PRETTY WOMAN WITH LONG HAIR : FASHION : ELGIN, ILLINOIS

This vintage real photo postcard features an attractive young woman with long hair and a nice smile. She looks to be in her teenage years. She is well dressed and it appears that she is dressed for some kind of an event, possibly a religious ceremony. Note her giant hat that she is holding in her left hand. The embossed stamp on the bottom right of the image, reveals that the young lady’s photograph was taken by West Photo. The studio was located in Elgin, Illinois. The likely proprietor of the gallery was Charles West. He is listed in the Elgin business directory between 1909 and 1916.  The postcard has a Kruxo stamp box that reveals that the postcard dates back to sometime between 1908 and 1920. This postcard is in excellent condition (see scans).

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Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes shipping within the US) #3941

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$25.75

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Buy this Vintage Real Photo Postcard (includes International shipping outside the US) 3941

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$35.00

Published in: on September 23, 2022 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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RICHTER’S SALOON AND GROCERY : SOCIAL HISTORY : THE RUDER BREWERY : BEER

This vintage real photo postcard serves as a wonderful illustration of social history. For a reason unknown to us, the community gathered in front of Richter’s Saloon & Grocery for this photo. The whole town is represented. There are babies, children, and young and older adults. If you look carefully, you will see that there was a lot of activity occurring when this photograph was taken. First, there are a several musicians in the group. Some are playing their instruments while others are displaying them. There are a number of men in the back row drinking out of bottles. Why are they congregated in the back row? It is likely a safe assumption that they are drinking beer or some other form of alcohol. Included in the photo is an oppositional defiant little girl. She is in the first row and is the only child or adult facing the “wrong” way. I’m kidding about the “oppositional defiant disorder” diagnosis. The townspeople in this photograph are wearing an interesting assortment of hats. There is a sign advertising a brewery attached to the front of the building. The advertising is for Ruder Beer. The George Ruder Brewing Company was founded in 1892 and operated until 1920. The company was located in Wausau, Wisconsin. By now, you have probably been wondering where Richter’s Saloon & Grocery was located. I am wondering too. I found two possible locations, but there may be more. An Indianapolis, Indiana city directory lists one of the cities businesses as being William Richter & Son Grocery and Saloon. I can not determine the year of the directory. The second possibility concerning the location of Richter’s Saloon & Grocery is more remote. In 1911, there was a Emilie Richter running a saloon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is the same year that the photograph was taken. I have been unable to learn the name of the saloon. The fact that Milwaukee and Wausau (home of Ruder Beer) are in Wisconsin, may be significant. The Kruxo stamp box on the reverse of this postcard, dates the card to sometime between 1908 and 1920. This supports the 1911 date printed on the front of this postcard. SOLD

Published in: on May 17, 2021 at 12:11 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN: THE BABY IS SMOKING A CIGAR

 

This vintage real photo postcard captures two siblings posing for their portrait. They are standing in front of a doorway of what appears to be a business. There is a “closed” sign on the door’s window. The older sibling is a little girl wearing a flower topped hat and holding a dainty purse. The younger sibling is sitting in a stroller of some sort and appears to have a cigar in his/her mouth. The baby is holding some sort of stick and is strapped into the stroller. There are some hints to the identity of these children. Below the image are the names “Russel and Leone Lannier”. On the reverse of the postcard is the name “Clayton Allen”. This evidence was not enough to facilitate a successful identification of these children. The stampbox on this postcard shows the logo “Kruxo” which indicates that it was produced sometime between 1908 and the 1920’s. Kruxo photo paper was made by Kilborn.  SOLD

Published in: on June 25, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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