Vintage Jacksonville

This photograph of the sailing ship Sea Cloud traveling on the St Johns River with the original Prudential building rising in the background had a note by photographer Loyd Sandgren attached to it identifying the date of the event as 1949.  After a bit of research, the history of the ship warranted more information than what was found in Loyd’s original note.

The 316 foot long ship was built in Germany in 1931 for Marjorie Merriweather Post and her second husband Edward Francis Hutton. It was named the Hussar II. In 1935 it was renamed the Sea Cloud after Post married Joseph Davies, the United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union who then used the ship as an informal embassy. The ship was chartered to the United States Navy in 1942 for $1.00 a year and went into service as the Coast Guard Cutter Sea Cloud.  It had its four masts removed, was painted gray and served as a weather observation vessel along the East Coast of the United States.  In 1943 it was transferred to the Navy and saw service off the New England Coast, then Argentina and Newfoundland.  In 1944 under a new commander, the sailors on the Sea Cloud became the first fully integrated ships crew in the Navy.

In late 1944 the USS Sea Cloud was returned to Marjorie Merriweather Post and restored to its prewar condition.  In 1955 the now divorced Post sold the ship to Rafael Trujillo, the president of the Dominican Republic.  The ship was renamed Angelita after Trujillo’s daughter.  Trujillo was assassinated in 1961 and the ship was held in the Dominican Republic for around five years.  It was sold again in 1966 and renamed Antarna but plans to turn it into a seagoing classroom never came to fruition.  After staying in port for eight years the ship was sold again and redesigned as a passenger ship, taking her first cruise in 1979.  The Sea Cloud has changed hands and been upgraded since the 1970’s but is is still in service today, operating in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

Tags: 001089, Dominican Republic, Edward Francis Hutton, historic photography, Joseph Davies, Marjorie Merriweather Post, navy, Prudential, Rafael Trujillo, sailing ship, Sea Cloud, St Johns, vintage photograph

An additional image from the Loyd Sandgren collection for the Borum Boat Company in Jacksonville, Florida.  One of their beautiful wood boats photographed with a model and a Grumman F9F Cougar jet on the runway of Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Additional photographs from the shoot can be seen here.

Tags: 000775, Borum, Borum Boat, Cougar, Grumman, historic photography, jet, model, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, navy, vintage photograph, woman

While not the Baby New Year, she is close to being in her birthday suit.  This unnamed young lady was found in one of two albums of photographs by Loyd Sandgren entitled Nudes.  None are particularly shocking but a number, due to the passage of time have high camp appeal.  I don’t know the status of this particular subject but there are a mix of what appear to be personal figure study experiments mixed in with promotional photographs taken for strippers and showgirls. She does seem to be having a good time despite what looks like a rather uncomfortable pose.

Happy New Year from Vintage Jacksonville and may 2015 bring all of you wonderful surprises!

Tags: bare, body, figure, flower print, historic photograph, nude, portrait, smile, studio, vintage photograpy, woman

Wishing everyone who has visited Vintage Jacksonville a wonderful mid century modern Christmas without too many distractions to keep you from enjoying the holiday season.

I recently stumbled across this product shot taken by Loyd Sandgren for the Perry Display Company that was located at 3119 Main Street.  There were several different versions of photographs taken of various retail display tables made by this company but this particular one seemed like a good fit for this time of year.

Tags: artificial tree, business, Christmas, historic photography, Perry Display Company, photo studio, plywood, table, tree, vintage photograph

The Lakewood bound City Coach Lines bus picks up its fur shawl wrapped, high heeled passenger in this staged 60’s vintage photograph by Loyd Sandgren.  There are a number of photographs in the Sandgren collection shot for the city and Greyhound bus lines from that era in Jacksonville.  Different time different fashion.

Tags: 005486, bus, city bus, City Coach Lines, fashion, high heels, historic photography, Lakewood, Loyd Sandgren, men, transportation, vintage photograph, women

“Here is a photo taken in front of the San Marco Theatre in the San Marco Shopping Center.  The manager was standing out in front. About 1947.”  LS

The movie Son of God’s Country staring singing cowboy Monte Hale released in 1948.  I compared the photograph with the exterior as it looks today and where there were many similarities, there were also some differences so I shared the photo with David Blue, the current owner of the San Marco Theatre and he generously shared his thoughts.

“I have spent a lot of time looking at this picture and I don’t think it is actually the San Marco. I have seen pictures of the theater when it first opened in 1938 and in those photos the door pattern is consistent with the way they look today (which is different in your photo). Also, the tile work on the side panels is not representative of past pictures, nor what exists now, which is a sculpted concrete. It is strikingly similar, but I don’t think it is the San Marco. I of course could be wrong.”

Tags: historic photography, movie, San Marco, San Marco Theatre, Son of God's Country, theatre, ticket window, vintage photograph

According to beaches historian Don Mabry and confirmed by numerous friends of Vintage Jacksonville at the beaches, the gentleman in the center of this photograph taken by beaches photographer Virgil Deane is I.D. Sams, the Mayor of Jacksonville Beach, Florida in 1952 and then from 1959-1961.  Despite a great deal of speculation on the identities of the twins nothing solid has come in yet but if any of them are around and remember this photo shoot, it would be great information to add to the post.

Tags: children, historic photograph, I.D. Sams, jacksonville beach, Mayor, twins, vintage photography, virgil deane

“The Florida State Theatres Inc. Maintenance & Supply Departments plus the Concession department on 323-325 E. Bay Street as it looked in 1954.”  LS

After contacting Tisha Shelden with the League of Historic American Theatres, she made contact with Numa Saisselin, the President of the Florida Theatre Performing Arts Center in Jacksonville who provided some background on the company.  According to Saisselin, “The Florida Theatre was the headquarters of the Florida State Theatres chain, also known as ABC Florida Theatres. Their offices were in the office building above the lobby of the current Florida Theatre, and included a screening room. All the managers of all the other theatres in the chain would come here for previews of new releases.”

I then spoke with Will Henley, the publisher of EU magazine and he filled in the final piece of the puzzle regarding this building.  It was used as a warehouse for supplies and maintenance for the theatre chain.  “I went to work for them (ABC Florida Theatres) in 1972. In the early 70’s there were around 78 theaters in the chain around the state and we would service them.  We bought everything in bulk and we would send them out to theaters.  1979 we moved out of the Florida State Theatre building and in the early 80’s we moved out of the warehouse.

The building, built in 1904, is now being converted into a restaurant by former New York Jets wide receiver Laveranues Coles, Jr.

To the right of the Florida State Theatres building is the home of Bartley’s Coffee Company.  The business was purchased by Martin Coffee Company in 1957 and the company is still doing business in Jacksonville from another location.

Tags: Bartleys Coffee Company, building, downtown, East Bay Street, Florida State Theatres, Florida Theatre, historic photograph, Laveranues Coles, Loyd Sandgren, Martin Coffee Company, vintage photography, warehouse

Internationally known photographer Philippe Halsman speaking at the 19th. annual convention of the Florida Professional Photographers organization photographed by Jacksonville Beach photographer Virgil Deane.  Halsman held the record for the most photographs  to appear on the covers of Life Magazine with 101.  He collaborated with artist Salvador Dali on projects for over 35 years making iconic images of the creative master.  He also become known for his Jump series that he started in the 1950’s.  At the end of his scheduled photo shoot he would ask his subjects, usually famous celebrities or political figures, to jump for his camera and he would photograph them.  A collection of those images was published in book form in 1959.  Halsman died in 1979.

According to Kaye Newsome, the current Executive Director of the Florida Professional Photographers organization, Virgil Deane was the president of the group in 1955, so I would assume this photograph was taken around that time.

Tags: convention, Florida Professional Photographers, historic photography, Life, LIFE Magazine, Philippe Halsman, photographer, vintage photograph, virgil deane

One of the two random photos of belly dancers found in the Loyd Sandgren collection. Despite the period costume, the glasses on the dancer and the hair style place this photo as late 1960’s early 1970’s. Check out the other frame here.

Tags: belly dancer, club, costume, dancing, hippie, historic photography, vintage photograph, women