This ad is from 1951, clipped from an unknown magazine. The big question is where to file it: in the fish-measure section, or the peter-meter section.
Purchase (ebay) -- "lelandcollectibles" = Eclectic Collection, Sherwood, OR -- received 28 May 2024
Now let's get rid of that creepy little leprechaun icon. I hate that thing.
Sort of like those S&H Green Stamps from our childhoods: I bought this beautiful pre-1893 trade card because of its design and the illustration, but found the whole message about premiums even more fascinating than the tape measure image.. There's hardly any information about the "Shred Cocoanut" itself. Now I'll have to find one of those "complete Catalogues" to see what the other premiums were!
Purchase (ebay) -- "unclejerryspostcards 2023" = Uncle Jerry's Postcards and Ephemera, Joplin, MO -- received 31 May2024
This new accession needed some cleaning up in PhotoShop, and it's still not perfect, but I love the design and the message. The small yellow hearts in the bottom corners are an especially nice touch. The whole thing just makes you say "Awwwww..."
Purchase ((ebay) -- "mountain_blessed2" = Lisa Gray, Bella Vista, AR -- received 24 May 2024
Transcription of message:
Addressed to
Mrs. Alice Bidwell
Centerville PA
R.F.D. 92
Dear Aunt Alice
I thought I would
send you a card
and tell you that
I don’t know just
when I will get
over there. There
is so much doing around here.
Archies are having
a party for me
Friday night.
I don’t know
when I will
go home. Had
a letter from
home yesterday.
I will be over
some day.
H.K.
At this point in my ruler-collecting career I have so many greeting cards with the message "No one measures up to you," mostly filed in the Mother's Day and Father's Day categories, that they kind of all blend together, This one though is different visually, and has interesting spelling. Over the next few days I'll be posting several new Father's Day cards featuring tape measures with "measure up" messages. Who knew there could be so many?
Purchase Etsy) - "beyondtheinkuk" = Gemma Pettingale, Hull, UK -- received 6 May 2024
What could be better than this for a special collections librarian who collects paper rulers? Nothing.
Purchase (etsy) -- "MadLoveCreativeCo" = Carmen J., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada -- received 7 June 2024
And so are ruler blotters that promote reading books, especially when the company is based in Boston. All good.
Purchase (ebay) -- "ousana" = Roberts Treasures/Robert Scatton, McAdoo, MA -- received 30 May 2024
Last week I had a run on very cool ruler-related press photos, which will end up stored in the appropriate subject file boxes: Books-Libraries-Bookstore; Sewing-Quilting; and Agriculture-Farming, resp. Right now though they're all together as Press Photos. This is a good example of why I need a database...
"Large eggs brought in by George Mockford 1121 Beard Ave" - The Detroit News-Photographic Department, 1939
Purchase (ebay) -- Historic Images-Store, Memphis, TN -- received 25 May 2024
Last week I had a run on very cool ruler-related press photos, which will end up stored in the appropriate subject file boxes: Books-Libraries-Bookstore; Sewing-Quilting; and Agriculture-Farming, resp. Right now though they're all together as Press Photos. This is a good example of why I need a database...
"Leather needle case with English-made needles & measuring tape." Photograph by Jackie Greene, St. Petersburg Times/Evening Independent, 1979
Purchase (ebay) -- Historic Images-Store, Memphis, TN -- received 25 May 2024
Last week I had a run on very cool ruler-related press photos, which will end up stored in the appropriate subject file boxes: Books-Libraries-Bookstore; Sewing-Quilting; and Agriculture-Farming, resp. Right now though they're all together as Press Photos. This is a good example of why I need a database...
"Roberta Rich uses a ruler to charge for used books--at $ per inch." Photograph by Blair Koosistra, The Spokesman-Review, 1994
Purchase (ebay) -- Historic Images-Store, Memphis, TN -- received 25 May 2024
Retired Special Collections librarian with a wicked cool ruler collection
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