Friday, October 12, 2012

Heebee Post #861 - Stan Askew - Pasadena, California - USA

 Wow! Stan's use of photography and mixed media is always a ponderous brew of cerebral entertainment.  This current postcard certainly keeps up with that curiously powerful formula. Great Mail Art Stan!
 The opposite side of the card features an angry, glaring Robo-a-go-go and another with a set of "Boxcar" knuckles - served on a bed of dark 1 cent "Tiffany" postage.  The simultaneous graduation of degree of anger and value of U.S. dollars should be noted as well - it adds to it nicely. Like some form of  redeemable  'Butt-Kicking' stamps.
Also included in Stan's 'fun pack' was this incredible vintage (circa 1930s) linen souvenir folding postcard set of 18 images. As you can see here - this is a Fred Harvey publication. Let me just talk about Fred Harvey (1835 - 1901) for a moment. He was a grand entrepreneur of the American Southwest and is credited for having the first restaurant chain "The Harvey House Lunch Rooms".  He brought new, higher standards of civility and dining to the rough region known as the "Wild West". His name is also made famous by the 1946 motion picture "The Harvey Girls" about his legendary waitresses, starring Cyd Charisse, Judy Garland and Angela Lansbury. The Film won the Oscar for best Song "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe". Judy Garland is a goddess in this movie.
The Harvey Houses were constructed along the train routes and were immediate sensations. Here, enclosed in the packet is one of many  testy looking bridges the railroad had to build to traverse the harsh topography of Arizona.
The reverse side of the packet shows the colors to be still vibrant after all these years - Fred Harvey's (Detroit Publishing Co's) "Phostint" technique postcards are cherished by collectors all over the world.
The Askew 'Postal Mothership' that contained all the goodies. I see that x-ray skeletal hand has a wedding ring. It appears as if the hand is throwing out a few charms of the talisman variety as if to read a fortune! Thanks Stan, I am diggin' your stuff! I just sent something to you this morning - see ya in the mail my old friend. Find more of Stan's work here: Photo Askew. 

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