Friday, October 31, 2014

With apologies in advance...
Happy Halloween!

ABOVE: Hey, it's just a vintage postcard. That's what we do here. It just happens to be a vintage postcard that shows Quacky Duck, who was the "Magical Balloon King" and "The Clown All Youngsters Look Up To," according to the text on the back of this Curteichcolor postcard distributed by Buckeye News Co. of Toledo, Ohio. Regarding Quacky, the text further states: "Featuring magic productions and balloonology. His entire career has been devoted to good wholesome entertainment. Featured on radio, TV, state and county fairs, trade shows, country clubs, shopping centers, private parties, picnics, and circus." Quacky was based in Toledo.

ABOVE: This advertising postcard for something called Expo '70 is autographed by "Wimpey," who I presume to be the clown in the center. The rest of the postcard, front and back, is in Japanese (I think), so I'm really not sure what's going on here. The rainbow is a nice touch, though.

Finally, for this Allhallowe'en, here's a spooktacular vintage postcard featuring one of the most haunted buildings in the United States...


Still in the mood for spooky stuff? Here's a launching off spot for Papergreat's Halloween-themed posts.

3 comments:

  1. As for the Expo '70 card, this is from the 1970 Exposition in Osaka, an event similar to the World's Fair. The card is advertising the "Moving Arts Show", presented by the Koguma Theater, a Western-style puppet show or a "kami-shibai" (Japanese version of puppetry using tableaux and illustrations).

    In particular, the show lineup included the "Lotte Mates" (entertainment sponsored by the Korean food conglomerate Lotte, whose corporate presence is very large in Japan) and the clown Wimpey.

    In Japanese, the name of the theater troupe ("Koguma-za") is a play-on-words with the term for the constellation Ursa Minor.

    Information about the 1970 Expo can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_'70

    Information about the Lotte conglomerate can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotte_(conglomerate)

    As to whether there was/is just one Wimpey the Clown in existence, that is a mystery for another day; still, here is a cute photo of Wimpey and his not-very-amused progeny: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/wimpey-the-clown-seen-here-with-his-baby-daughter-rosalind-news-photo/591978862#wimpey-the-clown-seen-here-with-his-baby-daughter-rosalind-december-picture-id591978862

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  2. Also, the Expo featured a performance troupe of costumed performers (something like the Mickey Mouses -- Mice?!? -- who wander around Disneyland taking photos with guests). Source: http://www.kogumaza.co.jp (Best to use Google Translate.)

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  3. "Wimpey the Clown" was Bert Hiles of Swansea, UK. He married Kassie Overend of Holmfirth who was famous in the 1940s for owning a pet tiger named Fenella that she'd take for walks around Holmfirth!

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