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Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1910. "The Boardwalk at night." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
I last used a safety razor a couple of years ago just to try it out for old times sake. I guess there must have been a trick to using one, because even with a new blade my neck was full of little nicks. Needless to say I went back to the more modern version.
Like Burt Lancaster said, "In those days, Atlantic City had floy-floy."
A few of the pictured businesses on the boardwalk:
Judging from the 'movement' in the lights, it looks like either somebody kicked the tripod during the exposure, or it wasn't completely steady. I can't imagine the razor was moving during the exposure.
[The camera moved near the start or end of the exposure. - Dave]
I don't know about Snooki, but I can imagine Nucky in this picture.
Five wonderful shopfronts in the foreground, from F.W.Woolworth to The Tokio. I grew up in Upminster, Essex, England and our local 'Woolworths' had a similar shop front to this one - although it was never known as the 5 and Dime, for obvious reasons.
Off the wall like most of my comments, but, here I go anyway. This reminded me of the old medicine chests with the slot in the back to dispose of your used razor blades. All they did is drop into the space between the wall studs. This was in the days of real men who didn't need no stinkin' insulation!
I was always taught that we cannot shave ourselves; only Jesus shaves. Or something like that.
I love how the old Hotel Traymore is just barely visible in this shot. The floodlights on Brady's Baths gives this photo a remarkable feel.
should never be used by five-year olds as a means of washing the remnants of a spaghetti dinner away ala "shaving just like Dad". The result may be a small scar on the upper lip like mine.
This morning I "shaved by myself" with my old Gillette Safety Razor, a close relative of the one being hawked in this photo. It's still a great shave.
Even though I'm an avowed tv addict I don't like to apply ANYthing I see on the tube to my beloved Shorpy page. I like to keep you separate from the rest of my world, kinda like an oasis. Gotta make one exception though; doesn't look like I'm gonna be able to not think of "Boardwalk Empire" whenever I see vintage pictures of Atlantic City. They just made that era in that place so VIVID.
From the 2000 Arcadia Publishing book Atlantic City by John T. Cunningham and Kenneth D. Cole:
When bathers in 1887 shed their exhibitions, they did so in bath houses such as Brady’s Baths. Each day bathers leased suits from Brady's for wading in the water. For those who abstained, Brady's built a covered observation deck just off the boardwalk. The woolen or flannel suits may have endangered bathers if they ventured too far into the water, as the suits became heavy when waterlogged.
["Shed their exhibitions"? Hm. - Dave]
Yes! The Helmar Cigarettes sign at night! I loved the spare wire construction of it in the daytime shot and wondered about it. Now I see that it was apparently holding lights. One of many things I love about Shorpy is that the answer to questions usually shows up eventually-- either in another shot or from a commenter.
This is a gorgeous view though. I can't get enough of these black and white nighttime scenes.
That's really unusual for any photo from Atlantic City.
[That blur on the boardwalk is people. This was a time exposure. - Dave]
is really a timeless view. One can almost see Snooki and Jwoww staggering along the boards in the harsh glow of the electric lights.
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