Fröhliche Weihnachten, postcard ca. 1930s

Translation: Merry Christmas

German, ca. 1930s

The reverse shows a stamp marked German Reich, with a von Hindenburg medallion. Lots of German text, but I can't imagine it was anything but personal, family news in that era to get safely through the mail. But if anyone knows German, I would love to know if my guess is accurate.

Statue of Liberty, July 1907

 

Postcard sent July 11, 1907, to Miss Bessie Craig of Roaring Creek, Route 1, Pa. 

No message on the back, but on the front: "Don't forget your promise." 

Signed with initials "GKR" or "SKR" .

Good luck to dear Old Ireland postcard, ca. 1914

 

Another lovely card from Kwei-lin Lum, a consolation of sorts for having to cancel a long-awaited trip to Ireland last year.

This divided-back card is unused, so I'm guessing at the date, ca. 1914. It's marked St. Patrick series No. 4. (The other card I posted today was marked "St. Patrick series -2-")

St. Patrick's Day in the Morning, 1911

 Thank you Kwei-lin for sending me this card after I had to cancel my trip last year.

 I hope to get to Ireland one day...

Buster Brown by Outcault, 1906

 

"Resolved: That Nothing Can Stop Us."

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Decoration Day

"From the silence of sorrowful hours,

the desolate mourners go,

lovingly laden with flowers,

alike for the friend and the foe:

Under the sod and the dew,

waiting the judgment day,

under the roses the Blue

under the lilies the Gray."

Memorial Day has its origins in the Civil War era when it was known as Decoration Day, the day when North and South decorated the graves of those who died in the war between the states. This postcard was mailed on Feb. 22, ca. 1916, and was marked "Decoration Day Series No. 1."

 

First Party to go Through McAdoo Tunnel, ca.1908

I was thrilled to find this postcard recently in a collectibles store called Wow! That's Unusual in Suffern, NY. (Check out their website here.)

Based on my research (see below), I would date this postcard from around 1908. It's unused, with a divided back, labeled Souvenir Post Card. In fine print: The Valentine & Sons' Publishing Co., Ltd., New York, Printed in Great Britain

Although the N.Y. is chipped on the corner of the postcard, it was clear to me that it was N.Y. Clearly the gentlemen in this photo were taking a look at the early days of tunnel construction from a cart, not a train. The postcard could be a year or two before the official opening in 1908; as a souvenir of construction, it might have been published and distributed even after the official opening. The Hudson and Manhattan lines were a boon to the growing city and the suburbs of New Jersey. 

The nycsubway.org website had this information:

In 1889, an ambitious young lawyer, William G. McAdoo, independently thought of a plan to build a tunnel under the Hudson. Mr. McAdoo thought that running electric trains in tubes under the river would be the most feasible answer to problems faced by late 19th century commuters plagued by slow ferries running on long headways.

You can read more here. There are some fascinating details! Such as:

At 3:30 on the afternoon of February 25, 1908, a long line of invited dignitaries entered the 19th Street Station for the first official run through the Tubes. The station and eight-car train were in darkness, except for emergency lights operated from storage batteries in the train. Standing by in the station was a special telegraph operator, who signaled President Theodore Roosevelt, waiting at his desk in the White House, to push a button turning on the power. As the President turned on the current, the station and train were immediately flooded with light and the chattering of the compressors mingled with the cheers of the 400 guests.

As the train swiftly picked up speed, in Mr. McAdoo's words, "the silk-hatted gentlemen sat in rows, leaning on their canes, and looking a little uneasy as they glanced out of the windows and saw the curving iron walls flash by." The boundary line between the states was marked by a circle of red, white and blue lights in the tube, and the train stopped here to allow New York Governor Charles Hughes and New Jersey Governor Franklin Fort to shake hands between the two cars, symbolizing the "formal marriage of the two states."

When the train arrived at Hoboken, almost 20,000 cheering people were thronging in the square outside the terminal, and as the official party came out of the kiosks, boats in the harbor and church bells added to the din. Following speeches by Mr. McAdoo, the two governors, and other officials, Mr. Oakman, president of the Hudson Companies, turned the property over to Mr. McAdoo, for operation by the H&M. Then the official party returned via the Tubes to Manhattan for an elaborate banquet at Sherry's.

Easter Greetings

 This postcard was postmarked April 6, 1912 from Canal Dover, Ohio, to Master Tom Scheffer in The Heights, Canal Dover. 

Best Wishes for Easter

don't eat too many eggs and not kiss to many girls or I'll be mad

love 

(guess)

After "love" there is a squiggle of writing that could be "your mom" or something else, but would anyone but a mom address a card to her son with the title of "Master"?

Queensboro Bridge Plaza, Long Island City, NY ca. 1913

I still enjoy finding postcards with streetcar scenes, and even more so when they are in New York City. Long Island City holds a special place in memory for me. I worked there once, and for a time lived in nearby Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

I've never seen this brand or logo before: L&V, Famous Throughout The World. Published by Bergman and Pinkus, Astoria, Long Island (actually, Queens, and Astoria is right next door to L.I.C.) Printed in United States. At first I thought the smudged date was 1919; but the last "9" began to look like a "3."

Dear Jo: Here I am at home, arrived yesterday. Feel fine but am still weak and must take care, of course. Love to all, Teddy.

 

Quacky Doodles and Danny Daddles, 1916-1918, Schoenhut

Postcard photograph by Jackson Goff, copyright Pelican Publishing. The book is by Rose Strong Hubbell with illustrations by Johnny Gruelle of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy fame. Although P.F. Volland is credited on the back of the postcard, that company is apparently the publisher of the book; Schoenhut is the toymaker consistently cited as the creator of the Quacky family of wood toys.

A Theriaults auction description for a complete set of six wooden ducks: 

Schoenhut, inspired by published works by P.F. Volland illustrated by Johnny Gruelle, circa 1920; included is an early advertisement for the books and the ducks which notes that they "never lose their good humor".

The ducks went for $1,400.

The book itself is hard to find, and costly. But a reprint was issued a few years ago. Here is an image of the back cover, which describes the charm of the Quacky Doodles and Danny Daddles storybook characters:

The Latest Fashion

Cleveland, June 27, 1910

I was thinking you might not have any of these in your collection of postal cards that is the reason I send you this. Thank you for the one you sent me. My best regards and good wishes to both of you.

This one is no longer in my collection. I sent it to the writer who wrote this book; pick it up and you'll see why.

Also, hats will be covered in an upcoming issue of Paperdoll Review. Why not subscribe to make sure you don't miss it?

 

A Happy Easter

 

A Streetcar Valentine, 1903

 

This Tuck postcard (not mailed, undivided back, copyright of 1903) reminded me of The Daily Postcard and Streetcar Sundays. I hadn't check on the blog in awhile; the owner stopped blogging 8 years ago but kept her wonderful archives online. After perusing her blog, I'm beginning to think what is pictured here is an Interurban, a blend between train and streetcar that traveled faster, and between cities and countryside. The car is marked Broadway, and I can't help but think about how the outer boroughs like the Bronx were still rural in the early1900s.

Thank you Christine H. for the excellent images and historical research.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Stay safe.

Another Happy Hooligan Valentine, 1904

By permission of the New York American
 

Ambush in the snow

 

Miss January

 

I'm sure I've posted Miss January more than once in the past 12 years. She's one of my favorites. I love watching the ice skaters at Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center. They make it look so effortless.

In the best of times, January can be a difficult month, as the Christmas lights are taken down, and as we realize all the hopes and dreams we attach to the new year require us to roll up our sleeves and put in the work to make it happen. Here's hoping we can all make it look effortless!

Best Thanksgiving Wishes

Sparkles were added to outline the illustration, and the line went astray here and there. Still you have Pilgrims, turkeys and the Mayflower! And the clock and corn are sweet additions. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Election Day

vote

Enter Laughing, 1963

Alan Arkin with Vivian Blaine in the Broadway play by Carl Reiner.  

The movie version aired yesterday on TCM.

Love this way of "spreading the word" long before social media.