Pin-Up Postcards

No, actually, these weren't all that racy. From either the 50's or early 60's.

A Bicycle Photo From a Pocket Kodak

This very small picture, it measures 1 1/2x 1 5/8 inches, was taken with a Pocket Kodak camera. The Pocket Kodak was manufactured from 1895 to 1900. The camera used 120 film and made a negative with an image area of 1 1/2x 2 inches. Kodak did the printing and mounted it on a card with the Pocket Kodak name embossed on the card. I didn't' scan the card, since it was pretty badly damaged, but enough of it was left to clearly make out the Pocket Kodak mark. For more info on the Pocket Kodak, go to www.boxcameras.com/pocketkod.html

Team Photo

A team on a military base, or some sort of early 20th century ROTC?

The German Girl

The seller told me that this image was from the estate of a German who immigrated to the United States between World War 1 and World War 2. Can I just say how much I hate sellers who break up collections of old photographs. This image, beautiful as it is, would have been so much more interesting in context of a large collection. My guess is it's from the 1920's. Printed on post card stock.

Who Was Marina Marshal?

This is one of those really frustrating collections. Clearly this woman had some level of success in the theater, but I'm unable to get any real information on her. The two photos that appear to be the oldest, show her in a train compartment. On the back is written, "Mary Shuck Arnahenstr 15/I Muenchen." Checking http://www.imdb.com/ I found a listing for a film from 1937, Die Stimme des Herzens, with a Mary Shuk as a cast member in a very small part. The film was produced by Bavaria Films, and of course, Munich is in Bavaria. And that's as close as I've come to any real info, and it might not even be the same person. Most of these photos have German language stamps on the backs. There are some images of Marina Marshal AKA Mary Shuck where she is wearing a pin striped pants outfit that are stamped "Copyright Presse J Hustrationen ( ) Berlin SW G8, Kochstrasse 10 Tel. 19 6508-3" On the back of the one where she is standing in a group and shaking hands has, hand written on the back, and in English, "Marina Marshal as Diana in "French Without Tears" 49 West 11th St. NYC Gramercy 5-9259." French Without Tears was written by Terrance Rattigan and first produced in the late 1930's. The photo where she is sitting in the Tuxedo wearing gentleman's lap has, hand written on the back, "Marina Marshal in The Circle by Somerset Maugham" with the same address and telephone number. Also a sticker that reads, "THE CREDIT LINE MUST NOT BE OMITTED ALTERED OR ABBREVIATED ATLAS PHOTOS This photograph is released for one reproduction only and must not be used for trade or advertising purposes, copied, loaned, or syndicated without written permission. ATLAS PHOTOS 45 WEST 46TH ST. NEW YORK CITY" I did find The Circle on http://www.ibdb.com/ from a 1937-38 Broadway production, but Marina Marshal is not listed in the credits, and in any case, it seems she was still in Germany at the time. Most of the other theatrical pictures have stamped on the back, "Foto-Schreyer, Berlin -Steglitz Zimmermannstr. 12, Telephon G2 Steglitz 1243" On the shot of her standing, wearing furs, stamped on the back of the picture, "VERVIELFALTIGUNG NUR MIT ANGABE ANTON SAHM MUNCHEN COPYRIGHT BY ANTON SAHM, MUNCHEN." Sahm was a successful German studio photographer. I've found a nude by him, entitled "Sitzender Akt" dated 1925 that has a resemblance, though as a profile it's hard to be certain, of Marina. Written on the back of the photo of Marina in the long dress, with her leaning on a cabinet, hand written on the back, "Marina Marshal 127 W. 52nd St. NYC CO5-8981. Size 12 wt. 115 Ht 5'8" Reddish brown hair. Grey-green eyes." So, it seems that a German actress, with a fairly successful career on the German stage ended up in the United States, possibly before or after the Second World War. With no credits on either imdb or ibdb, at least not under the name Marina Marshal, it doesn't look like she had much luck in the United States. And did the name change come before or after she ended up in America? Lots of questions, and no answers.

World War 1, The Meuse-Argonne Front

Again, I think the originals are rotogravures, though I'm not sure. The first two images include a standard photographic print I made from a copy negative. They are captioned, "Two miles an hour was the rate at which traffic moved through Esnes near the Meuse-Argonne front. The scene is typical of the congestion of vehicles back of the line." The guys getting inspected, "Shirt reading." The other photo of vehicles is captioned, "A traffic jam at Esnes." The guys getting water, "A drinking reservoir for American troops moving toward the front." The sleeping soldier, "A catnap in a gun emplacement."

A 50's Costume Party

There are a couple of guests dressed as stereotypical beatniks, so I'm guessing the 1950's.

George and Louise

Probably from the 1920's.

Underwood & Underwood, Geography

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Underwood & Underwood was started by Bert and Elmer Underwood of Ottawa, Kansas. In time, their company became the world's largest producer of stereo cards. In 1920, Underwood & Underwood's stereo card business was taken over by Keystone, but the two brothers continued as a major seller of news photographs. The port picture has some damage to the back of the card, but here's what's still there. "11194. Geography-Maracaibo is located on the western shore of Lake Maracaibo and has the best harbor on the coast, which can be used by the largest steamers, when once the sandbars at the entrance are cleaned out. A small American steamer runs between Curacao and Maracaibo three times a month and a great deal of trade is carried on through this port, though La Guyara, which is the seaport for Caracas, has most of the commerce. Products and Industries-Transportation.-Because of it's location in the centere of a region where coffee, rice, tobacco, cocoa, cotton and indigo are produced this city exports a great deal of each of them. The bags upon our right are to be shipped to New York and probably contain the famous Maracaibo coffee which has become so popular in recent years. The empty bags are on the cars to our left, which run down the length of the pier, making shipping an easier (damaged) South American ports. (damaged) here to other parts of (damaged) the third important commercial city in the country has about 40,000 inhabitants. It is Spanish built and surrounded by beautiful coconut groves. Refer again to this view when considering Political, Social, and Economic History of America, Agriculture, Child Life, Biography. Then in a box with translations in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian, the title of the card, "Loading steamer for United States, Maracaibo, Venezuela." The card with the reed rafts, "9052. Geography.- The Irrawaddy, as it flows through the Delta region, is crowded with rafts such as this, which we meet a few miles above Rangoon. Industries.-Lumbering.-Can you realize that it is perhaps seven years since some of these teakwood loge were first girdled and set aside for the market? Teakwood is so heavy that it sinks unless it is rafted beneath a bamboo float, as we see it here. It is three years after girdling before a teakwood tree is seasoned enough for felling. Even then, after it is cut, the "jungle wallah" has to wait for an opportune flood to transport it down the nearest creek. Often the creek falls as rapidly as it rose and then elephants and buffaloes are called upon to rescue the stranded logs and drag them across country to another and larger waterway. Transportation.-This unwieldy craft has been passed by many types of boats on it's 900 mile trip down from the forests of Bhamo-by modern steamers of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, cargo barges, curiously rigged native sailing craft, saucy little sampans, and sturdy paddy boats. People and Homes.-These are merry Burmese lads, despite the fact that they have doubtless undergone the painful operations of being tattooed in a gorgeous interlaced pattern from their wrists to their knees. Their father sitting under his quite serviceable veranda wears a very feminine looking Psyche knot on top of his head. Rafts are usually crowded with thatched huts like the two we see here. Refer again to this view when considering Zone Life, History, Races of Mankind, Child Life, Manual Training, Home Economics. And the the translations of the card's title, "Timber raft coming down the Irrawaddy River, Burma." And finally, the picture of the Chinese Junk, "4376. Geography.-To the north, directly beyond the swelling sails of this primitive craft, lies Manchuria. Port Arthur is rather to the west and Korea lies to the east. Physiography.-Manchuria, between Mongolia and Korea, is far from being the barren country we have imagined it to be. It is much like Canada in climate and resources through it's 370,000 square miles of area. Transportation.-Here is a typical Chinese junk, not so common now since Manchuria has about 1,600 miles of railways under Russian and Japanese control and many modern steamers ploughing her waters. The junk is a large, flat-bottomed, high-sterned vessel with square bows. It has two masts which stand at different angles and give the craft a generally dissipated air. The sails are mere squares of rough cloth fastened to stout spars at either end and stiffened with bamboo poles. History.-China, Japan and Russia have long contended and are still contending for supremacy in Manchuria. Manchuria has been the scene of Japan's two recent wars, and despite the terms of the Portsmouth Treaty of 1905, it is far from being under Chinese control. By the terms of the treaty Russia was allowed to occupy northern Manchuria and Japan southern Manchuria. But each country was to so arrange her interests that she could evacuate Manchuria by April, 1907. Both have taken advantage of the permission to maintain a large number of armed guards over their respective railway interests, and Manchuria is still a bone of contention, though ostensibly given over to China." And then the translations of the card's title, "Chinese junk under full sail on the Yellow Sea."

Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn

Labeled, "BEGINNING OF EASTERN PARKWAY, BROOKLYN, N.Y." Postmarked, "SAINT JOHN PLACE STATION, BROOKLYN N.Y. OCT 26 12-30A 1917." Addressed to "Miss Anna Bennett, 104 & 31 St. New York City, c/o Dr. Sellening." The message, "Dear Annie I will wait in for you next Thursday till you get here and then we will go out, we will have a nice talk together, have you heard from Ed? Since I had a letter from Bill Stremple Monday was asking for you, tell you the rest when I see you. I also had one from Bill Brown this morning. No word of Charles & Chief. Mary McLanly."

Mildred and Lucille

Mildred is the younger of these two ladies. Lucille is the older. Location and dated, New Orleans, 1922.

Green Bay Business College-Christmas Banquet

These are more photos from the Green Bay Business College collection. They were all stuffed in a separate envelope addressed to "Kenneth Bierke 225 Quinton Green Bay, Wisconsin." Typed, but no postage, so it must have been hand delivered. From three different banquets, two with a Christmas theme. In the first photo, directly to the right of the wall decorations, is a couple that will appear in most of the Green Bay Business College pictures. Mr. Bierke and his wife?

Nineteenth Century Baseball

America's past time. My prediction, Philadelphia in six.