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Gary Hornseth

@garyhornseth

Minnesota ephemerist. History, music, visual arts, a bit of baseball. Work = PR. Posts = else. Also the westerly half of Trademark Issues 🎸

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Latest posts by Gary Hornseth @garyhornseth

Snow on a spiral railing

Snow on a spiral railing

Square grate with clear circle then snow

Square grate with clear circle then snow

Outside the state Capitol this morning

11.03.2026 13:33 πŸ‘ 75 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

That, is outstanding.

10.03.2026 22:53 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A rack of colorful jackets looking vaguely Sgt. Pepper-ish.

A rack of colorful jackets looking vaguely Sgt. Pepper-ish.

They’ve been going in and out of style.

10.03.2026 22:13 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Red and white wooden circus wagon wheel.

Red and white wooden circus wagon wheel.

A bronze verdigrised anter-less moose, maybe half sized, laying on a wooden pallet.

A bronze verdigrised anter-less moose, maybe half sized, laying on a wooden pallet.

A world War I era Minnesota State Fair poster with a painting of a driver of an early gasoline tractor with spectators looking on.

A world War I era Minnesota State Fair poster with a painting of a driver of an early gasoline tractor with spectators looking on.

A parking lot sign that says "Fox" with a depiction of a fox with it's tongue hanging out.

A parking lot sign that says "Fox" with a depiction of a fox with it's tongue hanging out.

Get in losers, there's another Minnesota State Fair surplus auction going on. www.auctionmasters.com/auctions/det...

10.03.2026 20:03 πŸ‘ 95 πŸ” 24 πŸ’¬ 5 πŸ“Œ 10

Free band name

10.03.2026 16:40 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A simple illustration looking down a corridor at a wall of brightly colored wall panels running floor to ceiling, alternating in yellow, orange, a sort-of pistachio green, and dark wood grain. In the right third, a figure carrying a book enters a door into a room beyond the paneled wall. 

From the ad copy: β€œColorful, carefree interior walls are practically a β€˜must’ in the design of modern educational buildings. In assembly rooms and corridors! In classrooms and labs! In dormitories, dining rooms and recreation quarters there is a need to brighten up interior wall surfaces. And they must require little maintenance.

Porcelain enamel wall panels provide many advantages for such applications. They are colorful, durable, withstand hard abuse, easily wipe clean with a damp cloth. They are quickly installed, require no special tools or skills. Finally, they are relatively low in cost, permitting you to stretch construction dollars.

The lifetime porcelain enamel is fused to lightweight steel. Panels come to you ready for installation. Aluminum molding can be porcelain enameled to match if desired. You get a complete package. And you can choose from literally hundreds of colors.”

A simple illustration looking down a corridor at a wall of brightly colored wall panels running floor to ceiling, alternating in yellow, orange, a sort-of pistachio green, and dark wood grain. In the right third, a figure carrying a book enters a door into a room beyond the paneled wall. From the ad copy: β€œColorful, carefree interior walls are practically a β€˜must’ in the design of modern educational buildings. In assembly rooms and corridors! In classrooms and labs! In dormitories, dining rooms and recreation quarters there is a need to brighten up interior wall surfaces. And they must require little maintenance. Porcelain enamel wall panels provide many advantages for such applications. They are colorful, durable, withstand hard abuse, easily wipe clean with a damp cloth. They are quickly installed, require no special tools or skills. Finally, they are relatively low in cost, permitting you to stretch construction dollars. The lifetime porcelain enamel is fused to lightweight steel. Panels come to you ready for installation. Aluminum molding can be porcelain enameled to match if desired. You get a complete package. And you can choose from literally hundreds of colors.”

Detail, trade advertisement for porcelain enamel wall panels
Ferro Corp., Cleveland, Ohio
Architectural Forum
June 1963

Image: US Modernist Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/usmo...

08.03.2026 18:16 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A full page ad in color. It’s filled by a color, birds-eye view architectural rendering of the then-planned Northwestern National Life Insurance Building at 20 Washington Ave. S, Minneapolis, which opened in 1965. The building in this view is surrounded by a lot of greenery and a handful of buildings. A few figures walk around, a couple of trees bloom in pink along the sidewalk. 

Copy: 
THE LOOK OF CLASSICAL COLONNADES ...concrete brings timeless beauty to this modern office building

Minneapolis embraces progress in new buildings such as the home of the Northwestern National Life Insurance Company, to be completed in the fall of 1964. Reinforced and precast concrete, the structure will be a dramatic contribution to civic beauty. β€’ Rows of slender precast, prestressed concrete columns with flaring capitals soar 80 feet high, and extend beyond the building to create an impressive portico. For full development of the arched colonnade effect, the columns are brilliant white, achieved with quartz and white portland cement. Additional accent is provided by dark green walls of faceted panels flanked with gray glass, β€’ Concrete offers endless opportunity for striking departures from prosaic design in structures of every purpose.

PORTLAND CEMENT ASSOCIATION
A national organization to improve and extend the uses of concrete

THE BEST IDEAS ARE MORE EXCITING IN CONCRETE
Architect: Minoru Yamasaki & Associates, Birmingham, Michigan β€’ Structural Engineers: Worthington, Skilling, Helle & Jackson, Seattle, Washington β€’ Owner: Northwestern National Life Insurance Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota

A full page ad in color. It’s filled by a color, birds-eye view architectural rendering of the then-planned Northwestern National Life Insurance Building at 20 Washington Ave. S, Minneapolis, which opened in 1965. The building in this view is surrounded by a lot of greenery and a handful of buildings. A few figures walk around, a couple of trees bloom in pink along the sidewalk. Copy: THE LOOK OF CLASSICAL COLONNADES ...concrete brings timeless beauty to this modern office building Minneapolis embraces progress in new buildings such as the home of the Northwestern National Life Insurance Company, to be completed in the fall of 1964. Reinforced and precast concrete, the structure will be a dramatic contribution to civic beauty. β€’ Rows of slender precast, prestressed concrete columns with flaring capitals soar 80 feet high, and extend beyond the building to create an impressive portico. For full development of the arched colonnade effect, the columns are brilliant white, achieved with quartz and white portland cement. Additional accent is provided by dark green walls of faceted panels flanked with gray glass, β€’ Concrete offers endless opportunity for striking departures from prosaic design in structures of every purpose. PORTLAND CEMENT ASSOCIATION A national organization to improve and extend the uses of concrete THE BEST IDEAS ARE MORE EXCITING IN CONCRETE Architect: Minoru Yamasaki & Associates, Birmingham, Michigan β€’ Structural Engineers: Worthington, Skilling, Helle & Jackson, Seattle, Washington β€’ Owner: Northwestern National Life Insurance Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Trade advertisement
Portland Cement Association
Architectural Forum
June 1963

Image: US Modernist Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/usmo...

08.03.2026 17:55 πŸ‘ 34 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
A side-by-side view of a 1933 image of that same entryway in daylight alongside a recent view of the entryway. A woman stands in the doorway of the old photo. The images look very similar.

A side-by-side view of a 1933 image of that same entryway in daylight alongside a recent view of the entryway. A woman stands in the doorway of the old photo. The images look very similar.

Another image from that same 1933 article, alongside a slightly off-angle 2022 Street View image.

Credits as above.

08.03.2026 04:28 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A night time, black and white photo of a building entrance with two pairs of double doors. The elaborate, ceiling-mounted metal feature shown in the original post is seen above each entryway, lit from above. 

The article contains many more images of the building’s interior and exterior detailing, a lot of which picks up on similar design themes. 

Magazine caption: β€œThe employees' entrance on Third Avenue, as shown in the photograph above by night”

Photographer credited as Howson

A night time, black and white photo of a building entrance with two pairs of double doors. The elaborate, ceiling-mounted metal feature shown in the original post is seen above each entryway, lit from above. The article contains many more images of the building’s interior and exterior detailing, a lot of which picks up on similar design themes. Magazine caption: β€œThe employees' entrance on Third Avenue, as shown in the photograph above by night” Photographer credited as Howson

An image of that entryway when it was new.

From β€œThe Creation of a Telephone Building,” Architecture: The Professional Architecture Monthly, April 1933.

PDF of issue (article begins on p. 199) accessed via usmodernist.org; www.usmodernist.org/index-am.htm

08.03.2026 04:10 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Just as I’m starting to wonder, β€œSo what’s that thing behind the sign…,” Vic solves it.

08.03.2026 01:21 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Center!

08.03.2026 01:17 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

One minute of the Grain Belt Beer sign and a train crossing the Mississippi River in Minneapolis

08.03.2026 00:16 πŸ‘ 222 πŸ” 44 πŸ’¬ 13 πŸ“Œ 3
Sandwich board sign on sidewalk.  James and Mary Laurie
Booksellers.
We Buy and Sell Rare, Used and Out-of-Print.
BOOKS MAPS PRINTS
Appraisals
Search Service.

Sandwich board sign on sidewalk. James and Mary Laurie Booksellers. We Buy and Sell Rare, Used and Out-of-Print. BOOKS MAPS PRINTS Appraisals Search Service.

James & Mary Laurie Booksellers is ensconced in their new location at 933 Marquette Ave. S. in downtown Minneapolis. If I have the sequence right, this is about location No. 6 (N. St. Paul>Stillwater>St. Paul>Nicollet Mall>North Loop>Marquette). Yes, the photo when Mick Jagger visited is displayed.

08.03.2026 01:03 πŸ‘ 451 πŸ” 61 πŸ’¬ 16 πŸ“Œ 4
A daytime view in color taken at street level from around 10th Street looking toward the river. The sky appears bright but overcast. A storefront clock visible along the left, if accurate, suggests it’s about 10:48 am. The movies listed on marquees (THE SEARCHERS, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS), narrow the date to probably sometime between June 1-6, 1956. The view looks down the center of the avenue as signs and buildings recede toward the Grain Belt Beer sign in the distant background. Cars of many colors line the avenue, parked and in traffic. Some motorists have their windows down. Some pedestrians walk along the sidewalks. Just about all the men are wearing hats, even those driving. A couple of city buses with red exteriors approach from the distance. Businesses or signs in view include the Anthony Hotel, The Gopher Cafe, The Gopher Theatre, the Orpheum Theatre, The State Theatre, Hirshfield’s.

A daytime view in color taken at street level from around 10th Street looking toward the river. The sky appears bright but overcast. A storefront clock visible along the left, if accurate, suggests it’s about 10:48 am. The movies listed on marquees (THE SEARCHERS, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS), narrow the date to probably sometime between June 1-6, 1956. The view looks down the center of the avenue as signs and buildings recede toward the Grain Belt Beer sign in the distant background. Cars of many colors line the avenue, parked and in traffic. Some motorists have their windows down. Some pedestrians walk along the sidewalks. Just about all the men are wearing hats, even those driving. A couple of city buses with red exteriors approach from the distance. Businesses or signs in view include the Anthony Hotel, The Gopher Cafe, The Gopher Theatre, the Orpheum Theatre, The State Theatre, Hirshfield’s.

Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
June 1956

Image: Hennepin Co. Library, digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/coll...

08.03.2026 01:01 πŸ‘ 27 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 4

I’ve been glad for a long time that London Wainwright wasn’t listening.

07.03.2026 16:18 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A grid of nine linoleum patterns arranged in a grid of squares. The patterns contain a wide range of alternating shapes and colors, bright or muted, most symmetrical. Most suggest marble or tile.

A grid of nine linoleum patterns arranged in a grid of squares. The patterns contain a wide range of alternating shapes and colors, bright or muted, most symmetrical. Most suggest marble or tile.

Selected patterns from β€œLinoleum & Felt-Base: Spring Season - 1932”
Sloane-Blabon Corp., New York

Image: Avery Library Architectural Trade Catalogs Collection (Columbia Univ.) via @archive.org; archive.org/details/lino...

07.03.2026 14:25 πŸ‘ 273 πŸ” 70 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 7

pro-nonsense

02.03.2026 13:18 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Looking up at a dusky blue sky with silhouettes of leafless trees and several lamp posts trailing off into the distance, a setting yellow sun as a small, bright ball on the horizon, and a layer of small clouds in a tight patchwork pattern

Looking up at a dusky blue sky with silhouettes of leafless trees and several lamp posts trailing off into the distance, a setting yellow sun as a small, bright ball on the horizon, and a layer of small clouds in a tight patchwork pattern

Good evening, Saint Paul.

01.03.2026 23:38 πŸ‘ 47 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Night view from Blackfriars Bridge looking downstream over the River Thames showing Blackfriars railway station platforms that stand over the river - brightly illuminated, a train on the northbpund platform under the glass roof and sides that are lit in blue. In the right background the Shard can be seen.

Night view from Blackfriars Bridge looking downstream over the River Thames showing Blackfriars railway station platforms that stand over the river - brightly illuminated, a train on the northbpund platform under the glass roof and sides that are lit in blue. In the right background the Shard can be seen.

Blackfriars station & the River Thames #london #photography

28.02.2026 19:00 πŸ‘ 19 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Can confirm.

27.02.2026 14:46 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

β€œWell, this club is formed.”

25.02.2026 18:59 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Black and white daytime photo of Joseph Binder striding toward the camera alongside the front of a train underneath a depot overhang. Sign on front of train reads β€œBurlington Route.” He wears a hat, overcoat and suit and tie, and glasses with round frames, perhaps carrying something under his left arm. Right hand in coat pocket. A few figures visible in far background.

Black and white daytime photo of Joseph Binder striding toward the camera alongside the front of a train underneath a depot overhang. Sign on front of train reads β€œBurlington Route.” He wears a hat, overcoat and suit and tie, and glasses with round frames, perhaps carrying something under his left arm. Right hand in coat pocket. A few figures visible in far background.

The MAK’s online collection houses more of Binder’s work including more travel sketches from around the U.S., to which he emigrated in the mid-1930s. Also this picture of him alongside the Burlington Zephyr in Minneapolis, 1935.

(4/4)

Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_...

22.02.2026 22:10 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A vertically oriented pastel sketch on white paper in red, blue, grey, black and yellow. It’s a view across a field of rooftops of what look like commercial/industrial buildings that recede into the background. The view looks like it would have been looking out of an upper floor window. In the immediate foreground there is a flat rooftop with some skylights; it looks almost as though you could step out onto it. A few smokestacks and chimneys are in view, one emitting a thin trail of dark smoke. Sketch pad perforations visible along the left edge.

A vertically oriented pastel sketch on white paper in red, blue, grey, black and yellow. It’s a view across a field of rooftops of what look like commercial/industrial buildings that recede into the background. The view looks like it would have been looking out of an upper floor window. In the immediate foreground there is a flat rooftop with some skylights; it looks almost as though you could step out onto it. A few smokestacks and chimneys are in view, one emitting a thin trail of dark smoke. Sketch pad perforations visible along the left edge.

Travel sketch, Minneapolis
1933-1935
Joseph Binder (1898-1972), Austrian graphic designer

(3/4)

Image: Online collection, The MAK - Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna; sammlung.mak.at/en/collect/m...

22.02.2026 22:10 πŸ‘ 22 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
A horizontally oriented pastel sketch on white paper in red, blue, grey, black and yellow. It’s a streetscape showing a collection of commercial buildings, one of about 10 stores in the background and some lower-profile ones in the foreground. Some cars are visible and what looks like a yellow streetcar. One small, leafless tree is in the immediate foreground. Sketch pad perforations visible along the left edge.

A horizontally oriented pastel sketch on white paper in red, blue, grey, black and yellow. It’s a streetscape showing a collection of commercial buildings, one of about 10 stores in the background and some lower-profile ones in the foreground. Some cars are visible and what looks like a yellow streetcar. One small, leafless tree is in the immediate foreground. Sketch pad perforations visible along the left edge.

Travel sketch, Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis
1934
Joseph Binder (1898-1972), Austrian graphic designer

(2/4)

Image: Online collection, The MAK - Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna; sammlung.mak.at/en/collect/a...

22.02.2026 22:10 πŸ‘ 20 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
A horizontally oriented pastel sketch on white paper in red, blue, grey and black, showing a portion of the Stone Arch Bridge in the foreground and the milling district in the background. Sketch pad perforations visible along the left edge.

A horizontally oriented pastel sketch on white paper in red, blue, grey and black, showing a portion of the Stone Arch Bridge in the foreground and the milling district in the background. Sketch pad perforations visible along the left edge.

Travel sketch, Minneapolis
1935
Joseph Binder (1898-1972), Austrian graphic designer

(1/4)

Image: Online collection, The MAK - Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna; sammlung.mak.at/de/collect/m...

22.02.2026 22:10 πŸ‘ 100 πŸ” 14 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 1

FACT: The Zamboni family came to the United States from the Friuli region of northern Italy, roughly 100 miles from where this Olympics men’s hockey final is being played.

22.02.2026 15:03 πŸ‘ 541 πŸ” 72 πŸ’¬ 20 πŸ“Œ 6

Thanks for resurfacing this.

22.02.2026 15:10 πŸ‘ 16 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Album cover: Unhalfbricking by Fairport Convention (1969)

Album cover: Unhalfbricking by Fairport Convention (1969)

Someone needs to invent competitive unhalfbricking for this very purpose.

22.02.2026 02:11 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
A full-page ad in black and white showing a St. Paul skyline and river view running along the bottom. Minnesota State Capitol in view along left edge. A superimposed movie projector in profile looms over the city, alongside a black circle containing text: β€œEntire City of St. Paul is 70% Simplex”. A row of six billboards is in the bottom foreground giving similar stats for about a dozen other cities. One billboard reads β€œQuality Wins”. Callout box at bottom reads β€œMADE AND GUARANTEED BY THE PRECISION MACHINE CO. INC.
317 East 34th St - New York”

A full-page ad in black and white showing a St. Paul skyline and river view running along the bottom. Minnesota State Capitol in view along left edge. A superimposed movie projector in profile looms over the city, alongside a black circle containing text: β€œEntire City of St. Paul is 70% Simplex”. A row of six billboards is in the bottom foreground giving similar stats for about a dozen other cities. One billboard reads β€œQuality Wins”. Callout box at bottom reads β€œMADE AND GUARANTEED BY THE PRECISION MACHINE CO. INC. 317 East 34th St - New York”

One of a series of national trade advertisements touting the popularity of Simplex movie projectors in various American cities

Moving Picture World
July 30, 1921

Image: MoMA Library Collection via @archive.org; archive.org/details/movi...

21.02.2026 16:03 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Angine de Poitrine - Sarniezz (Live on KEXP)
Angine de Poitrine - Sarniezz (Live on KEXP) YouTube video by KEXP

Merci, algorithmes de YouTube.

21.02.2026 03:39 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0