Postal Services
The Return of Weird Postcards
[Click on any of them to enlarge.]
I bought these just yesterday at Raven Used Books in Northampton, MA. Hundreds more awaiting your visitation.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 07, 2012 -
Comments (7)
Category: Humor, Outsider Art, Twentieth Century, Postal Services
Four Weird Vintage Postcards
Click on any image to enlarge.
Be sure to use Number Four in all anti-Romney campaigning.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 06, 2012 -
Comments (7)
Category: Art, Religion, Stereotypes and Cliches, Postal Services
Two Postcards
I just bought these yesterday from my favorite used-book store, Cellar Stories Books, and thought I would share them with you all.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 14, 2012 -
Comments (4)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Stereotypes and Cliches, Sex Symbols, Gambling, Casinos, Lotteries and Other Games of Chance, Postal Services
Zip Code with The Swinging Six
Fifteen minutes to explain adding five digits to your address?!?
Posted By: Paul - Wed May 18, 2011 -
Comments (3)
Category: PSA’s, 1960s, Postal Services
Englishman in the Mails
Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 12, 2010 -
Comments (5)
Category: Outsider Art, Europe, Nineteenth Century, Postal Services
The Hope Diamond
But you don't seem to hear about it so much anymore.
For a quick rundown of the tale, visit this site, or check out the Wikipedia entry.
But surely one of the weirdest facts connected with the gem is that it was once sent through the US Mail!
Henry “Harry” Winston, a leading American jeweler and gem dealer, bought the diamond from Mrs. McLean’s estate in 1949. In November 1958 Winston donated the diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, intending it to be the foundation for a National Jewel Collection. With his years of experience in shipping jewelry all over the world, Winston chose to have the diamond delivered by registered mail. He told a reporter for the Washington Post that “ . . . [registered mail is] the safest way to ship gems. . . . I’ve sent gems all over the world that way.”
Just a thought about that curse: since 1958, the Hope Diamond has been owned, in a manner of speaking, by the whole nation. If one chooses to date America's hard times--the end of some mythical Golden Age--from roughly that period, could it be said that the curse is still operative?
Why not sell the Hope Diamond to a rich oil shiek, use the money to help relieve the deficit, and see what happens?
Posted By: Paul - Fri Dec 12, 2008 -
Comments (1)
Category: Museums, 1950s, Natural Wonders, Curses, Postal Services
Soviet Space Stamps
saert.
Click on the image twice, to get them really big!
Posted By: Paul - Thu Dec 11, 2008 -
Comments (6)
Category: Art, Communications, Postal Services, Stamps, Futurism, Patriotism, Technology, Space Travel, 1960s, Russia, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |