle underneath the stamp." Handwritten message: "Read the riddle and you shall feel happy and think of me." This postcard was addressed to Miss Annie Klick, R.F.D. #2, Lebanon, Pa., and postmarked in Mount Zion, Pa., on Jan. 17, 1907. The stamp on the other side was torn off to reveal the solution printed in the stamp box underneath it: "I would like to meet (or to roast) you." The rebus here conveys a playful message similar to the ones on acquaintance cards , such as May I See You Home? and I Am Uriah E. Heckert . This is Huld's Riddle Series No. 5. For other postcards in the series see I Would Like to Make a Date with You and I Would Like to See You Here .

Rebus: "Eye wood l-eye-ke two m-ache a d-eight with u." Translation: "I would like to make a date with you." "You wii find the solution of this riddle underneath the stamp." Handwritten notation: "656 York, Pa." This postcard was addressed to Miss Martha Smith, Wrightsville, Pa., and was postmarked on Nov. 2, 1906, in York, Pa. The stamp on the other side is intact, and the solution--presumably "I would like to make a date with you"--that's printed underneath it is hidden. This is Huld's Riddle Series No. 13. For other postcards in the series see I Would Like to See You Here and I Would Like to Meet You .

Rebus: "Eye wood l-eye-ke two c u h-ear." Translation: "I would like to see you here." "You will find the solution of this riddle underneath the stamp." Handwritten message on the front of this postcard: "From a friend. Haven't you forgotten me? Hope not, come to see me. I often think of you." The card was addressed on the other side to "Miss Laura Fisher, Carlisle, Penna., c/o Lindner Shoe Co.," and was postmarked in Carlisle, Pa., on April 12, 1906. A sticker with a Bible verse is affixed to the other side: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48." This is Huld's Riddle Series No. 9. For other postcards in the series, see I Would Like to Meet You and I Would Like to Make a Date with You .

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 .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of from the photobooth . Written on the back of the photo: "Luther & Dick." For more photobooth photos, see Photobooth Girl in Forty Poses and other photos in my Vintage Photobooth album.