History with its flickering lamp stumbles along the trail of the past, trying to reconstruct its scenes, to revive its echoes, and kindle with pale gleams the passion of former days. ~Winston Churchill

31 December, 2012

New Year's Postcards

Another holiday, another set of holiday postcards! These New Year's ones are especially great-- lots of embossing and metallic gold paint, really lovely (the rest of the set is here). As before I've given some of the writing on the back-- many just say "Happy New Years" and I haven't transcribed those, but I've done most of the ones with longer messages. I've also included the dates they were postal-stamped, when legible-- it's amusing how many were sent a bit late. 

From the New York Public Library. 


New York Public Library

"Friend Messick, We acknowledge your kind greetings and heartily reciprocate. All at well at home and we trust same with you and yours. When are you coming to Washington to visit us. There is always welcome. Sincerely J [or F] Harrison." Mailed 1909. Source



New York Public Library

"Going home tonight for good. Wishing you all a Happy New Year". Written December 1914 but posted Jan. 1915 Source



New York Public Library

Posted 1908. Source



New York Public Library

Posted Jan. 1911. Source



New York Public Library

(Date illegible) Source



New York Public Library

Unwritten and undated. Source



New York Public Library

"Wishing you and the family a very happy new year. I would like to hear you play." Source



New York Public Library

Mailed December 30, 1913. Source



New York Public Library

Posted 1908. Source



New York Public Library

"Dear Burnus [?], I take pleasure in writing you a few lines and to think what fun you and I had. And when you went away I always played with Ruth and please send her address. I think I will be closing now wishing you and your mother a Happy New Year." Stamp missing, undated. Source



New York Public Library

Posted 1908. Source



New York Public Library

Posted December 12, 1912.  Source



New York Public Library

Posted December 27, 1909. Source



New York Public Library

Unwritten and undated. Source



New York Public Library

Sent December 31, 1903. Source



New York Public Library

"Dear Charlie, Your Christmas card at hand, and in return I wish yourself and Wife a Happy and prosperous New Year. Ever the same, Ms. Adams." Posted December 28, 1909. Source



New York Public Library

"Mrs. Dolge, I wish you a very happy New Year. We are having a good time. There isn't sleighing tho down here at all. Charles Knapp." Posted December 29, 1910. Source



New York Public Library

Writing faded or erased; mailed December 28, 1910. Source



New York Public Library

Writing obscured. Posted December 28, 1909. Source



New York Public Library

Posted Jan. 2, 1909. Source



New York Public Library

Writing faded/obscured. C. 1920s? Source



New York Public Library

c. 1908. Source



New York Public Library

"Hearty congratulations from an old timer.Have thought of you lots of times." Posted December 1908.  Source



New York Public Library

Unwritten and undated. Source



New York Public Library

Mailed Jan 2, 1911. Source



New York Public Library

Mailed from Niagara Falls, December 25 1922. Source



New York Public Library

Posted Jan 8, 1908. Source



New York Public Library

Posted 1911. Source



New York Public Library

"I send my pussy to wish a Happy New Year to you with love." Posted December 30, 1909. Source



New York Public Library

Written but not posted, undated. Source



New York Public Library

c. 1920s. Source



New York Public Library

Writting illegible (and German). Mailed from Mannheim (Germany) to NYC December 21, 1914. Source



A Happy New Year.
New York Public Library

Undated. Source



New York Public Library

Posted December 30, 1910. Source



New York Public Library

"Dear Laura, was glad to recieve your card. Sorry Anna has been sick. Papa is giving all his [illegible] to Fred. I try to get him to write at the store but he wont and at night he is too weary. Tell Aunt [illegible] to excuse him for neglecting her." Send Jan 19, 1912 [?]. Source



29 December, 2012

Mirror Images

Quite simply, photographs of people looking in mirrors.


Sam Hood, State Library of New South Wales

Film star Helen Twelvetrees with a mirror, Sydney, 1936. Source



Nina Leen, LIFE © Time Inc.

A mother applies make-up while her daughter watches, Oklahoma, 1947. Source




William Gottlieb; Library of Congress

Cab Calloway combs his hair, NYC, c. 1947. Source



Nina Leen, LIFE © Time Inc.

A model looks in a mirror for a fashion/hair shoot, undated (40s-50s). Source



Eliot Elisofon, LIFE © Time Inc.

Katherine Hepburn arranges her costume from a mirror in the jungle on set for the African Queen, 1951. Source



Alfred Eisenstaedt, LIFE archives © Time Inc.

An English boy fixes his tie at the Grand Hotel, St. Moritz, Switzerland, 1931. Source



William C. Shrout, LIFE © Time Inc.

A woman uses a sink and mirror built into a corner behind double doors, US, 1945. Source



John Dominis, LIFE © Time Inc.

Frank Sinatra shaving, 1965. Source



Alfred Eisenstaedt, LIFE © Time Inc.

Josephine Baker has her hair done before a show on a US tour, 1951. Source



Alfred Eisensaedt, LIFE archive, © Time Inc.

Dancers at the Truempy Dance School look at themselves in a mirror, Berlin, 1930. Source



Nina Leen, LIFE © Time Inc.

An MGM dancer paints a portrait of herself from a mirror, Hollywood, 1949. Source



W. Eugene Smith, LIFE © Time Inc.

Charlie Chaplin puts on make-up for his 81st film, "Limelight", 1952. Source



Nina Leen, LIFE © Time Inc.

A man tries on hats, Dallas, 1945. Source



Alfred Eisenstaedt, LIFE © Time Inc.

Actress Hanna Schygulla applies make-up in a hand mirror, Munich, 1980. Source



University of Washington Libraries

A woman trying on a hat, Washington State, c. 1913. Source



Nina Leen, LIFE © Time Inc.

A college girl looks into a mirror adorned with photographs of her husband, US, 1945. Source



Reykjavik Museum of Photography

I have no idea what's going on here; the caption is only in Icelandic! "Tvær stúlkur á hárgreiðslustofu, Reykjavík, um 1930."  Source



William Gottlieb, Library of Congress

Billie Holiday, NYC, 1946. Source



Walter Sanders, LIFE © Time Inc.

Lucille Ball lounging in front of her dressing room mirror, 1943. Source



Gjon Mili, LIFE © Time Inc.

A mirror view of the hands of pianist Josef Hofmann, NYC, 1941. Source



Library of Congress

Anna Pavlova, c. 1910. Source



Alfred Eisenstaedt, LIFE archive © Time Inc.

A fashionable woman regards herself in a mirror of the Molyneux atelier, Paris, 1934. Source

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