Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: tires

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of dog behind the wheel (or a canine or feline anywhere in or near a car or other type of vehicle) . The driver in this snapshot is looking at the camera but the dog in the back seat is peering at something more interesting in the opposite direction. There's no date on the photograph, and I haven't been able to determine the make or model of the car.

"Dear folks, We are having a fine time. It was too hot to come the 12th. Joe left the 10th (Saturday) for Denver. Will be away 2 weeks. A party of 4. I know they will have a fine time. Where is Mable." Additional note on the back of this real photo postcard: "7/21. Too hot to move. Go to work, come home, and lay around. You folks come up. Ed."

I'm not sure what to make of this strange vintage postcard. Perhaps it's delivering a message about drinking and driving, or possibly there's a moral about hifalutin folks who party too much hidden in there somewhere. Or maybe it's just showing us something similar to a Batmobile, only with a skull. 8-)

A hand colored photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park . "Vœux Sincères. Dédé, Paris, 1200." This French hand-tinted real photo postcard combines images of a house, flowers, and a carload of babies to deliver a message of "Vœux Sincères" (sincere wishes) for the New Year.

Signs: Amoco, American Gas. U.S. Tires.

Or at least it looks like they're trying to drive away in "The Red Devil." Unfortunately, there aren't any clues regarding the origin of the devilish vehicle on this real photo postcard.

"Buzzell Tire Services and Dry Cleaning and Pressing Service, 52-54 Main Street, Galeton, Penna. Quick tire service. Call us for all your tire needs. New and used tires! Work guaranteed. We'll fix it in a hurry! Oh dear, a blowout!"

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of law and order . A real photo postcard dating to the early twentieth century. The partially visible sign in the background indicates "18 Miles to Balto" (an abbreviation for Baltimore -- I identified the sign based on another photo posted online). The same automobile and painted backdrop also appear in a photo showing Three Gents in a Car .

There isn't any identifying information on the back of this real photo postcard, but I suspect that these ladies were related to Bonnie and Clyde .

"Gruber Wagon Works, Mt. Pleasant, Berks County, Pa. P.O., Bernville, R.F.D No. 2. Telephone. Presented by J. W. Gruber. (over). West Hydraulic Cold Tire Setter. Have them set while you wait." -------- The Gruber Wagon Works, built in 1882 and originally located near Mt. Pleasant, Pa., was moved five miles away from the area that is now Blue Marsh Lake , which was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1970s. The Gruber Wagon Works has been designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark and is now part of the Berks County Heritage Center . I had the chance to visit the relocated Gruber Wagon Works this summer (2014) and will eventually post some photos from the site. During the tour of the wagon works, I learned that the Gruber family purchased the West Hydraulic Cold Tire Setter in 1908. This machine was able to set tires "cold" in minutes by using massive hydraulic pressure to compress an iron rim (the "tire") around a wooden wheel. This was a significant improvement over the blacksmith's "hot" setting method, a lengthy process that required the iron tire to be heated in a fire, affixed to the wooden wheel while hot, and then quenched in water to shrink the tire around the wheel. It's no surprise, then, why the Grubers included an illustration of the West Hydraulic Cold Tire Setter on their business card--the machine did its work so quickly that they could now offer to set your tire and repair your wagon wheel "while you wait."

"How to Make Your Present Car and Tires Last Longer and Aid in the Fight for Victory." Brochure published by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Bloomington, Illinois.

For more information, see Don't Walk! Ride a Bicycle .

For more information, see Don't Walk! Ride a Bicycle .

"Don't walk! Ride a bicycle. Horses are high, but bicycles are low. Good second-hand bicycles from $1.75 to $8.00....Special: new bicycles, $12.75....Geo. H. Muhlenberg, the experienced jeweler. Closed on Sundays. Phone 105. Box 8, Morgantown, Pa." Mouse over the image to see enlargements of the spot illustrations depicting a Brownie riding a bicycle and a Brownie standing beside a "Look" sign . For another example of an advertisement that uses Brownies, see What Have You Found Now, Christopher Columbus? . For more on these creatures, see Wikipedia's articles on The Brownies and their creator Palmer Cox (1840–1924).

"The Modern Cycle Co., general repairing, brazing, vulcanizing. Wm. Deubel, proprietor. 1317 Montgomery St., rear. Allied Printing Trades Council, Union Label, St. Louis, 32. The Modern Way. The Old Way." The Modern Cycle Company was a bicycle repair shop that may have been located in St. Louis, Missouri (that's where this business card was printed), but I haven't been able to uncover any additional information about the company or its proprietor, William Deubel. In the illustration on the back of the card, the "modern way" and the "old way" both portray men who are working on bicycles, and the main difference between the two of them seems to be that the modern man is using a longer tire lever (or similar tool) on his bike. I'm not sure whether this was intended to show that the Modern Cycle Company used better tools, repaired bikes more efficiently, or something else.

Five gents pose with their dog and automobile in this real photo postcard. It looks like they were out for a jaunt in a wooded area, and their destination may have been the house that's barely visible at left in the photo.

Somewhere along the road in New York state. The girl doesn't seem too pleased at having her picture taken. Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "Short's Studios, Kingston and Rondout, N.Y." The license plate on the car is "46818 NY."

See also a cropped version of this real photo postcard.