SS - Daily Soup, NYC

The Daily Soup Company seems to be out of business, although several locations still appear in internet directories. The domain dailysoup.com "expired on 04/18/2010 and is pending renewal or deletion." The trademark shown on this postcard was filed September 30,1996, registered September 30, 1997, and canceled July 4, 2008.

If you are a soup lover and like to make your own soup, you would probably like The Daily Soup Cookbook.

Smorgasbord Sundays (SS)
restaurant and food postcards

PFF - Wisconsin Rosemaling Exhibit

This postcard shows the Wisconsin State Rosemaling Exhibit at the Syttende Mai Folk Festival in Stoughton, Wisconsin. Rosemaling is a form of decorative flower painting that originated in Norway. Stoughton is the "Home of Rosemaling in America." Per Lysne, an early 20th century Norwegian immigrant wagon painter in Stoughton, revived the craft of rosemaling in America when his other business slowed during the depression.

Syttende Mai (May 17) is Norwegian Constitution Day, a Norwegian national holiday. The constitution of Norway was signed on May 17, 1814. It is the oldest European constitution still in force. Stoughton, Wisconsin is the location of one of the largest Syttende Mai celebrations in the United States. The dates of the 2010 Stoughton Syttende Mai Festival are May 14- May 16.

VTT - Ice Cream

This postcard has an illustration by Racely Helps titled "The Ice-Cream Man." It was published by The Medici Society of London. The Medici Society reproduced many illustrations on postcards of animals by children's book illustrators. This particular postcard is from the early 1960s. The back still lists the publisher as "Art Publishers by Appointment to the late King George V," although King George V died in 1936. I have another postcard from the 1980s with the same picture but a different back.

This apple thingie is a vintage pewter ice cream mold. It was purchased at an antique show from Dad's Follies. Pewter ice cream molds were made in a wide variety of shapes and were used both commercially and in homes.

I'm participating in Vintage Thingie Thursday

SS - Barney's Market Club, Chicago

Barney's Market Club was a Chicago restaurant known for its steaks and prime ribs. It was founded by Barney Kessel in 1919 and lasted for more than 70 years. Barney greeted all his customers with the phrase "Yes sir, Senator." This greeting was said to result from Barney's poor memory for names of his customers, which included many politicians.

The back of this postcard has information reprinted from a 1947 newspaper article about how Barney's had been rated seventh in the country in a "Where to Eat" guide published by the Darnell Corporation. The top 50 eating places included twelve in Chicago.

Smorgasbord Sundays (SS)
restaurant and food postcards

PFF - Kewpie on a Mailbox

This kewpie postcard was published by Gartner & Bender and was postmarked 1921. This kewpie isn't as sweet and chubby as the kewpies by the artist Rose O'Neill, but it does have an interesting expression on its face. It looks like it is really enjoying reading the letter.

I was most interested in the mailbox image and the references to letter writing. There are a lot of old postcards that have a correspondence theme and/or mention letter writing in the message on the back. Sometimes I wonder whether anyone actually wrote the promised letters. Postcards were like the early twentieth century version of email.

This kewpie joins me with wishes that you
Have fun today with all the blogs on view.
Today email is quicker and better,
So most of us never get a letter.

VTT - Bad Dogs

The dogs on both the postcard and plaque seem to be puppies of the same breed, or similar looking mutts. Puppies are known for chewing things and getting in trouble. When I was young, our family dog not only chewed a dishrag, but swallowed it!

The postcard was mailed in 1914. "I should worry" was a popular saying on postcards of that time--I have no idea why. The suggestion that the receiver should write was a popular theme on postcards.

The burnt wood pyrographic plaque is by Flemish Art and is 9-1/2" in diameter. It is embellished with metallic gold paint on the border, muzzle, and words. "XMAS '07" is burned on the back. (That is 1907, not 2007!)

I'm participating in Vintage Thingie Thursday

SS - The Bank Cafe of San Pedro, California

The Bank Cafe of San Pedro, California claimed to be the most unique cafe in the world. It was once the Bank of San Pedro. Here it is dressed up as a cafe with 1930s modern cafe furniture.

This looks like a creative idea for recycling or dual use of a building--maybe triple use when you consider the model railroad display. Oddly, the description doesn't even mention food.

Smorgasbord Sundays (SS)
restaurant and food postcards