War, Women and Wild discoveries will be featured at my next live presentation Sunday 2pm at the Trumbull Historical Society. Discoveries like this book on a pivotal Cannon foundry in northwestern CT which was taken over by the revolutionaries early in the war. This rare book #80 of 202 came out of a not so ancient mansion on a hilltop in South Kent. That’s a portrait of Washington friend and patriot Johnathan Trumbull - the namesake of the Town I’ll be visiting this weekend. #found #publicpresentation #confessions #localhistory #trumbullct #publicspeaking #estatesale #foundastory

War, Women and Wild discoveries will be featured at my next live presentation Sunday 2pm at the Trumbull Historical Society. Discoveries like this book on a pivotal Cannon foundry in northwestern CT which was taken over by the revolutionaries early in the war. This rare book #80 of 202 came out of a not so ancient mansion on a hilltop in South Kent. That’s a portrait of Washington friend and patriot Johnathan Trumbull - the namesake of the Town I’ll be visiting this weekend. #publicpresentation #confessions #localhistory #trumbullct #publicspeaking #estatesale #foundastory

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Marketing is hard. This ad is proof of that. Look, if you are named Cyrenius and you really want to go into the photographic paper business with your buddy Jim Kohanza. Don’t meet over drinks and come up with a company that will be the mashup of both of your names. Also, don’t then create products that use the company name like “Art -CyKo.” And by any and all means do not then use that product to 1-up your entire company name. This is a quote from the ad - “Art CyKo out-CyKos all other CyKos”. Don’t do that... ...unless of course you’re some kind of psycho. #Marketingishard #found #advertising #turnofthecentury #ephemera #photography #whatsinaname #humor #funny #psycho #urbanarcheology #foundastory #estatesalefinds

Marketing is hard. This ad is proof of that. Look, if you are named Cyrenius and you really want to go into the photographic paper business with your buddy Jim Kohanza. Don’t meet over drinks and come up with a company that will be the mashup of both of your names. Also, don’t then create products that use the company name like “Art -CyKo.” And by any and all means do not then use that product to 1-up your entire company name. This is a quote from the ad - “Art CyKo out-CyKos all other CyKos”. Don’t do that... ...unless of course you’re some kind of psycho. #Marketingishard #advertising #turnofthecentury #ephemera #photography #whatsinaname #humor #funny #psycho #urbanarcheology #foundastory #estatesalefinds

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The games we played so many years ago prepared us for the challenges of adult life... I wonder how many kids would become surgeons if this form of “Pre-med” hadn’t given us all a mild form of PTSD. #found #vintagegames #lifelessons #humor #operation #trynottogetburned #itsallfunandgames

The games we played so many years ago prepared us for the challenges of adult life... I wonder how many kids would become surgeons if this form of “Pre-med” hadn’t given us all a mild form of PTSD. #vintagegames #lifelessons #humor #operation #trynottogetburned #itsallfunandgames

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Let’s go to the Moose Fair! $3000 was a lot of money in 1928. In 2019 dollars? $43,566.42. Gambling and games of chance, lotteries have always fascinated us to the point where we will save even losing tickets for years and years. The Loyal Order of Moose (or Elks - take your pick) parodied so well in The Flintsones still exist today. Sadly, this Waterbury lodge no longer answers the call of the wild. The petit-agreement on the front which states: “I hereby donate 10cents” was likely a way for an organization to skirt gaming regulators and local religious leaders for gambling without the permission of a higher authority. However, at 10 cents a ticket....how does an organization sell in excess of 30,000 tickets in order to raise funds? I’m always in search of an Historical Accountant who can help me figure some of the past math problems I’ve uncovered. #found #foundpaper #vintagegambling #historyofraffletickets #mooselodge #fraternalorganization #oldpaper #neat #vintageaccounting #estatesalefinds #urbanarcheology #foundastory #oldtickets #ephemera

Let’s go to the Moose Fair! $3000 was a lot of money in 1928. In 2019 dollars? $43,566.42. Gambling and games of chance, lotteries have always fascinated us to the point where we will save even losing tickets for years and years. The Loyal Order of Moose (or Elks - take your pick) parodied so well in The Flintsones still exist today. Sadly, this Waterbury lodge no longer answers the call of the wild. The petit-agreement on the front which states: “I hereby donate 10cents” was likely a way for an organization to skirt gaming regulators and local religious leaders for gambling without the permission of a higher authority. However, at 10 cents a ticket....how does an organization sell in excess of 30,000 tickets in order to raise funds? I’m always in search of an Historical Accountant who can help me figure some of the past math problems I’ve uncovered. #foundpaper #vintagegambling #historyofraffletickets #mooselodge #fraternalorganization #oldpaper #neat #vintageaccounting #estatesalefinds #urbanarcheology #foundastory #oldtickets #ephemera

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Very old dealership business card. Found in a desknof old papers from 1920s and 30s. The mystery for the day is - was is “Fordson” a sideline business of one of Henry’s kids? #found #oldpaper #vintageautomobiles #ephemera #autos #Ford #urbanarcheology #foundastory #estatesalefinds #antiquecars

Very old dealership business card. Found in a desknof old papers from 1920s and 30s. The mystery for the day is - was is “Fordson” a sideline business of one of Henry’s kids? #oldpaper #vintageautomobiles #ephemera #autos #Ford #urbanarcheology #foundastory #estatesalefinds #antiquecars

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I enjoy finding vintage ads that seem peculiar or out of place - not to mention out of time. Take this Grape Nuts ad torn from an early 20th century magazine. This depicts a young man of 15 and the supposed physique he has achieved Is due to the consumption of Grape Nuts and no meat. More important- he’s not just any boy, he’s the son of Elbert Hubbard. Elbert was a well known humorist, author, publisher and founder of the Arts and Crafts movement in Aurora NY (near Buffalo). The amazing part of the story is that while researching Elbert I learn that he’s published a book about the homes of American Statesman. “I know this book.” I went over to one of my stacks of books - mainly purchased out of curiosity. There it was “Little Journeys to the Home’s of American Statesman.” One of a volume of 14 books with similar titles. note: image of Henry Clay in lower right. Elbert and his wife came to a strange end as guests aboard the ill-fated Lusitania. A witness on board the ship recounted that instead of heading to the lifeboats they came out on deck and turned around and went back in and were lost when the ship went down. A few years earlier Elbert Hubbard had written of a woman who also went down with the HMS Titanic - claiming that it was the dignified way to die. #found #history #vintageadvertising #weirdhistory #grapenuts #marketing #books #rarebooks #estatesalefinds #urbanarcheology #foundastory

I enjoy finding vintage ads that seem peculiar or out of place - not to mention out of time. Take this Grape Nuts ad torn from an early 20th century magazine. This depicts a young man of 15 and the supposed physique he has achieved Is due to the consumption of Grape Nuts and no meat. More important- he’s not just any boy, he’s the son of Elbert Hubbard. Elbert was a well known humorist, author, publisher and founder of the Arts and Crafts movement in Aurora NY (near Buffalo). The amazing part of the story is that while researching Elbert I learn that he’s published a book about the homes of American Statesman. “I know this book.” I went over to one of my stacks of books - mainly purchased out of curiosity. There it was “Little Journeys to the Home’s of American Statesman.” One of a volume of 14 books with similar titles. note: image of Henry Clay in lower right. Elbert and his wife came to a strange end as guests aboard the ill-fated Lusitania. A witness on board the ship recounted that instead of heading to the lifeboats they came out on deck and turned around and went back in and were lost when the ship went down. A few years earlier Elbert Hubbard had written of a woman who also went down with the HMS Titanic - claiming that it was the dignified way to die. #history #vintageadvertising #weirdhistory #grapenuts #marketing #books #rarebooks #estatesalefinds #urbanarcheology #foundastory

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It was whirlwind tour of the tri-state region this past weekend as I took the Urban Archeologist Road-show out to Long Island and New Jersey. A day later this appreciative audience at the Atria Tanglewood Senior Living Communities In Lynbrook NY shared their review with the engaged life activities director. Getting a review of your performance from any audience is gold. #found #publicspeaking #atriaseniorliving #lynbrookny #remeniscing #storytelling #history #foundastory #urbanarcheology #letterofthanks

It was whirlwind tour of the tri-state region this past weekend as I took the Urban Archeologist Road-show out to Long Island and New Jersey. A day later this appreciative audience at the Atria Tanglewood Senior Living Communities In Lynbrook NY shared their review with the engaged life activities director. Getting a review of your performance from any audience is gold. #publicspeaking #atriaseniorliving #lynbrookny #remeniscing #storytelling #history #foundastory #urbanarcheology #letterofthanks

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Matchbook Monday! With a book design as fancy as this I am disappointed that I can’t find a backstory to this Philadelphia club. If you know anything about Max Bachman’s Latimer Club send me a message or leave a comment. #found #vintagematchbook #matchbookmonday #collectibles #historicphilidelphia #pennsylvania #estatesalefinds #urbanarcheology

Matchbook Monday! With a book design as fancy as this I am disappointed that I can’t find a backstory to this Philadelphia club. If you know anything about Max Bachman’s Latimer Club send me a message or leave a comment. #vintagematchbook #matchbookmonday #collectibles #historicphilidelphia #pennsylvania #estatesalefinds #urbanarcheology

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After my talk in Norwood New Jersey yesterday a member of the audience left and returned from her apartment with these 2 print block headshots. “I was going to throw these away because I didn’t know what they were. Can you help me?” She said. I had just demonstrated to the group how a glass negative can be processed with a smart phone and I tried it with these. It was difficult to get the light angle just right and the result is there. She was unsure of who in her family they were but I think I at least convinced her not to throw them away *weesho!* Photogravure is likely the process by which these were created which was developed around 1879. Photo-sensitive gel and acid etching created this detailed plate for printing photos and illustrations during that period. #found #publicspeaking #norwoodnewjersey #Photogravure #vintageprinting #historyresearch #foundphoto #foundastory #urbanarcheology #vintagephotography

After my talk in Norwood New Jersey yesterday a member of the audience left and returned from her apartment with these 2 print block headshots. “I was going to throw these away because I didn’t know what they were. Can you help me?” She said. I had just demonstrated to the group how a glass negative can be processed with a smart phone and I tried it with these. It was difficult to get the light angle just right and the result is there. She was unsure of who in her family they were but I think I at least convinced her not to throw them away *weesho!* Photogravure is likely the process by which these were created which was developed around 1879. Photo-sensitive gel and acid etching created this detailed plate for printing photos and illustrations during that period. #publicspeaking #norwoodnewjersey #Photogravure #vintageprinting #historyresearch #foundphoto #foundastory #urbanarcheology #vintagephotography

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