A celluloid pinback button issued for the fifty-fifth annual meeting of the Western New York Horticultural Society, held in Rochester, New York, on Wednesday and Thursday, January 26 and 17, 1910.
This same printed illustration of fruit continued to be used later for pinback buttons of the New York State Horticultural Society, which was formed in 1919 from the merger of the Western New York Horticultural Society and the New York State Fruit Growers Association.
"Western New York Horticultural Society, January 26-27, 1910."
Back: "Buttons made by The Whitehead & Hoag Co., Newark, N.J., U.S.A. Pat. April 14, 1896, July 21, 1896."
Tags: ephemera pinback buttons celluloid pinback buttons celluloid buttons celluloid pinbacks buttons advertising advertisements ads paper printed Western New York Horticultural Society horticulture societies pears grapes apples fruits illustrations yellow blue green Western New York Rochester NY New York January 1910 1910s antique old vintage typefaces type typography fonts
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Bert Palmer Atkinson (1881-1955), a New Hampshire photographer, was "The Post Card Man" who had the "winning cards." He created this postcard to advertise his business and to serve as an advance card to send in advance of his visits to let potential customers know when to expect him (see the other side of the card, where he could add his arrival date and a message).
To get his customers' attention, Atkinson used a trick photo. It shows him seated at a table with four other versions of himself, and the way that his five selves are holding postcards in their hands makes it seem like they're playing a card game. This strange scene is a "multigraph" – a type of photograph that uses mirrors to create the illusion that a set of quintuplets is seated around a table.
The "2A113" designation in the lower right-hand corner is a Curt Teich production number that indicates that the postcard dates to 1932 (see the Newberry Library's PDF document, Guide to Dating Curt Teich Postcards).
For more information about Atkinson, see the New Hampshire Historical Society's description of the B. P. Atkinson Photograph Collection, 1912-1942, undated.
The Post Card Man
I Have the Winning Cards
2A113
Side 2
The best that is made in Local View Cards, Souvenir Folders, and Advertising Matter -- Universally Used.
I will call on you on or about
____________
Yours very truly,
B. P. Atkinson
Made by Curt Teich & Company, Inc., Chicago, U.S.A.
Tags: ephemera postcards advance cards sales call cards will call cards advertising advertisements ads photographs photos portraits trick photography trick photos mirror photography mirror photos multiphotography multigraph photo-multigraphs mirrors tables Atkinson B. P. Atkinson Bert Palmer Atkinson five men clothes clothing suits ties neckties NH New Hampshire 1932 1930s antique old vintage photographic amusements Curt Teich Curt Teich & Co. Curt Teich & Company postcard publishers 2A113
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Bert Palmer Atkinson created this advance card to let potential customers know when he planned to visit. For more information, see the front of the card.
The best that is made in Local View Cards, Souvenir Folders, and Advertising Matter -- Universally Used.
I will call on you on or about
____________
Yours very truly,
B. P. Atkinson
Made by Curt Teich & Company, Inc., Chicago, U.S.A.
Tags: ephemera postcards advance cards sales call cards will call cards advertising advertisements ads photographs photos portraits trick photography trick photos mirror photography mirror photos multiphotography multigraph photo-multigraphs mirrors tables Atkinson B. P. Atkinson Bert Palmer Atkinson five men clothes clothing suits ties neckties NH New Hampshire 1932 1930s antique old vintage photographic amusements Curt Teich Curt Teich & Co. Curt Teich & Company postcard publishers 2A113
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A nineteenth-century ticket for a production of M'Liss, an 1877 play based on a short story by Bret Harte. It's likely that the ticket dates to sometime in the 1880s before Harry L. Churchill, manager of the repertory company that performed the play, became ill and was hospitalized in 1890 (see the newspaper account below).
Typeface: Glyptic ("People's Theatre Company," "Harry L. Churchill," the "C" in "Compliments," and the "M" in "Manager").
People's Theatre Company.
This Ticket and Ten Cents will Admit one Lady to best Reserved Seat, on presentation at Box Office, or Advance Sale.
Opening Night: M'liss.
Compliments Harry L. Churchill, Manager
------------
"Harry L. Churchill, who for some time has managed various repertory companies through New England, is said to be confined in an insane asylum at Greenfield, Mass. Dave Seymour, writing for Mrs. Churchill, says: 'Mr. Churchill is suffering from a complication of diseases, among which are softening and paralysis of the brain. The best physicians have been consulted, and all pronounce him incurable. The diseases were brought on by overwork and mental anxiety, as of late his companies had been doing a losing business. His last work was with the C. D. Henry People's Theatre Co. His wife, Florence Churchill, is a faithful attendant.'"
-- New York Clipper, July 12, 1890, p. 276.
Tags: ephemera tickets theater tickets admission tickets admissions lady's ticket paper printed M'Liss plays People's Theatre Company theaters theatres Harry L. Churchill Churchill managers opening night green Victorian 19th century nineteenth century 1880s antique old vintage typefaces type typography fonts typefaces identified Glyptic type:face=Glyptic
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Baron Capitan Nicu de Barcsy (1885-1976) was a circus performer who was billed as the "Smallest Perfect Man on Earth." The caption here also claims that he was the "Smallest Moose and Eagle Man on Earth," which evidently meant that he was a member of the Loyal Order of Moose and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
For this photo, Nicu de Barcsy posed in a uniform. He has a cigar in his mouth, and he's standing and saluting. It's a trick photo -- a "multigraph" -- that uses mirrors to make it appear that there are five identical versions of de Barcsy standing in a circle.
This is a real photo postcard with "Kruxo" printed vertically on the other side as a divider between the message and the address, which indicates that the card may date between 1911 and 1922. There's no message, address, stamp box, or postmark, but both "Commercial Photographic Co., Davenport, Iowa," and "Bawden, Davenport, Iowa," are printed on the back.
For more information, see Captain Nicu Debarcsy: The Smallest Perfect Man on Earth on the Drummond Historical Society site and the Baron Capitan Nicu de Barcsy entry in the Sideshow Ephemera Gallery.
Baron Capitan Nicu de Barcsy
Born February 28th, 1885
Decorated with Silver Cross with Crown
Smallest Moose and Eagle Man on Earth
Tags: ephemera photographs photos portraits found photos studio photos trick photography trick photos mirror photography mirror photos multiphotography multigraph photo-multigraphs advertising advertisements ads mirrors five men Baron Capitan Baron Capitan Nicu de Barcsy Nicu de Barcsy de Barcsy Captain clothes clothing uniforms cigars salutes saluting antique old vintage photographic amusements studios photographers Bawden Commercial Photographic Commercial Photographic Co. Davenport IA Iowa
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