ephemera

Howard Hughes Calling Card and Caddo Telephone Directory

These two Howard Hughes items were acquired together, according to Elmer Books, the Abebook's seller offering them: One is an undated (circa late 1920's - early 1930's), engraved calling card for "Mr. Howard Robard Hughes" and the other is a telephone list for Hughes' Caddo Company, a movie production company the tycoon created in the mid-1920s.

According to the Elmer Books, the Caddo telephone list is alphabetically arranged, six leaves ([11] pp.), and appears to be a mimeographed typescript with approx. 236 entries, listing phone extension numbers for various individuals and departments. In addition to Hughes, individual names include Douglas Fairbanks, Samuel Goldwyn, Harold Lloyd, Mary Pickford, and Lincoln Quarberg. On page 1, "Accounting Dept." lists five different extensions, for Caddo, feature, Goldwyn, Lloyd, and Studio; on page 2, "Cutting Rooms" lists 11 different extensions. It also includes "studio night numbers" and "employees home phone numbers".

I've wrote about Howard Hughes in previous post.

Cow Brand Baking Soda for Leucorrhoea

The cover of this vintage Cow Brand Baking Soda booklet shows a woman administering baking soda to a little girl; on the back is a product picture, according to the Abebook's seller.

The booklet presents a wide array of household and medicinal uses for Cow Brand Soda, all "tested and approved by leading physicians."

The uses range from combating "that relentless enemy of dainty women--excessive armpit perspiration," to treating ivy poison and insect bites, to aiding in the cure of leucorrhoea and influenza, to cooling a "shiny, red, hot-weather complexion."

I doubt the kid had leucorrheoa.

Search for books about Baking Soda.

Red Pepper Peppy Periodical for Peppy People

A very scarce 1924 Red Pepper magazine, the periodical for peppy people, including seven full-page photographs of daring beauties of the day, posed in gossamer drapes and wraps.

According to the Abebook's seller, included are: Grace Darling; Lucille Le Sueur (in "Innocent Eyes" at the Winter Garden); Mary Eaton (in "Kid Boots" at the Earl Carroll Theatre; Claire Miller (in "Keep Kool" at the Globe Theatre; Betty Compson (in "The Enemy Sex"); Norma Cloos (in George White's Scandals); etc. The "humorous" text is along the lines of "Glynn's Dope for the Goofers"; "Bottle Courage, or Call of the West"; "An' She Laffed and Laffed" by Ephraim Noozle (in stereotypical black dialect); "The Imp"; etc.

Peppy people are not to be confused with Preppy People.

101 Things to Make with Human Skin

Here's a "racially prejudiced" 101 Things to Make with Human Skin dust jacket "in exceeding poor taste," according to the Abebook's seller. This falsely titled item was intended to deceive viewers into believing the book carries preposterous information. And hilarity ensues.

The jacket includes fake blurbs such as, "The biggest thrill which comes to the owner of a set of these comic book jackets lies in his ability to put them on regular books and display them in rather conspicuous places in the living or recreation room before a party. High school and college students will discover these book jackets can provide them with a never-ending source of fun for fooling members of the faculty, as well as fellow students, without the danger of being expelled from the institution of learning."

A fictional biography of the imaginary author, Dr. Ronald Skinemwell, adds to the absurdity.

The seller adds, "…some of these covers have racist titles that would surely result in expulsion now; very scarce 50s-60s ephemera showing contemporary callous feeling towards the concentration camp victims."

The world of ephemera has some dark, dark corners, kids. And 101 Things to Make with Human Skin is lurking there.

Auction Map of NYC Properties from 1869

A NYC property prospectus with two folding land survey maps for the sale of "320 Splendid Lots Williamson Farm, J. Johnson, Auctioneer, March 22, 1869, Williamson Homestead, East New York," is being offered by an eBay seller.

According to the listing, the two maps fold from the prospectus cover, one map is 17x8, shows the farm lots, near the border of the City of Brooklyn and East New York, the other 32x10 map shows the individual lots bordering Ocean & Stone Avenues, Union & Papalje Avenues. Printed by John Medole, New York.

Fremont Songbook Experience

There's a very rare campaign John C. Fremont songbook for sale on eBay from the 1856 presidential campaign of Fremont, the first Republican candidate for President. Fremont, a famous explorer, was a real "player" in 1850s politics and he would later command Union troops in the Civil War.

According to the seller, the soft cover booklet contains 66 pages. The exact title of the song book is "Fremont Songs for the People."

According to the cover, the songs were compiled by Thomas Drew, Editor of the Massachusetts Spy. In a dedication, Drew dedicates the book to "All Fremont Clubs in the United States." A total of 41 songs are listed in the Table of Contents. Song lyrics are provided throughout with suggested "tunes" to which the words can be sung.

Ironically, there's another song linked to Fremont, assuming my recollection that Fremont Street in Vegas is named for John C. Fremont. Of course, I'm referring to the Tom Wait's classic, Mr. Siegal, in which Tom sings the following:

Well, I dropped thirty grand on the nugget slots
I had to sell my ass on Fremont Street

Search for books about John Fremont.

Lois Herr Virtual Book Tour

On November 13th, Lois Herr, author of "Dear Coach: Letters Home from WWII" will be stopping by to share a sample postcard from her new book.

Herr's book is a collection of not only letters but historical facts, pictures, and vivid commentary. "Dear Coach" features letters from WWII that were sent to Lois's father, the famous Elizabethtown College coach Ira Herr, by various students, friends and family members who once played for the coach. The book gives an inside look at not only the impact of war to a small college community, but that of multiple heartfelt player and coach relationships. To order your own copy, visit the author's website: http://loisherr.com.

To learn more about the author and book please feel free stop by her official "Dear Coach: Letters Home from WWII" virtual tour blog and read up on reviews and tour stops.

 

Underground Graphics Magazine First Edition

A First Edition copy of the Underground Graphics magazine edited by Keen & La Rue is being offered on eBay.

According to the seller's description, the London-based publication provided an overview of mainly British graphic underground art in the Sixties such as posters (e.g., Fairport Convention, Tomorrow, Jimi Hendrix, Julie Felix, Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Soft Machine, Dantalians Chariot, Social Deviants, 14 hour technicolour dream, Purple Gang, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Pete Brown & Battered Ornament, Pink Floyd, Pete Brown & Piblokto),

It also features advertisements, column heads, Illustrations, and Fillers with reproductions of work by underground artists Greg Irons, Simon & Marijke (The Fool), Ivan Tyrrell, Ian Andrew Galbraith, Ann Jackson, Martin Sharp, David Sparling, Mal Dean, John Hurford, Paul Kitchin, Edward Baynard, Michael English, Ed Barker, The Fool, Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, Eileen Astrahan, Mike McInnerney, Red Miller, Chris Blades, Alan Aldridge, Tribe of the Sacred Mushroom, Paul Nicholas, Sue Taylor, Paul Welch, P.R. Brown, Miles, Graham Keen, Bob Cotton, Peter Broxton, Reg Leftley, Jeff Nuttall, Raymond Lowry, Mike Peters, Peter Spurrier, Vitas Serelis.

Plus, the issue contains an introduction on the history of underground art.

Antique Map of Atchison-Topeka Railway

This crude, probably woodcut Atchison-Topeka Railroad map of Texas and the southwest, being offered on eBay, took up the entire front page of the June 20, 1886, edition of the Galveston Daily News.

According to the eBay seller, it shows an area from Chicago in the northeast to southern and lower California. Emphasis is on rail connections to Galveston, both existing routes to St. Louis and Kansas and proposed lines to Santa Fe (thus connecting to the transcontinental railroads) and to central Mexico. There is some detail of railroads through the west although the strike is weak and some information is blurred.

The seller adds, "I am reminded of Mark Twain's observation that the amazing thing about a dancing dog is not that the dog dances well but that it dances at all. This is a remarkable local production for the time and even more exceptional that it has survived. It was prepared by E. A. Hensoldt who apparently did an 1883 map of Texas railroads for an insert to the Galveston Daily News, although the earlier one was printed by Rand-McNally. This one was obviously printed locally. Included is the entire issue of the News, a total of six sheets, and there is almost a full page of text describing the rail system in the United States and promoting Galveston as a natural center of transportation."

If you love old maps, check out these old posts:

• Triborough Bridge Map
• Longstreet Map Shop
• Antique Map of Tokyo

Hollywood Insider’s Personal Scrapbook 1930s

The eBay seller of this unique item says, "This is the greatest Hollywood Insider scrapbook I have ever seen related to the early Days of Hollywood."

According to the listing, it is the personal scrapbook of Leon Belasco, a Hollywood insider. He put the book together starting in 1920, filled with great photos, clippings, souvenirs, keepsakes, programs, flyers, invitations, etc.

Born in Odessa, Ukraine, Leon Belasco was prepared for a musical career at various seats of learning in Japan and Manchuria. For several years, Belasco was first violinist for the Tokyo Symphony, and later led his own orchestra. This scrapbook starts in 1920 with clippings from his shows in Hawaii and Japan. It moves to 1926 Hollywood and his first film. The Bulk of this massive volume is late 1920s and early 1930s. The tome weighs over six pounds.

A great thing about this album, according to the seller, is the Photos are all 10x8 or larger. Examples: photos of Priscilla Dean on the set of Hunt Stromberg's "Siren of Seville" Culver City, 1924; photos from the 1925 Production FBO Studio "Vanity's Price" starring Anna Q. Nilsen; the 1925 Production Thomas H. Ince Studio of "Palying With Souls"; a RARE Photo taken at Colleen Moore's House at her Christmas Party in 1925 during the Filming of "Irene". And numerous other films that Belasco worked on the 20s . This big book is packed full of Belasco's memories. Sheet Music he used and made notes in as well as countless Newspaper clippings.

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