Mister Harrys

I am thrilled to announce that a very rare triple postcard from the Gilded Age has been added to the collection! While standard postcards from this era are beautiful, finding a "fold-out" or panoramic triple-view card in such preserved condition is a true rarity. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these were the "widescreen" experiences of their day, allowing visitors to capture the sheer scale of the coastline in a way a single 3.5x5 inch card never could.

This postcard is a time capsule. Because it spans three panels, we get a continuous, panoramic perspective of the Asbury Park Boardwalk as it stood in its prime. Looking closely, you can see the density of the crowds, the specific placement of the original wooden benches, and the massive pavilions that once defined the water’s edge. It provides a spatial context that single-view cards lack, showing exactly how the Fishing Pier interacted with the grand hotels and the shoreline.

There is something hauntingly beautiful about the Victorian architecture of the East Coast. These structures were built with a sense of "seaside whimsy"—massive wooden frames, ornate gingerbread trim, and sprawling verandas designed to catch the salt air. In this postcard, the buildings stand as monuments to a time when the Jersey Shore was the premier playground for the high-society elite. The contrast between the rigid, sophisticated lines of the architecture and the wild, organic movement of the Atlantic Ocean is perfectly captured in this lithographic print.

A PLAN THAT sheds light under the house. Conservatory type windows, terraced basement areaways bring sunshine and flowers into basement. No dark and musty corners. Size of house virtually doubled with dry, healthful, colorful play space, game rooms, hobby corners downstairs. Excellently planned house. Upstairs den off porch. Magnificent living room merging into dining room. Oversize kitchen. Three big bedrooms. Two baths. Walk-in closet.

GARDEN flows into basement when greenhouse style windows cover planted terraces like this. With a few structural changes, covered access stairs to outdoors could also serve as an escape hatch for atom bomb shelter.

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source: 53 house plans for 1953 by Rudolph A. Matern

Gemini AI Rendering

While most of you know me for my collection of mid-century Americana, I also love collecting illustrations, books, magazines, and postcards from the Gilded Age. There is a certain romanticism in the hand-colored lithographs of that era that digital photography just can't replicate.

This particular find is a stunning vintage postcard of Bethesda Terrace in Central Park. It captures the "heart of the park" during a time when it was the ultimate social stage for New Yorkers to see and be seen. Looking at those intricate grand staircases and the way the nature was meticulously sculpted to frame the architecture, you can really feel the ambition of 19th-century design.

Olmsted and Vaux designed the Terrace to be the only formal architectural setting in the entire park, intended to contrast with the rugged, "wild" nature of the surrounding landscapes. The Arcade underpass features a magnificent ceiling made of nearly 16,000 encaustic tiles from England's Minton Tile Company. It is the only place in the world where these specific tiles are used for a ceiling rather than a floor. You’ve likely seen this spot in dozens of films and TV shows, most notably in the final scenes of Angels in America, the whimsical musical numbers of Enchanted, and classics like Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. The "Angel of the Waters" statue atop the fountain was the only sculpture commissioned as part of the original park design. It commemorates the opening of the Croton Aqueduct in 1842, which finally brought fresh water to the city. If you look closely at the stone carvings on the side walls, they represent the four seasons and the various times of day, featuring birds, plants, and fruit.

STEP IN THROUGH the kitchen door for a cook’s tour. A sparkling square kitchen with exciting corner windows invites that “pause that refreshes.” To the left, a windowed, intimate dining alcove. Ahead, the more formal dining room. Walk through the ample foyer. Stop to note the floor-to-ceiling window opposite the fireplace in living room. Continue into the den — the high point of the tour: a barbecue, indoor-outdoor garden, window wall and covered porch beyond. Here the Cook becomes a Queen!

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source: 53 house plans for 1953 by Rudolph A. Matern

Gemini AI Rendering

There is a specific kind of magic that happens when the golden age of Hollywood meets authentic heritage. I recently added a stunning 1945 photograph to my collection featuring the incomparable Lisette Verea, and it serves as a perfect window into a year when she truly conquered the entertainment capital of the world. By 1946, Verea wasn't just a name on a casting sheet; she was a bona fide sensation, with Los Angeles tabloids officially crowning her as "Hollywood's newest glamor girl."

Lisette’s rise to stardom was punctuated by her powerhouse performance as Beatrice in the Marx Brothers' film A Night in Casablanca. She held her own against the chaotic comedic genius of Groucho, Chico, and Harpo—a feat few could manage. While the New York Times praised her as a "flashy brunette" with an "extravagant flounce," it wasn't just her acting that caught the public’s eye. It was her wardrobe. In a move that displayed both her confidence and her craft, every dress she wore in that film was her own original creation.

Beyond the soundstages, Verea was a visionary in the world of fashion. She didn't just wear clothes; she engineered stories through fabric. Ruth Carson of Collier’s Magazine famously described her work as a "Rumanian Rhapsody," noting that Lisette "dreams up utterly thrilling dress prints." She had a unique ability to take the intricate, geometric beauty of Romanian folk attire—the bold embroidery and structured silhouettes—and refine them for the glitz of California.

In the photograph from September 1945, we see her captured in Los Angeles wearing one of these very creations. It is a masterclass in "Folk-Fusion," showcasing her pride in her roots while maintaining the sleek allure of a starlet. Her beauty was often described as "radiant" and "statuesque," but looking at her designs, it’s clear that her greatest asset was her mind. She understood that to be a true icon, one must not only play the part but also design the world they inhabit.

THE SURE WAY to a man’s heart — the indoor barbecue. Set in an Old World type wall that adjoins an ultra-smart breakfast bar (see inset) in varied-use room. This room, the “Something New.” With long, covered porch and adjoining kitchen, it forms a jolly place for the family clan. Handsome glassed-in porch is reached from dining room. Mud room convenient to both porches and kitchen. Specials: window wall in varied-use room; impressive front reception hall.