Need I Say More?

Super Bowl Sunday--The New NFL

Two Fab Seventies Polaroids

Polaroid chromatica at its merciless, gorgeous best.  These are from the most recent San Francisco Vintage Paper show.  

                              

Jäger Beefcake

And now, from the even more sinister 20th century.... The striped underpants are a surprising touch, plus the fact that the men here do not seem to take their no doubt impressive helmets off even when going for a swim.

All Things Merry and Bright

Definitely from the Sinister Nineteenth Century Department.  Time to read The Scripture.

Apple-Munching She-Dweeb

The Acknowledged Favorite

I don't think he's really playing.  Charming and peculiar detail: the white lozenge-like ornaments on the chair, the violin, the bow, and of course His Himness's "shorty" leather overall.

Joy to the World Etc.

Dutch (I think) Xmas greeting with a sinister someone seeming to rise out of a steaming hot bathtub which turns out to be a little bed.  I covet purply nightshirt of female urchin on the left.  If they happen to look up, they are going to jump out of their skin.

Courtesanal

You Said It, I Didn't

Men in Their Off-Hours (Not)

Mustaches required, it seems.  Don't know when this photograph was taken, but it remains a still-daunting challenge to the viewer.  Do not ignore or demean us.  We are intel-ligent men.  We gave you many things you value.

Still In The Asparagus Biz

Another beautiful card showing Sicilian occupations and their costumes.  Gorgeous subtlety to the colors here.

Preternatural Children Department

A slightly odd version of the standard circa 1900 French 'pretty child' postcard genre.  The blowsy hair and the tension in the arrangement of the mouth--a slightly curled lip on one side and raised nostril--makes this sequin-speckled girl strangely "adult" in presentation.  There's a critical dimension, a kind of incipient bluestocking-ism, here that puzzles.  Puzzles me, at least.

Home-Made Dog Brontosaurians

A hand-colored postcard drawn in  idiot savant mode.  (The medium is chalk pastel.) Luckily, dogs' short legs and insanely long backs (are they meant to be Retrievers?) do not impinge altogether disastrously on the nobility of the scene.

My Favorite Derviche

The hair, the hat--he'ze got it going on.  And did I ever say turquoisey-greeny-yallery is my favorite color combination of the moment?

The. Perfect. Postcard. of. Its. Kind.

No less.

In Process of Rebranding

Still Going Strong!

Dreadful how I've been neglecting my Almanac!   A rich haul from most recent Vintage Paper and Postcard fair, tho.....  So stay tuned.