This vintage real photo postcard features a lovely well dressed couple with a sense of humor. The gentleman in the photograph wrote a very funny message on the reverse of the card. The man, Joe, writes that the pair are being photographed on a mountain, twelve hundred feet above Portland, Oregon. He then demonstrated his flair for humor by suggesting to the postcard’s recipient, “If you have any rats in your smoke house, just put this (photo) in there and I will insure you no more rats will bother”. This postcard was sent to a woman in Latham, Kansas, and was postmarked in Eads, Colorado. The card was written and mailed in 1908. Joe and his “lady friend” were photographed at 10 Minute Photos, by Cal Calvert. The studio was located in Council Crest (Portland, Oregon). Council Crest Park is a city park in southwest Portland. Council Crest is 1071 feet above sea leveland is one of the hightest points in in the Tualatin Mountains. The park offers a great view of Portland. The couple in this photo may have taken a street car to the park. The Portland Railway, Light and Power Company opened a street car route (Council Crest Line) to the park in 1906. In 1907 the company opened an amusement park at the site. Research found information related to the photographer who took this photograph. Charles E. (Cal) Calvert operated his studio at Sixth & Ankeny from 1906 through 1930. In 1907, with the opening of Council Crest Amusement Park, he operated a studio and postcard stand on it’s grounds. He also ran a studio at the Washington Street entrance to Portland’s City Park in 1910. Cal was known for his use of rustic props and for his creativity. One of his sets involved subjects appearing as if they were flying an airplane over the city of Portland. A postcard employing this setting is part of a collection at the Portland Art Museum. SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 