Skandinaven's Book Department

John Anderson and his family made the journey from Voss, Norway to Chicago in 1844, when John was eight years old. His two brothers died on the trip, and his father died during a cholera epidemic in 1848. In order to make ends meet for his mother and infant sister, 12-year-old John sold apples and newspapers. His job as a newspaper boy led to additional newspaper jobs until finally he was working on layout for the Chicago Tribune.

In 1866, Anderson started publishing a Norwegian-language newspaper called the Skandinaven. It became America's leading Norwegian newspaper. Eventually, Anderson added a book store and a mail-order book department. Some of the longer works were published in installments. I wondered if that's what Hanna Jacobson of Astoria, Oregon had ordered. She received this card in 1904, acknowledging receipt of $13.50. I assumed that inst. stood for installment, but as the comments below reveal, it stands for instant, meaning this month.

Thirteen dollars was a lot of money in 1904.  I can hardly imagine what she must have been buying,  since Skandinaven's 1915-16 catalog offered books with gold lettering and engraved illustrations for a dollar a piece.

You can read lots more about John Anderson at the Norwegian-American Historical Association website in an article written by Jean Skogerboe Hansen.

My Son Karl

I don't speak Norwegian, but I think I was able to get the basic meaning of the text, based on similarities with other languages -  and a lot of guessing. But then again, I could be wrong. If you speak Norwegian, please feel free to make any corrections.

At first I thought this was a mass produced postcard, but it looks as if it is actually a real-photo card of a family member. Here's the back of the card, sent from Fredrikshald (now Halden), Norway. I have to give the post office special credit for recognizing Kallifonia, and for finding the new address of the recipient.

The message on the back of the card seems to be wishing Johan a happy Christmas, though by the time he receives the card the holiday has already passed.  It looks as if the card was sent on the 7th of December, 1911 and didn't arrive at its destination until a month later.

The message wishes Johan a happy Christmas and appears to be from his sister, Alma Hansen, who says "Here you see my son Karl."

Norwegian Talking Hands

We are in need of a Norwegian translation here. Anybody out there speak Norwegian? If so, your help would be greatly appreciated. We can see that it has something to do with the language of the hands. I understand one of them to say "I will always be true to you", but I couldn't tell you with any certainty what the rest of them represent. Of course it might be more fun to make up meanings. In that case I will say that the two black-cuffed hands on the right (jeg falder tilfeie) means 'I fold tinfoil.'

In any case it's a wonderful card.  Thanks to my neighbor, Marilee, who graciously lent me this card to post here. Here's the back of the card.