A Scrapbook With a Focus

GAL, GAMS, AND GARTERS is a large scrapbook patched together by an anonymous aficionado of the ankle, thigh and leg, an enormous scrapbook found in a dumpster by a Virginia student in the late 1960’s. Now owned by my friend Jim Linderman, this scrapbook is also the subject of a new blog by the same name. Most of the work inside was done in the late 1950s. Like most scrapbooks from the period, this one can be looked at as more than the contents of it’s pages but as a total object d’art in itself. The pieced together sections, the yellowing of the tape, the placements—all create new visual imagery to be recontextualized today. I find the haphazardly pasted images—crudely taped and cut—to be a fun exploration into a personal, highly focused (albeit naive) design project. For my taste, I like the full pages better than the individual images. There, we can see the personal choices the original owner made as he went about his fetish-like project—as in images 2 and 3 from the top.

All of these vintage, mildly erotic images will eventually be available online in this new blog by Linderman, who says: “our anonymous artist was a serious aficionado of the leg, ankle and above, but there is no nudity, no sex and nary a nipple. However, the man with the scissors and tape, like the magazine editors who provided him with product, managed to skirt good taste with plenty of inspired photos. His motivation? Who knows? For that matter, who is to judge? I intend to scan through the pages once a week or so.”

Jim says his new blog, GALS GAMS GARTERS is for those interested in “vintage erotica, fashion, vintage clothing and retro culture.” I say it’s also for designers, who may find a certain playfulness, fresh and direct-response style at work here.

If you would like to learn more about period American scrapbooks of various and mixed subject matter, check out Jessica Helfand’s new book, Scrapbooks: An American History, now available on Amazon. There is a short video about scrapbooks as personal narrative by Jessica at this link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/mCM6ZVEA0LGE1

© Gals, Gams and Garters collection of Jim Linderman

An AM repost from 2/17/09

Gals Gams Garters: The Book

Click on image for larger view.

Click on image for larger view.


(Above and below) Pages from the book Gals Gams Garters. Click on image for larger view.

(Above and below) Pages from the book Gals Gams Garters. Click on image for larger view.

IN THE LATE 1960s, A VIRGINIA COLLEGE STUDENT FOUND A SCRAPBOOK IN A DUMPSTER. Dumpster diving was nothing new, people have been digging through other people’s trash for centuries. What he found was no ordinary family scrapbook, but the personal collection of someone’s personal stash of scantily-clad women. Cut from vintage men’s magazines of the 1950s, the anonymous collector used scissors and tape to arrange his private soft porn collection taped to the pages of a commercially bought scrapbook. Perhaps the creator’s wife found them and tossed them out, perhaps he passed away or maybe he found Jesus. Whatever the reason, they ended up in that dumpster and today are the subject of a new book called Gals Gams Garters by Victor Minx. Victor Minx is the pseudonym of Jim Linderman, a longtime collector and blues music expert. Delve into the personal archive of an anonymous aficionado of legs and garters.

As a designer, these pages are beautiful, almost randomly arranged clippings, where the yellowed tape becomes an integral part of the composition. Random colors from the magazine and the spaces between the clippings work together to build a solid page—one man’s private fantasy made public.

Order your copy of Gals Gams Garters here.

And while you are at it, check out the other Jim Linderman blog — Dull Tool Dim Bulb.

The Incredibles

(Above) WILD MOMENT: This anonymous snapshot just blows me away for its weird, over the top sensuality. Her pose is great—and I especially love her fingers popping up behind her head like a crown. Click for larger view.

(Above) IT’S THE PEARLS: One of the most beautiful images in my collection, someone knew what they were doing with this pose. Click for larger view.

(Above) “... AND DON’T FORGET MY CIGS!” This gal is so pissed off and real— I love the image. Click for larger view.

(Above) ESCAPE FROM THE ASYLUM: This chick is one of the strangest I have ever seen— even in my nightmares. The butcher knife is just out of frame, I am sure.
Click for larger view.

(Above) “FRAULEIN HAS HAD A BUSY DAY.” Here’s a beautiful photo, probably European in origin. Click for larger view.


I WENT THROUGH MY COLLECTION THE OTHER DAY AND FOUND THESE INCREDIBLE women. I think all the images are beautiful, in their own special, odd and quirky way. Just thought it would be fun to post these today.*

*Blogger has rules about posting images that might be offensive. If you are offended by any of these images above or even the nature of this post in general, please let me know (privately, if you wish) and I will remove it immediately.