This is the January page from Herrick’s Almanac, 1906. It includes advertising for Dr. Herrick’s perforated strengthening plasters and a sketch of two men working (or two boys playing?) in a barn as farm animals relax in the barnyard. The cover of this almanac is a free download on my blog here.
Click on image to enlarge.
I think the two boys/men are using flails to thresh grains from their stalks and husks. Before mechanized reapers and threshers, harvesting grains of any kind were very labor intensive. If you look closely you can see a pile of what is supposed to be stalks on the threshing floor.
My grandmother collects Harrison Fisher postcards and illustrations. She has a complete set of that series about the best moments of a young brides life in the rose tint. There were other press runs of the same series that seem to have a greenish-bluish tint. I’m eighteen and a civil engineering major, but I do like old illustrations, especially of engineering and technical things.
Best regards,
Rick
Hi Rick,
Thank you for the helpful and interesting information.
I imagine your grandmother’s collection is beautiful. Harrison Fisher’s art is some of my favorite.
When I’m looking through my collection of antique books and magazines, I tend to overlook the engineering and technical things but I will plan to begin to add some of those types of illustrations to my blog.
I wish you much success in your studies!
Julie