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Cowboys and Indians

Cowboys and Indians

 

This one has both...

Cowboys and Indians

Sideways belt again...

Here's another one:

Amazing photo...

This is one of my favorite photographs.  It captures its moment so beautifully.  We've all seen Dorothea Lange's amazing pictures of migrant workers before.  This one is by Jack Delano (another fantastic photographer who worked for the FSA) and isn't quite as famous, but should be.

Governors Island Jazz Age Lawn Fest

No, I wasn't actually there-- but I wish I had been.  Found this on the From Me to You tumblr here.

Oh, and that is Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra in the above cinemagraph.

Sideways Studded Belt

Nice jacket.  And check out the studded belt, worn sideways.  I've seen that before and always wondered about it.  I'm guessing it was to keep the buckle from rubbing up against things that you might lean on.

Cowboys and Indians

Photo...

Hollywoodland Panorama

 

Hmmm... can't seem to get this to post at full-resolution...

Vintage Cool...

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Vintage cool...

Quite a Crowd

You really have to see this full-size to appreciate it.

1937

Favilla Teardrop Ukulele?

This is my travel uke, and it is a bit of a mystery. It sure looks like a Favilla Teardrop, but it is not branded anywhere that I can see. When I first got it, I thought it was just a knock-off or something, but it certainly has a nice loud bark like a a real Favilla. This uke has apparently had a busy life-- the color on the fingerboard has worn away in the usual spots on the first four frets, it has chips and scratches all over it (but no cracks in the body, amazingly), and apparently someone knocked a piece off of the bridge at some point in its life. To make it tune-able, unfortunately I had to remove the cool old red, bell-shaped tuners and replace them with generic ones, and to make the bridge work, I added the round metal piece from the end of a guitar string-- it just holds in the nook of where the bridge broke off. It definitely has character, and it is pretty fun to play. Anybody out there know if Favilla made any un-branded instruments?

Japanese American relocation 1942

Vachon

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The Gypsy Coeds

In 1937, six girls from Bradford, Illinois began a series of road trips in a 1926 Model T Ford that they dubbed the "Silver Streak."  They traveled all over the country, visiting first the home of the Dionne Quints and then the World's Fair, Niagra Falls, and many interesting other places.  They even got to meet Henry Ford himself.  By the end of their journeys, they had driven over 71,000 miles in the Silver Streak.  Must have been some great adventures...

With Henry Ford

Golden Gate Exposition

Yes, that is Don Ameche

Ford Plant

Silver Streak in 2005, still owned by one of the girls and driven periodically

For more information, check out his webpage:

http://www.riggsboysracing.com/26%20T%20tour.htm

And this photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwbruckner/with/368771160/

FSA Color Photos

I love early color photography.  It can really change how you think about a particular era.  Most of these were taken by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration.  For the workwear enthusiasts out there, check out the Lee bucklebacks in the first pic and the detailing on the shirt in the second.  The two-tone jacket in the third pic is pretty awesome as well and should be reproduced by somebody.

Better than new? Frye Brando Engineer Resole

I got these Frye Brando boots about a year ago. They had served me pretty well so far, but the thin over-soles and heels were wearing through to the leather, so it was time for a re-sole.

The local shop called the Wooden Shoe is the only shoe repair place within an hour's drive, so I decided to take them there. It took about a week for them to do the work and I am pretty happy with the results. Here's what $60 got me:

--New Biltrite composite soles, stitched down
--New rubber heels
--Shoe shine
--Brown edge dressing
--Speech from the owner about how I should polish my boots more often.

I could have done without the last three items, but it's okay-- natural wear and tear will do its job. (And I do condition the leather with Pecard's and Kiwi neutral on the toes and heels when I feel like it.) Overall, I am very pleased with the work, and these Biltrites should last considerably longer than the stock soles. I kind of like the look, too...

1930's Bicycles

These were for sale at the local antique market the other day. I wish I could remember the make of the blue women's bike-- I do recall that the tag said 1937. Everything on it looked original. They were only asking $150 for it. The men's bike looked like it had been restored-- decently, but not greatly. It is a Murray Aeroline. $300-something for it.

Velocette