Giant Jack Rabbit Postcard

Yet another variation on the "giant produce gag" postcard, this vintage linen example from the Western USA features a giant jackrabbit being ridden by a cowboy. The caption: "Punching Cattle on a Jack Rabbit." Circa the 1940s.

Giant Fish Postcard

A takeoff on the "giant produce gag" postcard, this variation from Port Huron, Michigan features a giant fish eating an angler, with the caption "They're Biting Well Here In Port Huron." Circa the late 1900s.

Giant Potato Postcard

I love old postcards, the kookier and kitschier, the better. There is a whole sub-genre of postcards that can perhaps be classified as "giant gags." These are often souvenir cards from rural areas, featuring gag photos of giant produce, like this one of an enormous potato on a flatbed train car from New Brunswick, Canada. Circa the 1950s-60s.

The caption reads, "We'll grow them bigger when flat cars are made longer! Famous New Brunswick Potatoes."

Swift's Space Guide Advertising Premium

This 1950s space guide is one of the coolest advertising premiums I've come across recently. Released by a meat products company called Swift's, the 5 1/4 inch space guide has a turning wheel and die cut windows that reveal all sorts of interesting astronomical trivia. Need to know the surface temperature of Mars? Just turn the wheel and find out.

If you find yourself wondering, as I did, what meat products have to do with outer space, the connection is revealed on the back of the guide:

I believe this is the same Swift's Premium Company that distributed this ham shaped charm or watch fob in the 1920s (seen here in the kitchen of an old dollhouse).

Antiquing Trip to England: Day 9, Faversham

On our way back to London the day before we left England, we stopped at one last town, Faversham. This area was inhabited in prehistoric times, and was home to a Roman settlement before becoming a thriving medieval market town.

One of Faversham's most famous landmarks is its Guildhall, first built in 1574! On the day we visited, it was hosting a plant and flower sale.

 Faversham Guildhall.

Buildings in Faversham were rich in architectural detail. Particularly eye-catching was this gargoyle, adorning the front of a stationery shop housed in an 18th century edifice.

For such an old town, Faversham was rather lacking in antique stores. Fortunately tour leaders Terry and Doris came to my rescue again and led me to a lovely one, which had an equally lovely old bear sitting in a child's wicker chair in the window. (He's not visible in the photo below, as I had already snatched him up. At lightning speed.)

 See the empty chair on the left in the window? 

That's where my latest bear had been sitting,

moments before this photo was taken.

This was a beautiful antique shop, with a wonderful, huge, old fireplace inside, and lovely soft lighting.

And here's the bear, as found, about to be wrapped 

up for the journey home:

With his purchase, I completed my teddy tour of England by finding a bear in every town. (Sometimes more than one bear!) This one was very special, though. Purchased by the shopkeepers from the original owner, he had belonged to a little girl born in 1930, who received him the year of her birth. He went through the war with her, was much loved, and it shows. He is a very characterful bear, and one of my favorites of the whole trip. Doris kindly gave me some hand knit bear sweaters she found in a charity shop, and once he had put one on, he looked much more comfortable.

 His button with its WWII slogan gives us all 

good advice for difficult times: 

keep calm and carry on! 

Today, we tried something different from our usual scones: Brown Derby, a very odd dessert comprised of a plain brown donut, refried, and served while still hot with a heap of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and peanuts on top. It was good!

If you look very closely, you can just see the donut on the bottom.

Finally it was time to head home, after a fabulous 10 days in England on the trip of a lifetime. My suitcases were full of great finds, while my checking account was (almost!) empty.

My carry-on bag.

A group photo at home.