Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Kramer in Philadelphia - circa 1910

"We are currently getting Kacy's library postcard exhibit together. It goes up today! :)"

TAKE PICTURES!!!!!!!

Grudgingly, I will admit that thre are other ways to express intensity and determination than to "shout" in capital letters.

I would be pleased to see any photos you might care to take of Kacy's Postcard Exhibit at the Library.

Did Kacy recieve the set of linen cards with New York City scenes?

"They are absolutely fabulous!

I could put that in caps..."

No need for caps.

I'm not even concerned if the Library does not choose to display them.

I thought the matched set was cool, and wanted to be sure that our "new collector" had them.

611 N. 47th Street is in a part of West Philadelphia that 100 years ago was a nice middle-class suburb, though already in the process of losing cachet to the farther outlying suburbs of the Main Line. The housing stock in the community still shows the prosperity of the solid burghers for whom these houses were built. They are wide, made of brick, and have 3 storeys and front porches that do not step directly down to the sidewalk as in South Philadelphia, but rather are fronted by tiny yards, often enclosed by wrought iron fences.

I've driven along that part of 47th Street many times, and feel confident in saying that the house the Kramers occupied still stands and they would recognize it.

Unfortunately, they would not recognize the community; it declined into a ghetto in the 1960s. By the 1970s, when my husband was a police officer working in that police district, the area had become violent and crime-ridden, many of its residents living for generations on welfare. DH's beat was just a few blocks away. After he retired from the PD in the 1980s and got his M. Ed., he went into teaching math and taught at West Philadelphia High briefly. He talked abut how the kids living in that community were no more open to the friendly desire to help of a teacher than they were to the same from a friendly PO. They did not value education because they saw the welfare check they were going to collect as insurance that they would never have to work.

Peter my husbands grandparents lived in West Philly and had the same type of no nonsense look about them that the people in your pic displays.

I wish I had a scanner we have some older pictures that I think you would get a kick out of.

Cheerful, ain't they?

It seems I have dropped from the sky like a postcard in an intimate conversation between Peter and Kate and a postcard exhibit. Ummmm....I, too, would love to see Kacy's postcard collection. Are you going to post it, Kate?

It's funny how he looks so old-fashioned (just his face and hair make him look like a character actor from the old days, someone in a gangster movie perhaps) and she manages to look like a modern person in old-fashioned clothing. I'd venture a theory that her hairstyle is not too different from women's "up-do"s of today, but his pompadour would be ridiculous on anyone not playing guitar in a rhinestone suit.

His starched collar doesn't help. of course. He has no neck.

"I've driven along that part of 47th Street many times, and feel confident in saying that the house the Kramers occupied still stands and they would recognize it. "

Dorine, this is fantastic information.

How nice to think that the Kramer's solid home is still there.

"Peter my husbands grandparents lived in West Philly and had the same type of no nonsense look about them that the people in your pic displays."

These "solid burghers" (Dorine) do seem to have a serious and no-nonsense air about them.

Lori, I am going to pack up my scanner and come calling at your home.

I would love to see the old photos.

"It seems I have dropped from the sky like a postcard in an intimate conversation between Peter and Kate and a postcard exhibit. "

Everyone is welcome to join, elizabeth!

For a tme, I used to have extended conversations with Stephanie in the late hours. We sometimes "talked" through twenty comments.

Everyone wants to see Kacy's collection.

"her hairstyle is not too different from women's "up-do"s of today, but his pompadour would be ridiculous on anyone not playing guitar in a rhinestone suit."

Very observant, Beaker.

The man does lack a neck, too.

Well... his tie looks odd -- perhaps that's a stripe and the rest of the details are unclear in the scanned image? I also think he might have looked tidier if he'd buttoned his jacket.

For her, that little bolero jacket might have looked better if the image were color and it enhanced the dress. Here in b&w, it sort of spoils the beauty of the dress beneath it. *sigh*

Now that I've done the fashion critique (which La Lady Lisa could have done far better) I'll say that they both look reasonably friendly, but reserved. Maybe the informality of their clothes and the yard setting were ways to make the card more "familiar" and less formal, for its intended friendly exchange? It reminds me a little of family photo holiday cards some friends send out in more recent times.

(And I hope Kate takes lots of library photos, along with the ones of the postcard display. I love seeing libraries!)

" ...they both look reasonably friendly, but reserved. Maybe the informality of their clothes and the yard setting were ways to make the card more "familiar" and less formal..."

I love your observations, Dannielle.

"I love seeing libraries! "

You are not alone, Dannielle!

Somone collected images of libraries.

Before flying home on Friday, I stopped at an "Antique Mall" (a huge warehouse divided into tiny compartments for a variety of sellers) near the airport.
I found a box of old postcards.

There are five or six pictures of libraries in upstate New York - I did not see the ones at which you work or perform.

I will scan and post them.

"I have to make a spot of lunch and some coffee and then we'll talk postcards. Kacy's and otherwise. "

I am due for a lunch date at this moment, Kate.

I'll join you later.

I lived very near one of those "antique malls" when I was growing up, Peter. I used to love to walk around in there. Being a child, I was always drawn to the jukebox with the rainbow bubbles.

Peter, bear in mind that I've lived in quite a wide area of upstate NY, plus I work for 40+ member libraries -- I've been to and work for many more libraries than I've taken the time to name here.

My point being not to argue but to tell you that any libraries you add to this "virtual collection" I have in my experience, will be joyfully added -- and there's always that remote possibility that I will have a newer photo or a story to tell about one of them.

"I lived very near one of those "antique malls" when I was growing up, Peter."

I never have enough time to satisfy my curiosoty, Beaker.

I ask some friendly soul to direct me to "paper, prints, postcards, ephemera", and gather up a half dozen items that are pleasing and well-priced.

" ...there's always that remote possibility that I will have a newer photo or a story to tell about one of them. "

You work on inter-library loans, duh. My bad.

I will post what I have found, Dannielle, and hope that there are some more stories.

"If it's not Scottish, it's crap!"

Love the exprssion, Kate.

I hope that we can confirm the identity of "our" Kramer family.

The first one, with the three lovely daughters, is my favorite!

Apply vowels as needed:

a a a e e e i i i o o o u u u

(Borrowed, with permission, from Dannielle's Letter Vault)

Mrs. K's clenched fist would seem to belie the Mona Lisa smile, which on second glance, does seem a bit forced...or perhaps smirkily sarcastic?

I don't know. They both have that "Okay, so here we are, take it already" look about them, but the man more so than the woman. She might be upset because it took so long to convince him to take the picture...

"Kacy's postcard article is up! I'm sure you'll recognize quite a few cards, Peter."

I glanced at it long enough to see the New York City scenes and the antique car.

I will return to leave comments.

"...perhaps smirkily sarcastic..."

I think you are correct, Dame Ruth.

To me, Mrs. Kramer seems to view the picture-taking with ironic resignation.

I also agree with the interpretation of Aniko.

I know this is a jump back in time to comment on this card but I clicked on it as suggested by gather. I had to share the laugh that I had when I looked at the address. Note that it says Mrs. & Mr. with the Mrs. being first and the tail of her M is much longer. It looks like she may have been a little dissatisfied with hubby there.