Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: owls

An elaborate business card printed by David Bachman Landis of Pluck Art Printery (later known as Landis Art Print). The wavy, wiry vertical lines that Landis used to separate the "Special Attention" section on the left from the main "E. Oettel" portion of the card come from a set of "Capital Ornaments" dated 1891 that was available from the Barnhart Brothers & Spindler (BB&S) type foundry. Landis also used these separators in a number of other printed pieces. See, for instance, the following examples: -- Charles S. Frantz, Graduate Ophthalmic Optician, Watchmaker, and Jeweler, Lancaster, Pa. -- A. H. Herr, Mill Creek Dairy, Lancaster, Pa. -- J. M. Trout, Fire Sand Quarries, Landisville, Pennsylvania, ca. 1890s BB&S also sold a set of "Brownies" characters that included the tiny owl in the upper left-hand corner. Typefaces: Duerer ("Fancy Bakery and Confectionery"), Pynson ("All kinds of Cakes, Pies, Creams, Water Ices, and"), Hansard ("Home Made Bread"), Dante ("No. 506 Manor Street, Lancaster, Pa."). The unidentified typeface used here for "E. Oettel" appears to be the same as the one selected for "J. M. Trout" on the J. M. Trout, Fire Sand Quarries card. E. Oettel, Philadelphia Reliable Fancy Bakery and Confectionery. All kinds of Cakes, Pies, Creams, Water Ices, and Home Made Bread. No. 506 Manor Street, Lancaster, Pa. Special attention given to wedding and party orders. Stands at Eastern, Central, and Southern Markets.

Take a look at the Halloween decorations in the photo. There's a honeycomb tissue owl in the middle of the table, black cats on the cups and plates, and a witch on the hat that the woman is wearing. For more information, see the full version of this photo.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the monthly theme of free-for-all (submit as many vintage photos on any topic as you'd like each week in addition to—or instead of—a photo for the weekly topic). This also fits the previous theme of Halloween (costumes, masks, jack-o'-lanterns, decorations, ghosts, gravestones, or anything else spooky or scary) . A snapshot of a Halloween gathering in October 1971. In the middle of the table are two lighted candles and a honeycomb tissue owl centerpiece. One woman is holding a candy apple , and the woman to her right is wearing a party hat decorated with the silhouette of a witch. Images of black cats are visible on the cups and plates. See a cropped version of the photo for a better view of the table decorations and witch hat. For a second photo of the same scene taken from a different angle, see Halloween Get-Together with Owl and Black Cat Decorations, October 1971 .

Notice the owl centerpiece and the tablecloth pattern with black cats as witches stirring the contents of cauldrons. Also visible on the tables are candles, plates, cups, spoons, and candy apples . For more information, see the full version of this photo.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of forks, knives, and/or spoons . This also fits the previous theme of Halloween (costumes, masks, jack-o'-lanterns, decorations, ghosts, gravestones, or anything else spooky or scary) . A snapshot of women gathered around a kitchen table decorated for Halloween in October 1971, as the date printed at the top of the photo indicates. The centerpiece is a honeycomb tissue owl, originally packaged as a "Dennison Halloween Owl, 10" Tall," as I was able to determine after a Google Images search. The pattern on the tablecloth shows an image of black cats as witches stirring the contents of cauldrons. There are also candles, plates, cups, spoons, and candy apples on the table. See a cropped version of the photo for a better view of the Halloween decorations. For another photo of the same scene from a different angle, see Halloween Get-Together with Owl Centerpiece and Witch Hat, October 1971 .

Bats, an owl, and a black cat accompany a witch as she rides her broomstick over a snow-covered landscape in this illustration from a postcard dated 1910. For a similar postcard, see Halloween—Witch and Black Cat on a Broomstick .

A quirky Halloween postcard addressed to R. D. Bell, Bellwood, Penna., and postmarked Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 2, 1910.

"Meeting of Ye Hallowe'en Spirits. This way! OWL." In this unusual Art Deco postcard from the 1920s, pointy-eared Smurf-like creatures ride a turtle through the woods on their way to a meeting of Halloween spirits.

Postmark on the back of this postcard: Worcester, Mass., Oct. 30, 1909. Addressed to: Miss Ora Bickford, New Gloucester, Maine, R.F.D. no. 1. Message: "With best wishes for a happy Hallowe'en. Love, Elva." "A formerly widespread tradition held that young women gazing into a mirror in a darkened room (often on Halloween) could catch a glimpse of their future husband's face in the mirror--or a skull personifying Death if their fate was to die before they married." This explanation of what the women in this postcard is doing appears in Wikipedia's article on scrying , which is defined as "the practice of looking into a translucent ball or other material with the belief that things can be seen, such as spiritual visions, and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling." Cupid's presence in this postcard is somewhat puzzling, but the publisher, L. R. Conwell, also included Cupid in at least one other Halloween postcard. See The Joys of Halloween Be Yours . See below for additional examples of early twentieth-century postcards that depict mirror-gazing and other Halloween fortune-telling activities.

An owl and a bat flap their wings through the nighttime sky as Cupid stands on a cloud and contemplates whether to shoot an arrow at the full moon, where a witch has replaced the Man in the Moon. I can't help but wonder whether L. R. Conwell, the publisher of this 1909 postcard, recycled a Valentine's Day card to compose this perplexing scene, but a search for other Cupid cards didn't uncover any similar postcards. Conwell also featured Cupid in at least one other Halloween postcard. See Wishing You a Lucky Halloween :

"We Are Owl [All] Wishing You a Merry Christmas." A leather postcard published circa 1905-1910 by W. S. Heal, whose "W.S.H" monogram appears in the lower left-hand corner of the card. There isn't any message, address, or other information on the back.

Owls a hooting in the tree, Pumpkins making faces mean, And lots of thing that you can't see Tell us that it's Hallowe'en. A vintage Halloween postcard signed by artist Ellen H. Clapsaddle.

For the complete roller skating rink dance card, see the following: Roller Skate Diary Card (orange) 1) 1939 Halloween Party / De Luxe Roller Skating (above) 2) Autographs / Memoirs Roller Skate Diary Card Insert (yellow) 3) De Luxe Roller Skating / Treasure Hunt 4) Romance on Roller Skates / Order of Skating -------- 1939 Halloween Party Roller Skate Diary, Sunset Park, Williamsport, Pa. -------- De Luxe Roller Skating Every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Sunday matinee, 2:30 to 4:30, 15¢. Romance, glamour, health, happiness, fun, joy. It's smart to own personal shoe skates. Rink available for Sunday school and private parties. See manager for details. Hammond electric organ for pleasing music.

For the complete roller skating rink dance card, see the following: Roller Skate Diary Card (orange) 1) 1939 Halloween Party / De Luxe Roller Skating 2) Autographs / Memoirs (above) Roller Skate Diary Card Insert (yellow) 3) De Luxe Roller Skating / Treasure Hunt 4) Romance on Roller Skates / Order of Skating

For the complete roller skating rink dance card, see the following: Roller Skate Diary Card (orange) 1) 1939 Halloween Party / De Luxe Roller Skating 2) Autographs / Memoirs Roller Skate Diary Card Insert (yellow) 3) De Luxe Roller Skating / Treasure Hunt (above) 4) Romance on Roller Skates / Order of Skating -------- De Luxe Roller Skating Sunset Park. -------- Treasure Hunt Friday Nite, Sunset Park Rink. A Baumgart Sisters Enterprise.

For the complete roller skating rink dance card, see the following: Roller Skate Diary Card (orange) 1) 1939 Halloween Party / De Luxe Roller Skating 2) Autographs / Memoirs Roller Skate Diary Card Insert (yellow) 3) De Luxe Roller Skating / Treasure Hunt 4) Romance on Roller Skates / Order of Skating (above) -------- Romance on Roller Skates Sunset Rink Song, by Henry. Romance on roller skates / One glance I met my fate / The chance we all must take / I'm glad that I could wait. The lights were turned on low / She smiled, her eyes aglow / We began to skate and so, / Romance began to grow. As the organ played / We rolled and swayed / My heart disobeyed, / But I was not afraid. So now my life's complete, / Because I've found my mate; / Each night we will repeat-- / "Romance on Roller Skates." A Modernistic Skateland. -------- Order of Skating 1) Sunset Skate for Couples. 2) Drop Back Skate. 3) Trio Skate. 4) Moonlight Skate for Couples. 5) Two Step. 6) Grand March. 7) Ladies' Choice. 8)F Foursome Drop Back. 9) Kiss Skate. 10) Waltz for Couples. 11) Popular Request. 12) Reverse Skate. Happy Skating--Come Again Soon.

"R. & J. Beck, opticians, No.1016 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. W. H. Walmsley, manager. Spectacles, eye glasses, opera glasses, microscopes, thermometers, telescopes." For another trade card from this company, see R. & J. Beck, Opticians, Philadelphia, Pa. (thumbnail image below).