7/7/16

SILLY Walks


I could have gone the "legit" way with this week's Sepia Saturday prompt and shown some of my snapshots of people walking down the street taken by those pesky photographers who leapt out and shot them. I chose a different route.

Meet my fifty cent wonder. Yes, I paid a whopping fifty cents for this tiny wonder; and it is tiny. What we have is most likely an arcade photo that this fellow paid perhaps a penny for back around the turn of the 20th century. Some cheap laughs he could keep in his wallet. I have to wonder how such a small piece of paper made it through the last hundred years.





And the premier of silly walks...


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22 comments:

  1. An arcade photo strip like that one would surely have been worth a penny - who wouldn't want one? Well, I'm off to perfect my silly walk.

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    1. It's a silly walk sort of weekend. We should all be doing them.

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  2. That old photo is really cool!

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    1. I was really squealing when I found it. I was quiet, but still squealing.

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  3. Nicely done, nicely done! Chuckling still. :)

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  4. I imagine this fella on his first holiday to a seaside amusement park. Strolling along the boardwalk, he gawks at all the distractions, and the little photo arcade attracts his attention. 1¢ Golly! A perfect (cheap) souvenir for the folks back home. It sure would make them laugh to see him having fun. His mama saved it in a scrapbook, along with his baby bracelet, school report cards, draft card, and a lock of his hair. Many years go by. Some great great nephew puts it into a yard sale jumble box. An antique dealer buys the lot. More years go by. Then one day a lady shuffling through a shoe box of old postcards and photos stifles a gleeful snicker. 50¢ Golly! A perfect (cheap) old photo for the folks back on the internet. It will make them laugh for sure!

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  5. Funny! I love Mike's narrative of the strip's likely history, and how fortunate that you found and can share it with us.

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  6. Excellent, excellent find. I sure wish I had got there first. Mike's description of its journey hints how rare it is. And who wouldn't think of John Cleese any time "walking" is discussed?

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    1. I almost didn't notice the little piece of paper. I was sorting so quickly; tossing rejects aside and making a pile of possibles. And you're right, as soon as I named the post Silly Walks I had to fine Cleese. He is the king of silly walks.

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  7. What a wonderful (and economic) find. The next best thing to actually sticking your head through those cut-outs!

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    1. Yes, I'm cheap. I passed by a shot of a clown with a sleigh being pulled by tiny dogs because it was 8 bucks. The 50center I could afford.

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  8. Loved both your shares today...John Cleese can liven up any day for me. I made some photo posing boards once, to pretend various things by seniors. I think a dance hall girl and a cowboy were among them.

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    1. Sure would love to see some of those photos if you still have any.

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  9. Fantastically whacky images :)

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  10. John Cleese was a master and hilarious in "Faulty Towers" with his long legs he was perfectly funny. The tiny postcards are a great find, are you framing them?

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    1. The print is only 4" x 1.5". It's very small and faded. Not something worth framing. And yes, Cleese is a master at silly.

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