Julia Henri

The rare images of Baker's electric automobiles used in this article came from the actual Baker electric car catalogue published in 1912 and have not been reprinted since the catalogue first became available. The images were sourced from the late Richard Teague's automobile related collections that make up most of the Automotive Research Library, La Mesa, CA.Published in all three editions (East Coast, Central and West Coast) of Antique Week and The Auction Exchange weekly newspapers, MidCountry Media, Indiana.

This story emerged when I first saw a magnificent watercolor illustration used to promote a cigarette advertisement published in a popular fashion magazine dated October 1930. The image was rendered in colorful and technically beautiful detail. It portrayed an elderly black man cooing and clapping while a teenaged blonde, dressed in an excessively short skirt, danced for him. Even more suggestive, the pair were hidden away in an old basement in front of an old coal furnace. The caption read, "Marilynn Miller learned to dance with the help of her grandmother's furnace man."

In 1930, this would have been a controversial image. Who was Marilynn Miller? Her legacy was nearly lost until I became fascinated by her story, her lovers, her music and the importance of the classic, custom automobile that shaped her destiny.

Published: Midcountry Media, Indiana. A more extensive work about Marilyn Miller's life is in progress.

When I first suggested this article to my editor, it seemed as though this story would only be a recap of the history behind blown glass Christmas ornament manufacturing in the United States. However, after beginning my research through the Corning Glass Museum, I soon found out that these ornaments were not documented in any records other than what I had found in 1919 Scientific American Magazine article. Days of fact checking and interviews went into documenting this story, which is still on-going. It appears that the ornaments were made for only a very brief time, and none have been found to date, although everyone is certainly looking since this article was published Christmas 2015.

Published in Michigan History Magazine as well as for 3 editions (East Coast, Central and West Coast) of Antique Week and The Auction Exchange published by MidCountry Media, Indiana.

Highly specialized drivers’ clothing was not only stylish but required to shield the driver and passengers from the splashes, stains, and dirt that would undoubtedly occur while bouncing along in their splendid automobiles. This article contains images that have not been reproduced since they were originally printed nearly a century or more ago.

This article covers the history of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic mixed drinks and snacks served during the Prohibition Era through the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933. Unusual and tasty kitchen-tested recipes included.