This 1942 lithograph, Emblem of Freedom, hung on the wall of my grandfather’s liquor store in the Prather Building in Advance. I was always fascinated by the perspective.
I lost track of what I had done with it. It was over the mantle in our living room for a long time, but we shuffled other images up there over the years.
When I was packing for my trip back to Cape Friday morning, I looked in the back of our guest room closet for some stuff I had stashed there. It was behind some framed collections of old press passes.
Not visible in 1946
The flag picture isn’t visible in this 1946 photo of Roy Welch’s store. That’s Mother and Grandmother Elsie Welch in the photo.
The store had been rearranged by the time I was old enough drive my toy tractor round and round the floor, looping through the small store room in the back left. In the winter, some of the regulars would cluster around the old stove visible toward the back right.
I remember the counters being on the north or right wall. The shelves with the bottles were on the left wall.
In background in Spin City
A copy of the flag picture showed up frequently in the background of a TV situation comedy. I’m pretty sure it was Spin City, starring Michael J. Fox. It got so I would look for it as the camera panned the room.
So this photo was taken inside the Prather building? I’ve never seen it before–I must steal it and see who I can find who remembers it! I don’t suppose you’d mind if I put it in the NSC, as an echo from the past? I would be interested in doing a story.
I’ve collected several old photos like this of the inside of various businesses in Advance, and you’re right about the perspective. I don’t know who the photographer was, but he must have made the rounds, capitalizing on the businessman’s pride of ownership.
I admire photographers like you, who record history in this fashion.
If you’re headed back to Cape, maybe we can invite you and your mother back for a piece of blackberry pie!
I’ve been planning to do a story on the building for some time, but have been holding off until I could unearth more pix of it.
You’re welcome to use it if you include a link back to here.
I just purchased the Emblem of Freedom as pictured from Goodwill for $1.99 It is in an old wooden frame. I did a search and am not finding a lot in it. Any idea as to its real value?
Can’t really find that much information on it. I do have an original original framed of that flag it’s faded, but still beautiful.