Ken Murray’s Blackouts
Looks like the Blackouts were a live Hollywood variety show in the 1940s. Some great background here from Los Angeles Theaters: “Ken Murray’s Blackouts” played… Read More »Ken Murray’s Blackouts
TIL
Asbestos Sad Iron
What the heck is a sad iron? Did it drop its ice cream on the floor? And asbestos? Homethingspast has the scoop. Somewhat implausibly, ‘sad’… Read More »Asbestos Sad Iron
Map of California and Great Salt Lake area
Fascinating map of California and the settlements of the Great Salt Lake area of Utah. Seems like a strange combo, but an obvious connection is… Read More »Map of California and Great Salt Lake area
The Littlest Hobo
This script came from the estate of actor Gregg Palmer, probably best known for Western roles (even when he was on Star Trek). They had… Read More »The Littlest Hobo
Fire Alarm Telegraph
Not immediately clear what this is, but the second photo helps. A product of the Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Company, founded in 1879. I’m guessing… Read More »Fire Alarm Telegraph
Lewis Chessmen
These are reproductions of the famous Lewis Chessmen, 12th century walrus ivory game pieces found on the island of Lewis in Scotland in 1831. At… Read More »Lewis Chessmen
100,000 shares of Atari stock
This is not merely a huge chunk of Atari stock. The certificate is made out to Jack Tramiel, “a Polish American businessman and Holocaust survivor,… Read More »100,000 shares of Atari stock
Extremely friendly octopus netsuke – 蛸と海女
“The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife [by Hokusai] is not the only work of Edo-period art to depict erotic relations between a woman and an… Read More »Extremely friendly octopus netsuke – 蛸と海女
Waring MiXOR
Fred Waring was a musician, bandleader, and radio and television personality… and also a promoter, financial backer and eponym of the Waring Blendor, the first… Read More »Waring MiXOR
Antisemitic Vichy Dollar Bill
This is quite a crazy thing. The Nazis apparently dropped these ‘dollar bills’ from planes over France. They unfold so that the hidden inside has… Read More »Antisemitic Vichy Dollar Bill