1910 The Arcade Co. Row of Shops New Bremen Ohio Vintage Postcard RPPC

Real photo postcard (RPPC) of The Arcade Co. strip of shops on New Bremen, Ohio, postmarked 1910. (Click to enlarge.)

In 1902, The Arcade Department Store Company was formed through a mer­ger of four of New Bremen's oldest mercantile houses.

Firms represented in the mer­ger were:

• Speckman & Nieter, dry goods and groceries, started by Fred Speckman Sr. and F. H. L. Nieter in 1852.
• Faehl & Nieter's Furniture Store, owned by August Faehl and Ferd Nieter.
• Rabe's Cheap Store, Theo. Rabe owner.
• Wiemeyer's Cash Clothing Store, Fred Wiemeyer owner.
• In 1933 the officers of The Arcade Department Store Company are A. H. Rabe, president and manager; George Thiesing Sr., vice president; Leo Huenke, secretary and Gustave Greiwe, treasurer.

The Arcade had eight departments and was the largest store between Cincinnati and Toledo at the time.  A dance hall was located on the second floor.

The Arcade buildings are now the corporate headquarters for Crown Equipment.

Read more New Bremen history in the the New Bremen Centennial Book - 1933 and here, New Bremen Tour – Bremenfest 2008.

1908 RPPC Elk Restaurant Pullman Cafe Lima Ohio

The Elk Restaurant / Pullman Cafe as seen in a vintage real photo postcard, circa 1908.

Note the date, Fri. Aug, 7, on the circus posters. As per the Ringling Bros. Circus routes for 1908 website, Lima, Ohio was on the schedule for Aug. 7th. 

This 1892 map of Lima's businesses lists: Elk Restaurant, Dan. Freel, Proprietor

According to an annoncement in the Lima News, Dan Freel sold The Elk to Charley Ackerman in Nov. 1894.

Apparently there a saloon and gambling room above The Elk that was raided (see below news clips). Sure wish I could find a whiskey bottle or other neat item from The Elk's saloon. 

Here are the next earliest google-mentions of The Elk Restaurant, showing 1899 newspaper ads:

There was a fire in the Elk's kitchen, January 1902.

Apparently Dan gave up the restaurant biz for the oil biz:

"October 6, 1906: Mrs. Joseph G. Bockmier left Monday for a 3 week's visit with her daughter, Mrs. Dan Freel at Lima, Ohio where Dan Freel is at work in the Lima oil fields."

The Lima News  August 7, 1906 › Page 2  http://bit.ly/1jYvsIQDI

​N

ING ROOM OPENED; Also a First Class Lunch Counter Where All Delicacies Will Be 

​F

ound. The already popular firm 

​o

f Tyson and Scherneble, who not Ion

​g​

 ago opened up the Pullman Cafe, formerly the Elk, take this opportunity of announcing that their dining room a

​nd

 lunch counter are both open to the public, and the best of service is assured, along with all the delicacies 

​i​

n season and the best staple meats

More googling finds that The Elk became The Pullman Cafe in 1906. 

Even though the 1908 photo postcard shows Pullman Cafe on the striped canopy, they are still also calling themselves The Elk. By the above announcement, we learn they had a lunch counter and a dining room. I'd surmise the counter wore the Pullman moniker, and the dining room wore The Elk mantle.

The postcard shows 4 men. Two waiters in aprons, and 2 men in ties -- perhaps the misters Tyson and Scherneble? 

​Later there are 1920s ads for a Pullman Restaurant, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis L. Mack, Proprietors, located located on the SW corner of the public square.​ These later proprietors must have given up the split identity, dropped cafe and elk, and renamed the place the Pullman Restaurant.

Rare Antique Organs from the Milhous Brothers Collection Auction w/ Video

Once upon a time there was an incredible collection of ornate theater sized antique organs, from the Milhous Brothers' famous collection, that went to auction at Sotheby's. Besides the organs there are exquisite antique cars and petroliana, all beautifully photographed. Here's the link - https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mh12/

Here's a video clip of the GAUDIN -- you can see how small the man looks, standing in front of it. And you can hear that wonderful sound! Be sure to click FULL SCREEN to really enjoy it.

More video on the Milhous Brothers auction. The estimate was set at $40 million. It will be is fascinating to see the results. -- MILHOUS COLLECTION ACHIEVES IMPRESSIVE $38.3 MILLION IN SALES

History Foto Flickers - Japanese Stereo View Photos As Animated GIFs - Gorgeous

[Sumo wrestlers]

From the Art of Japan website pinktentacle.com:

Animated stereoviews of old Japan

In the late 19th and early 20th century, enigmatic photographer T. Enami (1859-1929) captured a number of 3D stereoviews depicting life in Meiji-period Japan.

A stereoview consists of a pair of nearly identical images that appear three-dimensional when viewed through a stereoscope, because each eye sees a slightly different image. This illusion of depth can also be recreated with animated GIFs like the ones here, which were created from Flickr images posted by Okinawa Soba. Follow the links under each animation for the original stereoviews and background information.

[Meeting at gate]

[Buddhist ornament dealer]

[Geisha washing their hands in the garden]

[Chujenji Road, Nikko]

[Geisha playing music]

[Firewood dealers]

[Great Buddha of Kamakura]

[Torii gates at Inari shrine, Kyoto]

[Geisha girls with flowers and cat]

[Traveler in the mountain fog near Chujenji]

[Clam diggers having lunch]

[Tokyo Industrial Exposition, Ueno Park, 1907]

[Campfire on the peak of Mt. Myogi, Nakasendo]

[Geisha in a tearoom]

[Kitano temple, Kyoto]

[Road along the Fuji river]

[Geisha drinking beer in the park]

[Buddhist priest in full dress]

[Geisha looking at stereoviews]

Some Great Rare Christmas and Halloween Antique Toys

DENVER, Pa. – Snow-covered belsnickels and whimsical veggie folk came together for a festive Holiday Auction at Morphy’s  The 483-lot auction was a very nice single-owner collection, plus select additional consignments of Halloween and Christmas antiques; and a small but choice array of vintage Easter goods. 

Wow! Once upon a time, there was this great collection going on the auction block. Here are just a few pix from that time in the past. (2011)

I just couldn't delete this post cuz the pix are too good!