VTT - High School & Graduation Keepsakes

When I saw all the vintage high school graduation thingies last week, I decided to show my things this week. The large letter postcard is from the town where my high school was located. The large "L" appears to have a picture of the high school.

The first photo shows my senior yearbook, my diploma, the tassel from my graduation cap, a pinback button, and a gold graduation charm. The second photo is a closeup of the charm. The charm has a relief of a diploma, eyeglasses, and a book. There is a red stone on the diploma and a pearl border around everything.

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SS - Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant

Jack Dempsey was a heavyweight boxing champion from 1919 to 1926. Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant was open from 1935 to 1974. It was located on Broadway between 49th and 50th streets in New York City.

Smorgasbord Sundays (SS)
restaurant and food postcards

PFF - Gorillas

The gorilla Bulu was born in 1946 in West Africa and came to Florida's Monkey Jungle in 1950 when he was four years old. He died at the age of 33 in 1979.

There was an article in my local newspaper today about the recent death of a Como Zoo (St. Paul, Minnesota) gorilla named Gordy. Gordy died suddenly of heart disease at the age of 23. According to that article, there are more than 360 gorillas living in 52 North American zoos. Wild gorillas can live into their 30s, while those in captivity can live past 50.

Western lowland gorillas are the kind kept in zoos. These gorillas have become endangered in the wild. It is estimated that their numbers have decreased by more than 50 percent in the last decade.

This post was inspired by the gorilla story I saw on the news this week. This video shows the reunion in the wild between a young gorilla and the man who raised him.

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Hug Your Cat Day

I added this when I learned that today is "Hug Your Cat Day." Actually, there seems to be little agreement on the date. When I looked it up, there were many dates listed between early May and early June. Personally, I'd much rather hug a cat than a gorilla!

VTT - Umbrella Girls & Salt

The postcard above was used in 1916. There are many postcards featuring girls with umbrellas, but the most famous "umbrella girl" is the one created as an advertising character for Morton Salt. The Morton Umbrella Girl first appeared on their table salt packaging in 1914. Over the years, the Umbrella Girl has been updated periodically in 1921, 1933, 1941, 1956, and 1968. The History of the Umbrella Girl on the Morton Salt website shows all six variations. The 1968 girl is still in use.

You can see the last three umbrella girls in the ads and on the shakers below. The first ad appeared on the back cover of a 1952 American Family magazine. This ad has the famous Morton slogan: "When it Rains it Pours." The rainy day imagery and slogan arose from the fact that the salt had an additive to keep it from clumping in damp weather. The Morton slogan is a twist on the old English proverb “It never rains but it pours.”

1952 Morton Salt ad

The second ad is from a 1965 Better Homes and Gardens magazine. This ad shows a variety of packaging, including the individual miniature salt shakers.

1965 Morton Salt ad

A couple of my miniature shakers were bought in grocery stores: the second Sterling shaker circa mid-1960s, the light blue shaker circa late-1970s. The others were purchased in an antique store. The Morton shaker with the yellow top looks like the one in the 1965 ad. These shakers contain .4 ounces salt and are about 1.4 inches high.

The Sterling Salt is from the International Salt Company of Pennsylvania. The running boy character is named Salty. The first Salty has the slogan "Free Run'n" on the pants leg, and the back of the shaker says "Try the 'Salty Salt' for easy pouring in any weather."

More vintage Morton ads and commercials are shown on the Morton website (here).

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SS - Bernstein's Fish Grotto, San Francisco

Bernstein's Fish Grotto was a San Francisco restaurant specializing in seafood. It was in business from 1912 to 1981 and was a popular tourist attraction. Its claim to fame was its unique entrance, a reproduction of the bow of Columbus's ship Nina. The bow of ship actually protruded out on the sidewalk.

The nautical theme was continued in the interior of the restaurant in seven dining rooms: the Fisherman's Cave, the Pilot Room, the Sun Deck, the Main Salon, the Cabin Nooks, the Upper Deck, and the Porthole Counter. The menu at Bernstein's Fish Grotto included cioppino, a fish stew popular in San Francisco's Italian community.

Smorgasbord Sundays (SS)
restaurant and food postcards

PFF - Mountains Near Red Lodge, Mountain

The picture on this postcard is © 1946 by Flash's Studio, Kay Egenes. Flash's Studio was named after Forrest Flashman. The studio was bought by Kathrine Psenda in 1933. It is currently operated by Thomas Egnes, son of Kathrine Psenda Egenes, and his wife.

The postcard shows "The Land of the Shining Mountains" 27 miles from Red Lodge on Highway 12 in early spring, just after the Beartooth highway was opened for travel. Many of the snowfields remained throughout the summer.

It takes weeks to clear the highway. The stretch over the top of the Beartooth Mountains south of Red Lodge is the highest in Montana and Wyoming. The highway is usually open for Memorial Day, but sometimes it is not open until some time in June.

VTT - Vintage Pens and Pencils

This postcard by the artist Dwig is an obvious hint by the sender that the receiver should write. The sender apparently had a good sense of humor (or was too angry to write anything). The postcard was mailed in 1911 with the correspondence side completely blank, not even a signature.

My writing thingies are from the 1950s. The first set by Shaeffer has a fountain pen and mechanical pencil. This was a gift to me the year I was first required to have a fountain pen for school. It fills with a plunger. The green pen below that is an Esterbrook with a lever in the side used for filling. I got this a little later, but I think it wasn't new when I got it.

The last three things were found in a "free" box at a garage sale last weekend. The blue fountain pen is a Sheaffer Snorkel. I had never heard of a Snorkel, so I got a big surprise when I unscrewed the end and a snorkel appeared out the tip. (You can see what it looks like in the video). The last two things are Scripto mechanical pencils. The bright green one with the spiral pattern was a common type. The two-tone green one is a more deluxe model and is very 1950s in color. It is like the ballpoint (and pencil?) I gave my father for Father's Day about 1957.

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