Sea Serpent Caught With Eureka Thread

Victorian trade card advertising Eureka Silk Thread - Chas. Shields & Sons Lithographer

This Victorian trade card, advertising Eureka Silk Thread, shows a sea serpent being caught with Eureka Silk Thread.  Why would Eureka choose to use a sea serpent to advertise their sewing thread?  A clue may lie in the undeniable draw or curiosity towards history’s unknown.  What better way to get customers to notice their sewing thread.

A Recent News Story on Florida Sea Serpent

A recent WTSP news story about a sea serpent swimming in a Florida canal says a retired engineer has recorded pictures of a mysterious 20-foot long creature that’s been swimming in the canal behind his house.  I thought to myself, ya right.  After reading the story, I still don’t believe it.  Here’s the news story if you’d like to read it for yourself.

Do Sea Serpents Really Exist?

I don’t know if sea serpents really exist, but it is possible.  Scientists have discovered 52 new plant and animal species in the rainforest of Borneo Island since 2005.  If these species can remain undetected for this long, why can’t a sea serpent remain undetected since pre-historic times?  However, I’d need more definitive proof than pictures shot by a retired engineer in Florida to believe sea serpents exist.

You can read Mysterious Sea Serpents, Parts 1-4: The Search Continues to learn more about these mysterious creatures.

More Victorian trade cards with great graphics and color, can be found in my store.

(note: I’ve been working on the optimization of my trade card web site for a better viewing/buying experience for customers, so haven’t had time to post sooner.   )

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British Party Popper, aka “Cracker”

I originally posted this on Remember When Vintage Postcard’s page on facebook back in June, under the notes tab.  With the holiday season fast approaching, I thought my blog’s readers who’ve never visited my store’s facebook page might enjoy it.

I no longer post on that tab as I now have this blog.  However, there are several posts on it my blog readers might find enjoyable.  Feel free to visit it.  Happy reading! 

 

 

 

 

The cracker was a British novelty invented by Tom Smith in 1847. It was a small, brightly coloured paper covered cardboard tube, twisted at the ends. When pulled, it created a small explosion or “pop”. Out tumbled a hand made paper hat, or small gift, and a motto or joke. The crackle or pop added excitement to Tom’s novelty, initially called a “bon bon”.

More wonderful new year postcards, perfect for displaying this holiday season, can be found in my store- Remember When Vintage Postcards.

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Excelsior Helps Keep Victorian Fashions Clean

I wondered how Victorian fashions were kept clean.  Excelsior Starch Manufacturing Company provided the answer.  This company was started in June, 1873, with $30,000 in capital.  The factory (or works) comprised a 110 x 150 foot four floor brick building (the graphics on the Victorian trade card to the left says otherwise, so am not sure on this point).

All kinds of starch were made using corn; from packages in any desired weight for use in preparing dishes for the table, to laundry (I was unaware a laundry product could be made from corn), and other starch grades.  Absolute chemical purity was the standard of excellence.

Excelsior’s Rise to Success

At first, the works consumed about 40 bushels of corn per day, and employed no more than 10.  By 1880, the works employed 60 to 70, with an average daily consumption of 800 bushels of corn.  This increase showed how prosperous Excelsior had become, with an annual products value that had reached about $125,000.

The Man Behind Excelsior’s Success

Peltire Hill was Excelsior’s superintendant at the beginning.  Mr. Hill was viewed as a practical man who understood starch making and the machinery used in it’s making.  He’d gained experience as foreman of Buffalo’s famous Gilbert’s Starch Works, supervised the construction of the Muzzy & Sage Starch Mill upon arrival in Elkhart in 1870, and then supervised the successful installation of Excelsior’s company works.  Mr. Hill’s experience sounds like the forerunner of today’s millwright trade.  This experience helped propel Mr. Hill from vice president in the company’s second year, to president in 1880.

The Excelsior Starch Works was one of the few in the country which manufactured by the same chemical process as the more famous Duryea Co.

More wonderful victorian trade cards like the above trade card, with great graphics and advertising, can be found in my store.

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Santa Claus Is Checkered

Smoking Blue Santa Claus Postcard

Collecting Santa Claus postcards has been and still is sooo enjoyable for me.  These days, I look for an unusual feature in the antique or vintage postcard with him on it.

These unusual features can add $5 to $10 or more to the postcard’s value depending on how unique and scarce it is.  The features I look for include, but are not limited to:

• switches
• odd transportation (like the motor boat Santa I blogged about recently)
• balloons
• teddy bears
• different colored suits
• smoking (especially upside down pipes)
• donkeys (a favorite), and
• golliwoggs

The postcard to the right isn’t from my personal postcard collection (alas, bills beckoned), but illustrates what one could look for when building an outstanding collection.  It shows a blue suited Santa Claus smoking, plus wearing checkered boots.  In over 35 years of collecting Santa Claus’, I’ve never seen him wearing checkered boots.

Note, the Santa Claus on my store’s home page  is holding a switch.  It is from my personal collection and a favorite.  I also have a midgit Santa Claus postcard, but that is for another blog post.

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Thanksgiving: Yum Yum, Time to Pig Out

It’s that time of year; the preparation for the annual food feast.  Can’t wait to eat mandarin orange salad, Mom’s bread and celery stuffing, corn soufflé, green been casserole, jellied cranberries, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, my sister’s pretzel jello desert, and of course mashed potatoes, gravy, and turkey (did I forget anything??).  In case you haven’t guessed, I’m hungry.

I’m an antique and vintage postcard, and Victorian trade cards dealer, so will share a vintage recipe from my Grandma’s 1957 Sunbeam Mixmaster instruction booklet.  Yes, I still use this vintage appliance.

Pumpkin Pie

3 eggs
1 1/2 c. cooked or canned pumpkin
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. evaporated or top milk

Set oven at 450 degrees F to preheat.  Beat eggs in large Mixmaster bowl on No. 12 speed 1/2 min.  Stop Mixer, add remaining ingredients.  Beat on No. 4 speed until blended — about 1 1/2 min., scraping bowl.  Pour into deep unbaked 9″ pie shell which has been chilled.  Bake 450 degrees F 10 min. then 350 degrees F for 45 min. or until silver knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Serve slightly warm with whipped cream.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans, if desired.

Pecan Topping:  For an extra treat — melt 2 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. brown sugar.  Add 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, 1/4 tsp. vanilla.  Spread over pie about 20 min. before baking time is up.

1910 Vintage Thanksgiving Postcard, no. 4

1910 Vintage Thanksgiving Postcard, no. 10

 

This week’s bit of trivia:

 

The first pumpkin pie was served on the American’s side of the Atlantic in 1654.

 

Note: Marie over at The French Factrice blog is hosting Postcard Friendship Fridays. Hop on over to Marie’s and check out all the postcard enthusiasts sharing this week.

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Can You Solve This Puzzle?

Victorian Trade Card advertising the Standard Sewing Machine for W. Hughs of Iowa City, IA

I’ve got this puzzle novelty Victorian trade card for sale, and decided maybe I should include its solution in the description.  However, with slight embarrassment, I admit to being able to solve only parts of it.  I am asking my blog readers for help. 

The pictures represent words.  To solve this puzzle, put them together to form a phrase connected to the Standard Rotary Shuttle sewing Machine.  Go ahead, have some fun solving it.  I will be very grateful.  For those who wish to solve this puzzle on their own, don’t read the comments.

Or maybe I should leave the solution out of the description?

You can find more great victorian trade cards with great advertising and graphics in my store.

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La Grande Roue de Paris

1900 French Ferris Wheel Antique Postcard

La Grande Roue de Paris must have been an awe inspiring sight.  I look at the antique postcard to the right and wonder how it didn’t topple over.  It was so big.  This Ferris wheel was built for the Exposition Universelle of 1900 world’s fair in Paris, France and had a then world record diameter of 100 meters.  If you didn’t comprehend this Ferris wheel’s size from the diameter, the passenger car’s use as homes for French families in areas devastated by the World War (after demolition in 1920) should help.

This week’s bit of trivia:

Part of the Exposition Universelle of 1900 was the Second Olympic Games. These games marked the first participation by female athletes in the Olympics. 

Note:  Marie over at The French Factrice blog is hosting Postcard Friendship Fridays.  Hop on over to Marie’s and check out all the postcard enthusiasts sharing this week.

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Victorian Woman’s Invention on Trade Card

I found out something very cool.  The inventor of the easily threaded sewing needle advertised on this die-cut fan Victorian trade card was a woman!  I had assumed there were no women inventors at the turn of the century (how backwards thinking of me).  Her name was Hannah G. Suplee, wife of a sewing machine salesman.

 

 

 

 

 

Impractical Female Occupation

Hannah was an inventor during a time when such an occupation was considered impractical for a woman.  You see, inventions by women didn’t generally pay that well.  Royalties and profits for many women weren’t realized.  That is because they either didn’t file patents for fear of being viewed a failure if it was known a women was the brains behind the invention, or they sold it outright and cheap to a man who took advantage of them.  Women that did file patents did so under their male lawyer’s name.  Geez, the modern day women’s activist would have a field day with this situation.

Hannah’s Inventions

Hannah was one that did file patents, but under her male lawyer’s name.  I was able to find listings for four of her patents:

• Easily Threaded Sewing Machine Needle, no. 94924 granted on Sept. 11th, 1869
• Improvement in Sewing Machines (together with John H. Mooney), no. 115,656 granted on June 6th, 1871
• Pattern and Lining for Garments, no. 250,998 granted on Dec. 13th, 1881
• Abdominal Supporter, no. 500,356 granted on June 27th, 1893

Hannah exhibited her inventions at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.  A few women inventors came away from that exposition an outstanding success.  I couldn’t find out if Hannah was one of those women.  Hopefully she made enough money off her inventions to escape the dire economic situation many women inventors faced. 

You can find many more Victorian trade cards with great graphics in my store, Remember When Vintage Postcards.

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How Well Do You Know Cupid?

1909 Antique Postcard of Cupid Mailing a Heart

It’s always fun to learn an unimportant bit of trivia, remember it, and then drag it out at opportune times.

This week’s bit of trivia: 

Cupid’s power was supposedly greater than his mother’s (Venus), and included dominion over the dead in Hades.

It’s hard to believe such an angelic looking creature, associated with love, had such a power over something so dark and feared.

 

Note: Marie over at The French Factrice blog is hosting Postcard Friendship Fridays. Have some postcards you want to share? Hop over to Marie’s and check out all the folks sharing this week.

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Housework Should Be Outlawed

1911 Large Letter Postcard to Grandpa

It’s been awhile since I blogged about a postcard message.  This one makes me very happy I didn’t live around the turn of the century.

“My Dear Grandpa & Grandma.  How are you.  we are all well.  Papa killed by pigon, and I pulled one of my teeth monday morning.  Come over when you can.  From Floyd. 

We haven’t heard from Myers, so I am going to white wash the bedroom and maybe the kitchen.  This week I have the carpets all up.  Pearl.“

I absolutely hate housework!  Major Yuk.  Having to put up all the carpets (translation, clean them) constitutes housework.  Thank God for today’s carpet cleaning services.

Wonder why Papa killed his son’s pigeon?

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Santa Claus Rides In Dandy Motorboat

vintage postcard published by Pink of Perfection, no. 4802

Hummm.  This is a strange one.  Santa Claus is not only in a motor boat, but riding it in GREEN water!  It probably matched the muted colors on this vintage Christmas postcard better than blue.  Still, a motor boat is quite unusual on a postcard.  I decided to look into the various modes of Santa Claus transportation. 

Santa’s First Mode of Transportation

Many attribute Santa Claus’ beginnings to a 4th century bishop in Turkey.  This bishop, Saint Nicholas, walked when placing presents in children’s shoes.  As his legend grew, so did the kids to be reached with presents.  Saint Nicholas’ mode of transportation had to change to answer the question, “How does Santa deliver presents to all the children in one night?”  Walking would not answer this.

Early Santa Transportation in America

The Dutch of New Amsterdam (New York) brought Sinter Klaas (Saint Nicholas) to America via a legend that included him riding a white horse.  In Washington Irving’s 1809 book, A History of New York, he also used a horse.  The book was revised in 1812 to show Saint Nicholas riding over the trees in a wagon.

Other Odd Santa Transportation

The Mailick green Santa Claus from my Antique Postcard Artist Alfred Mailick – Odd Subject blog post is another example of odd transportation (donkey) for Santa Claus.  I was not able to find a definitive answer as to when the sleigh began to appear. 

Note:  anytime you find Santa Claus using transportation other than a sleigh pulled by reindeer on a postcard, the value will go up.  How much will depend on the mode of transportation and rarity, but can range from $5-10. 

Feel free to look at other Santa Claus postcards from my personal collection on my web store’s gallery page.

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Toilet Birthdays

1908 German New Year Postcard, Morning After Funny Feeling

Wow, my daughter’s 21.  I officially feel old.  How come?  My daughter’s the one who turned 21.  Anyway, she has decided she wants me to take her bowling.  The bowling alley has a bar, so she’ll be able to legally order a drink. I’m the designated driver.  Her drinking should make for an interesting time bowling.  I’ll have to bring my camera.

This still didn’t seem like a fitting tribute to her entrance into adulthood, so I searched on-line for ways to celebrate birthdays.  OK, so I have no imagination.  I run two on-line postcard stores and work a full-time job.  Give me a break.  What I found had me laughing my head off.

There’s a blog about toilet birthdays.  Really.  This blog actually celebrates the birthdays of various toilets (complete with pictures)!  Geez, the things one finds on the internet these days, lol.  The first three paragraphs of the tip page are hilarious.  If curious, click this.  I’ll have to have my daughter read it when she comes home from partying with her first hangover (like the man in the above antique New Year postcard).  I wonder if she’ll be able to follow the directions at the beginning of the tip page.  Again, I’ll have to have my camera ready.  By the way, my toilet’s birthday is 07/22/04.

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US Supreme Court Breaks Up Tobacco Monopoly

One tends to learn a lot when digging into the history behind a vintage postcard, or Victorian trade card.  In this case, I learned about the break-up of a monopoly that had me remembering the break-up of Ma Bell (telephone) 25 years ago. 

 

Biggest Plug Chewing Tobacco Producer

(L&M) of St. Louis was started by John Liggett (who’s grandfather’s New Jersey snuff mill was burnt down by British soldiers) and George Smith Myers in 1873.  By 1885, it had become the biggest producer of plug chewing tobacco in the world.

American Tobacco Company Monopoly Formed

Meanwhile, the Bull Durham Tobacco Company grew into the leading cigarette maker (and chief competitor of L&M) in the US.  James B. Duke of Durham Tobacco, created the American Tobacco Company from five leading cigarette companies.  After John Liggett died in 1897, L&M became part of the ATC.  Makes me wonder what John Liggett’s position on the formation of the ATC was if James Duke couldn’t obtain L&M until after John’s death.

ATC Monopoly Broken Up

A little over 10 years later, the ATC ran afoul of The Supreme Court.  It found ATC guilty of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act (an act designed to prevent business monopolies) in 1911. As a result, the ATC was divided into four companies: the American Tobacco Company, Liggett & Myers Tobacco, P. Lorillard, and R.J. Reynolds (name sound familiar?).  L&M was on it’s own again.

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Kansas Town Up For Auction

1930 New Union Pacific Station Postcard, Salina, KS

Birthday vintage postcard searches have increased.  This got me wondering what happened 100 years ago this month.  I plugged “October 1909″ into bing.  This is what I found:

 

 

 

 

Ghost Towns of Kansas

Daniel C. Fitzgerald is the author of a book trilogy on ghost towns of Kansas.  After reading several “outtakes” that didn’t make the cut for his upcoming book, Ghost Towns of Kansas: Revisited, I decided I would have to read volumes 1-3.  Here is what I learned after reading the outtake on Shipton in Saline County.

Why Shipton, Kansas Died

On a drizzly October 20th, 1909, the dying town of Shipton, Kansas was auctioned off.  Despite the weather and muddy roads, over a thousand showed up.  Why was it auctioned?  Well, Shipton was a town that didn’t care enough to make improvements over the years.  Why do so when Salina was only 6 miles away.  Shipton’s residents shopped there.  The post office closed in 1895, then the general store.  Soon, even the farmers passed buildings without notice.  How sad.  The Union Pacific Railroad removed its agent.  The blacksmith (wow, still had one back then?) and stockyards closed.

Auction Spectacle

The town’s owner, William Irwin, made a spectacle of the event by employing a band to play while the auctioneer toured the town (advertisements having attracted the attention of people across the US).  The auctioneer sold minor items for double their worth.  He even sold rocks off the nearby hillside!

Final Asking Price

OK, by now you’re probably very curious what Shipton finally sold for.  It was expected to bring $100 per acre, but only brought $80.  This was most likely the first time in Kansas history that an entire town site sold at auction.  It sold for $2620 to Fred Warnow.

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Puss ‘n Boots Oozes Confidence

Fairy Tales are always a nice way to get away from the stress of modern life (and the current economic crisis).  Anything is possible in them.

The Victorian trade card to the right pictures the fairy tale cat, Puss ‘n Boots.  He’s a confident one.  Puss ‘n Boots showed his master he could overcome his obstacles by believing in himself.  Maybe that’s why Handy Box Shoe Blacking chose this image to advertise their product.  Anotherwards, a person can accomplish anything by using Handy Box Shoe Blacking.

The Puss ‘n Boots fairy tale was by Frenchman Charles Perrault.  You can read it by going to Childrenstory.com.  Also, more wonderful Victorian trade cards with great graphics and color can be found in my store, Remember When Vintage Postcards.

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May Farini Lady – Brrrr, I Want To Be Warm

This will be a short blog post as I’ve been so VERY busy.  I just opened a Bonanzle booth on Sunday http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/soda_santa).  Feel free to browse thru the postcards I have for sale. 

One of my favorite non-Santa Claus vintage postcards is the one to the left signed by artist May Farini.  It pictures a Victorian lady on a ship’s deck wearing a long coat called a Duster.  Ladies wore them to keep dust off their legs when walking or touring before paved roads came along.  There are no dirt roads around her, so she must be wearing the Duster coat to keep the chilly wind off her.

 

Feel free to look at other Santa Claus, children in footed pajamas, and May Farini postcards from my personal collection on my web store’s gallery page. 

 

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Santa, What’s the Deal With Those Trees?

A good number of Santa Claus postcards in my personal postcard collection and many I have sold, picture Santa Claus carrying a tree.  Some trees were decorated, some not.  So, I wondered what was up with all those trees on postcards. 

Turns out it was a German custom to place an Evergreen tree at a house’s entrance as part of their midwinter holiday.  Decorating them was part of a Christian New Year tradition initially designed to ward off the devil. 

More recently, the Christmas tree came from a custom in western Germany called a Paradise Tree.  The Paradise Tree was decorated with apples, cookies, and candles.  The Santa Claus postcards below show such a tree.  Since many antique and vintage postcards were printed or made in Germany, it makes sense that many Santa Claus postcards included trees.

German vintage Santa Claus postcard from my personal collection.

Silk antique Santa Claus postcard with undivided back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feel free to look at other Santa Claus, children in footed pajamas, and May Farini postcards from my personal collection on my web store’s gallery page.

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Should We Not Have Two Witnesses?

1907 Tuck New Year Postcard of Father Time, Series 113

It has been awhile since I’ve felt like sticking my nose in other people’s business (by reading vintage postcard messages).  Here’s an intriguing message from 1907 I found:

“…Have notified candidate to be at your home Monday, Dec. 30th, at 2 p.m.  I will be present also.  Should we not have two witnesses? …”

My first thought was, candidate for what?  There are sooo many answers to that question.  It most likely isn’t personal in nature as a nanny or member of the housekeeping staff would be.  The sender, C. Turner, and the recipient, Mrs. R. Legge, lived in two separate homes.  It is most likely some sort of public position; especially since C. Turner said he or she would be in attendance.  I wonder why witnesses would be needed?  And why 2?

Many more beautiful angel and new year postcards are available for sale in my store, Remember When Vintage Postcards.

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How Novelty Trade Cards Grabbed Attention, Part 3

Today I will continue my series on ingenious novelty trade cards. You will read how die-cut trade cards went above and beyond other trade cards in their efforts to grab the customer’s attention with approaches not seen on other victorian trade cards.

Below is the third of 3 posts highlighting the various types of novelty trade cards.  See part 1 for my post on hold-to-light trade cards and part 2 for my post on metamorphic trade cards.

Die-cut

This type novelty trade card used its non-rectangular shape to attract the attention of customers.  The card was cut during production into various shapes; most often animals, palettes, and fans.  Die-cut trade cards cut into shapes resembling the product or it’s name, gained a further advantage in that the customer’s attention was more likely to be caught, and held longer, due to the irregular shape.

This die-cut trade card was cut in the shape of the product’s name- an acorn for A-Corn Salve.

 

 

 

 

This die-cut trade card was also cut into the shape of the product, Holland Creamery Butter, but added the irregular shape of a Dutch couple kissing.  Who wouldn’t want to try kissing??  For further information on Holland Creamery Butter, see Holland Butter Trade Card – 1912 Flashback.

This die-cut trade card used the irregular shape of a baby; an always popular image.  This particular trade card was a stand-up card, allowing further interaction by the customer.  For additional information on the Hecker Company, see Opposition to 1900 Flour Trust Reorganization.

 

 

 One thing a collector should be careful of when purchasing a die-cut trade card- closely inspect the back to make sure it wasn’t cut from a regular trade card for scrapbook purposes.

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How Novelty Trade Cards Grabbed Attention, Part 2

One type of victorian trade card is the novelty trade card.  The advertisers on this type trade card were ingenious in their efforts to grab the customer’s attention.  By going beyond the normal rectangular trade card, they created a way for the customer to interact with the trade card.  This was an approach not tried on rectangular trade cards. 

Below you will find the second of 3 posts highlighting the various types of novelty trade cards.  See part 1 for my post on hold-to-light trade cards.

Metamorphic

This type novelty trade card had one or more flaps that changed the image when opened.  Most often, the expression or clothing changed.  Trade cards with top or side flaps are uncommon.  Multiple flap trade cards are scarce.

Many novelty trade cards used a “before and after” affect.  Some collectors believe only novelty trade cards showing the result of using the advertised product should be classified as having used this affect.  I believe that if a change results from manipulating the flap, it should be classified as having used the before and after affect.  It should not matter if the results of using an advertised product were shown or not.  The below metamorphic trade card is one that does show the results of using the advertised product, Buckingham’s Dye for Whiskers.

 

  

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

** Be sure to return for the third post in this series; die-cut trade cards.

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How Novelty Trade Cards Grabbed Attention, Part 1

There are so many different types of colorful Victorian trade cards with great graphics to collect.  One such type is the novelty trade card.  The advertisers on this type trade card went above and beyond other trade cards in their efforts to grab the customer’s attention.  They created a way for the customer to interact with the trade card; an approach not tried on other trade cards. 

Below you will find the first of 3 posts highlighting the various types of novelty trade cards.

Hold-to-Light

This scarce type of novelty trade card was designed to join the back’s image with the front when held to the light.  The advertisers knew the image on the backs of hold-to-light trade cards had to be in reverse so they didn’t appear backwards when looked at from the front.  A backwards image would not have helped a product catch a customer’s eye.  

Hold-to-light trade cards were also printed on thin paper so the back images could show thru.  Unfortunately, this often times resulted in damage similar to the card you see below.  I guess there had to be a trade off to accomplish an advertiser of this type novelty trade card’s goal – to grab and keep a customer’s attention.

Hecker's Self-Rising Buckwheat Trade Card

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(If interested, I posted a note on the Heckers Company on my facebook page – Opposition to 1900 Flour Trust Reorganization.  To return to this post after reading, just close the window.)

Be sure to return for the second post in this series; metamorphic trade cards.

 

 

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Radisson Hotel Postcard – Rooms for $1.50

Today’s venture into history will be a tour of the downtown Hotel Radisson, Minneapolis.  Our tour begins with the death of Albert Johnson.  Who is Albert Johnson?  You see, Albert owned a huge chunk of Minneapolis real estate.  It was inherited by Edna Dickerson upon his death.  She was convinced by prominent area business people to invest her inheritance (to the tune of $1.5 million) in an upscale hotel venture.  Minneapolis’ newest business was born, thanks to Albert.

Our next stop is at the infancy of the Hotel Radisson, named after Minnesota’s forgotten explorer Frenchman Pierre Esprit Radisson.  Construction began in mid-1908.  Steel sheet pilings were used; one of the first buildings in the US to use this construction method.  The Radisson’s owners were progressive thinkers for sure.

Our third stop of our tour is at the delayed opening of the downtown Radisson, Minneapolis in December, 1909.  This newly constructed, 16-story hotel was the second tallest building in Minneapolis’ skyline at the time.  The Hotel Radisson, Minneapolis included 425 rooms; most of which had bathrooms.  Yes, you read correctly.  Rooms without bathrooms cost a $1.50; with one, $2.50 (a far cry from the current $79).

This is the end of our tour.  I will leave you with some trivia about this hotel gem.  A library was off the lobby.  When the Radisson opened, it could not serve alcohol (that came later in 1911).  Lastly, 50 female staff and chefs lived in the hotel.  Sadly, the downtown Radisson Hotel, Minneapolis closed in late 1981.  It was razed in early 1982. 

I hope you enjoyed your tour.  If so, please click on the bookmark button to the right.

** You can find many more wonderful postcards with great graphics in my store, Remember When Vintage Postcards.

Guess Postcard Message

Ahhh, a sender who’s a tease.  OK, I’ll bite.  My curiosity is picked.  Guess what?

This message would certainly draw attention to it for curiosity’s sake alone.  Maybe that was the sender’s intention.  He or she could have felt Mrs. Hartman wasn’t writing enough.  Curiosity would get Mrs. Hartman to write just to find out the answer.  At any rate, the brief message opens up a whole lot of possibilities as to what person or thing was being guessed about.  Care to take a crack at this one?

1908 P. Sander St. Patrick's Day Postcard

 

 

 

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Trade Card – I Is Stealing Your Clothes

Frazer's Axle Grease Victorian Trade Card Sold by E. Creed of Boone, IA

The 2nd week in August, I posted pictures of funny victorian trade cards.  One of them involved a black boy stealing a skinny dipping white boy’s clothes.  The subsequent searches for stealing black boy and similar terms increased, so thought I would feature it today.

 

On the surface, it is funny.  Look deeper.  The stereotype of the black person as simple-minded children, incapable of caring for themselves, was alive and flourishing at the time this trade card was published (late 19th century).  Yet , this victorian trade card publisher depicted the black boy as  cunning and smart enough to know when to steal the clothes (when the white boy was at a disadvantage).  It is good that not all people believed in the black stereotype in victorian times.

** You can find more victorian trade cards with great graphics and color in my store, Remember When Vintage Postcards.

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No Way, Not Me – Postcards of Lady’s Fashions

There are pieces of victorian fashion which makes me wonder what the fashion designers back then were thinking.  For example:

1910 Vintage Postcard by Dwig

 Why would this lady wear a dress with a bow on her behind?  Doing so only draws attention her behind’s size; not good if she thinks it’s big.  What happens if the pin on the broach back used to secure the bow fails?   Ouch.

Hand-colored May Farini Signed Postcard

Yikes.  Talk about ugly (the hat).  I’d stick with flowers and feathers on a low clearance hat unless she wants to become a carnival game (ring toss).

 

 

Polka Dots?  I’ve never been a fan of them after an embarrassing incident in kindergarten involving yellow pajama bottoms with blue polka dots.  I also happen to think polka dots aren’t slimming.  Wonder how long it took to lace up her shoes?  Reminds me of the leggings I wore during boot camp for the US Navy.

Layered ruffles on a hat?  Did she pull a Scarlett O’Hara and make clothing out of the most unlikely item?  Her hat looks like the bottom of victorian bloomers.

 

 

I realize this post is a bit satirical, but some victorian ladies fashions have made me wonder how they could put up with what looks uncomfortable and ridiculous when compared to today’s fashions.

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