Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: sleighs

"Samuel K. Groninger. Each day, bring new pleasures!" A Victorian-era calling card with a winter theme for Christmas.

"A. W. Davis, manufacturer of carriages, wagons, and sleighs. No. 1523 North Salina Street, Syracuse, N.Y."

Looks like good ol' Santa Claus and his reindeer are up on the housetop with lots of toys for all the girls and boys! This is a Victorian-era sample of an advertising trade card. "Christmas Card—Card No. 3. 3 colors."

The Berks and Dauphin Turnpike Road Company was in existence from 1805 to about 1917 and collected tolls along a road that extended from Berks County through Lebanon County and into Dauphin County in Pennsylvania. The punches on this ticket indicate that it cost 5 cents for a trip in Lebanon County between Annville (or Sporting Hill?) and Sunny Side, a distance of 3 (or 2¼?) miles. Berks & Dauphin Turnpike Road Co. Dimes - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0. Rates For 1 horse and carriage - 1½ cts. per mile For 2 horses and carriage - 2½ cts. per mile For 1 horse and sleigh - .75 cts. per mile For 1 horse rode or led - ½ cts. per mile For 1 horse and sulky - 1 cts. per mile For 1 wagon per horse - 1 cts. per mile For bicycle - ½ cts. per mile From Junction - Mls. to P. & R. Crossing - 1 to Swatara Station - 1¾ to Palmyra - 5 to Kreider's Mill - 9¼ to Annville - 10¼ to Sporting Hill - 11 to Cleona - 12 to Stony Side - 13 to Lebanon - 15¼ to Wernersville - 34¼ to Robesonia - 31¼ to Womelsdorf - 28¼ to Waterloo - 26½ to Stouchsburg - 26 to Owl Creek - 22¾ to Myerstown - 21¾ to West Myerstown - 21¼ to Half-way - 19¼ to Narrows - 18¼ to Avon - 17¼ Cents - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0. For a similar item, see Lancaster, Elizabethtown, and Middletown Turnpike Company Ticket .

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.

Santa's wild eyes reveal his determination to complete his Christmas deliveries as the sun rises behind him and his reindeer gallop across the sky, their hooves kicking up some serious dust clouds (or maybe they're just regular atmospheric clouds at that height). "Flora" used only her first name to sign this postcard on the front (at the very bottom) and on the back. The card was postmarked Batavia, N.Y., Dec. 18, 1908, and Flora addressed it to Mrs. Elmira Smith, Gainesville, N.Y., which is located about 30 miles from Batavia. She wrote a straightforward three-word message: "All are well."

"Holiday Greetings of E. R. Barry, the Hanover St. Confectioner. Bufford." Although this advertising trade card likely dates to the 1880s or 1890s, E. R. Barry continued in business into the twentieth century, as evidenced by the text of an advertisement in The Manchester [New Hampshire] Directory, 1908 (Boston: Sampson and Murdock, 1907): "E. R. Barry Co., confectioners, caterers, and bakers, ice cream, etc. Dinner served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 35 cents. Odd Fellows' Block, 81 and 89 Hanover Street, Manchester, N.H." See below for some other Victorian trade cards that feature Santa Claus:

"Christmas Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year. The Disques."

The sign in the photo says, "3194 Miles to Santaland."

Written on the back of this real photo postcard: "Emma."

"Say, mister, it's no use you going down that dirty chimney: jes give me the presents and I'll take them down and save you the time." Sent to Mrs. Ella Haglette, Allensville, Mifflin County, Pa., in 1908. See also Wait a Moment Till I See If You've Got All the Things I Ordered (below).

"G. A. Schwarz, Toy Bazaar, 1006 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. Mayer, Merkel & Ottmann, Lith., N.Y."

Perhaps this is where the idea for installing car stereo systems came from. "Zon-O-Phone Records, February 1907, 10 inch, 50¢. The Universal Talking Machine Mfg. Co., Newark, N.J."

A bunny, a tiger, and Santa? "Merry Christmas, Cynthia, David, Betty, and Don."

"Lebanon Daily News-Times and I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Your newspaper boy, Harold E. Bressler."