Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: metal

"Easter Seals. Space Ranger." A tin-lithograph tab button pin issued by the Easter Seals charity in the late 1950s. The satellite depicted on the pin looks similar to Vanguard 1 , which was launched by the United States in 1958. It's still orbiiting the earth today even though its solar-powered radio transmitter stopped working in 1964.

An early twentieth-century postcard with a shiny "Merry Christmas" greeting that's actually an attached metal piece. Why does the women in the illustration have a silly grin on her face and why is she holding a lemon, you ask? At the time this postcard was published, handing someone a lemon was a humorous way to say "skidoo" or "23 skidoo," meaning "scram" or "beat it." So those who knew about this 23 skidoo fad quickly realized that the lemon signified that this was a tongue-in-cheek greeting. For another lemon postcard with a backhanded Christmas greeting, see I'm Sending You a Lemon for a Merry Christmas . To learn how lemons came to be associated with the 23 skidoo fad in the early twentieth century, see Skidoo 23 Is Now 37 .

Handwritten date on the back of this photo: Aug. 1941. Stamped on back: Peerless Photo Shop, Lacrosse, Wis.

Don't forget to make time for stunts during your Halloween party! This handy dandy Whirl-O spinner makes it easy. Who wouldn't want to "Whistle ' Yankee Doodle ' with a saucepan on your noodle" or "Throw ten feet, never fail, three potatoes in a pail"? You'll find out who can "Squirm and wiggle, then laugh and giggle" or who's more likely to "Keep a straight face for a while, let nobody make you smile." Of course, you'll have to prepare ahead of time. In addition to a saucepan, potatoes, and a pail, you'll need some string, a broom, a blindfold, an apple, some balloons, needle and thread, and a bunch of other stuff. Check out the full list of stunts below. You may want to practice each one before the party so that you can demonstrate for your guests. -------- Whirl-O Halloween Fortune and Stunt Game Take a string and where you stand, tie a knot with just one hand. Ride a broom around the floor, come back where you were before. Leap like a frog and give a croak. Walk a strait line to the end, never slip or descend. Turn blindfolded ten times round point to your love. On your tip-toes nice and fine, cross the room in one strait line. Push an apple, nothing more, with your nose across the floor. Stand up and bow, and moo like a cow. Squirm and wiggle, then laugh and giggle. Try your wind and see how soon you can burst a toy balloon. Take a needle, shove thread in it, all in less than half a minute. Throw ten feet, never fail, three potatoes in a pail. Swing an apple on a string, bite it on the second swing. See if you can show this knack, tie a bow behind your back. Whistle Yankee Doodle with a saucepan on your noodle, Bite and chew as fast as able five marshmallows from the table. Keep a straight face for a while, let nobody make you smile. Stand on your toes and wiggle your nose. Spin like a top until you have to stop. Make a spoon linger on your little finger.

A birthday cakes photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. For another fun birthday cake photo, see Happy Birthday to--Hey, Are You Taking My Picture? After enlarging this snapshot, I was able to determine the birthday boy's name--Kadin--from the decoration on the cake, and one of the cards revealed that he was celebrating his second birthday as he posed with his gifts. Kadin's 1950s-era toys include the kaleidoscope he's holding, a metal spintop next to his left foot, some sort of metal cylindrical push toy to the right of the top, an inflatable Goofy Ball, and a drum (mouse over the image to see my notes). The room's decor features boldy decorated cushions leaning against the wall behind Kadin and a square-base table lamp positioned on the end table on the right-hand side.

A real photo postcard, date and location unknown.