To Flem Grizzle, Gas City, Kansas

Divided Back postcard, embossed. Postmarked Tioga, Texas, August 23, 1909. Printed in Germany. 

Price:  $15.00

To My Dear Uncle…..

Great color on this one and a welcome change from the black and white entries we’ve been posting!

Addressed to:   “Flem Grizzle. Gas City, Kans.”

The note on the back is a little hard to decipher. Best guess is:   “Hello. How are you. Bef. noon [?] rec your card and [?] & [?] got [?] Harold picture. They are nice. Wish I was up there with you all. I am at home to night and have been all day alone. Ernest and Willie have gone out [with?] their girls. [?]. Yours [?].

Flem was Jesse Flem Grizzle, born October 13, 1871, Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky. He married Ida M. (maiden name unknown) about 1894. From the obit below and several census records, it appears that they had two children, Edith and Harold.

Sources: U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936 – 2007. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1900; Census Place: Rose Hill, Johnson, Missouri; Roll: 868; Page: 8; Enumeration District: 0114; FHL microfilm: 1240868. (Ancestry.com).

R. L. Polk & Co.’s Iola City Directory, 1906, p. 110. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822 – 1995.

Year: 1920; Census Place: Carlyle, Allen, Kansas; Roll: T625_522; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 1. (Ancestry.com).

“Jesse F. Grizzle Dies Here Today.” The Iola Register. May 6, 1953. Wednesday, p. 1. (Newspapers.com).

A Happy Yuletide to Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bowyer

Divided Back, embossed unused postcard. Made in the U.S.A. Series W-72.

Price:  $7.00

A Happy Yuletide

“Merry Christmas to you and yours

Kindest thoughts from me and mine

May nothing happen that obscures

Your fullest pleasure rich and fine!”

The senders wrote:   “Dec 17 1927. Dear Friends we are all well. A Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Mr. & Mrs. A. J. Marine”

Addressed to:   “Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bowyer, Kingman, Kan.”

From the 1915 State Census, J. W., his wife Hattie, and their daughter, Anna are in White Township, Kingman, Kansas.

On the 1930 Federal Census, this is James W. Bowyer, born about 1860 and wife, Hattie J. Bowyer, born about 1868, living in Kingman City, Kingman, Kansas. Both born in Iowa. Per Find A Grave for the couple, James’ middle name is Warren and Hattie’s maiden name is Fowler.

And A. J. and Florence Marine are listed in the city directory for 1920, farming at their residence of 909 Santa Fe Trail, in Dodge City, Kansas. (Pretty surprising to be able to read the writing well enough and find the Marine family right off the bat in online records.)

The publisher is unknown (as is often the case) but it’s nice to have a dated card for future reference, if anyone’s looking for this postcard back. (I like the hand holding the torch.)

Sources:  Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; Roll: ks1915_116; Line: 7. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1930; Census Place: Kingman, Kingman, Kansas; Page: 23B; Enumeration District: 0016; FHL microfilm: 2340440. (Ancestry.com).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91867759/hattie-josephine-bowyer: accessed 24 December 2022), memorial page for Hattie Josephine Fowler Bowyer (27 Mar 1868–17 Oct 1954), Find a Grave Memorial ID 91867759, citing Walnut Hill Cemetery, Kingman, Kingman County, Kansas, USA; Maintained by Betty Rose M. (contributor 47456505).

Etrick’s Directory of Ford County,1920. Pg. 80. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995.

Temple Guardians, Bali, Indonesia

Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. Circa 1910s – 1930s. Publisher:  Gevaert.

Price:  $75.00

This seems to be a rare card – we’re not finding any duplicates online – and the subject matter is great!

It was after a couple of days of research, and at the point of giving up (much online scrutiny of gods, deities, masks, carved repeating patterns, etc. in a surprising number of potential countries) that the location in question was happily revealed. Not surprisingly, it was the larger figures in the postcard photo, with their protruding top teeth, tongues hanging out, curving tusks, bulging eyes and bull-like nose, that took us (in that moment of certainty – like space-warp instant travel) – to the island of Bali, Indonesia. (It would be nice to be able to identify each carved figure but that turns out to be more challenging:  There can be multiple manifestations, including both female and male representations of the same god.)

Below, our Google search result, and see the link in “Sources” for more information from the Bali Culture Tours website:

Sources:  “Balinese Gods With Their Manifestations And Their Meanings.” Bali Culture Tours. (accessed July 26, 2022).

“Images of Indonesia Deities.” Google.com search. (accessed July 26, 2022).

A Happy Birthday From Percival

Vintage birthday card, circa 1930s. Made in the U.S.A.

Price:  $5.00         Size:  6 and 1/4 x 4″

“A Happy Birthday

I’m sending this Greeting

To joyfully say,

May you have many Happy

Returns of the Day.”

A striking card for its colors and design:  Bright and pale pink, purple, blue (what was the Crayola crayon color for that blue? It’s driving me nuts 🙂 ) black, thin gold trim throughout…..Two houses in the background (with pink roofs), tree in the foreground (windy day or it might remind you of Dr. Suess, like Thing 1 and Thing 2 but, not really), long flower bed (with daffodils). Similar cards can be found indicating Art Deco, and I’m no expert, but definitely the repeating gold pattern at the bottom of the card, gives it that look. I wish I knew who the artist was, or the publisher. We’ll keep a look out for more info.

Old Advertising Card McNeil’s Pain Exterminator

Trade Card for Dr. T. S. McNeil’s Pain Exterminator. Circa 1870s – 1880s.

Price:  $10.00         Size:  4 and 1/4 x 2 and 1/2″

The most detailed information on T. S. McNeil, found in some quick searches, comes from a Lycoming College (Williamsport, PA) article (see link in sources below.) The authors explain that T. S. McNeil was a minister who went into the medicine business; the title of “doctor” was honorary. A number of ads can be found in old newspapers for McNeil’s Pain Exterminator (formulated in 1848) including a rather long one from 1906, stating the product was sold in 15 states, as well as in Liverpool, England and on the west coast of Africa. By the look of the card, we’d guess the date 1870s through the 1890s, but to try to narrow it down, we searched city directories. The address showing on the card for McNeil Medicine Co., Proprietors, 500 N. Third Street and 242 W. State Street, Harrisburg, PA was not found, however a few entries from 1891 – 1895 show 1111 N. 3rd St., (so if we were betting, we’d bet that the card is from the 1880s.) Thomas S. McNeil was born in 1814 in Virginia and died, unfortunately quite young, in 1847 from a drowning accident.

Sources:  Alcodray, N.I. and Bause, G.S. (2021). “Thomas S. McNeil, An Enterprising Pastor.” (https://www.lycoming.edu/). Accessed May 13, 2022.

“McNeil’s Pain Exterminator (Established 1848) Goes to West Coast of Africa.” The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania). July 13, 1906, p. 8. (Newspapers.com).

Boyd’s Directory of Harrisburg and Steelton, 1891. p. 321; 1895, p. 226. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995.

Easter Greeting Lilies And Cross

Divided back, embossed, used postcard. Postmarked March 25, 1910 from Santa Clara, California.

Price:  $2.00 or contact us for pricing on the set

From The Ethel Main Collection

Addressed to:   “Mrs. B. F. Main, 253 – 14th St., San Francisco Cal.”

The sender wrote:   “Dear Grandma, Have a boil on the side of my cheek. Girl bit me when I was dancing. Hate to see her do that. Easter greetings to all. Elmer W. Main  Top heavy.”

This guy was quite the card, or is he being serious about the girl? No, don’t think so. But either way 🙂

Forget-Me-Not Easter Greetings

Divided back, embossed, used postcard. Postmarked March 24, 1910 from San Jose, California

Price:  $2.00 – Or contact us for price on the whole set.

This is part of our Ethel Main Collection……Ethel’s nickname was “Tottie.”

Addressed to:   “Mrs. L. Main, 253 14th St., San Francisco Cal.”

The sender wrote:   “Dear Ma, Will you please put my postals in my album and look at my post card and photo album to see that that mouse don’t eat them. Love to all, Tottie.”

Ruth Brown, Ida Corbett and Nellie Bond Bagley

Real Photo Postcard, cropped. July, 1913, Santa Paula, California

Price:  $12.00        Size:  About 2 and 1/8 x 3″

“Ruth Brown, Ida Corbett and Nellie Bond Bagley – on her wedding day. Santa Paula, Calif.”

Three beautiful ladies decked in lace, in that gorgeous style from the 1910s. It was Nellie Bond’s wedding day, Santa Paula, CA, July 1913. I think it’s pretty safe to assume that the names read left to right, which places the bride to our right, wearing the white shoes, long white gloves, and holding a bouquet of flowers that trails into a long spray. And, if you look closely, you can see that there are some black marks on the photo, obscuring the full bouquet. At first glance, you might mistake the marks as part of the flower arrangement (it works ascetically speaking, but no.) This Real Photo Postcard was found cropped down quite a bit to it’s approximate 2 x 3 inch size.

Nellie Bond was born February 1893 in Missouri, daughter of William and Susie Bond (from the 1900 Federal Census, Benton, Polk County, Missouri). In July, 1913, she married James Elijah “Ail” Bagley, also a Missouri native. His full name and date of birth, October 26, 1893 are found in Ancestry.com family trees.

The clipping below appeared in the Oxnard Courier, July 11, 1913:

Ida Corbett (maiden name Hardison) born about August 1870 in Pennsylvania, was married to Leonard W. Corbett, February 11, 1892. Their marriage announcement was found in the Los Angeles Evening Express, dated February 13th:

Ruth Brown proves to be a little harder to find in records – a common name and we don’t know whether Brown is her maiden or married name. Nothing definitive shows up in quick searches online.

Sources:  Year: 1900; Census Place: Benton, Polk, Missouri; Page: 6; Enumeration District: 0122; FHL microfilm: 1240883. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1900; Census Place: Santa Paula, Ventura, California; Page: 7; Enumeration District: 0166; FHL microfilm: 1240116. (Ancestry.com).

Year: 1910; Census Place: Santa Paula, Ventura, California; Roll: T624_111; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0215; FHL microfilm: 1374124. (Ancestry.com).

“Wedding in Santa Paula.” Oxnard Courier, July 11, 1913, Friday, p. 6. (Newspapers.com).

“In Social Circles.” Los Angeles Evening Express, February 13, 1892, Saturday, p. 8. (Newspapers.com).

Silas D. King Calling Card

Calling Card. Circa 1880 – 1900.

Price:  $6.00

A deep blue morning glory flower, some leaves and berries, and a bird carrying “A Token of love” adorn this calling card for Silas D. King. The fringed banner displays the following:

“The cold in clime are cold in blood,

Their love can scarce deserve the name.

But mine is like the lava flood,

That boils in Etna’s breast of flame!”

This is from The Giaour, an epic poem by George Gordon, the 6th Baron of Byron, better known as Lord Byron.

There are a number of potential matches for the original owner of this card. None show in city directories with the middle initial (unexpected) but there are lots without, and then two or three possible matches in census records with the initial, so we’ll skip the major searches and be content, as is. Always interesting though, to track the source for the verse or poem.

Source:  Lord Byron. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Byron (accessed January 3, 2021).

Alfred J. Hines Calling Card

Calling Card. Circa 1880 – 1900.

Price:  $5.00

Flowers and a feather in orange and peach tones for this calling card…..

There will be multiple possibilities for who this card had belonged to……But wow, as it turns out, not as many as you’d think. City directories for a search anywhere in the U.S., that includes the middle initial, show much later records than this time-frame (1919 at the latest and that person in Saginaw was born too late to fit this card). Many hits that come up under all categories, and without the middle initial, can be eliminated right off the bat – either too young, too old, middle initial not matching, and duplicates – later or earlier records of the same person. We could spend days to really narrow it down, but won’t, believe me, that would be really too much! (But yes, it is always tempting.) So, maybe the three best possibilities are:

Alfred John Hines, born December 17, 1867 in Wolcott, CT. His obituary states he was educated in the schools of Wolcott and Montpelier Seminary and married Agnes Conant in October 1901.

Alfred Joseph Hines, born November 13, 1873, PA. Lived in Cresson, PA, occupation clutchman? for P.R.R. Co. (Pennsylvania Railroad Company) per his WWI Draft Registration Card, in 1918. See if you can figure out what that says there:

An interesting fact on the “Pennsy” Railroad:  By 1882, the company had become the largest corporation in the world, with a budget second only to the U.S. government.

Or had this calling card belonged to the Alfred J. Hines, who was married to Dorothy E., living in Rochester, NY, per the Rochester city directory, occupation engineer (but employer name not listed). We don’t know the age of this Alfred J. Hines. Oddly, no census records were found on him.

Sources:  “Alfred J. Hines.” Hardwick Gazette (Hardwick, VT). January 8, 1942, Thursday, p. 3. (Newspapers.com).

Registration State: Pennsylvania; Registration County: Cambria County. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.

Pennsylvania Railroad. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Railroad (accessed January 3, 2021).

Drew Allis’ Rochester Directory, 1919, Vol. 70. p. 518. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995.