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| All photos courtesy James L. Dixon |
December 30, 1964
Dear ol’ Santee . . . .
Durn it, I never did care for Christmas cards, but when that hunnert dollar check fell out of one I took a second look at it - - at the Christmas card, that is.
But why did you hafta go and do that? Pay for the one you hadn’t yet used, thereby leaving me with nothing in the pot, thereby causing me to rouse myself into finishing up this barbershop piece I’ve been threatening you with.
AT THE SIGN OF THE STRIPED POLE - - - and [sic] excellent title for a Sherlock Holmes tale eh wot
And now that this is off my hands I’m like a dog without fleas - - I got nothing to do and all kinds of time to do it in.
Mud in your eye . . .
signed E. L. Moore
ol' Santee was Hal Carstens, RMC's editor at the time. ELM often had to badger Carstens for payment, as he didn't submit those stories for free, and article payment was often slow in coming.
I'm not sure what the $100US was in payment for, but an online inflation calculator tells me that hunnert is worth around $900US in today's money. Not an inconsiderable amount.
Notice how he's installed mirrors along both side walls. When I went to the barber as a kid I found the infinite mirror illusion fascinating.
Side walls weren't supposed to be bricks-- but concrete blocks. Typical construction- fancy stuff in front, cheaper stuff in back. When I created my block of buildings- using ELM's barbershop, Nixon Drugs, Ramsey Journal, fire dept, many of the side walls became abutted to another building.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. And now that you mention it, the etched squares on the sides are larger than those on the front, so maybe they were meant to be concrete blocks.
DeleteI wonder if he was going for painted cinder blocks on the sides and back, and actual brick on the front? Not having the article handy I'm only speculating, but the size difference is notable. A truly wonderful example of his skill and ability to capture the important details of the real world, (the mirrors, e.g.) in miniature.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, they were likely meant to be blocks. I saw red, as they say, I immediately thought they were bricks - I need to check the article again for clues about what they were meant to be.
DeleteHmm, he’s a little vague about bricks and blocks for the walls. The text notes the side and end walls are made from 1/16” sheet balsa. No scribing instructions are given, but the materials list includes “some brick paper”. I think the implication was to glue “some brick paper” of your choice to the balsa, which wasn’t what he actually did. ELM does note the following,
Delete“Note that this here Southern boy still likes his balsa sheet, along with black eyed peas and hawk fat drippings. Even I have to admit that Northeastern scribed sheet wood and strips makes the job easier albeit a smidgeon more expensive.”
Simply amazing, especially all the details indoors. I wonder were these details made by the author?
ReplyDeleteYes, he scratch built all the interior details, and in the Clarabel Hotel too.
DeleteFunny how that beat-up awning makes the whole place look run down. If that was replaced, it would carry its original dignity.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree, replacing it with a new one would make it seem brand new.
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