I *heart* ...

What can we say, we love our jobs on the 6th Floor of the San Francisco Public Library. So on this Valentine's Day we gathered together a few items that remind us of what we love about the San Francisco History Center / Book Arts & Special Collections departments.

Raymond Peynet.
The Lovers' Pocketbook (1954)
Schmulowitz Collection
of Wit & Humor, SFPL.


Je t'aime Raymond Peynet!
Peynet's whimsical drawings of "Les Amoureux" began appearing in a series of books just after World War II. His two lovers were immediately popular, their charm extending far beyond France. Pictured here is Peynet's first English edition published by Kaye Webb and Ronald Searle's Perpetua Press in 1954. Peynet’s joyously romantic books may be found in the Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor.
- Special Collections Librarian




I like this promo photo for the film After the Thin Man. It's very romantic!
- Photo Desk Assistant

You can browse the digitized images in the  San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection for more romantic views of  the City from days gone by.
"FROM THE HEIGHTS OF SAN FRANCISCO'S TELEGRAPH HILL... William Powell and Myrna Loy view the great bay bridge between scenes from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's 'After the Thin Man,' a Hunt Stromberg production directed by W. S. Van Dyke." San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection, SFPL.
Cupid's Book of Good Counsel [1924?]
San Francisco History Center, SFPL


I actually *heart* pancakes, but I didn't until I discovered the pancake recipe in Cupid's Book of Good Counsel, one of the many cook books found in the San Francisco History department's stacks. To make your own pancakes from Cupid's Book, check out this Test Kitchen post!
- The Page
The Albion Press in Book Arts
& Special Collections, SFPL





What's not to love about printing your own Valentine? Our Valentine printing event was a blast and the 1909 Albion Press is an object of great affection in Book Arts & Special Collections.
- Rare Books





I heart the San Francisco Photograph Collection’s Vernacular Album Collection because the snapshots document the everyday moments of San Franciscans. I gravitate towards the photos that document what I like to do – spending time with my friends.

This photograph is of newlyweds Evelyn and Tom Ficken hosting dinner and game night in their outer Richmond home. They are playing the new board game Monopoly.
Evelyn Luders Ficken Collection; Feb. 28, 1936
This is from a series of snapshots of one evening of Evelyn and Tom Ficken drinking with their friends during World War II. I call this series of shots “good times.” It appears that all of the guests had their own ashtray.
- Photo Curator
Evelyn Luders Ficken Collection; circa 1940s

Finally, with love comes support - as in foam book supports!
- SF History Center Archivist
Clarkson foam supports with "snakes" and weight bags.

  Happy Valentine's Day!

Comments

  1. I thoroughly enjoy your blog and also love The Thin Man, but I do believe the photo you've included here is a still from the film, not a shot from between scenes. Am I wrong?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am also a fan of The Thin Man! The information that we have is what has been printed on the back of the photo which was used to promote the film. It could very well be a scene used in the film and the studio sent it out as a publicity photo of "between scenes."

      Here's a link to the photo's full record on the SFPL website: http://sflib1.sfpl.org:82/record=b1016721~S0

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