The following postcard was posted at Portland, Oregon, at 3.30PM on Saturday 2 November 1912, ninety-five years ago today! It was issued by The Ullman Manufacturing Co., New York (about whom I can find nothing online) in their „Hallowe’en Series” [No. 143, Subject No. 2413]. It is not clear who the artist is, since they are not credited, and the only signature I can make out is an upside-down „T. D.” (or, possibly, a sideways „A. E.”).I love the wand (doubling as a whip) for the JOL-headed broom (doubling as a horse). And since our beautiful Halloween Witch is riding her broom as if it were a horse, she must, of course, ride side-saddle. And given the magnificent hat and gown that our fashionable witch is wearing I suspect she is flying to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup. If she were to turn up on the first Tuesday this November she would definitely win an award at the „Fashions on the Field.”
BTW: the hat looks a bit like a petasus, the symbol of Hermes (Mercury to the Romans), the fleet-footed messenger of the Gods (which would be appropriate, but only in a weird kind of way).
