The Air at the Top of the Bottle

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Entries from July 2008

Children’s Card Games (18)

July 31st, 2008 · 3 Comments

Ed-U-Cards was entrusted with the reponsibility of publishing the “Official 1964-65 New York World’s Fair Children’s Card Game.” There is, of course, a splendid Unisphere in the deck, but I thought you might enjoy the Astral Fountain. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Tags: Card Games · Ephemera

The Spinning Bottle (1)

July 31st, 2008 · 1 Comment

As we gape at the continuity and chaos of the world, a chance meeting draws our attention. One way to approach the ineffable is to consider the mismatched pairs that time and space have thrown together. Here’s one. ERIK SATIE AND LE PÉTOMANE Satie is sometimes depicted as a sort of musical monk, writing his radically simple […]

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Tags: Music · The Ineffable

Bulletin (4)

July 27th, 2008 · Comments Off on Bulletin (4)

Look: a collection of props from the puppet shows Michael Smith and I performed back in the ’90s.  There’s the wishing well; there’s the mic from Cory’s club act; there are the signs from Kevin and Jason’s fort.  Ah, memories. It’s from “The Puppet Show,” curated by Ingrid Schaffner and Carin Kuoni at the Institute […]

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Tags: Bulletins

Children’s Card Games (17)

July 25th, 2008 · 3 Comments

“Contraband” was published by the British firm Pepys — no date, I’m afraid. The objective is to smuggle valuables through customs by bluffing and lying. Many of these games are just frivolous; it’s heartening to see one that also teaches a skill.  And please note the beautiful rendition of the ullage. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Tags: Card Games · Ephemera

Beneath a Stereoscopic Moon (4)

July 25th, 2008 · 4 Comments

And one last, for a nightcap. There’s a verse on the back: Here’s to your health, old man in the moon, Here’s hoping you’ll get full again pretty soon. Here’s hoping your last quarter’ll last through your dark days. May you light the way homeward for good fellows always. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Tags: Stereoscopy

Beneath a Stereoscopic Moon (3)

July 23rd, 2008 · Comments Off on Beneath a Stereoscopic Moon (3)

Our third view is “From original negatives by L. M. Rutherford. Published by P. F. Well, New York.” (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Tags: Stereoscopy

Beneath a Stereoscopic Moon (2)

July 22nd, 2008 · 1 Comment

This second view is credited to John P. Soule, 199 Washington St., Boston. It’s not clear if he was the photographer or the publisher; my guess is that he was both. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Tags: Stereoscopy

Beneath a Stereoscopic Moon (1)

July 21st, 2008 · Comments Off on Beneath a Stereoscopic Moon (1)

This week we’ll salute our beloved satellite with some stereoscopic photos of the moon. The moon is really too far away for our binocular vision to kick in. But it does rotate on its axis, so that photos taken at different times during the night will show a slightly different perspective. Pop them into your […]

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Tags: Stereoscopy

Children’s Card Games (16)

July 18th, 2008 · 1 Comment

We have here another edition of that old favorite, “Authors,” this one a 1935 miniature deck from the Russell Press. I’m not familiar with Cornelia Meigs; but a bit of research reveals that she wrote many children’s books, and taught English for many years at Bryn Mawr. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Tags: Card Games · Ephemera

The Movement Print

July 18th, 2008 · 1 Comment

The “Movement Print” offered a new pleasure for the discerning stereoscope owner. You inserted it, blinked your eyes rapidly in alternation, and enjoyed a brief moving picture of somebody else working. I have no idea when these were produced. I’d like to know what other subjects, if any, were chosen. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Tags: Dead Media · Diversions · Ephemera · Stereoscopy