Some Photos Worth Viewing

(Above) CDV of Mary Powers, the Barnum fat lady. Back of card reads Miss Mary J. Powers, The Kentucky Giantess: 26 years old and weighs 782 pounds: 5 feet 2 inches high: 86 inches around the waist and 33 inches around the arm - Barnum’s fat lady at the time of the fire, March 3rd 1868: Was born at Franklin County, Kentucky, and weighs 175 pounds more than any other lady in America. Marked Adams & Mendenhall, Indianapolis, Indiana.

(Above) Cabinet card of Linus the Oregon wonder horse. Linus the wonder horse was the main attraction of Bostock and Wombwell’s menagerie, Britain's premier traveling zoo during the early 1900s. Linus was unique because he had a 17ft. long tail and a double mane 13ft. on each side. The cabinet card features a photo of Linus with a trainer. Card reads Linus E.P. Olive, 325 Washington St., Boston.

(Above) CDV of Charles Felu (1830-1900), Belgian artist painting with his feet. The toes are cut out of his socks so that he could paint with his feet, gripping the paintbrush with his right foot and the palette with the other. His slippers are on the floor beneath him. Bottom marked J. Maes Phot. Anvers, and on verso Photographie Maes Place du Musee Anvers.

(Above) Image shows a seated John Cox with an eyepatch. With period pencil inscription on verso reading John Cox of Burlington, NJ Age 98, Father in law of Dr. Parris C. Cox (ca. 1754-1847) was a Quaker and lived near Burlington, NJ. Cox was involved in the anti-slavery movement.

(Above) Photograph of a Comanche indian girl standing in front of a blanket draped over a branch. Bottom of matt labeled Irwin, Chickasha, Ind. Ter. Reverse side labeled in pencil Lena Fisher, Comanche Indian girl.


FOR YOUR VIEWING TODAY, an Accidental Mysteries selection of some fascinating photographs from Cowan’s upcoming auction this January 21, 2010.

I hope everyone reading this today has a very happy holiday.

Lighter Than Air

(Above) 1950’s Russian Christmas ornament.

(Above) Postage stamp, Graf Zeppelin, 1930s.

(Above) Very rare Graf Zeppelin toy, c. 1930s.

(Above) Mama Zeppelin, and baby.

(Above) Snapshot, 1930s.


(Above) Tintype from 1930s, arcade photo.


(Above) Press photo, Graf Zeppelin, 1930s.


SO, WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU GO TO EBAY AND TYPE IN THE WORD “ZEPPELIN?” Well, you get everything from toys to postcards to snapshots to yes... you guessed it—Led Zeppelin. Love the group, but as far as eBay goes, the band has hijacked the name. That’s mainly what you find.

Who doesn’t like Zeppelins? They are so weird! And ominous—and strange. And SLOW. I love the misguided idea of it. When they built the Zeppelin, it was like someone said: “Let’s build the biggest, slowest and most dangerous flying machine we can!” And, you’d think one of those giant flying monsters could hold about 5,000 people. Oh no. They needed room for the flammable HYDROGEN! “Let’s take a trans-Atlantic flight in a really slow flying BOMB!”