Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: captioned

"'Blasting stumps' on the Isted Farm. Whipple Photo." A dramatic real photo postcard showing the detonation of dynamite or some other explosive in an apparent attempt to clear tree stumps from a field. Evidently, though, the blast didn't look impressive enough, so the photographer drew on the negative to add large pieces of fake debris flying high into the air. It also appears that the photographer crossed out an earlier caption and wrote the words "blasting stumps" over it. I haven't been able to determine the location of "Isted Farm" or the identity of the "Whipple Photo" photographer.

Handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard: "A study in hand bags." I thought at first that this might be Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, but I haven't been able to confirm it. Unfortunately, I can't make out any of the inscription on the plaque that's bolted to the side of the brickwork. Does anyone recognize the location? Can anyone identify the type of fortification structure or the kinds of artillery?

A photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park monthly topic of cats (submit a photo on this topic each week in addition to—or instead of—a photo for the weekly topic) . I'm not sure what to make of this snapshot of a white-robed figure reclining on a sofa along with a black cat. "Keith Richards' Mother" is the irreverent caption written on the other side of the photo by the antiques dealer who sold it to me. For another example of the precaptioned pictures that I bought from this dealer over the years, see Grandma's Last Step .

One of the dealers at a local antique mall sells a variety of old photos, and I usually find a few interesting images each time I visit. I noticed that the dealer occasionally adds pithy comments--ranging from clever and witty to sarcastic and dark--to the back of some of the photos, and I began watching for these "precaptioned" pics when I looked through the piles of hundreds of unsorted snapshots at his stand. I can't resist the captions that turn out to be interesting or amusing (and sometimes quirky or strange), and I often end up buying the photos, even if they're bent, torn, or taped. I don't know anything about the dealer who conjures up these captions, but perhaps he, too, appreciates a good Far Side or Charles Addams cartoon.