The "Little Me" aboardship leaving Germany where I was born at the Stuttgart Army Base. I didn't set foot in the USA until I was close to 3 years old. We traveled via Army transporter though, no luxury liner I was told. I'm wearing a very fashionable pair of Lederhosen complete with Edelweiss on my sweater. I was always a snappy dresser, lol. And yes. I still have those Lederhosen. My mom packed them away very carefully, along with an actual Edelweiss flower in a little glass container. The legend is if you bring one of those small, white Alpine flowers home with you, you'll return to Germany in the future. It was true. I spent 6 weeks in Germany during my senior year in high school as part of an exchange program. I never got to the Black Forest though, where I was born, staying rather in the North most of the time in Bremen, but it was Germany none-the-less.
You'll see I'm holding a toy car—of course! I'm not 100% positive, but I'm pretty sure that car is the one I just photographed below. Click to see this adorable little tyke in greater detail. Oh yeah, and to see the toy car closer too.
A pseudo late-forties Cadillac metal toy car. There is no interior, never was, but this type of toy car was very popular in the fifties and early sixties. There are rubber tires that roll and it's a nice weight in your hands to push along the floor. Photographed this afternoon on my vintage porch rocker, which I've painted with one of my now-trademark plaid treatments.
For four more photos of this car from different angles, click on Read More below. I love the way the car photographed outside on my porch, so I shot a bunch of angles.
"Little Me" you are sooooo cute. I bought Lederhosen for one of my grandsons when I went to Germany once. I think he only wore then once, should have taken a picture. I actually thought they were very practical, talk about sturdy, I doubt there is a child around who could wear out a pair.
ReplyDeleteGuten Tag!
Adorable pic! I wasn't born in the US either but sadly all the slides of me as a baby in Mexico got lost...
ReplyDeleteCasey,
ReplyDeleteMy mother was stationed in Stuttgart in the early 1950s. She even attended courses at the university there. She brought back some really wonderful things. I remember a set of tables with ebony legs and inlaid wooden tops (marquetry?)that depicted scenes from 18th century Germany.
I'd look at them and wonder how the craftsmen fit all those tiny pieces of different colored wood together to make such lovely pictures.
Alas, my brother spirited them away after my mother passed on.
I can't complain...much. I have a really handsome painting of an old man in Bavarian dress.
Anyway, it was nice to think about my mother again.
Cheers.
Thanks, Ish! I'll continue to post pics of my young self from time to time. it was clear what team i play for from the day I was born, lol. i'm just surprised i didn't have a fan-dancer outfit at five. I was more of a Rat Packer by then. : )
ReplyDeleteAnd 'anonymous' I'm glad I sparked a memory. That's what my art is about and what my blog is about. I had so many terrific things from that period in Germany, '55-'60. My parents were also stationed in Japan in the early '50s and i have very cool art and collectibles from there too. thanks for the comment!
OH MY GOSH! I wanna just pinch that cute little face! Adorable picture of someone who grew up to be a handsome man. I see where you got your eye for detail in that your mother kept the flower for you along with the lederhosen.
ReplyDeletemare
Hi Casey,
ReplyDeleteI have an (empty) photo album that my parents brought back from Germany. Maybe late 1940s.
It's bright green cloth with a piece of dark wood veneer affixed to the front. It was held together with a leather lace - long gone.
U.S.-Zone-Germany
Frankfurt, Berlin, Muenchen, Nuernberg, Bremen, Bamberg, Heidelberg, Stuttgart
Each city's shield is above the city name.
My scanner is acting up. I couldn't scan the cover. I'm sure you would appreciate it having lived in Stuttgart and Bremen.
As I have no curatorial skills, I can't care for it properly. Maybe if I'm passing through Connecticut some day, I can leave it in a hollow tree or behind a secret rock for you to pick up.
Marius
Marius: You're too funny. It would be SO much fun to find a treasure like that out in nature, lol. I have several empty photo albums from Japan from my parent's time there. They have mother-of-pearl inlays and maps of either Japan or Korea on them. I know what you mean about curating. These items weren't always considered treasures, that's just the way the world works. They're loved when bought, but then go through a long period of just being 'stuff.' Some of the covers of mine are detached, some are missing the back piece although I probably have it tucked in a box somewhere. It's only when they're quite old that they become valued again. Just like cars. Cars are loved when new. Then they go through a long period of just being used cars. It's only much later usually that people consider them 'classics' or their worth is known. That's sort of why my art looks the way it does. I grew up with a LOT of old antiques and belongings, but most of them were scratched or broken or poorly repaired, and I learned to love them anyway. I can't conceive of creating perfectly new looking art, all of mine looks like it has aged gracefully for the most part.
ReplyDeletePINCH AWAY MARE, PINCH AWAY. SO CUTE. PINCHING IS A GRANNYS' WAY OF SHOWING THEIR WAY OF SAYING YOUR SO CUTE. I CAN STILL SEE YOU IN THIS PICTURE. MY BROTHER BROUGHT ME BACK A PAIR OF THOSE LEDERHOSEN WHEN HE WAS STATION IN BAMBURG DURING THE KOREAN WAR. I WISH I HAD THEM TODAY. I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT HAPPEN TO THEM.
ReplyDeleteGRANNY
Love your vintage Cadillac, the "adorable little tyke" isn't so bad either! LOL
ReplyDeleteGreat post Casey.
I think that toy you are holding is a shuco tinplate windup streamline sedan. The Hubley Cadillac is a different animal. I have both of these toys in my collection. Love your site!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dansklunk! That makes sense. I have a Schuco wind-up key and I didn't know what it went to.
ReplyDelete