Tag Archives: artwork

Desert Scene

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This postcard is an artwork with poetry and commentary illustrating some of the clichés of the desert as they were understood in the mid-20th Century.

C.T. Art-Colortone, Western Publishing and Novelty Co., Los Angeles, Calif.


There is no description on the back of this card. There is handwriting there, and it appears to list the titles of several popular songs of the time, the most obvious being “I Found a Million Dollar Baby”, which was published in 1931 and first performed by Fanny Bryce, then recorded by many others, including Bing Crosby, also in 1931. This indicates the card likely dates from the 1930s.

Greetings from Monterey, California

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This postcard is an colorized versions of several important sites in the Monterey, California area.

Natural Color Postcard Made in U.S.A. by E. C. Kropp, Co., Milwaukee, Wis.


The description states:
KEY TO VIEWS ON THE OTHER SIDE:
Upper left — Fishing Fleet
Upper right — First California Theater
Lower left — Royal Presidio Chapel
Lower right — Old Customs House
–The fishing fleet will be featured in postcards later in the week.
The First Theater was a site for melodrama performances of 19th Century plays and Olios, a musical performance after the play.
The Royal Presidio Chapel is also known as the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo, and was the original site for Father Serra’s mission, but he moved the mission to Carmel, leaving this chapel for the soldiers of the Presidio of Monterey.
The Old Customs House is the historical center of Monterey, and houses a museum of mid-1800s Monterey during Mexican rule.
This postcard likely dates from the 1940s.

Town and Riverfront, Galena, Illinois

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This is an artist’s rendition of the Galena riverfront as it looked at the time, with the wide river and historic brick buildings that make up the historic district of Galena.

Curteichrom Reproduction by Curteich


The description states:
SCENIC VIEW OF HISTORIC GALENA, ILLINOIS
The first settlers came to Galena about 1820. By 1845 it was the most important commercial port on the Mississippi north of St. Louis. At that time the river was 200 feet wide and as many as 18 Mississippi Steamers and packets could be found tied on the levee at one time.
This view shows the river as it is today.
–There is another 21st century image of this from almost the same vantage point, as the landmark steeple, tower and brick building are clearly in evidence. The river is significantly smaller, likely a result of silt buildup and flood control measures.
This image was likely created in the 1940s.

Ghost Town Volcano, Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

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This is an artist’s rendering of the Knott’s Berry Farm volcano, a well known and popular feature of the early days of the park.

Original Lithograph, Copyright 1946 Paul v. Klieben


The description on the back is written in a style resembling an actual message from the sender:
VOLCANO, GHOST TOWN
Knott’s Berry Place, Buena Park, California
This card cost me a nickel, but I think you and it are worth it. Never had so much fun as here in Ghost Town and would suggest to put Knott’s Berry Place on your list of places to go. This volcano is one of the many spectacular attractions on the grounds; it rumbles and belches smoke faithfully every night.
–In addition to the volcano, there is a small shack in front with a small mechanical demon inside that is said to operate the volcano. The structure was built in 1939, so this card likely dates from the 1940s.

Hotel Sinton, Cincinnati, Ohio

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This is an artist’s depiction of the large and imposing Hotel Sinton, once a landmark in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. The hotel was built in 1907 and demolished in 1967. It was located on the southeast corner of 4th and Vine Streets.

Lithoed in U.S.A. by Letterhead & Check Corp., St. Louis, Mo.


The description states simply:
700 Rooms HOTEL SINTON 700 Baths
Modern • New • Clean
–This was the hotel where the conspiracy of White Sox baseball players met to organize their effort to lose the World Series, known as the Black Sox scandal.
This card likely dates from the 1940s.

Cherokee Mother and Child, North Carolina

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This image is the first of the week featuring Cherokee Native Americans from North Carolina. This first shows a mother with a child bundled to her back.

Harry Martin, P.O. Box 224, Asheville, N. C.


There is no description on the back of this card. The card style and coloring are typical of cards made in the 1940s.

Crestview Motel, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

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This motel image shows an establishment built specifically to overlook the Soo locks complex between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. The Crestview still exists today.

Pub. by Finn Jaske Co., Cincinnati 2, Ohio


The description states:
CRESTVIEW MOTEL
“The Soo’s Newest and Finest”
Luxurious furnishings – Hot water heat- Tubs and showers – Soundproofed – Wall-to-wall carpeting – Phones in all rooms and some air-conditioned – At foot of Ashmun Hill – Overlooking both Soos, American and Canadian – Open year around.
James Lambros, Prop. Phone 635-5213 or 635-5214. Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. 45 Units.
–As can be clearly seen, this is an artist’s rendition of the motel, including the rendition of the view of the Soo Locks presumably from the motel grounds. This is a typical example of the most standardized construction of motels of the era.
The seal at the bottom left is common for motels of this era, and indicates an affiliation with the American Automobile Association, an organization which, among other activities, provided reviews, approvals and maps to motels and notable locations.
The card likely dates from the 1950s.

Pueblo Indian Dancer, New Mexico

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This image is of a Pueblo man dressed in a dance costume likely used in public performances. The majority of the clothing is buckskin, including the shoes, while the headdress is eagle feather, leather, horsehair, cloth and beads.

Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art Colortone”


The description states:
173 – PUEBLO INDIAN DANCER IN FULL REGALIA
Beautiful, rare, beaded buckskin costumes are used by many tribes of Indians in their ceremonial dances. Most of these are valuable antiques handed down from their forefathers.
–The eagle headdress, while quite dramatic, was originally worn by plains tribes such as the Sioux and was only much later adopted by the tribes of the southwest. This image is part photo and part illustration, as it is unlikely this modern Indian would have been standing for the photo while a covered wagon just happened to be in the background, particularly in New Mexico.

The Haven Motel, St. George, Utah

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A brief departure from the environs of Salt Lake City with this view of a typical 1940s era motel, this one located on the now extinct US Route 91 as it passed west and north of the town of St. George.

Colorpicture Publishers, Boston 15, Mass.


The description states:
The Haven Motel
3 blocks W. of center of town on U.S. 91
St. George, Utah
Phone 576
New De Luxe, air conditioned units. Electrically heated. Accommodations for 1 to 6 people.
–This structure is unlikely to have survived to the present day. Such buildings were normally demolished as the newer Interstate Highway roads replaced the U.S. highways and diverted tourist trade away in the 1970s. This card dates from the 1940s.

Utah Capitol Dome, Salt Lake City, Utah

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This evocative view of the State Capitol looks through an archway at the Memory Park.

Carpenter Paper Co., Salt Lake City, Utah


The description states:
This is an unusual view showing the Dome of the State Capitol and a portion of Memory Grove. Within this arbor is located a Bronze Tablet giving the names of these men of the state who made the supreme sacrifice in the First World War.
–The memorial only mentions World War One because the card was made near the end of World War Two, before the memorial could be expanded. This card likely dates to the 1940s, like the others in this series.