Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: draperies

A calling card for "H. E. Grothe" with attached photo. I purchased this from a dealer in Seattle, Washington, who obtained it along with other calling cards (without photographs) from an estate sale in Idaho. For other photo calling cards, see: -- Warren Perkins -- Miss Ellen Sophia Auchey -- Irwin G. Waggener

"The National Surgical Institute of Philadelphia, N.E. Cor. Broad & Arch Sts. Ketterlinus, Philad'a." A Victorian-era "before and after" advertising trade card for the National Surgical Institute of Philadelphia. The "before" part of the card is illustrated by the boy on crutches, who hasn't yet received any treatment. The girl, whose treatment has been so successful that she can now throw away her crutches, shows us the "after" part and demonstrates why we should become patients at the National Surgical Institute. I'm not exactly sure why that prosthetic leg is just lying there on the steps. You'd think they could put it out of the way in a cupboard or closet somewhere so that no one trips over it. Printed on the back of the card: The National Surgical Institute Has been engaged in the treatment of all deformities of the body, limbs, and face; such as Spinal Diseases, Paralysis, Hip Disease, Crooked Limbs, Crooked or Club Feet, Diseased Joints, Hare Lip, Deformities of the Nose, &c. Also, Diseases of Women, Nasal Catarrh, Indolent Ulcers, Piles, Fistula, and other Chronic Diseases. There are no secrets in the mode of treatment, which is usually painless, and all interested are cordially invited to visit the Institute and examine the extensive and ingenious machinery, varied appliances and other facilities. No charges made for examinations, and no cases treated that cannot be cured or greatly benefited. All desired information, and any number of references furnished by calling at, or addressing National Surgical Institute, Cor. Broad & Arch Sts., Philadelphia.

"Philadelphia Carnival, Easter Monday night, April 18th, 1881, at the Academy of Music. A. M. J. Mueller, del. J. H. Camp, litho." An elaborate trade card announcing the Philadelphia Carnival, which was held at the Academy of Music on the day after Easter in 1881.

For more information, see Grumpy and Grouchy (below):

A 35 mm slide for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. I believe that this couple is related to the Pipe-Smoking Man , who smokes a pipe, wears yellow socks, and appears in some other slides I've posted (see, for instance, The Silence in the Room Was Deafening , below left). This woman and man, who may have been Pipe-Smoking Man's parents or in-laws, didn't always seem to be in such bad moods. Take a look at Here's the Lady You Ordered! (below right) to see the hilarity that ensued as the man and another fellow carried the woman through a doorway into a house (judging by the corsage that the woman was wearing and the flower in the man's lapel, I suspect that they were celebrating a wedding anniversary). I wasn't able to see a date or determine who's on the cover of the Life magazine on the coffee table, and it looks like there's also a Toby jug on the table near the magazine. Update: Thanks go to goenetix for identifying the Life magazine issue! It was published on October 9, 1950, and that's British actress Jean Simmons on the cover. See the comments section below for additional details.

Photo studio: John S. Fritz, 852 Penn Street, Reading, Pa. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to uncover any information regarding a "Hercules" baseball team in or around Reading, Pennsylvania, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

A selection of Victorian-era calling cards.

"To all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 1884. 1885. Compliments of A. K. Hoffmeier, manufacturer and dealer in fine medium and common furniture, No. 26 East King St., Lancaster, Pa."

"Ready to hang lace curtains. Troublesome hemming and heading avoided. Can actually be draped on rod or pole. Ready to hang at windows in less than one minute. Costs no more than ordinary lace curtains. Exceptionally good values and beautiful designs. "Before buying your new lace curtains, ask to see the ready to hang curtains. A drapery feature that will appeal to you, and drapery designs extremely dainty and attractive. Our new selection of latest patterns yet received. F. W. Gieselman D[ry] G[oods] Co., Macon, Mo. Souvenir Post Card Co., N.Y."

Photographer's name embossed on photo: "S. W. Kuhnert, Harrisburg Pa."

"William T. Haig, house & sign painting, graining & glazing, 1902 Harland St., Philadelphia." A Victorian business card illustrated with some tools of the painting trade.

Pipe-Smoking Man (aka Yellow Socks Guy) relaxes in front of a warm and cozy fireplace. Tasteful art-- The Half Way House, Thatcham (1848), a copy of a painting by William Shayer Sr. (1787-1879)--hangs above the mantle, an issue of Seventeen is peeking out of the magazine rack, and the same floral-print curtains that were visible in The Silence in the Room Was Deafening show up here, too. See also Pipe-Smoking Television Man . (Thanks to goenetix for identifying the painting!) For related slides, select the thumbnail images below.

An undated red-border Kodachrome slide (probably late 1950s). This pipe-smoking fellow reminds me of J. R. "Bob" Dobbs of Church of the SubGenius fame. In another slide (see The Silence in the Room Was Deafening , below), this same man is holding his pipe as he sits in a chair. A third slide (see Birds at Home , below) shows the same room from a different angle (compare the lamp, table, and floral-print chair).

Undated slide.

Women dressed in costumes for a Halloween party or some other occasion.

Given its placement on a pedestal, this patriotically packaged loaf of bread must have been the tip-top pinnacle of perfection. This advertising blotter dates to World War II and includes a calendar for the last four months of 1942. The bread wrapper packaging in the illustration also suggests, "Buy U.S. War Stamps." "Ward's Tip-Top Bread. So good to eat and so good for you. Enriched with vitamins and minerals. Fresh. Enriched. Buy U.S. War Stamps. September, October, November, December 1942."

A flowers photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A slide dated April 1959 shows an elaborate planter stand with flowering plants (violets?) situated in front of a window. Trendy curtains with geometric shapes flank the stand on both sides, and other household furnishings--a lamp, stereo, framed photo, artwork on the wall--are also visible. For another slide taken in the same house (with the same distinctive style of curtains), see Here's the Lady You Ordered! Where Do You Want Us to Put Her?