HAPPY OBSERVED BIRTHDAY, GEORGE

Tell me that Martha doesn’t look like a guy in drag.

GEORGE and MARTHA WASHINGTON, are among the fifty life size wax figures in the Hall of Famous Americans in Santa Claus Land, Indiana. Lewis Sorensen who created these likenesses is the foremost wax artist in the country.

You wouldn’t know that from this postcard. 

HAPPY LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY (observed-NY)

NATIONAL WAX MUSEUM
of LANCASTER COUNTY HERITAGE
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Rt. 30 East

Abraham Lincoln - 1861
On February 22, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln passed through Lancaster on his journey from Springfield to Washington for his inauguration, and delivered a speech form a balcony of the Caldwell House, later known as the Brunswick Hotel. He passed through Lancaster a second time…on April 21, 1865…This time the martyred President’s body lay in a black-draped funeral train as it slowly returned him to his beloved Illinois.

Guess that’s Mary Todd next to him? Looks like his mum. Poor gal isn’t even identified on the postcard.

21-FOOT SCHNOZ! AND A BIG MOUTH, TOO!

MT. RUSHMORE NATIONAL MONUMENT
BLACK HILLS, SOUTH DAKOTA

Although Theodore Roosevelt is hidden from sight, this view shows the heroic proportion of the great memorial. Carved by the late Gutzon Borglum, the carving is 6200 feet above sea level and the busts are proportionate to men 465 feet high. 

OUR FIRST 7 PRESIDENTS REACT to the REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE in IOWA LAST NIGHT

HOUSE OF PRESIDENTS
Clermont, Florida

Left to Right (1) Washington (2) Adams (3) Jefferson (4) Madison, Back Row (5) J. Q. Adams (6) Jackson (7) Monroe.

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, 1776

The Declaration of Independence…Thomas Jefferson, the recognized author of this famous document and those who assisted him, John Adams and Ben Franklin, receive guidance from George Washington at TUSSAUD’S LONDON WAX MUSEUM, St. Petersburg Beach, Florida.

Little did they know that George had become a pod person and that they would also be replaced by their duplicates very soon.

American history not taught in schools.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN F. KENNEDY

He would have been 94 years old today. This is one of many “bad” postcards I have seen over the years of the 35th President of the United States. The worst ones show a bird’s eye view of Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas highlighting JFK’s motorcade route with step by step accounting of the assassination. They have an inset photo of Kennedy. I will NOT be posting those on the anniversary of the shooting.

PRESIDENTS’ DAY

Unflattering Prez Portraits. Collect ‘em all.

(George Washington looks like a grandma.)

CAPTION CONTEST—American Patriots

2/24/11  6:45 PM:

Thank you for playing!

This postcard was from THE LONDON WAX MUSEUM on St. Petersburg Beach, Florida.

The Winner: RaiselM

The Caption:
Benjamin Franklin: “Tom suggests we order the mutton.”
John Adams: “Ugh. Tom and Ben are so freakin pretentious. I want quail.” 

Congratulations, RaiselM! To claim your postcard prize, email me at bad.postcards@gmail.com with your choice of postcard from the list below and your mailing address.

In anticipation of George Washington’s Birthday on Tuesday, I present a caption challenge with this postcard from the Wax Museum division of BAD POSTCARDS.

For this contest, answer these two questions:

1) What is Benjamin Franklin (seated right) saying to George Washington (seated left)?

2) What is John Adams (standing left) thinking?

Take a good look at the expressions the wax artist has given these founding fathers before you answer. (Tall Tom Jefferson just looks dumbfounded.)

The usual RULES:
1) MAXIMUM of TWENTY (20) WORDS TOTAL for the two answers (NOT 20 words each answer).
2) One caption per customer.
3) Please enter your caption in the comments of this post.
4) I will accept submissions until George’s Birthday on Tuesday, February 22 at 4:00 PM, EST.

The author of my favorite caption will have their choice of one of these original vintage postcards (all previously published on BAD POSTCARDS):

1) WEEKI WACHE— MERMAID CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

2) WE CATCH ‘EM BIG ON LONG ISLAND!

3) Finally, something fashionable to carry these ashes around in

HAVE FUN and GOOD LUCK!

HOOKED ON JACKIE KENNEDY

I was asked (very nicely) by several to publish the other two Elizabeth LeFort postcards.

Here’s Jackie Kennedy. If you missed the first one this morning, HOOKED ON JESUS, it’s the post directly before this one. THE LAST SUPPER follows this post.

Verso:
“MISS ELIZABETH LE FORT
Canada’s ‘Artist In Wool’
Famed for her artistry with dyes, a tiny hook, and fine wool yarn, has done many portraits of the world’s prominent personalities. Here, Miss LeFort shows her portrait of Mrs. John F. Kennedy.” 

PRESIDENT JOHNSON DEFEATS GOLDWATER
November 3, 1964 

This wax representation looks more like the Lyndon & Barry Variety Hour.

Verso:
”AMERICAN HERITAGE WAX MUSEUM
Scottsdale, Arizona
ELECTION EVE—1964—President Lyndon Johnson and Senator Barry Goldwater, created thru the wax magic of Josephine Tussaud of London.” 

FORD PARDONS NIXON
36 years ago today

From The Wax Museum, 919 Bannock Street, Denver, Colorado.

The wax artist who created this must have been a Humphrey supporter. (The back of the card mentions the 1968 election, but not 1972.) 

HAPPY 102nd BIRTHDAY, LYNDON B. JOHNSON

Another unflattering wax representation.

Verso:
“American Heritage Wax Museum, Scottsdale, Arizona
Detailed close-up of the Josephine Tussaud wax figure of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States.”

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY—PART 2

GEORGE WASHINGTON’S PHEASANTS.

Verso: “GOLDEN PHEASANTS. Agassiz Museum. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. These pheasants were presented to George Washington in 1786 by the Marquis de Lafayette as a gift from Louis XVI. They soon died and were preserved by Charles Willson Peale of Philadelphia.”

They SOON died? Were they pining for the King?

(Imagine a Harvard student off stage right holding the flag.)

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY—PART 1

GEORGE WASHINGTON CROSSING THE DELAWARE. Hall of Presidents Wax Museum, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Based (very loosely) on the Leutze painting.

What’s up with the dude at bottom center. Looks like he’s having a hissy fit. “To hell with the Revolution! I’m sick of rowing!”

BONUS POSTCARD—in the spirit of yesterday’s elections
(…and a CONTEST!)

“Yes Son—You too can be President”

This card depicts a presidential birthplace.

Which U.S. president was born here?

The first person to correctly answer this question will win a BAD POSTCARD gem from my collection. I will give you a choice of a few cards, or ask you what topics interest you so I can pick the right one for you.

Your satisfaction is 99% guaranteed.

Submit your answer as a comment.

About the card: You read the caption and you look down at the two people standing at the right of the photo and you assume it is father and son. The guy on the right could definitely be a father, but, on closer examination, the person on the left looks like it could be a woman—something about the shape of the body. I have zoomed in on one of my scans so you can see detail.

Teaser for tomorrow’s card once more: MUSHROOM PARK