AMERICA paper doll

A little piece of paper 114 years old. One of a series of 12 little paper dolls offered by the Barbour Brothers Company of New York in 1895. This one was called "America" for obvious reasons. Originally they cost three two-cent stamps. I think it interesting someone named her Grace, the same name of the doll I posted last night. 

HAPPY 4TH!

Happy 4th of July! 

Though this little Miss has a misprint she's still worthy of celebration. She was made by the American Colortype Company during the first quarter of the 20th Century. Her name is Grace. Enjoy.

Click on either image to see it slightly larger.

Send them home with SOMETHING IN THEIR STOMACHS

Looking for just the right dish to serve to guests this 4th of July? Something festive? Something colorful? Something that looks like you just threw it together the last minute? Look no further. Del Monte, Ladies Home Journal 1964, has supplied a simple recipe that would have a home economics teacher sighing. You'll send your guests home with something in their stomachs. I'm not sure how long they'll keep it down or if they'll even stay...but...perhaps if you have relatives coming that you wish would leave early....

Now, I know a lot of blogs offer recipes. Obviously this isn't the forte of my blog, but I didn't want to be left out completely. In my search through ephemera I'm often amazed, no make that stunned, by some of the recipes I find in magazines from the 50s through 70s. Earlier magazines still ran recipes where you were expected to cook, not just pour contents of cans into something. This recipe is the can pouring type. And whatever you do, don't take any shortcuts. Remember to use the garnish. The garnish is really what holds it all together. Presentation is everything. 

Click on image to see it larger...if you simply must.

My favorite book about these sort of recipes, shown in magazines and old cookbooks, is The Gallery of Regrettable Food by James Lileks. The book is hysterical. There is a link in the left column which will give you more information and reviews at Amazon. 

Mark Summers, Ray Milland, and LIZZIE THE NODDER

There are actually several unconnected reasons for this post, all of them centered on this ad from a 1949 Photoplay magazine. And so I begin.

Click on image to see it larger.

The first thing I was drawn to when I looked at this ad was the beautiful scratchboard illustration, which got me thinking about illustrator Mark Summers. Now I have no idea who did the work for this ad, but Mark Summers work is something you're likely familiar with if at some point you've shopped at Barnes and Noble. Mr. Summers is without a doubt one of the finest illustrators working today and for years has been the literary identity for B & N. His illustrations have graced the shopping bags, bookplates, posters, etc. Beautiful and elegant black and white work. To actually read about him click on this link which will take you to his representative's site. There you'll see samples of his work along with a brief biography. Make sure you click on "Case Study" to see how a work progresses. Summers has recently done the illustration for a U.S. postage stamp, Lincoln Railsplitter, that has a 2009 issuance date.

The next obvious reason for my interest in this is the movie it advertises, Alias Nick Beal. I don't believe I've ever seen it. From what sleuthing I've done on the net it appears that it has never been released on tape or dvd. I don't even know if TCM has ever shown it. I love noir films and this one sounds fascinating according to this synopsis at IMDB:

Righteous district attorney Joseph Foster's main goal in life is to rid his city of the gangsters infesting it. In order to be even more efficient in his war against crime he plans to run for governor. One day he meets a strange, shadowy man, Nick Beal, who offers to help him to achieve his end. Beal convinces hesitating Foster by dint of easy money, easy sex with an alluring young woman and the promise of easy success. Joseph Foster soon becomes an influential politician but a corrupt one. A minister of God manages to show him that he has been the plaything of the so-called Nick Beal, who might be "Old Nick" , that is to say Satan himself. Foster then decides to resign and to become an honest man again. (Synopsis written by Guy Bellinger)

I've checked Amazon to see if the movie is available, but all they have are knock-offs of the original 4 color movie poster. If the poster is so popular, you'd think somewhere along the line Paramount would have allowed the film out of their vault.

And finally, there's Audrey Totter down in the lower right corner. I'm afraid I don't recognize the name though I see at IMDB a list of films and tv shows she's appeared in since the mid 40s. I'm sure she's a face I'd normally recognize, but in this case...ummmmmm...I'm thinking of Lizzie the Nodder at my vernacular photography site. Poor Audrey was certainly not done any justice in this ad. Now it's common for a studio to release a movie poster with a star's head on someone else's "perfect" body. Usually you don't notice. This time...not so much. What were they thinking? Did they really think nobody would notice that ummm...HER HEAD DOESN'T FIT! Hello?! Something wrong here! Did someone at the studio dislike the original photo so much that they were willing to have this head stuck on her body all out of proportion with reality? Okay, I know, they wanted to feature her and the original was probably just a simple nice photo that had no punch. But this? Her head looks like it's going to fall off!

I said when I started this post that the reasoning behind it was a complete disconnect. I think I proved my point. I've ended with a woman whose head is disconnected from her body. And she reminds me of the post I did about Lizzie the Nodder at my other site.

Ephemera, it can lead you nowhere and back again.

Update: I just discovered this clip from the movie on youtube. Now it's really got me curious. Now I really want to see it.

We're lucky we aren't MORE NEUROTIC!

Today boys and girls we're going to talk about death. Not real death. Make believe death. The kind the government warned us Boomers about as we were growing up. Death at any moment. Or...maybe just a really bad sunburn. 

I found this brochure in with a bunch of other nonsensical stuff I've saved over the years. I have another one around here somewhere that was given to my family when we moved to Hawaii that shows the people doing duck and cover in Aloha shirts. I'm not kidding. But until I can find that one I give you this one from the early '50s provided by the Navy when we moved to Pensacola.

Government and corporate stupidity always amazes me and this is just plain stupid. The lies we were told about how we'd survive an atomic blast by simply doing duck and cover. Or as comedian Lewis Black has said "hide under kindling." Actually I think we're all lucky we didn't end up running around screaming all the time, arms waving madly over our heads, waiting for the bright light in the sky. Any minute now...no wait...it's coming...you have less than a second to make a decision on how to save your life. Seriously, is it any wonder drugs became popular?

Do click on either image to see it larger. Important life saving tips included.

And to end, I give you the infamous "Duck and Cover" film, well worth watching as a classic comedy piece from the golden age of television. If you're of a certain age there are two sounds that will most likely bring about visceral feelings. The theme to the Captain Kangaroo show and the air raid warning siren. I still remember hearing the warning signal into the '60s. It stood strategically located in the neighborhood and was painted a bright yellow. I wonder when and if they ever took it down.

Nothing to see here. I'm okay. Move along. Move along. I'm fine. I've always had this nervous twitch.