St Joseph MO Madinger Shoe Store- Jesse James?

Well this batch is turning out to be a mystery for sure!!
I went to the auction bought BOXES of crazy stuff...and there are notes on just about everything..but dont have a clue what it all means!

I do know that the person who loved Jesse James seems to have looked for everyone that looked like him, claimed they were him and so on...
so there are so many wild and wierd things...

But this is a batch of cabinet photos..on auction right now..
the one is supposedly Frank and his sister...
now is it Frank James?? I do not know really...but it is with all the goodies...

Then there is the Madinger shoe Store..in St Joseph Missouri...what does that mean..
I really dont know..but apparantly alot to this collector..as i found notes and notes on the Madinger family and their shoe store..

well..this is up to you history sleuths..

anyway..these are some pretty neat Cabinet photos!!

More to come....
cathi

Happy Halloween Jesse James (and I dont mean Sandra Bullocks ex)

So today...i was at an auction...
and yes, it actually was a bit spooky!!
It was some person whose OBSESSION was with
Jesse James..
the criminal.

and they were on some kind of hunt on whether he was actually
killed or not...and all the fakes of Jesse James

anyhow..in the next day I will be listing the large lot of crazy and unusual photos, letters, and crazy memorabilia of Jesse James..
(yes, of course i bought it ..it is Halloween..time for a spooky mystery don't you think!!)

i will update as soon as the collection is up!!
cathi

Beauty Parlor photos...where did they all go??

Before I was old enough to go to school, I used to go with my mother to her weekly hair appointments. She went to a lady, named Ruth, that had a beauty parlor (as they called it then) set up in her basement. There would be lots of ladies all around at the different stations. It was a place that I can still vividly recall the sights, sounds and the myriad of smells. There were two rooms set up in the basement, as well as a bathroom. I was relegated to the back room, where the hair dryers were and all the magazines and the coloring books for the children that might tag along.

Now the noise level was quite high, with ladies voices chattering away, and the big hairdryers were loud too, so no matter how hard I tried, I learned it was hard to talk to your mother when she was under the hairdryer. Then there was that smell, the scent of permanents, hair dye and lots of hair spray, and the occasional sneak to the bathroom for a smoke. But what I really remember, was looking at all those photos that were posted up on the walls. Photos of beautiful women with all their bubble hair dos! How I wanted to look just like them!!

Not too long ago, when I was getting my own hair done, I thought of those thousands of photos that were given out to all the beauty parlors of the world and wondered where they all went.

Then, the other day, I came upon some wonderful old photos made for Hair Salons in the 60s. They are really incredible..and came from a photographers estate. (It was a photographer in Paris) wonderful because they do not look like they had years of hair spray and cigarette smoke all over them.

Looking at them, I was brought back instantly...to the time when my mother would finally be finished and we could leave. Every week, I would look at her afterward and think she looked so good..even better than the models on the wall.

Now that she is gone, I smile when I see these photos...and remember...


cathi

Black Face & how it used to be acceptable

After my mother died, I was cleaning out loads of her things, of course, and I ran across her old Woman's club book from when she was a president. The era: 1950s. She kept a scrapbook and throughout the book were several photos of women dressed up in Black face for programs that they did.

I gave the scrapbook to the ladies of the woman's club today, and some were shocked that this was in their history.. I teased them threatening to show them to the local newspaper!! (i was kidding!!)
Yet, as I go thru stacks of other peoples estates..you would be surprised how much I have run into this..not just the 1920s..but all the way to the 50s...

This photo was from another estate..a show that a group was doing..much like my moms womans club..I think it is 40s/50s era...and when i look at these..i am sad that this was our past...but happy that this is no longer our present..i know we have a long way to go...but we have come a long way...

cathi

Post Mortem Photos

I know this is a strange topic...but when i found this photo, I found it something that I thought i would bring up.

I buy out old estates of people's personal things, so every now and then I run into these photos.
The ones of the children..to me ..are so sad..this one, although sad, is a bit different.

At first, when I was scanning this, I didn't realize it was Post -Mortem, I just thought it was an old woman that might have been blind. That was until I saw her hands. And I remembered being at funerals and seeing hands like this. So I was immediately taken back, until I looked at the items all around her. The hymnal in her hand (there is no piano there, why is this a Hymnal?)
The china, all different kinds, and stereoscope near her..even the peaceful way she was sitting..this was a loved woman..a woman who was loved by those around her..who cared enough to surround her with the things she loved.

It was a few weeks ago, I ran across the show Chasing Mummies, that is the History channel show all about a famed Archeologist that is finding mummies..
And what happened on the episode i saw, was that the mummy was surrounded by the pets, pottery, utensils..all things that the former person loved and would use in the after life.

I suppose we all grieve in different ways...

The most important thing is how we lived...and for this photo..what I read into it..is this was a woman that was loved..

meaning she learned enough in life to have others love her.

In the song "Nature Boy"
that was sung by Nat King Cole refers to this:

Take a listen:
These are the Lyrics:

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy
And sad of eye
But very wise
Was he

And then one day
A magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things, fools and kings
This he said to me

"The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved
In return"



have a great week,
Cathi

Do you ever feel like everyone is looking at you?

I love this photo...I felt like this yesterday...i had a fashion meltdown...
my hubby had all these things for us to do..we had a big event for his business and a party afterwords..and no matter what i just didn't feel like i had the right outfit....

when i saw this photo..i loved it...exactly how one feels sometimes..that the whole room is looking at you..

of course they usually aren't...but it just is that way sometimes..

anyhow..in the old photo world..i find many funny fashions..and definately ones that would cause me a fashion meltdown! i mean those tiny little waist dresses..ugh..those are really tough..
um...this would be ME in those fashions..(not really..but I sure would feel like this!)

ah well..thought i would share these photos with you................cuz sometimes..you do just feel like the room is looking at you
smile

cathi

Christmas in September?

How annoying is this?
I am posting a Christmas photo!!

But I am posting it BECAUSE NOW is the time to begin to plan to make things..or start to buy things for the holidays..

Why?
Because if you do..you will save money!!

It is a proven fact...that the more you plan...and buy things in advance you will SAVE MONEY

soo..i am reminding you..(and myself!!)
so that you can begin to look for all those treasures that make a gift a GREAT gift!

Also..
I learned on an eBay powerseller post that if you buy thru some of these rebate companies..you can get a rebate..yep..money back to YOU if you buy thru their website.
what is the catch?
well..they are advertisers...and everyone today wants more business..so they drive people to the website, you buy thru their portal..and voila..you get a check every month in the mail..
and it is totally TRUE
i havent had spam or anything from it..

if you are interested there are alot of sights.
but the one I work with is Big Crumbs so if you are interested in checking this out...
( and i mean there are some deals here) go to BIG CRUMBS
it is FREE to sign up..

anyhow...
HAPPY SEPTEMBER...

cathi