Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: airships

A nineteenth-century New Year calling card with a fanciful illustration. In the sky, a man is holding the reins connected to a pair of large birds who are pulling the airship that he and a female passenger are riding in. The initials "A.H.N.Y." on the airship's balloon stand for "A Happy New Year." Down below, a sailor on a ship is waving his hat as he hangs on to a mast next to a large banner that also displays a greeting for "A Happy New Year."

An early twentieth-century postcard depicting a couple aloft in an airship as they celebrate the new year by scattering gold coins and red hearts across the countryside.

"Here's hoping Santa won't forget you. Santa Claus Warehouse." Info on the back of this postcard: "Genuine Frees Animal Series. Photographs of real live pets. No. 765. Christmas Comics. 6 designs....Publ'd by the Nyce Manufacturing Co., Vernfield, Pa." This printed postcard reproduces a photo by Harry Whittier Frees (1879-1953), who posed cats, dogs, and other animals in amusing scenes like this. For additional information about Frees, see All My Christmas Dreams Came True :

"Spoffords Lake in the Future, New Hampshire. Submarine No. 13." Postmarked: "Brattleboro, Vt., Aug. 1, 1910." Addressed to: "Mrs. Bell Brown, Elm St., Montpelier, Vermont." Message: "Hello old (?) sport, How goes it anyway. Am still alive and hope this will find you the same. H.A.K." This early twentieth-century postcard bears a mundane message on the back, but the front depicts an exciting futuristic scene of submarines, flying fish, battleships, whales, buoys, airships, sea serpents, sailboats, hot air balloons, lighthouses, and other figments of the imagination at Spofford Lake in southwestern New Hampshire.

"X-mas Greetings. N. America. Merry Christmas Series 403." Even Santa Claus noticed the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914! See also Panama Canal Drawing Book, 1914 :

"My Wife's Up in an Airship. Words by Arthur Longbrake. Music by Ed. Edwards. Published by Longbrake & Edwards, 50 N. 8th St., Phila., Pa. Miss Camp." Handwritten: "Jane H. Banks. J.H.N., 7-22, 1911." An amusing sheet music cover featuring an early airplane (" airship " referred to any type of flying machine in 1911 when this was published, but today the term is used only for dirigibles). It's disappointing, however, to discover that the lyrics of the song (see below) express the "henpecked" husband's spiteful wish that the airplane will take his wife away permanently because "It's my one chance you see / To live here happily." For York University's copy of the sheet music, which includes a PDF version of the inside pages, see My Wife's Up in an Airship (the Web address is an alias that takes you to YorkSpace, York University's digital repository). My Wife's Up in an Airship Words by Arthur Longbrake. Music by Ed. Edwards. Jonesy was a henpecked man For him life was a joke, His wife made him give up his dough She always kept him broke; One day she said I'm going up In an airship for a ride, Then Jones pretended to be scared But he smiled on the side. And when she sailed away Some friends heard Jonesy say, Chorus: My wife's up in an airship Hooray! hip, hip, hooray! I hope she likes the trial trip So much she'll want to stay; For should she stay up in the air Ye ho! my lads, ye ho! With her up there most anywhere I'd have some peace below. Jonesy said I wished her luck When she left mother earth, But if that airship would get stuck I'd give all I am worth; I hope the lad who drives the ship Will attempt a spiral glide, Or land her in the middle of A river three miles wide. It's my one chance you see To live here happily. Chorus

A small photo that may show the British R34 airship during its stay in the United States from July 6 to 10, 1919. According to Wikipedia , the R34 was a British rigid airship that "became the first aircraft to make an East-to-West crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on 6 July 1919, and was decommissioned two years later after sustaining damage in adverse weather. . . R34 left Britain on 2 July 1919 and arrived at Mineola, Long Island, United States on 6 July after a flight of 108 hours with virtually no fuel left. . . . This was the first East-West crossing of the Atlantic and was done two weeks after the first transatlantic airplane flight. The return journey to Pulham [a Royal Navy Air Service (RNAS) airship station] in Norfolk [England] was from 10 to 13 July and took 75 hours."

The sheet music for "Wake Up, America!" appeared in 1916, the year before the United States entered World War I. The cover shows Uncle Sam kneeling next to the Brooklyn Bridge with the Statue of Liberty in the background. He's preparing for war by placing a battleship in New York Harbor. The song urged Americans to "get ready to answer duty's call" in case "we are called to war." A 1916 recording of "Wake Up, America!" is available on the Library of Congress's National Jukebox site. -------- "Wake Up, America!" This is the song that inspired all America. Lyric by George Graff, Jr. Music by Jack Glogau. Leo Feist, Inc., New York. Chorus: Wake up, America, if we are called to war, Are we prepared to give our lives For our sweethearts and our wives? Are our mothers and our homes worth fighting for? Let us pray, God, for peace, but peace with honor, But let's get ready to answer duty's call, So when Old Glory stands unfurled, Let it mean to all the world, America is ready, that's all!

A real photo postcard showing three dapper gentlemen in suits, ties, and straw hats pretending to ride in an airship in a photo studio located in Douglas, Isle of Man. Notice how the pilot is carefully operating the fake control lever as a cigarette dangles from his mouth. I just hope that the gas bag above him doesn't contain dangerously flammable hydrogen! Printed on the back: "F. Johnson, Fort William, Douglas, I.O.M."

"The Norge to the N. Pole. Safety matches. Made in Italy. S.A. Fabbriche Riunite Fiammiferi, Milano." According to Wikipedia , "The Norge was a semi-rigid Italian-built airship that carried out what many consider the first verified overflight of the North Pole on May 12, 1926. It was also the first aircraft to fly over the polar ice cap between Europe and America. The expedition was the brainchild of polar explorer and expedition leader Roald Amundsen, the airship's designer and pilot Umberto Nobile and American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth, who along with the Aero Club of Norway financed the trip." For more information, see Wikipedia's Norge (airship) article.

A real photo postcard showing "Daddy" (handwritten in the upper left-hand corner) posing on the deck of an "F-6" submarine. Although the postcard is heavily soiled and some details of the painted scene in the background are difficult to make out, it appears that there are two or three ships floating (or sinking?) in the heavy waves behind the sub, while smoke billows from the smokestacks of a ship that's visible on the horizon at left. Meanwhile, two or three biplanes and an airship are visible in the sky above. The "F-6" hull number on the submarine is puzzling, but perhaps it's intended to refer to the U.S. Navy's submarine no. 6, the USS Pike , which saw service between 1903 and 1922. For more information, see the Navy Historical Center's page regarding USS Pike (Submarine # 6, later SS-6), 1903-1922 and Wikipedia's article on USS Pike (SS-6) .

Visit our Sunday-School Air Port; come on a glorious flight Far to the lands of the Bible, shining in radiant light. Straight through the heaven of beauty bathed in the sunshine of love, Come on a tour of the Bible all other journeys above! Airships are waiting and ready, the pilots are steady and true; Off we are starting next Sunday, and here is a ticket for you! Handwritten at the bottom: "Zion Lutheran Sunday School, E. Petersburg, Penna., October 27, 1929." Printed on the other side: "Here's your pass for the take-off next Sunday!" Handwritten address on the other side: "Misses Stella and Martha Weaver, R.D. #1, Manheim, Penna." Postmarked: East Petersburg, Pa., Oct 23, 1929.

"Next Sunday is Rally Day at our school. Come and bring a friend." Postmarked 1924.

An airship photo for the theme of photographic tricks and amusements during the free-for-all week of Wild Card Month in the Vintage Photos Theme Park. See also the full version of this real photo postcard.

See also the cropped version of this real photo postcard.

This silhouette of a man wearing a hat and glasses (or a monocle?) is apparently cut from thin black paper. The Eiffel Tower at right, an unidentified building at left (anyone recognize it?), and an airship at top fill out the background of this souvenir postcard.