Artist Frederick J. Cavally did a magnificent set of ethnic stereotype postcards in 1910 or thereabouts. He seemed to like doing faces—a number of his non-ethnic postcards feature a large funny portrait with a message—but this really exercised his talents. Each ethnic group was portrayed in two cards, one a male portrait and oneContinue reading “Well Plaid”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Write On, Brothers!
Once upon a time, tuna fritters, when “social media” was that fence you leaned over to gossip with the neighbors, people had to think of reasons to get together and discuss mutual concerns. Some of these grew out of the guilds, or professional associations of their time, some of these sprang up in theContinue reading “Write On, Brothers!”
Eyes On Your Own Paper
Hello and welcome to Monday Morning again. I assume, even in this bizarre decade of this wild new century that there are still a few million people for whom Monday is about to make a major shift. For it is May, and people are reaching the end of a school year. In recognition ofContinue reading “Eyes On Your Own Paper”
Wordy of Consideration
I have mentioned, hereintofore, that the postcard was the text message of the day, something quick and brief, which one could expect to get answered almost at once. Yet, in another way, the postcard was that era’s Instagram post or Tik-Took video, because it included a picture, and that picture, as we are oftenContinue reading “Wordy of Consideration”
Marbled Rye
This postcard, from 1906 or thereabouts, was a bit of a puzzle to me. We were taught this basic song in grade school, and though I knew they seldom bothered to teach us all the verses of folk songs (except The Fox Went Out On a Chilly Night, since there’s a story to follow.)Continue reading “Marbled Rye”
Matrimonday
Ah, a Monday in the middle of May: what could be more…alliterative. (Okay, a Saturday in the center of September. WILL you stop footnoting my introductions?) What subject would be more suitable for the latest Old Joke Quiz than Marriage? (You’d prefer Sex on a Saturday in the Center of September? Well, so wouldContinue reading “Matrimonday”
About That Gimmick
In our last thrilling installment, we considered some of the series postcards which await us out in the world of these non-electronic texts. We looked at just a few of those which connected their assorted cards through the use of a catch phrase. There were other artists, however, who used a standard format asContinue reading “About That Gimmick”
Gotta Have a Gimmick
A couple of weeks ago, we considered briefly a couple of postcard companies which developed distinct lines of cards involving popular songs. A number of these did their best to present an entire song over a number of cards. This was part of a marketing strategy which had been bubbling up since the lateContinue reading “Gotta Have a Gimmick”
On the Road Some More
A recent expert on the subject discussed the use of postcards by our ancestors as documentary proof of travel. Your postcard of Dundee, Iowa, postmarked in Dundee, showed you had actually visited that metropolis. It was a signal to your relatives of your rich experience. I hope that doesn’t make you think I’veContinue reading “On the Road Some More”
Frida Speshul
Once upon a time, there lived a man known to the world as Klarenc Wade Mak. He was born in Fairfield, Iowa in 1861 and was buried in Detroit, Michigan in 1930. Between those two dates, he practiced medicine and published books, sheet music, and (wait for it) postcards in St. Louis, Missouri. Continue reading “Frida Speshul”
Blogsy Babbles 