Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: steam

A men on machines photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park monthly free-for-all topic (submit as many vintage photos on any topic as you'd like). This is a snapshot of three sailors goofing around on top of an old steamroller. A handwritten note on the other side of the photo identifies the "ship" and its crew: "Good old ship 'Rollupnutherone.' Hanson, pilot. Robinson, observer. Umholtz, helmsman." For another photo of men on a machine, see Standing on a Steamer .

A waiting photo (sort of) for the Vintage Photos Theme Park with three men posing and waiting for the photographer to snap the picture. It's also a men on machines photo for the VPTP monthly free-for-all topic (submit as many vintage photos on any topic as you'd like). The photo shows a couple of guys posing on top of a steam engine while a fellow down below—with his sleeves rolled up and a shovel in his hands—does the dirty work. It looks the steam engine is in working order—there's a belt around the flywheel on the other side—but the boiler obviously isn't hot enough to prevent the guys from positioning themselves above it. For another photo of men on a machine, see Steamrolling over the Waves .

"Hallowe'en. HBG." Printed on back: "2215. Printed in Germany." A Halloween postcard illustrated by H. B. Griggs. Other cards in Griggs' 2215 series of postcards show women who are holding a candle and mirror, bobbing for an apple on a string , or tossing an apple peel over a shoulder. Each of those other postcards depict traditional Halloween fortune-telling activities or games intended to reveal the identity of a future husband. I haven't, however, been able to figure out what the woman on this postcard is doing. She appears to be holding her hand over a bowl as steam or smoke rises from it, but I haven't uncovered any descriptions of similar Halloween practices.

A Halloween postcard addressed on the other side to "Miss Bertha Duncan, Cresson, Penna.," and postmarked in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on October 24, 1912. Handwritten message: "This card is a little soon for Halloween but I will send it anyhow. Aquilla." Printed on the back: "Printed in Saxony 0624." In a candlelit room at midnight on Halloween, a young woman gazes into a mirror through the steam from a cauldron so she can catch a glimpse of her future husband. For other Halloween postcards with a mirror-gazing theme, see: -- Halloween Greeting—I Gaze in the Mirror My Future There to See -- Halloween Greetings—Look Out for Ghosts -- Wishing You a Lucky Halloween

A steam calliope in a snapshot dated March 1971. This calliope is known as Getz's Steam Calliope after the three brothers—Noah, William, and Robert Getz—who operated it for many years. Hauled around on a tractor trailer, the calliope still makes regular appearances at parades and other events in south central Pennsylvania. Head over to YouTube to see it in action at a Homecoming Parade in Millersville, Pa., on October 13, 2012, and at the July 4th Parade in Pottstown, Pa., in 2017.

This is a side-by-side comparison of a nineteenth-century advertising card with a Google Street View (from 2011) of the building depicted on the card. It's quite surprising to discover that the façade of the building, which was a store in the late 1800s and today is a laundromat, hasn't changed much in over 100 years. See a second Google Street View from a slightly different angle for a better view of the signs and window on the first floor.

A nineteenth-century advertising card for Spangler & Rich, a store in Marietta , Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Amazingly enough, the building that housed the store is still standing, and its façade hasn't changed dramatically in over 100 years. A laundromat occupies the building today. See a side-by-side comparison of the image on the card and a recent Google Street View (from 2011) of the building . Spangler & Rich No. 64 Market Street, Marietta, Pa., Dealers in Dry Goods, Clothing, Groceries, &c. Fish--Carpets and Floor Oil Clothes. Queensware and Wall Papers--Salt. Express Steam Print, Lancaster, Pa. Crosscup, Phila.

"W. A. King. D. R. King. W. A. King & Co. Columbia Steam Cracker and Biscuit Bakery, Nos. 169, 171, and 173 Locust St., Columbia, Lancaster Co., Pa. Bakers of large and small steam pretzels. Presented by ________." Daniel R. King and his son William A. King operated a bakery in nineteenth-century Columbia, Pennsylvania, when steam power was the cutting-edge technology and Victorian typefaces were in vogue.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of cooking: outside or in . I'm not sure what mama's cooking, but she may be preparing food for a picnic. There appear to be white cloth-covered baskets lying in the grass, with one or two baskets barely visible behind mama and another in the right midground. "Mama cookin' 'em. Catherine Mueller." Sent to Mr. W. S. Osgood, 410 Morris Bldg., New Orleans, La., and postmarked Kansas City, Kans., Aug. 20, 1907. There's no other message on the back.

Original caption: "I am pushing on the lines. Will show you a full line of samples about...." With written additions: "I am pushing on the lines. Will see you about next Saturday if plans pan out O.K. Shall I bring a trunk? Store's not open Sat., so if you come home, come to end of line, [or?] phone from square." A salesman normally would have used a postcard like this to notify potential customers when he'd arrive at their location to show them samples of his merchandise, but instead the sender of this card has altered the message to arrange a time to meet a friend or relative.

Postmarked Roseburg, Oregon, Oct. 25, 1916.

"Hotel Langford. Lighted by electricity. Heated by steam. Everything new. Sample room for traveling men. Near the passenger station. Baths--hot and cold. Rates, $2.00 per day. Susquehanna, Penn. F. F. Langford, propr." This nineteenth-century business card indicates that the Hotel Langford catered to salesmen (called "commercial travelers" or "traveling men" at the time) by offering them "sample rooms" where they could display their wares for potential customers.

"Independent Order of Hot Air Dispensers Membership Card. Local No. 463 - Card No. This certifies that [H. H. Melhorn?], Glen Rock, Pa., is a member in good standing of the Hot Air Dispensers, and is fully qualified to supply hot air on any and all occasions. James Gasbag, president. Wm. Buttonholer, sec'y."

An unused sample calling card for a fireman. For other firemen's calling cards, see Eugene O. Chase, Second Leading Hoseman, Danielsonville, Conn. , C. H. Moscrip, H. G. Phelps Hose Company No. 1, Sidney, N.Y. , and Fireman's Card .

The cover of a booklet advertising Witchal, a witch-hazel extract manufactured by the E. E. Dickinson Co. and used medicinally as an astringent.

"Best Boiler Works, Lancaster, Pa., manufactory of steam boilers, water & oil tanks, stills, bellows, pipes, & sheet iron work in general. Jobbing promptly & carefully attended to. John Best, proprietor. Mc.Clement, Phila." For information about cameo cards like this, see José L. Rodriguez's article on Cameo Makers . For similar cards, see Eagle Marble Works, Monuments, Tombs, Gravestones, Reading, Pa. and J. H. Hain, Manufacturer of Saddles, Harness, Whips, Reading, Pa.

The dealer from whom I bought this real photo postcard identified it as a North Dakota scene, and I'm guessing that it shows a threshing crew. I'm not sure what kind of steam engine they're using to power the threshing machine (which is presumably connected to the other end of the belt that extends beyond the left-hand side of the photo).

"Engine Brand Safety Matches. Made in Sweden. Impregnated."