.

Up for grabs is a Carhartt Overalls advertising poster ca. 1900s.

It depicts an oilerman clad in his sturdy Carhartt overalls with the train and changing station behind him.  An inset cartouche features the Carhartt label: “Union Made Pants and Overalls, The Train Lovers Brand”  It would make an incredible store display at 102″ x 81″.

.

Condition: old tape repairs and on original rollers.

.

.

For more information, visit: Merrill’s Auction Gallery , Rare Books, Maps, and Paper Epehmera Auction, Saturday, November 26, 2011.

Bidding starts at $70 and is estimated to bring between $5,000 to $7,000 at the gavel drop.

Good Luck and Happy Bidding!

.

Here is another postcard from my leather postcard collection,
complete with a “Pinch me” note.

I get the rabbit’s foot, horseshoe,
4-leaf clover, and wishbone….but what’s with the black cat???

.

.

.

.

As I have mentioned before,

I have a fun little collection of  western valentine cards

that are rich in graphics and a bit humorous to me.

.

.

Here is this year’s Valentine’s Day postcard from my collection.  It appears to be from the same series and artist as last year’s card.  Again it is German, postmarked 1909 and addressed to Willitt Bushong of Montana.  It has a brief but romantic missive saying:

True love to Willitt.

.

So keeping with the romantic spirit, here our love missive from Double D Ranch™ to you,

.

L…is for how lucky we feel to have wonderful DDR friends.

O…is for designing an ocean beach themed collection.

V…is for our video of the Spring Collection Behind-the-Scenes photo shoot (see below)

E…is for how ecstatic we are with your participation in our Valentine’s Day Contest! (click here!)

.

.

.

.

Today is the 35th Annual Great American Smoke Out.

.

If you are going ‘cold turkey’ today – you have my best.

I’ve never smoked myself, but if I’d have been around at the turn

of the century, I might have been a puffer.

Yep, just to collect tobacco cards.

.

.

If you are a regular, you know I am a collector.

.

In the category:  Ephemera, / sub group: Tobacciana,  / sub-sub group: Tobacco Cards, I collect the Hassan Cowboy series.

.

Everything about these cards is appealing to me.   I think if I had been around when these cuties were issued, I’d have been a closet smoker just to have an excuse to collect them.   I love the Victorian graphics and litho-printing techniques.  The cliche’ rope frames that encircle images of “everyday cowboy life” and the hysterical descriptions on the backs of the cards are delightful.  Get a load of this one:

.

The cowboys are a hard lot to look at.  Their life is not one for weaklings.  Beneath the rough exterior, however there are no truer-hearted men, and their voices always soften when somebody talks of home and “mammy.”

Is that great or what?  … a hard lot to look – yeah and that “lot” inspires me everyday!

.

Double D Ranch Home Collection's Hassan Chair

Tobacco Card History:

At the turn of the century, cigarette companies like Mecca and Hassan included trading cards in packages of cigarettes as incentives to buy and smoke their brand.   Some companies issued collectible “silks” and felts”.  Subjects ranged from floral and butterflies, to showgirls and prize fighters, and champion athletes to cowboys.  In fact, the use of athletes and legends as promotion for a product started here with tobacco cards.   These premiums are also early examples of colorized photos, a technique which was popular before color photography.

The Cowboy Series was distributed by Hassan in packs of their Cork Tip Cigarettes: “The Oriental Smoke, The Largest Selling Brand of Cigarettes in America”, Factory No. 30-31, Dist. NY.

/

.

So today I just want to focus on the covers from the 1970′s.

.

They are “so” my generation.

.

Looks like the ad execs over at Mead Corp. thought they would give the ol’ Injun a rest and introduce a more cool and hip tablet that would appeal to us 70′s kids – something along the line of Peter Max’s pop art with black light poster appeal.

I really like what they did with the first version…

.

Version 1: Cool, renegade biker look complete with shades, stache and peace sign – very Peter Fonda in Easy Rider.

But then Mead must of gotten some heat so they dumb-ied down the “son” and went to…

Version 2: Not nearly as cool and renegade – the “son” looses his shades and his peace sign medallion. (please tell me what could possibly have been a problem with peace?  Too political?)

But obviously things still weren’t dumb-ied enough so they stripped the poor “son” down to…

Version 3: No facial hair, no political agenda, and no fun.

.

1970's Son of Big Chief Writing Tablets

.

Well, I say

to heck with dumb-ing down – LET”S GO FOR IT!

.

.

All of the Big Chief Tablets and Son of Big Chief Tablet images are from the collection of Jason Liebig.

.

.

.

Another vintage postcard from Double D Ranch’s ephemera collection.  It is marked “#332 copyright 1908 P. Sanden”.

A quick internet search didn’t turn up anything on P. Sanden but,

I sure do love the the creativity of these two wannabe, patriotic cowboys!

.

H. H. Tammen postcard ca. 1902 "Bronco Buster Touching Leather"

.

Happy Papa’s Day!

.

This postcard is from Double D Ranch’s™ ephemera collection of western themed postcards.  It was published in 1902 by H.H. Tammen, Denver Co.

.

My Friends Have Always Been Cowgirls Tee

.

Oh, I love this little tee!  It has so many of my favorite things.  It started with a vintage photograph of Prairie Rose Henderson and went wild from there. I started doodling and ended up with:

• “Play Nice Be Free” - because we all should
  
• a guitar & musical notes -  because I want to ‘turn it up’
  
• a Christian cross – because I love my LORD
• horseshoes -  because they are lucky when turned right side up
• an appliqued missive -  My Friends Have Always Been Cowgirls
• a funky lapel button with a big D
• and Chinese calligraphy that says, “Jesus is LORD” - because I’m sending covert messages to our Chinese factory!

Sometimes I really crack myself up!

.

side note:

The three cowgirls featured in this vintage photo are: (l to r) Kitty Canutt, Prairie Rose Henderson, and Ruth Roach, as photographed by Ralph Doubleday.  Prairie Rose was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 2008.

.

.

Happy St. Paddy’s Day, Y’all!

I hope this greeting finds you riding with your sweetheart, in a verdant pasture strewn with crisp white daisies, and a purple mountain majesty for your backdrop!

- the Double D Ranch family

.

Next time I’m wearing gloves!

.

.

Here is my favorite find from the junket: a nice die-cut, novelty leather postcard.  It is so cool, – it opens up to hold your little missive.

Don’t you think it would make a great invitation or hang tag?

For more information on Capital of Texas Postcard Club or their annual show and sale you can visit their website for more information.

]]> http://www.ddranchwear.com/blog/2010/03/junking-on-the-postcard-junket/feed/ 7