Weekend Video | Mainline USA
A dose of nostalgia and workwear for your weekend. This 1950s film about the development of the U.S. railroad system is a great looking little piece of history. “America is the living symbol of the miracle of modern production.” Well said Mr. Industrial Propaganda Film announcer. Check out those brand new Caterpillar dozers at the 2:03 mark, the plaid work shirt at 6:19 and all of those factory scenes. Great stuff.
Victory Mail of the Second World War
Encouraged to write letters to service members overseas, Americans heeded the call and sent massive amounts of mail to their loved ones. The U.S. Postal Service was quickly overwhelmed as the volume of correspondance skyrocketed. So in 1942 the government decided to implement Victory Mail, or V-Mail as it was known, which was a version of the British “Airgraph” system. The Smithsonian explains how the British came to develop Airgraph.
One Trip Pass | Shotgun Test
There is a lot of talk about gentlemen shoppers drinking fine bourbon at Billy Reid. Well, last night at Ned Martel and Jay Carroll’s geniusly merchandised vintage shop / Americana explosion One Trip Pass, the drinking was taken to the next level when a group of grown men decided to shotgun a beer in the store. Video proof below. Do try this at home.
The Vintage Outdoors
The good people at Cold Splinters (which is fantastic and should be on your daily reading list) put me onto some amazing digitized vintage Backpacker magazines. More than the articles, I was drawn to the old-school ads for some of the same outfitters we are still talking about today. Companies like Sierra Designs, Danner, The North Face and Woolrich. It is cool to see the look and feel from the late seventies and early eighties. I especially love the illustrated ads. I remember reading magazines and catalogs like Campmor as a kid and dreaming over kick-ass camping equipment.
Industrial Shelter | Cleveland Art
I’m a sucker for that whole industrial salvage furniture look. The guys from Billykirk have it going on in their design studio. Tons of crazy old tools and machines salvaged mostly from factories in Los Angeles. If I lived out in LA I would be all over Sonrisa, Retro Office and especially a recent discovery, Cleveland Art. I know what you are thinking, why the hell is it named Cleveland Art when it is based in LA?
In the Wild | Civilian Conservation Corps
One of FDR’s first programs enacted under the New Deal was the establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps or CCC as it came to be known. The program enlisted thousands of out-of-work young men throughout the United States to “focus on natural resource conservation” at National, State and local park-lands. Oregon State University has a beautiful archive of images from the days of the CCC. Some of my favorites below.
Treasures
There are certain things I can’t resist on eBay. Good army surplus from WWII, plaid thermoses (which I will discuss more later), dead stock items, etc. I have a book shelf in my living room that holds all of my acquisitions from eBay or the flea market — holds all of my treasures. Pictured below are some of my favorite items — descriptions after the jump.
On a Rescue Mission
My trip to Japan wasn’t really a sightseeing holiday, I was actually sent to Tokyo on a covert American rescue mission. I went in search of American goods that wanted to be returned to their rightful home, back to the motherland. The greatest find was a vintage red Woolrich hunting jacket that was “saved” from Free & Easy’s Rugged Museum. The Rugged Museum store by the way, is excellent. In addition to stocking some awesome brands Post O’ Alls, 68 & Brothers, Mister Freedom, Buzz Rickson, etc., the shop had an AMAZING selection of vintage goods. Chore coats, flannel shirts, vintage chambray. My head was spinning. In the end settled on this vintage Woolrich jacket that fit like a glove and was a bargain at ¥13,780 or $152.71.
