Alan Mays' photos

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of holiday happenings -- any kind of end-of-year holiday gathering, celebration, or decoration . Gold is the color of the day in this holiday scene that includes a gold Christmas tree, a gold sculpture on the wall, and gold wrapping paper and bows on the some of the presents. Even the carpet has a yellowish-almost-golden hue. There's no date on the photo. What do you think -- 1960s?

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of a sailor . Printed on the other side: "Electric Studio, 406 Main St. & 159 Church St., Norfolk, Va. 612 E. Baltimore St., & 911 Penna. Ave., Baltimore, Md." Six sailors in uniform pose in an automobile for a souvenir photo. This is a real photo postcard with a divided back and a type of Azo stamp box (with four corner triangles pointing up) on the other side that suggests a possible date that may be as early as 1907 to 1918. The card is unused, and there's no address, postmark, or message on the verso.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of signs and billboards (any type of sign—traffic, store, warning, printed, handwritten, big, small, etc.—or any kind of billboard advertisement or announcement) . A woman poses next to a sign welcoming visitors to Pennsylvania in this undated snapshot. "Kodak Velox Paper” is printed on the other side of the photo, which may indicate that it dates to sometime between 1950 and the mid-1960s. Welcome to Pennsylvania For Safety - Respect the 50 Mile Speed Limit Take Time Enjoy Our Scenery

Littlefield & Hosmer Dealers in foreign and domestic fruits, butter, eggs, beans, &c. Oranges, lemons, bananas, and apples a specialty. Country produce sold on commission. No. 9 North Market Street, Boston. W. E. Littlefield, Chas. B. Hosmer. A book about the Leading Manufacturers and Merchants of the City of Boston (1885), p. 203, provides a history of this business, which operated under the name of Littlefield & Hosmer beginning in 1881: Littlefield & Hosmer , Dealers in Foreign and Domestic Fruits, No. 9 North Market Street. — The business conducted by this firm was established in 1866, and during the nineteen years of its career it has enjoyed a large measure of success. It was founded under the firm style of Littlefield & Enslin, and it was conducted under this title for fifteen years. On the retirement of Mr. Enslin, however, in 1881, he was succeeded by Mr. Charles R. Hosmer, and the style of the house was then changed to its present one of Littlefield & Hosmer. The firm occupy the basement floor, which is 20x40 feet in dimensions, and this is stocked with very choice selections of foreign and domestic fruits of every description. The firm makes a specialty of oranges, lemons, bananas, and apples, the former of which are shipped to them from the most celebrated producing districts of Jamaica, Central America, Florida, etc., and in these classes of fruits they conduct a good trade. They sell on commission all kinds of fruit, and prompt sales and liberal advances are made if required. All foreign fruits and vegetables are procured direct from the ship at their ultimate points of destination. The house enjoys a large city and suburban trade. The individual members of the firm are Mr. W. E. Littlefield and Mr. Charles B. Hosmer, both of whom were born in Maine, the former in 1837 and the latter in 1840.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of aww, isn't that cute! A little boy has a surprised look on his face as he poses in front of the Christmas tree with the new tiger, monkey, and Humpty Dumpty toys he received as gifts in 1956. See also a cropped version of the snapshot.

A kid and his new toys, Christmas 1956. See also the full version of the photo.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of birds of a feather (whether proverbially sticking together or not) . Handwritten note on the other side: "Joe's Prize Rooster." This is a real photo postcard with a divided back and a type of Azo stamp box (with four corner triangles pointing up) on the other side that suggests a possible date that may be as early as 1907 to 1918. There's no address, postmark, or other information on the verso that would provide any additional clues to the date or location of the photo. See also the full version of the photo.

A real photo postcard featuring "Joe's Prize Rooster." See also a cropped version of the prize.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of appliances -- refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, dishwashers, etc. Refrigerators and other appliances are stacked outside of a store for a special "Frigidaire Week" sale lasting "6 Days and 6 Nites" or "78 H[ours]," depending on which sign you happen to be looking at. A handwritten sign on the fridge at front center indicates a price of $10.00 while another behind it costs $79.95. The sign in front of the store identifies the business as Thomas & Gibney, Inc., and one online source says it was located in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, but I haven't been able to confirm this. Signs visible in the photo: Frigidaire Appliances Thomas & Gibney, Inc. Maytag Sales Service 6 Days and 6 Nites Buy Now and Save! Lowest Prices Ever! 78 Hr. Sale Frigidaire Week

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of double or triple exposure . A well-dressed fellow poses -- twice! -- at a bench in the back yard for this double-exposure photo. This is a real photo postcard with a divided back and a type of Azo stamp box (with four corner triangles pointing up) on the other side that suggests a possible date that may be as early as 1907 to 1918.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of Watch the skies! -- UFOs, airplanes, birds, clouds, or anything else that might be up there . The hard-to-read handwritten note on the other side of this divided-back, real photo postcard says, "Rose sitting, [Lill?] Jennings standing, ... and myself at Yarmouth." The Yarmouth location and the roundels on the wings of the airplane suggest that this is a souvenir photo from England. But what's the meaning of "O.K" and "R.U." on the fuselage? And was there actually a three-seater biplane that looked something like this?

S. W. Solenberger, the name printed on this nineteenth-century business card, is listed as Solomon Wingert Sollenberger (1838-1906) on Find a Grave (note the extra "l" in the last name). Solenberger's farm was located in Guilford Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and he used the township's name for his herd of Shorthorn cattle. S. W. Solenberger Proprietor of Guilford Herd of Short-Horns. Breeder of Thorough-bred Red Short-Horn Cattle. Chambersburg, Franklin County, Penna. "Red Rose." [HBT?] L.L.S.Journal Chicago

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of funny costume or outfit (for Halloween or any other occasion) . Handwritten note on the other side of this photo: "Mary K. Anderson. Helen Troxell. (B. B. Kids). Halloween Party." As the note suggests, Mary and Helen evidently dressed in black and white stripes in imitation of prison garb to wear as Halloween costumes Judging by the painted backdrop and window frame, they posed for the photo in a studio setting. This is a divided-back real photo postcard. There's no address, postmark, stamp box, or any other information on the verso that would provide any clues to the location or date of the photo.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of blanket on the grass . This is an early twentieth-century photo of a baby on a blanket in the grass. The kid is propped up on a pillow in front of some shrubbery at the edge of a yard. Printed on the other side of this divided-back real photo postcard: "Turner's Real Photograph, Marion, Ia." The Kruxo stamp box design printed on the other side of this divided-back real photo postcard suggests that it may date to 1908-1910. "Turner's Real Photograph, Marion, Ia.," also appears on the verso.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of grabbing some z’s (sleeping somewhere other than a bed or cot) . A 1970s sleeper on a sofa. The same woman appears in another photo wearing a dress with bell sleeves instead of the patchwork pants (is that what they're called?) we see here. The same wallpaper pattern is visible in both photos.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of perched precariously (on a chair, ladder, roof, tower, cliff, etc.) . Lettering on the side of the truck: "The Lititz Truck S[ervice]. Levi H. Y[erger]. Both Phones. No. 8." Seven men and two kids pose with a truck overloaded with furniture and other household items. One fellow is perched atop the perilous pile, while another is standing precariously on the top step of a ladder at the back of the truck. A Cyko stamp box ("Cyko - Place Postage Stamp Here") is printed on the back of this divided-back real photo postcard, which indicates that it may date to sometime between 1907 and the 1920s.

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.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of one sitting, one standing . A man and a woman -- single at the time but later married -- pose in swimsuits for a souvenir photo at a studio in Atlantic City, New Jersey, sometime in the early twentieth century. The painted backdrop shows waves breaking on a beach. The woman is sitting awkwardly on a small table, with one foot underneath her and her other foot resting on the bottom shelf of the table. The man is standing next to her and also has one foot on the shelf. They're leaning in toward one other, and they each have one hand on the table top and the other hand on a hip. Handwritten note on the other side: "Daddy & Mother when Single." Printed on the verso: "Albert Studio, Ark Ave., and Beach, Atlantic City, N.J." The Cyko stamp box ("Cyko - Place Postage Stamp Here") on the back of this divided-back real photo postcard indicates that it may date to sometime between 1907 and the 1920s.