Into The Envelope

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Annieoakley

Here’s an antique card, that must of at one time been in someone’s scrapbook, that has a theme along the lines of the prior post. I wanted to put this one up next for the sort of “before and after” effect. Similar examples can be found online of adorable children, cherubs, puppies, hearts, birds, etc. usually appearing as having traveled in the envelope to bring the sender’s good wishes, and sometimes bringing tokens of love or good luck, like the clover in the prior post. In this scene the artist playfully depicts a couple of cherubs: The one is just about to tumble into the opened envelope, while the other, looking back with a bit of an apologetic smile, tries (unsuccessfully we presume) to stop him. Black seems to be an odd color choice for the wax seal…..But anyway, for sure this will have to be a new sideline for Laurel Cottage – searching for more of these type at card shows and antique stores.

Price: $12.00 Size: About 3 x 4 and 1/2″ Circa 1890 – 1910.

A Token Of Love

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Annieoakley

Divided back, embossed, used postcard. Publisher unknown. Postmarked February 13, 1908 from Pueblo, Colorado.

Price: $10.00

Cute postcard from 1908 showing a happy little guy in an opened envelope who’s brought the receiver a bunch of four-leaf clovers. The artist has depicted a wooden background and the appearance of the whole image being “tied up” with brown string which has a wax seal and a pink tassel. On the seal the artist put a small red horseshoe. At the bottom left are the words “A Token of Love.”

Addressed to: “Miss Henrietta Ellison, 26 St. Cheyenne Ave, Pueblo, Colo.”
The sender, Alice, signed her name on the front.

Timber – My Kingdom For A Tree

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Annieoakley

“Timber – – My Kingdom For A Tree…..”

Comical postcard showing black and white drawing of a dog running through the desert, in desperate need of a tree. It looks like that might be the artist’s initials of “S. C.” at the bottom right. Although the back does not show a divider, this postcard seems to more vintage than antique. No duplicates of this card are showing up online, as of the date of this post…The expression “My kingdom for a …” is credited to Shakespeare from his line in Richard III: “A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!”

Unused postcard. Possibly artist-signed. Circa 1960s.

Price: $10.00

Source: http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/horse-horse

Mystery Building

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Annieoakley

Old photo of a building that appears to be a church, or perhaps was once a church. If you look closely at the arched windows on the top, you will notice that each window has panes of a different opacity or maybe color to make a cross shape. (One of the windows is open slightly.) There is a plaque that identifies the building but, maddeningly, it is unreadable, although, you can come up with many different possibilities. Up by the part that sticks up like a chimney (but is it?) you’ll see an opening that looks like it once held a bell. Also, you’ll notice that there is a man walking in front of the building: he wears a dark suit, white shirt and a hat. The brick-paved section of the street shows trolley or streetcar tracks , and the dark spots on the street give an indication that horses might still be in use for transportation. I was puzzled by the thing on the pole at the corner, until my husband informed me that, of course, it’s a mailbox: The dark part is the box; you can see the two brackets that are holding the box to the pole. The side of the box blends in with the building but there’s a little bit of a shadow under the top of the box, so when you’re looking at it as a mailbox, it makes sense. There were different styles of lamppost mailboxes by different designers; it’s possible that this one might be one of the Doremus boxes or maybe an Owens. According to an online article by Allison Marsh of the National Postal Museum, the four-footed mailbox was first “suggested” in 1894, and took off from there. So, this seems to be a pretty old photo, maybe from the Eastern part of the U. S., estimating late 1800s to just after the turn of the century. Looking at the plaque again – perhaps it’s in another language: German, for instance. Would there have been plaques on buildings in the U. S. in other languages around the turn of the century? That’s another line of research to pursue. Another intriguing detail are the corner guards for the lawn segments. We don’t see these much today, at least not on the West Coast, but I remember seeing them a lot while growing up in Michigan, but of course the style was different. These in this photo look like they might be made from wood.

Antique photo, circa late 1890s – early 1900s. Size: 3 and 3/4 x 4 and 5/8″

Price: $15.00

Sources and related reading: Marsh, Allison, “Postal Collection Mailboxes.” National Postal Museum, 20 March 2006. Web. Accessed 10 June 2014. [http://arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=1&cmd=1&tid=2032051]

http://arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=1&cmd=1&tid=2032051

http://www.uvm.edu/landscape/dating/mail_service/doremus_mailbox.php

http://postalmuseumblog.si.edu/postal-service/page/3/

Mae’s Homemade Calling Card

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Annieoakley

Handmade calling card, July 10, 1917

Price: $12.00 Size: 2 x 3 and 1/2″

It looks like this very cute calling card might have been hand made by or for Mae. It has the owner’s name written on it with a drawing of a clown in polka dots that was cut out and pasted on, and we can see that the clown was thoughtfully chosen, since his bowing pose with hands extended, perfectly fits for the presentation of the owner’s name. The back is charming and humorous and maybe a little politically incorrect. On the back, in pencil, are written the names and nicknames of Mae’s friends. Elsa Bohmansson was called Blondy or Taffy. After Clair Georgeson, someone (probably Mae) wrote, “(She is a bare, oh I mean that’s your name)”. (Isn’t this always the way, when you are trying to stick to a format and you flub it.) We then have Regina Lane, who was called P.D.Q. and last but not least Chunky McKinnon, with his or her address of Arcata, Box 638. The card is dated at the bottom July 10, 1917. After much research, it was found that in 1917, the ages for the friends were between about 14 and 19.

Elsa Bohmannson is listed in the city directories in Eureka, California and there are two photos of her in the school yearbook “The Sequoia” for Eureka High in 1916. She played tennis and basketball. She is also on the 1930 Federal Census in Eureka, living with her widowed father, Robert H. Bohmannson, born in Sweden. He is a druggist, and the 1930 shows Elsa working at the drug store as a stenographer. The California Death Index shows Elsa was born November 13, 1897 and died December 1, 1992, both in California.

Clair Georgeson is in the Federal Census records in Eureka, the Cal death index and Ancestry.com trees. Clair Jean Georgeson was born June 20, 1903; died December 4, 1991; married Donald Guthrie; parents George Robert Georgeson and Alice (Randall) Georgeson; siblings Loyd W., Vira A. and Roberta.

Regina Lane is on the 1910 Federal Census in Eureka, born Texas, about 1900, daughter of Charles E. Lane and Sarah Lane, siblings Rosebud J. (unusual name) and Henrietta E.

“Chunky” McKinnon (too bad we don’t know the first name) could have been Wilfred C. McKinnon, born California about 1900, son of George W. and Anna L. McKinnon. The family is living in Arcata, Humbolt County per the 1920 Federal Census.

As for Mae, there are multiple possibilities: There are separate entries in the census’ records for Mae Falor (or Falon?), Allen and Smith, which may or may not be for Mae (no pun intended.) Or Mae may have been short for something. Mabel Davis or Mayo Hamilton (Mayo – love these unusual names) appear with Elsa Bohmansson in the “Sequoia” the Eureka High school year book in 1916.

This card was interesting to research. I had pictured a group of giggling and adorable girls, maybe age ten or twelve (although true, the writing does look mature) making calling cards for themselves. But of course, after the research that impression changed to one of a group of high school friends, maybe even with the thought in mind that they wanted to keep in touch, as some of them had or would be graduating. Not that these impressions matter but it made me think: Imagine what nutty and probably incorrect things someone would think about us – almost one hundred years later after seeing something we’ve written on.

Sources: Year: 1910; Census Place: Eureka Ward 2, Humboldt, California; Roll: T624_77; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 0008; FHL microfilm: 1374090. Year: 1920; Census Place: Union, Humboldt, California; Roll: T625_98; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 74; Image: 696. Year: 1930; Census Place: Eureka, Humboldt, California; Roll: 120; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0019; Image: 302.0; FHL microfilm: 2339855. (Ancestry.com)

Ancestry.com. California, Death Index, 1940-1997

Ancestry.com. U.S. School Yearbooks. Eureka High 1916, “The Sequoia.”

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Annieoakley

“Edinburgh Castle, with its commanding position on the top of a volcanic rock provides a panoramic view of not only the city of Edinburgh but also the Highland Hills and Fife. The castle which is a superb natural fortress is still a military building and houses the Scottish Regalia. During the International Festival a spectacular show is held almost every evening featuring the colourful Military Tattoo. The show is held on the Castle Esplanade with the floodlit Castle making a romantic background.”

I just came across this one (in keeping with the last post.) …What’s a military tattoo? The original definition of a military tattoo (from Wikipedia) was a military drum performance but later came to mean a military display. The word tattoo in this sense is from the Dutch phrase doe den tap doe which means “turn off the tap” as in beer tap. It was during the Thirty Years War in The Low Countries (the Netherlands and Belgium) when Dutch forces were garrisoned with mercenary troops (mostly Scottish, English, German and Swiss) that drummers from the garrison were sent out to the towns to let the barkeepers know when to stop serving beer so the soldiers would go home.

This postcard’s photo was produced by the studio of well-known British photographer John Linde (1916-1997) one of the most successful postcard publishers in the world. He, along with his wife, Jutta, set up a studio in Ireland in 1956, and went on to sell about 50 million postcards per year before he retired in the 1970s to concentrate on landscape painting. His works have traveled the world in art exhibits, have been compiled into books, and have been the subject of at least one t.v. show. This photo was taken by David Noble, a British photographer who, along with German photographers Elmar Ludvig and Edmund Nägele, worked for Hinde in the late 1960s to early ’70s.

Divided back, chrome, unused postcard. Distributed by Levy Brothers. Photo by David Noble, John Hinde Studios. Printed in Ireland. Series or number 2SC 145. Circa late 1960s – early 1970s.

Price: $3.00

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_tattoo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hinde_%28photographer%29

http://johnhindestudios.com/

Greetings From Edinburgh, Scotland

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Annieoakley

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked May 2, 1949 from Edinburgh, Scotland. Publisher unknown. Printed in England. Series or number 23A.

Availability status: Digital image only. $3.00. The original is in a friend’s collection.

Beautiful postcard from 1949 Edinburgh, Scotland showing scenes of St. Giles’ Cathedral, The Forth Bridge, Princes Street – West End, and Edinburgh Castle and Art Galleries. In the center is a lovely profile of a Scottish Terrier above a sheaf of heather (one of the national flowers) tied with a bow. The card is addressed to:

“Mr. & Mrs. George Hume, 2100 Virginia Street, Berkeley California U. S. A.”

The sender wrote, “Hello Ella & George. Having a very lovely time. Have seen quite a few of our old friends. Best Regards Annie[?]”

Bouquet Of Best Wishes

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Annieoakley

Divided back, embossed, used postcard. Postmarked January 1910 probably from Kansas. Publisher unknown.

Price: $7.00

A bouquet of pink and red unidentified flowers which look like lilies or glads except for the leaves, but in any case are beautiful; tied up with a yellow bow and with a card at the top that says “Best Wishes.”

The card is postmarked January 1910 (exact date unreadable) and addressed to, “Flossie Babcock. Welda Kans. RR # 2.” This is the same publisher or printer as the prior post, showing the logo of the fierce looking roaring lion with large mane and the tail pointing upward. We’ll put this one in the mystery pile for now, and hopefully come across more info later regarding the publisher.

The sender wrote, “Well as I have just returned from Iola I will ans. your card. I guess this card will pass if not send it back and I will send another one. Well I guess I will have to ring off. L.L.S.[?]”

There is a Flossie V. Babcock on the 1910 Federal Census taken in Lone Elm Township, Anderson County, Kansas. The small town of Welda is northwest of Lone Elm, a short distance – estimating about ten miles as the crow flies, so no doubt this is the same person as the addressee on this postcard. And the town of Iola, that the sender mentions in the note, is about 20 miles southwest of Welda. Flossie is 14 years old in 1910, born in Kansas, and is on this census with her widowed father, Edward M. Babcock, farmer, age 41, born in New Jersey, and her brother, Nolan K. Babcock, age 16, born in Kansas.

Welda, KS is a small town today. Counts vary but in 2010 the population was at most under 300 per Wikipedia entries. Welda started as a railroad station in 1870 and was platted in 1873, getting it’s first post office in 1874. The town is described in an 1883 publication (Cutler’s History of Kansas) as “a thriving little village…situated on the gently rolling upland prairie, on the line of the Kansas City, Lawrence & Kansas Southern Railroad about eight miles south from Garnett.” There is a Welda, Germany in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia and also a town by the name of Westphalia in Anderson County, KS, (from brief research it looks like Anderson County had many German settlers) so it seems possible that Welda, KS was named after the German village, or named after a person, as Welda is also a surname.

Sources: Year: 1910; Census Place: Lone Elm, Anderson, Kansas; Roll: T624_431; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0025; FHL microfilm: 1374444. (Ancestry.com)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welda_Township,_Anderson_County,_Kansas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welda

Cutler, William G. History of the State of Kansas. Chicago: A. T. Andreas, 1883. Web. 6 June 2014. [http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/anderson/anderson-co-p7.html#WELDA]

Carnations

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Annieoakley

Divided back, embossed, unused postcard. Publisher unknown. Series or number 4. Artist unknown. Circa 1910.

Price: $5.00

Beautiful carnations in red and pink on embossed postcard with background of varying shades of blue and with gold-tone. The publisher or printer will require more research but the logo is very distinctive: a lion facing left with a large mane and tail pointing upward. No artist name is appearing, and other than the artwork, the only thing showing on the front is the number 4 appearing in the lower right corner; this would be the series or postcard number. This post will go in the “Mystery” category for now, but the date of the card is from about 1910. (We have another from the same publisher with that postmarked date, which will be put up next.)

Pa Is Rich And Ma Don’t Care

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Annieoakley

The caption on the front of this cute and kind of funny postcard is: “Dont Worry! Having the time of my Life. Pa is rich and Ma dont care.” I guess that is a dog on the floor next to guy’s knee. I like this fictional couple: With a caption like this one you might expect something different, but the man looks like he really likes the young lady, and is in it for the long haul, and the woman is no fool, she’s found a keeper.

Addressed to: “Miss Katie Stehno. Wilson, Kansas.” The sender wrote: “Hello how are you. I am fine and dandy what are you doing all the time. Good Bye. From M J. answere”

It’s likely that Katie Stehno is the same person as on the 1910 Federal Census taken in Highland Township, Lincoln County, Kansas. Daughter of Ludvik Stehno and his wife, Mary, who are listed as Bohemian-Austrian; Katie’s siblings on this census are: Ed, Agnes, Joseph, Ludvig, Leokadie, Annie, Frank and Georgie. All the children are listed as born in Kansas, and their father’s occupation is farmer. Katie was born about 1893, and this postcard is estimated to be from around 1910, so Katie might have been about 17 when she received it. As you can see it was not postmarked.

As for the publisher or printer logo, here is another we’ve recently been looking at. (See posts published May 26, 2014 entitled May You Be As Happy…, Lemons And Pink Poppies, Birthday Wishes From Pauline To Goldie.) Only this time this “A” or double “A” in circle is sideways. A print error? The plot thickens.

From the California Death Index records online, it appears that Katie was Catherine Matilda Stehno, born February 20, 1893; died September 15, 1983 in Fresno, California; married to a gentleman by the last name of Pechacek; mother’s maiden name Rezab. The mother’s maiden name is confirmed on the 1900 Federal Census taken in Noble, Ellsworth, Kansas, that shows the parents and children (as of that date the youngest child is daughter Lokallie, spelled Leokadie on the 1910) but also shows Mary Rezo, widowed mother-in-law to head of household, Ludwik or Ludvic Stehno. Ludvic’s father Frank Stehno is also listed on this census as well as John Rezo, brother-in-law to Ludvic.

Divided back, unused with writing postcard. Publisher unknown. Printer or publisher logo shows sideways “A” or double “A” in circle. Circa 1910.

Price: $10.00

Sources: Year: 1910; Census Place: Highland, Lincoln, Kansas; Roll: T624_444; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 0078; FHL microfilm: 1374457. (Ancestry.com)

Place: Fresno; Date: 15 Sep 1983; Social Security: 561218050. Ancestry.com. California, Death Index, 1940-1997

Year: 1900; Census Place: Noble, Ellsworth, Kansas; Roll: 480; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0028; FHL microfilm: 1240480. (Ancestry.com)

Laurel Cottage Genealogy

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Monthly Archives: June 2014

Into The Envelope

A Token Of Love

Timber – My Kingdom For A Tree

Mystery Building

Mae’s Homemade Calling Card

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Greetings From Edinburgh, Scotland

Bouquet Of Best Wishes

Carnations

Pa Is Rich And Ma Don’t Care