Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: berries

"Clear the track for Merry Christmas. HBG." A Christmas postcard illustrated by H. B. Griggs (HBG). Addressed on the other side to Mr. Paul Cadwallader, Sharonville, Ohio, R.R., and postmarked in Cozaddale, Ohio, on Dec. 16, 1910. Handwritten message: "Hello Old Boy. How are you? Why don't you write. Have been very busy with my entertainment and did not have time. HRB."

A small holiday greeting card possibly used as an insert in candy boxes.

"Hello - Merry Christmas." An early twentieth-century postcard featuring cutting-edge candlestick telephone communications technology. See also Hello, Merry Christmas! Operator, Can You Help Me, Help Me If You Please .

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

Yet another Halloween photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A real photo postcard with a Halloween portrait of kids (including twins?), a cat, and a jack-o'-lantern all posing on the front porch (see also a cropped version of the photo). The family sent this as a Christmas greeting (notice the decorative holly leaves and berries added at the bottom) to Miss Geneva B. Haley, Cornish, Maine. The card was postmarked in Brunswick, Maine, on December 17, 1943. Handwritten message on the other side: "Yours was a lovely card. Peter read it to the other children. It's their favorite Christmas carol. Greetings from all, Cecil & Marion." I don't recall ever seeing any other Halloween-themed Christmas cards.

A postcard with an undivided back (only an address was allowed on the back of this type of early postcard--no message). There's no stamp or postmark, but it's addressed to: "Mr. & Mrs. M. A. Rice, Montclair, New Jersey." The stamp box on the back of the postcard ("Place postage stamp here. Domestic, one cent. Foreign, two cents.") is overwritten with the words, "Mervyn Pony Post," meaning, I assume, that Mervyn received it in person from Eva and Billy. Mervyn then presumably carried it home to show the New Year greeting on the front (a parody of a railroad passenger ticket decorated in red and green colors with Christmas holly leaves and berries) to his wife Nellie and the rest of the Rice family. General Railroad of Time, 1906-1907 Three Hundred & Sixty Five Trip Family Ticket This ticket officially stamped and dated will entitle Nellie & Mervyn and family to one continuous happy and prosperous passage through life from January 1st, 1906, to January 1st, 1907, and may be renewed for as long a period thereafter as they may desire, without further notice. 365. Signed and sealed by Eva & Billy. Father Time, General Passenger Agent. Copyright 1905 by William Joseph Burkhardt, 206 Ocean Avenue, Jersey City, N.J.

For another colorful label from this New Zealand company, see Real German Sausages, Irvine & Stevenson, St. George Preserving Works, Dunedin, New Zealand . Ye Olde English Plum Pudding Prepared by Irvine & Stevenson's St. George Coy. Ltd., New Zealand. Back and syde go bare, go bare, Both foot and hand go cold But belly have jolly good duff enough Whether it be hot or cold. This tin is the safest in the world, all soldering being on the outside instead of inside. To open the tin cut along this line.

"A Merry Christmas. A Happy New Year. Johnstown Sanitary Dairy Co. Foster Hostetler." The following road and place names are listed on the map that's superimposed over the wintery landscape: Happy Town, Holiday, Friendship Highway, Merrytown, Pleasantville, Joyful, Joydale Road, Friends, and Peaceful Center. For the front of this card, see Greetings from Your Milkman :

"Greetings from Your Milkman. May all your road and paths lead to...." For the inside pages of this greeting card, see:

A cardboard milk bottle cap with Santa Claus and greetings of the season.

Adams Express Company is now a "publicly traded diversified equity fund," as Wikipedia puts it, but in the early part of the twentieth century it was still a shipping company, like UPS and FedEx are today. Back then, you could use this postcard to poetically alert a friend or relative to the imminent delivery of a Christmas present by the Adams Express Company. Adams Express Company Today I am sending by Adams Express A Christmas package to your address; And furthermore I wish to say, Don't open until Christmas day.

"Clover Leaf Dairy sends holiday greetings and a toast to good cheer. Your Milkman." A die-cut paper wreath that a milkman could place over a milk bottle as a holiday greeting for his customers. Clover Leaf Dairy was located in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

I sure hope Santa gets a new airplane this year! He's still making deliveries with his old biplane. 8-) Postmarked Airydale, Pa., Dec. 24, 1910.

"Orchilla Guano. The great soil enricher. Will grow big corn. Improves the quality and increases the quantity of the wheat; used with great success on berries, peach trees and all kinds of vegetables. Never fails on grass. R. A. Wooldridge & Co., importers, 64 Buchanan's Wharf, Baltimore, Md." The stars and stripes of the U.S. flag seem to be an odd choice for the background of this nineteenth-century trade card that advertised imported bird, uh, manure . For another card from the same company, see Orchilla Guano :

"In closing the books of the old year we take great pleasure in voicing our appreciation for past favors. On your page we would inscribe these joyful words: health, happiness, and prosperity. Herr and Company, Lancaster, Pa. H & Co. Greetings. Credits for you: 52 weeks of health, happiness, and prosperity."

The officers and directors of the Farmers National Bank, Pawnee City, Nebraska, extend to you their sincere best wishes for a prosperous and happy New Year.

"Happy New Year, John Wanamaker. Welcome at all times. Grand Depot, Philadelphia, Pa. Loag, pr."

Now even Santa knows what it feels like to be held hostage by all the holiday advertising!