New York Hot Dog!

These are two "World's Fair Comics" postcards from the first New York World's Fair.

2014 is the 75th anniversary of the 1939 New York World's Fair, and July is National Hot Dog Month.

Freedom's Jubilee

This is a day of memory--July 4, 1776. July 4 is the day Independence Day is celebrated in the United States and it is usually thought of as the day representing the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

However . . .

July 4, 1776 wasn't the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence (they did that on July 2, 1776). It wasn’t the day we started the American Revolution either (that had happened back in April 1775). And it wasn't the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776). Or the date on which the Declaration was delivered to Great Britain (that didn't happen until November 1776). Or the date it was signed (that was August 2, 1776).

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes. July 4, 1776, became the date that was included on the Declaration of Independence, and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August (the copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.) It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. So when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered. (source: constitutionfacts.com)

Fanny Farmer Candies

June is National Candy Month in the United States.

This is a linen advertising postcard for Fanny Farmer Candies, circa 1947.

Fanny Farmer was an American candy manufacturer and retailer. It was started in Rochester, New York in 1919 and was named in honor of culinary expert Fannie Farmer, who had died four years earlier. In 1992 the Archibald Candy Company acquired the brand (and its 200 retail stores in the northeastern United States) as a sister brand to its own Fannie May candies (sold primarily in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic United States). Alpine Confections purchased both brands in 2004 after Archibald filed for bankruptcy, and merged Fanny Farmer into Fannie May. (source: Wikipedia)

There are several variations of this same basic Fanny Farmer design with the same number in the bottom right corner (7B-H459). The main difference is the font style used for "Fanny Farmer." One variation doesn't have the seal on the candy box the boy is carrying. This design was also used for Laura Secord Candies, a Canadian company.

Optimistic Miss

 

June is Adopt-A-Cat Month. This Optimistic Miss postcard was published by Gartner & Bender and mailed in 1918. It  is part of a series featuring this little miss and her cat, along with optimistic verses.

Life is what we make it. 

Let's drive away dull care;

Give of your joys and pleasures,

Let others have a share.

America's First Family

Photo ©John Sykes

This postcard shows President Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States (1993-2001), with First Lady Hillary Clinton and daughter Chelsea. I bought this postcard in Arkansas about twenty years ago when Clinton, a native and former governor of Arkansas, was President.

I chose to post this card today because of all the flags in the background. Tomorrow (June 14) is Flag Day in the United States. Looking at the card today made me wonder what the chances are of having the Clintons become "America's First Family" again.

Mammy's Donut Waffle Shop

Your Trip to Atlantic City Is Not Complete

Without a Visit to

Mammy's

Famous Shops

Mammy's Restaurant was located in Atlantic City at Boardwalk and Pennsylvania Ave. at the entrance to Steeplechase Pier. Mammy's Restaurant was most famous for donuts and waffles. The boardwalk-facing window allowed people to see the mechanized production of donuts being fried and sugared and then served to patrons in the restaurant or offered as take out. The restaurant closed in the late 1970s. (source)

Today is National Doughnut Day which is celebrated on the first Friday of June each year. The Doughnut Day event was created by The Salvation Army in 1938 to honor the men and women who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. The doughnut (a.k.a. "donut") is an edible, torus-shaped piece of dough which is deep-fried and sweetened. Many American doughnut stores offer free doughnuts on National Doughnut Day. (source: Wikipedia).

Mr. and/or Mrs. Kaatskill

Meet Mr. and Mrs. Kaatskill from the Catskill Mountains of New York state. They sure look like the same cat to me. There are many similar looking cats, but not with the same distinctive leg markings.

I was surprised to see the "Mr." mate to my "Mrs." on 9teen87's Postcards blog a few days ago here. The handwriting and date ( 7-18-06) on the bottom of both cards looks the same. Her postcard says "Show this to Frisky." and mine says "This looks like Fluffy."

The cat on the postcards also looks like my late cat Tasha. Tasha, however, refused to wear a hat. The picture below shows her response to my attempt to photograph her wearing a Mrs. Santa pet hat. I put the hat on her head with a strap under her chin, but it didn't stay on her head long. I had to settle for photographing her with her paw on the hat.

Man-Bird & His Bride Going to "Feather Their Nest"

 

Hartman Furniture & Carpet Co. used the slogan "Let Hartman Feather Your Nest" in their advertising. They had a large mail order catalog and also had stores in many cities. There is a copy of a 1916 Hartman catalog online here. Another post with a Hartman advertising postcard featuring bride and groom birds is here.

This postcard was mailed from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Lidgerwood, North Dakota. The year in the postmark is unclear, but it looks most like 1910 or 1916. The message:

Dear Folks

I thought I wrote last so was waiting for a card from you. Ida was here from Hankinson last week she only stayed one day will write more next time.  by by . . .

Birthday Cats

This is one of the cards that I bought at a postcard show last weekend. This postcard is for my "cat collection." I have a binder filled with cat tradecards and postcards. Cats are fairly common on Christmas postcards, but I have seen very few on birthday postcards.

M & M's in Space

© MARS, Inc. 1989
"M & M's ® and "m" ® are licensed trademarks of Mars, Incorporated registered for candies
postcard © Hallmark Cards, Inc.

The first Friday in May is Space Day. Space Day was originally started to get America's youth interested in math and science. Space Day focuses upon creating an interest and awareness of all kinds of topics and issues related to space. (source)

In 1981, "M&M's"® Chocolate Candies were chosen by the first space shuttle astronauts to be included in their food supply. "M&M's"® are now on permanent display at the space food exhibit of the National Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C. (source)

Grow Your Own California Redwood

 

Today is National Arbor Day in the United States. National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April, but many states observe Arbor Day on different dates according to their best tree-planting times. Other countries that celebrate Arbor Day also do so on different dates.

The American Arbor Day originated in Nebraska in 1872. (Read about its history here). One of the traditional ways to celebrate Arbor Day is to plant a tree. This postcard is a "SEEDCARD" ©1966 with a packet of Genuine California Redwood Seeds. The card folds up for mailing. Inside the card there are planting instructions and information about redwoods.

Pâques Joyeuses -- Happy Easter

A vintage French Easter postcard

Easter greetings from France — about 100 years ago.

April 1 Fish

 

This is an old French postcard for April 1. The words at the bottom "Ils diront celle qui vous aime" translate as "They say one who loves you."

Fish are featured on many early 20th-century French April Fools' Day postcards. In France and some other countries, the April Fool's Day tradition is known as "April fish" (poisson d'avril in French). This involves attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim's back without being noticed. 

 

Riddle on a Stick

 

This is a postcard with a corndog riddle that I got at the Minnesota State Fair a few years ago. A corndog is a hot dog sausage coated in a thick layer of cornmeal batter, typically deep fried and served on a stick.  Corndogs are one of the oldest and most popular foods on a stick, but there are many other foods on a stick available at the state fair. A long list of Food on a Stick at the Minnesota State Fair is here, and a list of the 10 Most Unusual Foods on a Stick at the MN State Fair is here.

 I am posting this now because today is National Something on a Stick Day. Earlier this week, March 22 was National Corndog Day.

Crabtree & Evelyn

Crabtree & Evelyn is a company selling fragrances and bath/body products. This postcard is ©1983. I got the postcard about that time at a Crabtree & Evelyn shop inside an indoor marketplace. I remember the shop storefront as looking similar to the one on the postcard. The vintage look is what attracted me to the shop. Judging from the Crabtree & Evelyn website and their videos, the company is no longer using vintage imagery.

Erin Go Bragh

These two St. Patrick's Day greeting postcards both have the phrase Erin go Bragh. Erin go Bragh is the anglicisation of an Irish language phrase, Éirinn go Brách, and is used to express allegiance to Ireland. It is most often translated as "Ireland Forever."  (Wikipedia)

A Scottish song from the 19th century entitled Erin-go-Bragh tells the story of a Highland Scot who is mistaken for an Irishman. Another version is an Irish rebel one, also called The Row in the Town. Here is that version of Erin Go Bragh as sung by the Wolfe Tones:

The Wolfe Tones - Erin Go Bragh 

I'll sing you a song of a row in the town,
When the green flag went up and the Crown flag came down,
'Twas the neatest and sweetest thing ever you saw,
And they played that great game they called Erin Go Bragh.

God bless gallant Pearse and his comrades who died
Tom Clark, MacDonagh, MacDiarmada, McBride,
And here's to James Connolly who gave one hurrah,
And faced the machine guns for Erin Go Bragh.

Now one of our leaders was down in Ring's end,
For the honour of Ireland to hold and defend,
He had no veteran soldiers but volunteers raw,
Playing sweet Mauser music for Erin Go Bragh.

Old Ceannt and his comrades like lions at bay,
From the South Dublin Union poured death and dismay,
But what was then often the entaylors men saw
All the dead karki soldiers on Erin Go Bragh.

A great foreign captain was raving that day,
Saying, "Give me one hour and I'll blow you away,"
But a big Mauser bullet got stuck in his jaw,
And he died of lead poisoning on Erin Go Bragh.

A glory to Dublin, and to her we renown,
In the long generations her fame will go down,
And our children will tell how their forefathers saw,
The red blaze of freedom in Erin Go Bragh.

Top of the Morning to You

"Top of the Morning to You" is a a traditional Irish greeting that is often associated with St. Patrick's Day. When you say "top of the morning to you" to someone, you are wishing them the best part of the morning. The traditional reply is "and the rest of the day to yourself.," wishing them a good rest of the day.

 

"The Wearing of the Green" is another phrase associated with St. Patrick's Day, and it is common to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. "The Wearing of the Green" is an Irish ballad lamenting the repression of supporters of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It is to an old Irish air, and many versions of the lyric exist. The song proclaims that "they are hanging men and women for the wearing of the green".

Say Fadeaway

Say!
What would you Say
If I were to Say
What I want to Say
TO DAY?

The illustration on this postcard is done in the fadeaway style. The white clothes on the figures are not outlined or shaded. The clothing fades into the white of the background, and it is the viewer's eyes that fill in the shapes of the figures.

Warm Fireside Greetings

 

This writing reminder postcard is part of a fireside series by an unidentified publisher: "No. 621--Fireside--11 Des."

I get a nice warm feeling just looking at this picture. It sure would be nice to have a cozy fireside corner like this on a cold day like today. Luckily I have an electric heater to help me stay warm when the heating system can't quite keep the temperature warm enough for me.

Pour Moi?

This postcard fits in a topic that I have especially enjoyed collecting in the last few years, what I call "Writing Reminders." It is labeled Victoria Series and is printed and published in England.

To me, this postcard looks like it is about 50 years older than the 1959 date stamp on the back would indicate. I am wondering whether another collector has information that could date this card. I often have trouble dating English postcards, because they are so different from American postcards. Also, sometimes there are date stamps on postcards that relate to a date in a collection rather than the date of original publication.