Thursday, April 9
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Tag: slideshows

Mar292016 by Chris Holmes1 Comment
Absentee Moms Choose Kool-Aid!

Absentee Moms Choose Kool-Aid!

Retrotisements
From 1959 through 1962, Kool-Aid (and its parent company, General Foods) ran a print ad campaign to showcase its various flavors. Each ad had the same setup -- a family member (usually mom) had to leave the house for a while, wrote a note for those left behind, and mixed a pitcher of delicious Kool-Aid. Visually, it was a very attractive campaign. And judging by the fact that it lasted for several years I'm guessing it was pretty successful too. Now of course I'm joking about the absentee mom thing, but it does seem odd that several of these ads feature notes from a missing parent. As a latchkey kid myself, I know all about that. Anyway, enjoy the ads! There are 17 of them in case you're counting. For more great slideshows, click here.
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Mar212016 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
The Art of Activision Atari Covers

The Art of Activision Atari Covers

Games & Toys
I can't even begin to calculate the hours I spent playing Activision games for my Atari 2600. I think they probably had the most fun games on average out of any gaming company back then. One of the crucial parts of Activision's appeal was their artwork. I'm referring specifically to the great use of simple drawings with those bold, rainbow motion patterns. There was a real sense of thematic unity behind a lot of Activision's games, which really helped them so stand out from the pack. Not all of their titles shared that unity, but many did. So in tribute to the great (and not-so-great) Activision games with the brilliant packaging, here is my Atari 2600 Activision cover slideshow gallery. Here's what we have here -- Boxing, Enduro, Fishing Derby, Freeway, Grand Prix, Ice Hockey, Kaboo...
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May262015 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Kodachrome Memories #4: Miami (OH) University Homecoming, 1953

Kodachrome Memories #4: Miami (OH) University Homecoming, 1953

Photography
This fantastic set of slides is reportedly from  Homecoming Weekend festivities for Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. As you would expect the marquee event of the celebration was a college football game. In this case it's the Redskins against in-state rival Ohio Bobcats, locally known as the Battle of the Bricks. The date on these slides is marked as 1954, but since the rivalry game that year was played in Athens I'm guessing this is actually 1953. That would put the date for this game as October 24, and is a game that ended in a 7-7 tie. There are no actual photos of the game here, but plenty from what look like pregame and perhaps halftime festivities. Also included are shots of a parade probably held on the campus and a few shots of the campus itself. Miami alumni are prominently
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Feb252015 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Vintage MLB Spring Training Programs

Vintage MLB Spring Training Programs

Ephemera, Sports
Spring Training for the 2015 Major League Baseball season is upon us! So even if you're still sitting under a blanket of snow, you know that relief is on the way. To help you get warmed up and to take an excuse to look at some great vintage sports ephemera, here's a hand-picked gallery slideshow of some of my favorite Spring Training program and scorecard art from teams like the Dodgers, Red Sox, Angels, and Pirates. All of these and more are available for perusal at The Press Room, and clicking on any image will take you to its own page.
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Oct292013 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Vintage Las Vegas Casino Chips from the 1950s and 1960s

Vintage Las Vegas Casino Chips from the 1950s and 1960s

Auction Finds
I don't really have a lot of commentary for this post. I've compiled images of 21 (because blackjack) vintage casino chips from Nevada casinos. These all date mostly from the 1950s and 1960s, although there are a few from the '70s. Some of these chips are from Nevada's most iconic Las Vegas casinos, while some are from other cities -- like Reno and Jackpot -- and aren't as well known. But they're all colorful and cool, and that's why I'm sharing them.   For more fun slideshows, click here.
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Aug62013 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Logo Evolution: Top 10 U.S. Airlines

Logo Evolution: Top 10 U.S. Airlines

Advertising, Featured Posts
I had so much fun putting together my logo evolution post on fast food burger chains, I decided to do it again. So for this little logo gallery, I took a look at the U.S. airline industry, and put together a countdown of the top 10 domestic carriers. These rankings are based on 2012 passenger totals, obtained here. Those who have been keeping up with the news already know that at least one of these airlines is going away fairly soon, so perhaps I'll update this in 2014. If anyone spots bad information or can provide me with better logos, use the contact form up top and let me know. #1. Delta Air Lines (est. 1924) (via gtwreck98) Delta has has an unusually high number of logos since their founding as the Delta Air Service in 1928. Making things even more confusing is that in any giv...
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Jul122013 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Vintage Slides of a Lehigh Vs. Cornell Baseball Game, 1948

Vintage Slides of a Lehigh Vs. Cornell Baseball Game, 1948

Sports
This is hardly the most scintillating photo gallery I've published here, but it's one of those slices of life that I love so much. These come from my long hours spent searching eBay, and are reportedly of a 1948 college baseball game between Lehigh University and Cornell University. Knowing next to nothing about college baseball or either school, I'm guessing this is a Cornell home game based on the preponderance of red in the stands. I would love to know the story behind that cool little train sitting off the third base line. To see a full-size version, right-click any image and open in a new window or tab.
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Mar212013 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
The Evolution of Fast Food Burger Chain Logos: The Video

The Evolution of Fast Food Burger Chain Logos: The Video

Advertising
I just had so much gosh darn fun putting together my retrospective of fast food burger chain logos that I decided to turn it into a YouTube slideshow. Because some people just love slideshows. And as a special bonus I included audio extracts from vintage TV ads for some of the chains, like McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Dairy Queen, Arby's, Sonic, Jack in the Box, Hardee's, Carl's Jr., and Checkers/Rally's. Enjoy!
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