The bold title was very clear in its mission: “Public Sale of Negroes by Richard Clagett.” If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was the title of a book and its author. But this was…
Author: sherry
Palmer Hotel assures it is fireproof after Great Chicago Fire
Posted in Advertising, Architecture/Buildings, Businesses, Equipment, and history
The aged envelope bore a large heading above a drawing of the Palmer Hotel in Chicago. The pronouncement would mean nothing without knowing the hotel’s history. “Only Fire-Proof House in the United States,” it blared.…
“Wind Song” perfume as lure for women to buy ‘54 Chevy
Posted in Beauty Products, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, Personal items, Vehicles, and Women
The first image I saw was a small bottle of perfume, its top enveloped by a large printed bouquet of ribbons on a card. Beneath it, I read three words that were incongruous with the…
The tables with the glass tops and grotesque bases were the first to catch my eye. The bases were thick and twisted like some giant hands had ripped them into big chunks. They were a set…
Photo flip book about a 1906 horse champ named Dan Patch
Posted in Books, and Ephemera/Paper/Documents
The first time I recall seeing a flip book was in the 1981 movie “Ragtime.” I remember watching with the amazement of a kid as the immigrant Tateh held the book in one hand and with…
1906 raffle ticket to help buy an artificial leg
Posted in Advertising, camera, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, Home, and Lighting
When I saw the pink raffle ticket in the glass case at the auction house, I figured it was like any other ticket. Who hasn’t bought a raffle ticket to help out a church, group…
“Blacula” movie poster recalls ‘70s blaxploitation films
Posted in Black history, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and Movies
One wall at the auction house was plastered with movie posters, but I saw only one that I actually wanted. It was for the movie “Blacula,” a black Dracula for those movie-goers who in the…
The receipts looked like nothing more than fountain-pen scribbles on a sheet. Looking closer, though, I could read the names of some of the products that were sold by this wholesaler in 1900. I love…
The man’s grainy photo looked as if it was straight out of a newspaper. He stared out unabashedly, a bowler hat set squarely atop his head. His picture was in the center of a mugshot card along with his…