Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: wood

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of odd, unusual, or quirky . Trick photos with double exposures usually involve typical scenes with props like wheelbarrows (see A Man Simultaneously Pushing and Riding a Wheelbarrow ) or playing cards ( Aunt Maggie's Trick Shot ). The setting for this one, however, is rather unusual. A huge pile of firewood dominates the scene. On the left, two boys stand at the bottom of the woodpile. Partially visible behind them is a farm wagon and beyond the wagon are some trees. Both boys are looking toward the photographer. One of them is pointing toward the top of the pile and wielding a piece of wood as if he intends to use it as a weapon. The other boy is about to start climbing up the pile. On the right, standing at the top of the woodpile are the same two boys. They're both drawing bows as if they're about to shoot arrows, but neither of them has an arrow. So, it appears that the storyline is that the boys are about to climb the woodpile to stop themselves from shooting arrows as they stand on top of the pile. Or at least that's all I can make of it.

A postcard postmarked in Houston, Texas, on July 15, 1959. Description on the other side: "The hardwood panel display in the Memphis Municipal Airport lobby, prepared by the Memphis Lumberman's Club, is one of the major points of interest to visitors in the 'World's Hardwood Capital.'" I haven't been able to determine whether the hardware panel still exists as a major attraction in Memphis , Texas.

A Halloween postcard dated 1908.

"Reward of Merit presented to Oliver K. Ott, by William C. Weiss, teacher. An honorable testimony of approbation for industry, punctuality, & good conduct." Probably the same Oliver K. Ott (1860-1944) who's listed on Find A Grave.

"Travers American Hammock. Trademark. Patented July 29, 1879. New style, perfect in shape, beauty & strength; brass mounted, cardinal binding. Samples by mail, $3.00, postage, 50 cents. Hellerson." Vincent P. Travers, who was one of the officers in the company that manufactured Travers American Hammocks, held a number of hammock patents, but I haven't been able to locate one dated July 29, 1879. Perhaps the patent cited on this trade card was actually Improvement in Hammock-Supports (U.S. Patent no. 221,984), which the Patent Office approved a few months later on November 25, 1879.

Printed on the back of this postcard: "Th. E., L. Theochrom-Serie No. 1210|6. Printed in Germany." Postmarked Baltimore, Md., Apr. 7, 1910, and addressed to Miss Ella Killinger, Mongul, Franklin Co., Pa. Handwritten message: "How is your five o'clock beau. Just the same I guess. With love to all and from the girls. Our address is 2334 E. Monument St., Balto., Md. From Ellen Truer." Anyone know what a "five o'clock beau" might refer to? A boyfriend that you only see after work perhaps?

"Caution. Dear Miss: The accompanying Chromo is a good illustration 'done in ile' of the gent who escorted you home last Sunday evening, as he appeared at three in the morning while ascending to his room. The Society for the 'Invention of Cruelty to Animals' wishes me to caution you against keeping him up so late again!"

A real photo postcard showing miners at the Atlantic Coal Company's Mine, Boswell, Somerset County, Pa.

A sleeping photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Why is a sleeping baby perched in the crook of this tree? Who or what is holding the baby up so that it doesn't fall down? Unfortunately, there's no message or other information on the back of this real photo postcard to provide answers to these questions.

An undated red-border Kodachrome slide (probably late 1950s). This pipe-smoking fellow reminds me of J. R. "Bob" Dobbs of Church of the SubGenius fame. In another slide (see The Silence in the Room Was Deafening , below), this same man is holding his pipe as he sits in a chair. A third slide (see Birds at Home , below) shows the same room from a different angle (compare the lamp, table, and floral-print chair).

A celluloid medallion. For additional examples, see the George Eastman House's extensive collection of Celluloid Medallions & Buttons on Flickr.

"Consumers Cigar Box Company, Red Lion, Pa. Manufacturers of fancy and novelty boxes. Capacity 15,000 per day. 'If It's wooden boxes we make them.'"

For a National Temperance Society pledge card that urges abstinence from alcohol and profanity as well as tobacco, see Touch Not, Taste Not, Handle Not . Anti-Cigarette Pledge For the sake of strength and purity, I promise, with the help of God, never to use tobacco in any form, and to help others to abstain from its use. Name: Bessie G. Gilstrap. Date: Apr. 22, 1916. "If sinners entire thee, consent thou not." Prov. 1:10. Missionary Volunteer Pledge Series, No. 8.