In Living Color

The theme for today (besides the usual oddness) is old time color!

Many of our favorite images from the past are in black and white, for obvious reasons.  Also, many of our favorite images from the past are in color.  From the latter we have chosen today’s show.

To get started, I want you to get an eyeful of this:

Assume position as shown. Then strain with arms, resisting with the legs.

English cigarette companies used to pack trading cards with their coffin nails and their themes spanned almost the whole gamut of human experience.  The breath taking illustration above was part of a series that endeavored to teach various exercises in which one could engage after having smoked a few cigarettes.  Whether it is necessary or not to do it on a small round table rather than on the floor is not mentioned.  Perhaps it is optional.

“Doesn’t the exciting image above pander too much to the guys?”  I hear you mutter.  Just in case it does, here  you go, girls!

Developing the Biceps

Looks like we’ll have to keep buying ciggies to find the card that shows us how to develop some guns like these.  But I think it will be worth it.  Maybe the source for the cool workout attire will be given us too.

So, can you imagine how you might use the above cards?  I can recommend a few possibilities:

1.  How about sending one to the fitness fanatics in your crowd?  They’ll appreciate your encouragement!

2.  Or perhaps you should send them to your relatives named Edna and Nigel, just because;

3.  Or to announce your recent hiring by Gold’s Gym;

4.  Or maybe just to elicit from someone one of the most healthful exercise possible:  a smile!

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Somewhere in England in the late 1800’s there was an artist who was told to develop a line of trading cards illustrating America’s Wild West.  I doubt the man had been further west than Liverpool but he gave it a game try.  Here’s my favorite:

Queen of the Ranch

Head over heels, that’s what I am for this lady!  Know any closet rough and ready cowgirls? If you do, send them this card to let them know you’re on to them!

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Let’s class it up a bit.

“La Dormeuse” by Tamara de Lempicka

Tamara de Lempicka is an artist of the ’20s and ’30s that you might want to investigate further.  I’m certainly a fan of her work and just couldn’t resist inserting this piece.  If you’d like to see more of her, go HERE

Life Magazine cover by Frank X. Leyendecker

This is just an all-around good card to send anyone for any reason.  You should always have a good stock of them on hand.

Life Magazine cover by Wladyslaw Benda, 1922

From Hearst’s International magazine, July, 1922

“The man gave Peggy a long, keen look as though searching his memory. Peggy’s brain sped backward. ‘Yes it’s me,’ she said. ‘I’ve wondered what it would have been like for me if that shark got you.’”

I know what it’s like, Peggy.  Sometimes my brain speeds backwards too.

Here’s one of our all-time sellingest cards.  It just works for a lot of people.

Six Swans

This beautiful image was published in 1913 and is the work of Warwick Goble, a popular illustrator of children’s books in the early 20th century. The Six Swans is a story by the Brothers Grimm about six brothers who were turned into swans and could only retake their human form for fifteen minutes every night. Do you know anyone who has this dilemma?

You I know you must have seen something here you just can’t live without – ‘fess up and stock up!

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And it’s not over yet – here’s one more little delight I know you’ll enjoy: