Fine Old Jokes: The Mother-in-Law

     It occurred to me, looking over the postcards dealing with the, um, difficult bits of married life for our series on couples of contrasting size that I had ONE more size issue to examine.  It was a popular genre once, the tales of what happened in some of those cases where a married coupleContinue reading “Fine Old Jokes: The Mother-in-Law”

The Little Woman

     As we have been pointing out for the last two weeks, the postcard cartoonists enjoyed a gentle laugh at a romantic couple of contrasting sizes, while at the same time showing that love is not hampered by such concerns.  What DOES hamper love?  Well, in the view of the cartoonists, the chief obstacle toContinue reading “The Little Woman”

Round Romance

     Hereintofore, this space has discussed the lives of large round people on postcards.  Our most recent  considerations have especially focused on the large round man, with or without the apparently standard checkered suit and cigar.  We have even touched briefly on the slender young ladies who are often another accessory of the round man.Continue reading “Round Romance”

Where the Flavor Was

     Keep reminding yourself, as we move into the fifth episode of a series on smokers on postcards which began with a statement that there AREN’T that many, that entire books can be written on smoking in the movies and on television.  So there.  Some postcard smokers were celebrities who needed tobacco to complete theirContinue reading “Where the Flavor Was”

Blowing a Cloud, Taking a Puff

     Considering that the original premise of this series of columns was the relative scarcity of postcards showing people indulging in tobacco, compared to movies and TV shows of the same era, we have been showing off examples for a while now.  But I maintain my original opinion.  Joe Friday or Paul Drake probably litContinue reading “Blowing a Cloud, Taking a Puff”

Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That CIgarette

     Now, as you’ll recall, in a blog titled “And Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women,” we examined the use od cigarettes on postcards.  Although cigarettes are everywhere in mid-century movies and television, we argued, on postcards they were primarily used to indicate a young woman who, like the one shown on this Seventies poster ofContinue reading “Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That CIgarette”

He Called For His Pipe

     As we have, in this space, considered the place held in postcard cartoons by cigarettes and cigars, it is only logical to move to the pipe.  (I dislike to throw spoilers into my text, but those of you who were planning to come around next Wednesday to read about snuff, snoose, or other similarContinue reading “He Called For His Pipe”

But a Good Cigar is a Smoke

     Last week, in this space, we considered what the cartoonists who worked on postcards had to say about the smoking of cigarettes.  The subject is a little larger than we could cover in one column (which gives us an excuse to return to it later) but we did see how often a woman whoContinue reading “But a Good Cigar is a Smoke”

Finding a Good Seat

     Last week, we looked into the role played on postcards of couches, sofas, davenports, and settees, concentrated on postcards which showed the usefulness of this type of furniture for courting couples.  However, postcard artists were also alive to the possibilities of the couch as a setting for women sitting by themselves.      The wordContinue reading “Finding a Good Seat”