View allAll Photos Tagged Unblemished
Poem.
The islands are mystical, beautiful, alluring, fascinating,
a nature-lover’s paradise.
The beaches are pristine, pure, unblemished perfection.
The mountains are dream-like, wave upon wave into the distance.
The fjords or sea-lochs are grand, majestic and awe-inspiring.
The cliffs range from a few metres to a thousand feet,
literally mountains falling into the sea.
The wild-life and sea-life is abundant.
The coast from the Sound of Arisaig to Mallaig and Loch Nevis has a plethora of all of these features.
The combination is captivating and sumptuous.
Few get this far, but their reward far outweighs the effort of their travels.
Tell others-but not too many!!!
I forgot to say –
its greatest asset is its uncrowded, beautiful isolation.
Totally……totally……priceless!!!
A few years after I stopped all that trainspotting nonsense I found myself at Temple Meads going on a train somewhere, and saw 50033 Glorious waiting at the signal with a rake of parcels wagons. So I couldn't resist a snap.
Notice the NSE logo has appeared on the headcode panel, although the locomotive remains unblemished by a wanky orange stripe.
27th July 1988.
Copied on a lightbox from the original slide.
August already and my list for summer vacation is looking kind of sad...so much I want to do and accomplish and time is running short...
I haven't even posted much here lately and so I have decided to take until after Labor Day off...except for photo's that I will post for Getty Images...
Please know that I will still check on you and your streams...I will miss the process but more importantly I will be working on my "list"...all is well and I hope your August brings you many small moments of joy and summer fun...see you soon...
If you would like to check out my list and visit with me a bit...come on over to the blog, I'll be there all summer...starting right now..
cherylcrotty.squarespace.com/blog/
"The beach is not the place to work; read; write or think. I should have remember that from other years. To warm, to damp, to soft for any mental discipline or sharp flights of spirit. One never learns. Hopefully one carries down the faded straw bag, lumpy with books, clean paper, long over-due unanswered letters, freshly sharpened pencils, lists and good intentions. The books remain unread, the pencils break their points, the pads rest smooth and unblemished as the cloudless sky. No reading, no writing, no thoughts even...at least not at first. At first..the tired body takes over completely." Gifts from the Sea..Anne Morrow Lindbergh
The ceiling of the Hypostyle Hall at Dendera Temple is enriched with an incredible amount of figurative detail carved in low relief and painted in subtle shades against a blue background. The subjects include numerous deities and hybrid figures (some familiar, others much less so) and even astrological elements, such as recognisable figures from the zodiac.
Over the centuries the ceiling had become so darkened by dirt and soot to become heavily obscured and hard to read, and this is how I saw it for the first time in the 1990s, when many visitors probably missed it altogether. Now it has been fully cleaned and restored it shines again not only as one of the glories of the temple but one of the most remarkable surviving decorative schemes of ancient Egypt. The contrast with its previous blackened, unrestored condition is dramatic, giving an entirely different impression from our previous visit.
The Temple of Hathor at Dendera is one of Egypt's best preserved and most beautiful ancient shrines. This magnificent edifice dates to the Ptolemaic period, late in Egyptian history, though the site long had been the cult centre for the goddess Hathor for centuries before (the earliest extant remains date to c360BC but a temple is recorded here as far back as c2250BC). Most of the main building dates to the reigns of the last Cleopatras and further decoration and building work within the complex continued in the Roman period up to the reign of Trajan.
The dominant structure in the complex is the Temple of Hathor, an enormous structure with a rectangular facade punctuated by the Hathor-headed columns of the hypostyle hall within. This hall is an architectural wonder, a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian design and decoration, which covers every surface and has been recently cleaned, revealing a superb astrological ceiling in all its original vibrant colours.
Sadly there was much iconoclasm here during the early Christian period and most of the reliefs of the walls and pillars have been defaced. Worse still is the damage to the 24 Hathor-head capitals: not one of the nearly a hundred huge faces of the goddess that once smiled down on this hall has been left unblemished, most with their features cruelly chiselled away.
The main temple building is otherwise structurally intact, and extends into further halls and chapels beyond, again with much relief decoration (much of which is again defaced). In one corner is an entrance to a crypt below, an unusual feature in Egyptian temple architecture consisting of several narrow passages adorned with carved relief decoration in good condition.
There are further sanctuaries and chapels above on the roof of the temple, accessed by a decorated staircase and including the room where the famous Dendera Zodiac was formerly located (today its place in the ceiling taken by a cast of the original, now displayed in Paris). The highest part of the roof complex is no longer accessible to tourists, but I can still recall making the ascent there on our first visit in 1992.
Several other buildings surround the main temple, the most impressive of which is the mammisi or 'birth-house'. This consists of a large rectangluar hall surrounded by a colonnade near the entrance to the site and has some well preserved relief decoration on its exterior. Most of this structure dates to the Roman period, but the ruins of its predecessor built under Nectanebo II (Egypt's last native pharoah) stand nearby.
Dendera temple is one of the most rewarding in Egypt and shouldn't be missed. It is one of the most complete and evocative ancient monuments in the country and its recent restoration has revealed a surprisingly extensive amount of colour surviving within (we were amazed by the dramatic contrast with the soot-blackened ceiling we'd beheld on our previous visit in the 1990s). Despite its relative youth (in Egyptian terms at least!) it is easily one of my favourite sites in Egypt.
We're getting the last few apples from our ancient apple tree - I've made 4 apple crisps in the past 3 weeks and we've devoured them all. I saved these 2 that were fairly unblemished and put them under the lens. LOTS of Lightroom, Photoshop, Topaz, etc to get to this point.
For Freight Car Friday here's a nice relatively unblemished fallen flag Norfolk and Western covered hopper. Despite the old 'grain loading only' stencil it is clearly in other service these days as Reading and Northern train QASD hauls it east over the Lehigh Anthracite crossing at MP 1.5 on the Greenwood Running track, which is a small surviving portion of the famed Lehigh and New England Railroad. The car will be loaded with crushed fine anthracite coal for a destination unknown.
Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
Monday July 3, 2023
The ceiling of the Hypostyle Hall at Dendera Temple is enriched with an incredible amount of figurative detail carved in low relief and painted in subtle shades against a blue background. The subjects include numerous deities and hybrid figures (some familiar, others much less so) and even astrological elements, such as recognisable figures from the zodiac.
Over the centuries the ceiling had become so darkened by dirt and soot to become heavily obscured and hard to read, and this is how I saw it for the first time in the 1990s, when many visitors probably missed it altogether. Now it has been fully cleaned and restored it shines again not only as one of the glories of the temple but one of the most remarkable surviving decorative schemes of ancient Egypt. The contrast with its previous blackened, unrestored condition is dramatic, giving an entirely different impression from our previous visit.
The Temple of Hathor at Dendera is one of Egypt's best preserved and most beautiful ancient shrines. This magnificent edifice dates to the Ptolemaic period, late in Egyptian history, though the site long had been the cult centre for the goddess Hathor for centuries before (the earliest extant remains date to c360BC but a temple is recorded here as far back as c2250BC). Most of the main building dates to the reigns of the last Cleopatras and further decoration and building work within the complex continued in the Roman period up to the reign of Trajan.
The dominant structure in the complex is the Temple of Hathor, an enormous structure with a rectangular facade punctuated by the Hathor-headed columns of the hypostyle hall within. This hall is an architectural wonder, a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian design and decoration, which covers every surface and has been recently cleaned, revealing a superb astrological ceiling in all its original vibrant colours.
Sadly there was much iconoclasm here during the early Christian period and most of the reliefs of the walls and pillars have been defaced. Worse still is the damage to the 24 Hathor-head capitals: not one of the nearly a hundred huge faces of the goddess that once smiled down on this hall has been left unblemished, most with their features cruelly chiselled away.
The main temple building is otherwise structurally intact, and extends into further halls and chapels beyond, again with much relief decoration (much of which is again defaced). In one corner is an entrance to a crypt below, an unusual feature in Egyptian temple architecture consisting of several narrow passages adorned with carved relief decoration in good condition.
There are further sanctuaries and chapels above on the roof of the temple, accessed by a decorated staircase and including the room where the famous Dendera Zodiac was formerly located (today its place in the ceiling taken by a cast of the original, now displayed in Paris). The highest part of the roof complex is no longer accessible to tourists, but I can still recall making the ascent there on our first visit in 1992.
Several other buildings surround the main temple, the most impressive of which is the mammisi or 'birth-house'. This consists of a large rectangluar hall surrounded by a colonnade near the entrance to the site and has some well preserved relief decoration on its exterior. Most of this structure dates to the Roman period, but the ruins of its predecessor built under Nectanebo II (Egypt's last native pharoah) stand nearby.
Dendera temple is one of the most rewarding in Egypt and shouldn't be missed. It is one of the most complete and evocative ancient monuments in the country and its recent restoration has revealed a surprisingly extensive amount of colour surviving within (we were amazed by the dramatic contrast with the soot-blackened ceiling we'd beheld on our previous visit in the 1990s). Despite its relative youth (in Egyptian terms at least!) it is easily one of my favourite sites in Egypt.
This is a creative commons image, which you may freely use by linking to this page. Please respect the photographer and his work.
[A set of 11 images] The H. L. Jackson Building at 120 West Broad Street in Blackstone, Virginia (Nottoway County) was part of a revitalization plan for downtown Blackstone, the 109 year old structure being renovated in 2010. It is part of the Blackstone Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places January 25, 1991 with the identification number of #90002174
"One of Blackstone's most prosperous early merchants was Henry L. Jackson, a black man. In 1899 the Town Council granted Jackson a license for the retail sale of liquor in Blackstone, which necessitated paying the town an annual license tax of $500. Jackson's success resulted in his purchasing the brick building at 120 West Broad Street two years later and cladding it in one of Blackstone's most elaborate pressed-tin facades. The building is crowned with Jackson's name and the date 1901." (National Register of Historic Places nomination form for Blackstone Historic District)
The facade is by Mesker Bros. of St. Louis, Missouri. Many ornamental features are displayed from the swag and fleur-de-lis pattern at the top to the dolphin motif between windows on the second level. Unfortunately the shadows prevented an unblemished view of these unique panels. My understanding is that the second level now consists of apartments.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
A plant in Roath Park, Cardiff I don't remember noticing before.I was impressed by the pristine beauty of the flowers and leaves which appear to be unblemished by the dreadful weather of this "summer". It is a Mexican orange blossom (Choisya tenata).
vernacular photo collectors love to go on and on about their diver photos. there seems to be a neverending search for the Platonic ideal of the diver. of course. Leni Riefenstahl got there first (well, at least metaphorically-speaking), but Leni marred herself a bit by going all Nazi on us, so the search continues.
however, i'm pretty sure i've found the ne plus ultra. beautifully composed, crisply-focussed, wonderfully-toned, unblemished, here's the best of the best. my Diver photo.
This is a creative commons image, which you may freely use by linking to this page. Please respect the photographer and his work.
[A set of 11 images] The H. L. Jackson Building at 120 West Broad Street in Blackstone, Virginia (Nottoway County) was part of a revitalization plan for downtown Blackstone, the 109 year old structure being renovated in 2010. It is part of the Blackstone Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places January 25, 1991 with the identification number of #90002174
"One of Blackstone's most prosperous early merchants was Henry L. Jackson, a black man. In 1899 the Town Council granted Jackson a license for the retail sale of liquor in Blackstone, which necessitated paying the town an annual license tax of $500. Jackson's success resulted in his purchasing the brick building at 120 West Broad Street two years later and cladding it in one of Blackstone's most elaborate pressed-tin facades. The building is crowned with Jackson's name and the date 1901." (National Register of Historic Places nomination form for Blackstone Historic District)
The facade is by Mesker Bros. of St. Louis, Missouri. Many ornamental features are displayed from the swag and fleur-de-lis pattern at the top to the dolphin motif between windows on the second level. Unfortunately the shadows prevented an unblemished view of these unique panels. My understanding is that the second level now consists of apartments.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
The Temple of Hathor at Dendera is one of Egypt's best preserved and most beautiful ancient shrines. This magnificent edifice dates to the Ptolemaic period, late in Egyptian history, though the site long had been the cult centre for the goddess Hathor for centuries before (the earliest extant remains date to c360BC but a temple is recorded here as far back as c2250BC). Most of the main building dates to the reigns of the last Cleopatras and further decoration and building work within the complex continued in the Roman period up to the reign of Trajan.
The dominant structure in the complex is the Temple of Hathor, an enormous structure with a rectangular facade punctuated by the Hathor-headed columns of the hypostyle hall within. This hall is an architectural wonder, a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian design and decoration, which covers every surface and has been recently cleaned, revealing a superb astrological ceiling in all its original vibrant colours.
Sadly there was much iconoclasm here during the early Christian period and most of the reliefs of the walls and pillars have been defaced. Worse still is the damage to the 24 Hathor-head capitals: not one of the nearly a hundred huge faces of the goddess that once smiled down on this hall has been left unblemished, most with their features cruelly chiselled away.
The main temple building is otherwise structurally intact, and extends into further halls and chapels beyond, again with much relief decoration (much of which is again defaced). In one corner is an entrance to a crypt below, an unusual feature in Egyptian temple architecture consisting of several narrow passages adorned with carved relief decoration in good condition.
There are further sanctuaries and chapels above on the roof of the temple, accessed by a decorated staircase and including the room where the famous Dendera Zodiac was formerly located (today its place in the ceiling taken by a cast of the original, now displayed in Paris). The highest part of the roof complex is no longer accessible to tourists, but I can still recall making the ascent there on our first visit in 1992.
Several other buildings surround the main temple, the most impressive of which is the mammisi or 'birth-house'. This consists of a large rectangluar hall surrounded by a colonnade near the entrance to the site and has some well preserved relief decoration on its exterior. Most of this structure dates to the Roman period, but the ruins of its predecessor built under Nectanebo II (Egypt's last native pharoah) stand nearby.
Dendera temple is one of the most rewarding in Egypt and shouldn't be missed. It is one of the most complete and evocative ancient monuments in the country and its recent restoration has revealed a surprisingly extensive amount of colour surviving within (we were amazed by the dramatic contrast with the soot-blackened ceiling we'd beheld on our previous visit in the 1990s). Despite its relative youth (in Egyptian terms at least!) it is easily one of my favourite sites in Egypt.
"Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An' I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers."
- Edgar A. Guest, "Thanksgiving"
The following text is taken straight from:
omniumcars.com/cars/isotta-fraschini-tipo-8a-1933
Regarding the car pictured here.
The Birth of the Company
After years of successfully importing French vehicles to Italy, Cesare Isotta and Vincenzo Fraschini created the Isotta Fraschini Company in 1902. Their elegantly designed automobiles were popular with rich clientele in the rapidly evolving world-wide automobile market. Their creations were reliable, stylish, and quick. An Isotta Fraschini car won the t Targa Florio in 1908.
When Isotta Fraschini introduced the Tipo 8 in 1919, the firm had already established itself as the premier builder of luxury automobiles in Italy. Since the dawn of motoring, Isotta Fraschini had offered some of the most pioneering and prestigious examples of the automobile, and the new Tipo 8 would live up to its proud lineage. The Tipo 8 was, the first “production” inline eight-cylinder engine, a design that would the standard for high-performance luxury automobiles of the Classic Era.
In 1912 the Isotta Fraschini Company introduced a straight eight-cylinder engine but it would not go into production until 1919 after World War I when the company built aero engines. The eight-cylinder engine powered the Tipo 8, making it the first straight-eight cylinder engine to go into production. The 5.9-liter capacity engine could of produce 100 horsepower, an most noteworthy accomplishment at the time.
In the Twenties
The grand scale of the Tipo 8 was less essential by the 1920s, when advancements in engineering ensured that a smaller engines were capable of acceptable performance. Nevertheless, in cultivating its image as an exclusive builder of high-end luxury cars, Isotta Fraschini sought to maintain the massive size of its engines and chassis as well as the extravagant coachbuilt bodies to appeal to its very wealthy clientele. A major contributor to the long, stately lines of Isotta Fraschinis was the Tipo 8 chassis itself, with its impressive straight eight necessitating an exceptionally long hood. The coachwork near the scuttle was often aligned with the sizeable radiator, further contributing to the imposing lines and immense stature of the car. The cars were also highly stylized throughout, with many coachbuilders playing up the grand chassis with delightful touches such as intricately detailed brightwork, the finest auxiliary accessories available and bespoke options.
In 1924, the Tipo 8 chassis underwent a thorough redesign that improved the overall performance, created a more comfortable ride and helped to facilitate the larger, heavier bodies that were becoming increasingly fashionable by the mid 1920s. Engine capacity was increased to 7.3 liters, giving the vehicle between 110 and 120 horsepower depending on the configuration. The updated design was soon dubbed the Tipo 8A. The standard model sat atop a 145 inch wheelbase while a sportier version was fitted with a 134 inch wheelbase.
The North American market was especially important to Isotta Fraschini as many Americans were keen on cars that offered impressive outright performance yet still retained the ability to cruise effortlessly and majestically in the greatest of style. Isotta Fraschini built grand, dignified touring cars that could cruise the continent in speed and style and with surprising ease. At least one-third of 8As were sold in the United States, where the $9,750 chassis exceeded the price of a Duesenberg Model J and a complete coach-built car would cost in excess of $20,000.
Demise in the Thirties
In 1931, Isotta Fraschini introduced a refined engine with a four-speed gearbox and the name of their car evolved to the Tipo 8B. But as with many businesses, a Great Depression and a Second World War took a toll on the company. The last Isotta Fraschini automobiles were built in 1933. The company shifted focus to creating aero and marine engines during World War II and though several efforts were made to jump-start vehicle production after the conflict, all attempts failed. The factory was forced to close.
This Car
The unique history of this car is a perfect example of the international appeal and vaunted reputation of the Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A. Though the chassis was laid down in Milan as early as 1931, it remained incomplete until 1933, the final year of production for Isotta Fraschini automobiles. Castagna, the coachbuilder famous for their beautifully constructed work, bodied this car. The resulting work served as a brilliant expression of its technical and artistic virtuosity. Bodies built by Castagna were of the highest quality and combined the artistic qualities of fine furniture, architecture and industrial design. In creating such decadent bodywork, Ercole Castagna went to some length to ensure a truly international product, which included acquiring licenses to use a Hibbard & Darrin designed hood, Baehr all-weather bodies, as well as French Grebel headlights.
The unique two-door, dual cowl sports tourer body fitted to this car is clearly a Castagna product. They were the only Italian firm that could so successfully and coherently combine both decadent and sporting themes in a body of such high quality. The unique body featured stunning, art-deco-style ornamentation on the radiator stone guard depicting the rays of the sun, a rakish V-shaped windscreen, dual cut-down doors, twin rear-mounted spares, torpedo-style running boards and brilliant proportions all contributing to this show-stopping automobile that exudes power, sophistication and good taste.
It was such a superb achievement that the car was presented at the 1933 Paris Auto Salon, a venue that always drew the most spectacular and stylish new automobiles. From there it was shipped to the famous Isotta Fraschini showroom in New York for collection by American celebrity Joe Penner, a popular zany radio comedian known to most for his slapstick antics and catchphrase “Wanna buy a duck?” A photograph still exists of this Isotta in Central Park taken upon its arrival in the city.
A Career in the Movies
By the 1940s the car had made its way to the West Coast, ending up in the collection of Pacific Auto Rentals, owned and operated by George Schweiger. Schweiger’s collection of approximately 150 cars is notable in that many of the cars were frequently used by the great Hollywood studios and were prominently featured in films of the era. This car had a particularly significant film career, taking a starring role in the 1946 film Without Reservations, starring John Wayne and Collette Colbert. In the film, Wayne and Colbert negotiate the purchase of the car from its beleaguered owner, and can be seen driving it throughout the rest movie, with the Isotta literally serving as the vehicle that drives the story along. The car would later appear in the films Invisible Agent and Mr. Imperium, starring Lana Turner, as well as Follow the Sun: The Ben Hogan Story, serving as an exclusive and imposing mode of transport. It may be best known, however, for its role in the 1956 Warner Bros. epic film Giant, starring James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson. Certainly this Isotta Fraschini was the perfect car to illustrate the wealth and power of determined Texas oil baron, Jet Rink, the character played by James Dean who in one scene can be seen speeding along a Texas highway behind the wheel of this car with a landscape of oil derricks pumping in the background. See a compendium of movie clips that feature the car in the RH column here, the link is immediately under the image gallery.
Later Life
The Isotta’s illustrious film career came to an end and the car was completely restored in the late 1960s when it was purchased by Matt Browning of Ogden, Utah. While in the renowned collection of Mr. Browning, the car, by this time restored to its current appearance, was featured in Angelo Tito Anselmi’s definitive book on the marque, Isotta Fraschini. It has since resided in two impressive homes, including the late Otis Chandler’s famed collection, where, for a time, it served as one of the centerpieces of his growing collection of significant classics. In the 1980s the car was comprehensively restored to a much higher standard than the first freshening and, in the possession of its most recent caretaker, the car has benefited from sympathetic cosmetic and mechanical maintenance, ensuring that it remains in excellent order throughout.
The Car Today
This Isotta Fraschini is a truly spectacular car in every sense. It possesses a brilliantly engineered chassis, a handsome one-off Castagna body, and an impressive provenance that includes major roles in several classic films and an unblemished history – all of which contribute to a singular and highly desirable classic. This car is sure to continue attracting favorable attention wherever it is shown and deserves its place among the finest coachbuilt luxury cars of the 1930s. A fabulous offering from two of the most cherished names in the history of the Italian automobile industry, this car is sure to please both in the effortless way in which it drives and in its undeniable presence, two characteristics that have gained it much admiration during the past 85 years.
This miniland-scale Lego model Isotta Fraschini 8A Dual-Cowl Sports-Tourer has been designed for Flickr LUGNuts 76th Build Challenge - 'Viva Italia' - featuring all things Italian and automotive.
"When they reached a hill about two miles from the village, two soldiers, who were really ministers of Satan, were lying in wait. Seeing the brethren from a distance, they discussed killing them. One of them, however, struck by remorse and horrified at the thought of consenting to such a crime, left the other and ran back quickly to the town. There he met the other two brothers on the road and tearfully disclosed the whole wicked scheme. Then the brothers started running to save Brother Peter, but by the time they arrived the other minister of Satan had already cruelly slain him with five blows of a billhook. As his companion, who survived for six days, testified, when Brother Peter was being struck he followed the example of the Saviour and did not murmur or defend himself or flee. Rather he endured steadfastly, graciously forgave the assassin’s crime, prayed for him, and with hands outstretched to heaven, said in a clear voice, ‘Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.’ It was at the hour of None, at midday, that he gave up his unblemished spirit to the crucified and risen Christ."
From the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, a glimpse of the fresco by Ghirlandaio of the Martyrdom of St Peter of Verona, protomartyr of the Dominicans. In the foreground is the monumental altar crucifix by Giambologna.
EDM post for #100 Draw or paint a landscape
******************************
A drive through the Tobacco Valley land near here is loaded with unique landscape---the shade grown leaves are used for cigar wrappers all over the world..the netting is tied a special way to cover entire fields which can look like snow from the air ... when the picking starts in the May to Sept season the nets are tied as you see them in the watercolor...to me they look very strange in the foggy morning...as a breeze will sway them eerily..one ideal unblemished leaf 30" long will wrap four cigars...Makes me remember Edward G Robinson talking tough with one clamped in his mouth..
The following text is taken straight from:
omniumcars.com/cars/isotta-fraschini-tipo-8a-1933
Regarding the car pictured here.
The Birth of the Company
After years of successfully importing French vehicles to Italy, Cesare Isotta and Vincenzo Fraschini created the Isotta Fraschini Company in 1902. Their elegantly designed automobiles were popular with rich clientele in the rapidly evolving world-wide automobile market. Their creations were reliable, stylish, and quick. An Isotta Fraschini car won the t Targa Florio in 1908.
When Isotta Fraschini introduced the Tipo 8 in 1919, the firm had already established itself as the premier builder of luxury automobiles in Italy. Since the dawn of motoring, Isotta Fraschini had offered some of the most pioneering and prestigious examples of the automobile, and the new Tipo 8 would live up to its proud lineage. The Tipo 8 was, the first “production” inline eight-cylinder engine, a design that would the standard for high-performance luxury automobiles of the Classic Era.
In 1912 the Isotta Fraschini Company introduced a straight eight-cylinder engine but it would not go into production until 1919 after World War I when the company built aero engines. The eight-cylinder engine powered the Tipo 8, making it the first straight-eight cylinder engine to go into production. The 5.9-liter capacity engine could of produce 100 horsepower, an most noteworthy accomplishment at the time.
In the Twenties
The grand scale of the Tipo 8 was less essential by the 1920s, when advancements in engineering ensured that a smaller engines were capable of acceptable performance. Nevertheless, in cultivating its image as an exclusive builder of high-end luxury cars, Isotta Fraschini sought to maintain the massive size of its engines and chassis as well as the extravagant coachbuilt bodies to appeal to its very wealthy clientele. A major contributor to the long, stately lines of Isotta Fraschinis was the Tipo 8 chassis itself, with its impressive straight eight necessitating an exceptionally long hood. The coachwork near the scuttle was often aligned with the sizeable radiator, further contributing to the imposing lines and immense stature of the car. The cars were also highly stylized throughout, with many coachbuilders playing up the grand chassis with delightful touches such as intricately detailed brightwork, the finest auxiliary accessories available and bespoke options.
In 1924, the Tipo 8 chassis underwent a thorough redesign that improved the overall performance, created a more comfortable ride and helped to facilitate the larger, heavier bodies that were becoming increasingly fashionable by the mid 1920s. Engine capacity was increased to 7.3 liters, giving the vehicle between 110 and 120 horsepower depending on the configuration. The updated design was soon dubbed the Tipo 8A. The standard model sat atop a 145 inch wheelbase while a sportier version was fitted with a 134 inch wheelbase.
The North American market was especially important to Isotta Fraschini as many Americans were keen on cars that offered impressive outright performance yet still retained the ability to cruise effortlessly and majestically in the greatest of style. Isotta Fraschini built grand, dignified touring cars that could cruise the continent in speed and style and with surprising ease. At least one-third of 8As were sold in the United States, where the $9,750 chassis exceeded the price of a Duesenberg Model J and a complete coach-built car would cost in excess of $20,000.
Demise in the Thirties
In 1931, Isotta Fraschini introduced a refined engine with a four-speed gearbox and the name of their car evolved to the Tipo 8B. But as with many businesses, a Great Depression and a Second World War took a toll on the company. The last Isotta Fraschini automobiles were built in 1933. The company shifted focus to creating aero and marine engines during World War II and though several efforts were made to jump-start vehicle production after the conflict, all attempts failed. The factory was forced to close.
This Car
The unique history of this car is a perfect example of the international appeal and vaunted reputation of the Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A. Though the chassis was laid down in Milan as early as 1931, it remained incomplete until 1933, the final year of production for Isotta Fraschini automobiles. Castagna, the coachbuilder famous for their beautifully constructed work, bodied this car. The resulting work served as a brilliant expression of its technical and artistic virtuosity. Bodies built by Castagna were of the highest quality and combined the artistic qualities of fine furniture, architecture and industrial design. In creating such decadent bodywork, Ercole Castagna went to some length to ensure a truly international product, which included acquiring licenses to use a Hibbard & Darrin designed hood, Baehr all-weather bodies, as well as French Grebel headlights.
The unique two-door, dual cowl sports tourer body fitted to this car is clearly a Castagna product. They were the only Italian firm that could so successfully and coherently combine both decadent and sporting themes in a body of such high quality. The unique body featured stunning, art-deco-style ornamentation on the radiator stone guard depicting the rays of the sun, a rakish V-shaped windscreen, dual cut-down doors, twin rear-mounted spares, torpedo-style running boards and brilliant proportions all contributing to this show-stopping automobile that exudes power, sophistication and good taste.
It was such a superb achievement that the car was presented at the 1933 Paris Auto Salon, a venue that always drew the most spectacular and stylish new automobiles. From there it was shipped to the famous Isotta Fraschini showroom in New York for collection by American celebrity Joe Penner, a popular zany radio comedian known to most for his slapstick antics and catchphrase “Wanna buy a duck?” A photograph still exists of this Isotta in Central Park taken upon its arrival in the city.
A Career in the Movies
By the 1940s the car had made its way to the West Coast, ending up in the collection of Pacific Auto Rentals, owned and operated by George Schweiger. Schweiger’s collection of approximately 150 cars is notable in that many of the cars were frequently used by the great Hollywood studios and were prominently featured in films of the era. This car had a particularly significant film career, taking a starring role in the 1946 film Without Reservations, starring John Wayne and Collette Colbert. In the film, Wayne and Colbert negotiate the purchase of the car from its beleaguered owner, and can be seen driving it throughout the rest movie, with the Isotta literally serving as the vehicle that drives the story along. The car would later appear in the films Invisible Agent and Mr. Imperium, starring Lana Turner, as well as Follow the Sun: The Ben Hogan Story, serving as an exclusive and imposing mode of transport. It may be best known, however, for its role in the 1956 Warner Bros. epic film Giant, starring James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson. Certainly this Isotta Fraschini was the perfect car to illustrate the wealth and power of determined Texas oil baron, Jet Rink, the character played by James Dean who in one scene can be seen speeding along a Texas highway behind the wheel of this car with a landscape of oil derricks pumping in the background. See a compendium of movie clips that feature the car in the RH column here, the link is immediately under the image gallery.
Later Life
The Isotta’s illustrious film career came to an end and the car was completely restored in the late 1960s when it was purchased by Matt Browning of Ogden, Utah. While in the renowned collection of Mr. Browning, the car, by this time restored to its current appearance, was featured in Angelo Tito Anselmi’s definitive book on the marque, Isotta Fraschini. It has since resided in two impressive homes, including the late Otis Chandler’s famed collection, where, for a time, it served as one of the centerpieces of his growing collection of significant classics. In the 1980s the car was comprehensively restored to a much higher standard than the first freshening and, in the possession of its most recent caretaker, the car has benefited from sympathetic cosmetic and mechanical maintenance, ensuring that it remains in excellent order throughout.
The Car Today
This Isotta Fraschini is a truly spectacular car in every sense. It possesses a brilliantly engineered chassis, a handsome one-off Castagna body, and an impressive provenance that includes major roles in several classic films and an unblemished history – all of which contribute to a singular and highly desirable classic. This car is sure to continue attracting favorable attention wherever it is shown and deserves its place among the finest coachbuilt luxury cars of the 1930s. A fabulous offering from two of the most cherished names in the history of the Italian automobile industry, this car is sure to please both in the effortless way in which it drives and in its undeniable presence, two characteristics that have gained it much admiration during the past 85 years.
This miniland-scale Lego model Isotta Fraschini 8A Dual-Cowl Sports-Tourer has been designed for Flickr LUGNuts 76th Build Challenge - 'Viva Italia' - featuring all things Italian and automotive.
Solid, liquid, gas, i.e., snow, water, clouds…and cold and wind and rocks. That was Trinidad today. 14 November. The time of year when the elements as atmospheric forces become unruly and dispense their “ugliness” upon the landscape and all that is about it. Most would snap their collar up, turn their back to the chilling wind, and walk away in search of soonest shelter; preferably warm. I guess that’s one way to “look” at it. But it’s not nearly the only way to look at, or rather, to “see” what is at hand. Call it potential if you will. Perspective-potential? Yup. To be able to eek out something relatively pleasing (hopeful) out of what appears to be unpleasing (hopeless). What was it Andy Dufresne said, "Get busy living, or get busy dying.” Yeah. I know. I got it, but don't get it. The doctrine of divine, unblemished sunshine or nothing at all – still? – reigns supreme, though I say "Sic semper tyrannis!" and go my way come hell or high water; rain or shine(ola). By crikey! I will apply my mind and all I’ve installed therein to what is before me to do what I have come to do: capture the scene regardless of inclemency. That’s right: improvise, adapt, overcome. And what I “saw” here was a teeny-tiny train conducting its Sisyphean exercise in the midst of this primordial landscape misshapen by unimaginable cataclysmic forces, weather notwithstanding. So what about the train? Seems completely irrelevant, save to provide a pedestrian perspective of how infinitely “small” man and his machine are in sardonic comparison, and I kinda like trains too. (14Nov17 ©)
MARC train 53 stopping at Barnesville MD on 9 July 1985 has RDC-1 No. 9920 still in original B&O markings, unblemished but for the diaphragm stuck on the front door.
Commentary.
Not a bad view from your only, and main street.
Here, only a hundred yards from the ferry terminal,
and a mile from the Holy Island of Iona is a beach archetypal of so many on Mull, Iona and the West Coast.
Uncommercialised, pristine and unblemished.
Just the sea, the sand, the bare and ancient rock
and a few people enjoying their leisure in this eternal landscape.
Hey, ho………que sera, sera.
Long time friend and fellow flickr tog Joe Micallef and I decided to have a little macro fun today at Hunter Botanic Gardens (Heatherbrae, NSW; Australia).
While there I spotted this lovely colored flower. It appeared unblemished and an ideal subject to focus on - hope you like it!!!
It's a pretty big file, so I'm sure you'll enjoy viewing it Large on Black!
Thanks for any comments, views or favorites for this, or any of my other images - greatly appreciated!!
Hope you have an awesome day and week everyone!!!
Relief panel from the impressive mammisi at Dendera dating mainly to the Roman period, these scenes depicting Emperor Trajan in Egyptian guise making offerings to Hathor. Much of the rich external carving was never finished, but on the south side it is fairly complete and in good condition (aside from the defaced Bes figures above the capitals).
The Temple of Hathor at Dendera is one of Egypt's best preserved and most beautiful ancient shrines. This magnificent edifice dates to the Ptolemaic period, late in Egyptian history, though the site long had been the cult centre for the goddess Hathor for centuries before (the earliest extant remains date to c360BC but a temple is recorded here as far back as c2250BC). Most of the main building dates to the reigns of the last Cleopatras and further decoration and building work within the complex continued in the Roman period up to the reign of Trajan.
The dominant structure in the complex is the Temple of Hathor, an enormous structure with a rectangular facade punctuated by the Hathor-headed columns of the hypostyle hall within. This hall is an architectural wonder, a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian design and decoration, which covers every surface and has been recently cleaned, revealing a superb astrological ceiling in all its original vibrant colours.
Sadly there was much iconoclasm here during the early Christian period and most of the reliefs of the walls and pillars have been defaced. Worse still is the damage to the 24 Hathor-head capitals: not one of the nearly a hundred huge faces of the goddess that once smiled down on this hall has been left unblemished, most with their features cruelly chiselled away.
The main temple building is otherwise structurally intact, and extends into further halls and chapels beyond, again with much relief decoration (much of which is again defaced). In one corner is an entrance to a crypt below, an unusual feature in Egyptian temple architecture consisting of several narrow passages adorned with carved relief decoration in good condition.
There are further sanctuaries and chapels above on the roof of the temple, accessed by a decorated staircase and including the room where the famous Dendera Zodiac was formerly located (today its place in the ceiling taken by a cast of the original, now displayed in Paris). The highest part of the roof complex is no longer accessible to tourists, but I can still recall making the ascent there on our first visit in 1992.
Several other buildings surround the main temple, the most impressive of which is the mammisi or 'birth-house'. This consists of a large rectangluar hall surrounded by a colonnade near the entrance to the site and has some well preserved relief decoration on its exterior. Most of this structure dates to the Roman period, but the ruins of its predecessor built under Nectanebo II (Egypt's last native pharoah) stand nearby.
Dendera temple is one of the most rewarding in Egypt and shouldn't be missed. It is one of the most complete and evocative ancient monuments in the country and its recent restoration has revealed a surprisingly extensive amount of colour surviving within (we were amazed by the dramatic contrast with the soot-blackened ceiling we'd beheld on our previous visit in the 1990s). Despite its relative youth (in Egyptian terms at least!) it is easily one of my favourite sites in Egypt.
The 1776 was released and went for its first "shakedown run" on the 214 out to Hopedale and back. The unit looked flawless—no grime on the underframe, an unblemished plow and tucked MU cables, a contrast to the green zephyr trailing.
Poem.
Winter, spring, summer and here, in autumn
Loch Eilt provides colour and vistas of unblemished beauty.
The slopes are draped in an autumnal cloak
of gold, orange, yellow and brown.
The clear, pebbled water gives way to
perfect reflections of the living mantle’s transformation.
The grey boulders provide a stark, pleasing tone and texture.
Cold, but permanent, against the warm gown of November’s apparel.
The skies stir and grumble with the volatile
change in temperature and the shorter days.
Two-tree Island braces itself for harsher days ahead,
but each season brings its special character to this amazing landscape.
From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:
"Jack stood charged with cutting and wounding the donkeys with a heavy flail-like instrument. At the request of the magistrate the instrument was put in as evidence. It was produced by the defendant from the depths of a side pocket, and proved to be a switch of about eighteen inches in length. "This is the flail, your honour," said I, “and I own I use it for tickling Tom and Billy, my donkeys. They want no more to make 'em fly." The case was dismissed.
Jack left the court with a clear conscience and an unblemished name among costers; for, although some of them may neglect their wives and families, it seems to be a point of honour with all to treat their donkeys with kindness. For the kindness bestowed the animal invariably shows its gratitude by perfect docility and willingness to bear the yoke imposed by its master. The donkeys fare like their own masters; a prosperous day will secure for them some dainty, or at least a feed without stint, of oats, beans, and hay, at a cost of eightpence or ninepence."
For the full story, and other photographs and commentaries, follow this link and click through to the PDF file at the bottom of the description
I recently found this excellent example of an American-made Univex Mercury (Model CC original) that shot 1/2 frame photos onto special proprietary 35mm film. This unblemished Machine-Age beauty came in the original box!
Young peul girl in Mali tattooing her mouth with needles and henna. Mouth tattoos are very common among the peul / fulani. It is practiced since the puberty of the girls and is restricted to the bottom part of the lip. When the woman is married, the upper part is also tattooed in black. Nowadays it is considered as ornaments, a touch of beauty and a sign of belonging. One of the theories to explain the practice is common for many other African tribes: the tattoo was used to deter slavers looking for unblemished girls.
The Fulanis women are tattooed of black on the edge of the mouth. This tattoo is practiced since the puberty for the girls; it is restricted to the bottom part of the lip but, when the woman is married, it must spread to the whole edge.
Mali, June 2008 - best view in large
L'enfant terrible.
Squander'd ye talents on things of thee violent abyss,
thou's inconceivable heart was't right,
e'en in thou's unblemished crib a colossus hurricane was stirring,
e'eryone knew from the nascence,
thou's chequered genius shall be the death of thee,
a inclement rudder without a helm,
thou's a somnambulist ship in which thou's captain 'tis lost about,
enjoy thee leaden ride on the abracadabrante sea of scornful sorrows,
be it short as it may,
perhaps thou is a heautontimorumeno could that be the answer?
or do I speak'th too much and out of turn?
As mournful waves are crashing over thee lamenting mast,
Lo! I scream at thee Lo!
'Alast ye demon without ears and a mouth much too large,
'Tis a cacodaemonomania whale at thou's bow,
Telling all and signaling with a thunderous of his tail,
thou shall sink to thee ocean floor faster,
than a stone from Baudelaire's dream!
Steve.D.Hammond.
....is a sentiment you definiitely need to remember if this fellow is to become your constant companion. Until this unblemished and fully functioning little beauty arrived on my doorstep, courtesy of eBay and the princely sum of £18.70, I had no idea the Japanese had entered the Space Race so early. I can only assume it is hewn from the stuff that makes up Neutron Stars, such is the colossal mass of this 1972 Behemoth. I believe it may become my constant companion, not so much because it has greater merit than any of my several other film cameras, but due to the fact that the meager 140 horse power of my standard family estate cannot provide the escape velocity required to leave it. I will spend the rest of my days in constant orbit of the mighty Yashica TL Electro X ITS. Quite what ITS stands for I have been unable to determine, but it could well be ITS very, very heavy.
The ceiling of the Hypostyle Hall at Dendera Temple is enriched with an incredible amount of figurative detail carved in low relief and painted in subtle shades against a blue background. The subjects include numerous deities and hybrid figures (some familiar, others much less so) and even astrological elements, such as recognisable figures from the zodiac.
Over the centuries the ceiling had become so darkened by dirt and soot to become heavily obscured and hard to read, and this is how I saw it for the first time in the 1990s, when many visitors probably missed it altogether. Now it has been fully cleaned and restored it shines again not only as one of the glories of the temple but one of the most remarkable surviving decorative schemes of ancient Egypt. The contrast with its previous blackened, unrestored condition is dramatic, giving an entirely different impression from our previous visit.
The Temple of Hathor at Dendera is one of Egypt's best preserved and most beautiful ancient shrines. This magnificent edifice dates to the Ptolemaic period, late in Egyptian history, though the site long had been the cult centre for the goddess Hathor for centuries before (the earliest extant remains date to c360BC but a temple is recorded here as far back as c2250BC). Most of the main building dates to the reigns of the last Cleopatras and further decoration and building work within the complex continued in the Roman period up to the reign of Trajan.
The dominant structure in the complex is the Temple of Hathor, an enormous structure with a rectangular facade punctuated by the Hathor-headed columns of the hypostyle hall within. This hall is an architectural wonder, a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian design and decoration, which covers every surface and has been recently cleaned, revealing a superb astrological ceiling in all its original vibrant colours.
Sadly there was much iconoclasm here during the early Christian period and most of the reliefs of the walls and pillars have been defaced. Worse still is the damage to the 24 Hathor-head capitals: not one of the nearly a hundred huge faces of the goddess that once smiled down on this hall has been left unblemished, most with their features cruelly chiselled away.
The main temple building is otherwise structurally intact, and extends into further halls and chapels beyond, again with much relief decoration (much of which is again defaced). In one corner is an entrance to a crypt below, an unusual feature in Egyptian temple architecture consisting of several narrow passages adorned with carved relief decoration in good condition.
There are further sanctuaries and chapels above on the roof of the temple, accessed by a decorated staircase and including the room where the famous Dendera Zodiac was formerly located (today its place in the ceiling taken by a cast of the original, now displayed in Paris). The highest part of the roof complex is no longer accessible to tourists, but I can still recall making the ascent there on our first visit in 1992.
Several other buildings surround the main temple, the most impressive of which is the mammisi or 'birth-house'. This consists of a large rectangluar hall surrounded by a colonnade near the entrance to the site and has some well preserved relief decoration on its exterior. Most of this structure dates to the Roman period, but the ruins of its predecessor built under Nectanebo II (Egypt's last native pharoah) stand nearby.
Dendera temple is one of the most rewarding in Egypt and shouldn't be missed. It is one of the most complete and evocative ancient monuments in the country and its recent restoration has revealed a surprisingly extensive amount of colour surviving within (we were amazed by the dramatic contrast with the soot-blackened ceiling we'd beheld on our previous visit in the 1990s). Despite its relative youth (in Egyptian terms at least!) it is easily one of my favourite sites in Egypt.
Poem.
The islands are mystical, beautiful, alluring, fascinating,
a nature-lover’s paradise.
The beaches are pristine, pure, unblemished perfection.
The mountains are dream-like, wave upon wave into the distance.
The fjords or sea-lochs are grand, majestic and awe-inspiring.
The cliffs range from a few metres to a thousand feet,
literally mountains falling into the sea.
The wild-life and sea-life is abundant.
The coast from the Sound of Arisaig to Mallaig and Loch Nevis has a plethora of all of these features.
The combination is captivating and sumptuous.
Few get this far, but their reward far outweighs the effort of their travels.
Tell others-but not too many!!!
I forgot to say –
its greatest asset is its uncrowded, beautiful isolation.
Totally……totally……priceless!!!
Numerous examples of this tree around our suburb but unfortunately I missed the peak of the season and unfortunately the wind and rain has damaged most of the blooms. Did find this one that as mostly unblemished but I had hope to get 2 or 3 blooms on a branch. Perhaps next time.
This unblemished Red Admiral was photographed at Martin Mere on the 12th August 2016. So many of the butterflies which I have attempted to photograph this summer have had chunks of wing missing making them unphotogenic.
Such purity! An unblemished child seen through crystal clear jelly! A pre-WW1 advert for one of the products of the famous company of Chivers', whose main base was at Histon near Cambridge in the 'Orchard Factory'. Chivers were pioneers in the field of commercial fruit preparation, canning and packing - the company were sold to Schweppes in the 1960s and so the brand has vanished into the many guises of Premier Foods.
Gloria dressed up as the golden age (1930s-1940s) Catwoman.
Spotlighting effect was created with a MagMod grid. I wanted to "age" the image - make it more reminiscent of a photo from the 30s or 40s - so I used Analog Efex - Classic Camera with an eroded texture and partially masked that effect from Catwoman (to keep her brighter, more colorful, and unblemished). I finished the image off with Color Efex Pro - Pro Contrast/Darken-Lighten Center and Dfine.
Cosplayer: Gloria
This photo of a white cyclamen is the first of three groups of flowers for sale outside a store that Melody and I often patronize. As with many stores that feature mostly food products, this store also offers such items as greeting cards and flowers. Since flowers such as these have a quick turnover, they are usually unblemished specimens and offer great photo opportunities to the passerby or prospective shopper. I captured this image using my Canon Powershot SX50 that I carry with me at all times when out and about.
“National Aeronautics and Space Administration Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., enters the gantry elevator which took him to the top of the Mercury-Redstone III for entry into the Project Mercury Spacecraft. He was successfully launched into an approximate 15-minute Suborbital downrange flight.”
Despite the pinholes in the white boundary, to include a small hole torn at the lower right corner and some rough edges, the image itself is crystal clear, unblemished & has retained its original gloss.
Compare/contrast with the following nearly identical image that’s also identified as being taken immediately before the flight. However, note the lack of the crisscrossed straps across Shepard’s back. Additional photos of Shepard about to ingress the capsule, identified as being taken immediately before launch, also show him wearing the crisscrossed straps. So, the following may be of a previous launch attempt:
nara.getarchive.net/media/photograph-of-alan-shepard-befo...
Credit: NARA & DVIDS PUBLIC DOMAIN ARCHIVE website
New in 1998 to Long Win Bus for use on services to the newly opened Hong Kong International Airport, KMB Alexander-bodied Dennis Trident ATR412, seen here at Mei Foo in unblemished condition back in November 2010, was transferred a few months earlier as newer Enviro 500's arrived to upgrade the Airbus fleet.
This image is copyright and must not be reproduced or downloaded without the permission of the photographer.
By the last time I went to Switzerland in 2000 the Mercedes Citaro range was getting common and the PTT was taking a lot of to help replace the last of the three-door urban RH's in the north. I don't know enough about it to guess whether their legacy will be as unblemished as the ulta-reliable 0405 but early examples seemed prone to catching fire.
our Lady at san Roque Church in Cavite City
from wikipilipinas
Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga was the title given to our Blessed Virgin Mary upon her sorrow because of the death of her beloved son Jesus.
[edit] Description
The icon is represented as the Lady in mourning. She is dressed in black and white attire. She is down on her knees as she ponders on the passion of her son. Before her are the crown of thorns and nails being used in her son's sufferings.
[edit] Origin
In the first few days of the passion and death of her son, Mary was left alone by Jesus' adherents as they sensed that she has a need to be alone. Widowed by her Husband Joseph and recently by her son, Mary felt the sadness of losing all the members of her family.
[edit] Founding of the Image
Jose, a young Spanish guard stationed in Porta Vaga(from vagar, meaning to wander), where residents take a leisurely walk in the evenings. One night, he caught sight of a shining object tossed ashore by the waves. He inspected it and saw that it was a painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He decided to take it home since no one was around to claim it.
[edit] Documented Miracles Attributed to Our Lady
Many colonizers tried to steal the Philippines from the leadership of the Spaniards. One of the assaults happened when five of the enemy vessels tried to attack two ships of the spaniards. It was prevented by the defenders when they placed the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the front end of one of their ships. Instantly, the tide turned in favor of the defenders.
One night, a guard at the mirador saw a woman walking at the far end of the Puerto. He called the attention of the woman twice but receive no reply. The procedure was to fire the gun after three consecutive calls. When he was about to call her attention for the last time and prepared to fire, the woman spoke and asked him if he did not recognize that it was the Blessed Virgin Mary and if so, why was he blocking her way? The guard fell on his knees and apologized for his action, explaining that he was just doing his responsibility. When he got up, the woman vanished.
In 1830, a lightning hit the wooden altar of the Cavite hermitage, causing a fire. However, the image of Our Lady remained unblemished. In 1856, a typhoon hit the entire Puerto, but the church and the patio remained dry and served as a refuge for the people affected by the flood that occured.
Susan Gonzales, an artist, was restoring an old duplicate image of the Ynang Nag-iisa in her shop. A woman came in and viewed her at work. The woman told her that after finishing the work, it would make her known. The prediction came true.
In 1857, a Spanish ship was sailing from Cavite to the coast of Albay, when they were hit by a storm. They were grounded there for almost a month. They prayed and asked for the intervention of Ynang Nag-iisa who appeared to them in their dreams. On the folowing day, the tide rose up freeing the ship from a rock entrapment.
[edit] Devotion to Our Lady
Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga is one of the most venerated Marian images. Her feast is celebrated every @nd Sunday of November in Cavite City, where She is honored as the Patroness of the entire Cavite City.
Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga is also associate with the Lenten rites as well as the All Saints-All Souls Day observance, where she is alluded as "Inang Magkakandila." The Image was given a Pontificial High Mass at the Binondo Church, Binondo, Manila.
In 1892, Don Juan Felipe, the Philippine National Anthem composer, composed a hymn called "Reina de Cavite." Devotion to Our Lady gave the Caviteños the opportunity to show their art skills. A replica of the Ynang Nag-Iisa is found in Buhi, Camarines Sur.
Confradia de la Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga heads the devotees of Our Lady. It was established in August 1998. Devotees include overseas Filipino workers and other foreign nationals who flock the country to join the Porta Vaga Festival.
Wilmington, Ohio. This cool old Diamond T wrecker is owned by someone in Batavia, Ohio which is quite near to where I live, but the Snakedoctor and I saw it for the first time yesterday about 50 miles North. My guess is that it was trailed up here, but I saw him fire it up and move it around so, although it sounded a bit rough, I know it runs. One thing I found interesting is how spotless and unblemished the chrome is among all that rust. The guy has his priorities straight. That's an amazing array of rigging on the back. Pretty heavy duty.
Another interesting thing is that we found a similar military wrecker on the way home.
To see more of Tom's collection of historic old trucks, look at my album "Tom's Trucks".
Here's an oldie for Freight Car Friday. Just a relatively unblemished Southern Pacific 50 ft Plate C boxcar bringing up the rear of a southbound freight on the Grafton and Upton Railroad. This particular car was built by Pullman-Standard between August and October 1979 as part of lot 1023, a 700 car order. I'm not sure how many thousands of similar cars the SP owned from assorted builders but they placed similarly sized orders from FMC and PCF around this same time period and for decades after these mineral brown cars with bold white lettering could be found on seemingly every train across the continent.
Oh, and if you're wondering...no the car is not derailed and this is a bit of an optical illusion given the angle and extremely tight curvature on this old interurban right of way. The train is crossing North Street at about MP 3.1 and rising beyond the train sitting on the town common is the 1863 wooden Italianate Unitarian Church built after the original was destroyed in fire.
Grafton, Massachusetts
Thursday September 18, 2014
2016 UK Team GB 50p
The UK has issued a new 50p coin to wish Team GB success in Rio de Janeiro this summer
Struck by The Royal Mint to an unblemished brilliant uncirculated standard, this coin will be popular with coin collectors and sports enthusiasts alike.
The reverse design depicts a swimmer with the Team GB logo, the Olympic rings and the inscription “TEAM GB”. The obverse features the fifth definitive portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark.
The 30th Olympic 50p
In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic Games, 29 million Olympic 50p coins were released into circulation across 29 different designs – 1 for each Olympic sport.
Remarkably the Royal Mint estimated that 75% of those coins were removed from circulation as collectors clamoured to complete the collection, with many coins like Football and Judo barely ever seen in your change today.
Specifications
Country of issue: UK
Year of Issue: 2016
Denomination: 50p
Metal: Cupro-nickel
Weight: 8g
Diameter: 27.3mm
Obverse: QEII by Jody Clark
Reverse: Tim Sharp
Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated
Struck by the Royal Mint
The coins are available in gold, platinum and silver from the Royal Mint website, with prices starting from £5.
Where there are tomato plants, eventually there will be Tomato Hornworms! Luckily, parasitic wasps deal with most of them, so we gardeners do not have to. Info at www.thespruce.com/identifying-and-controlling-tomato-horn....
This caterpillar appeared unblemished and still lively (unlike its brethren). Instead of killing it, we moved it about 100 feet away from the garden to live out its life cycle.
Yesterday I brought my camera and macro lens to photograph my daughter's amazing garden. This is her 4th year of vegetable gardening, and each year she becomes more knowledgeable... and more daring! This year she has 82 tomato plants, 18 varieties of pole beans, cucumbers climbing a trellis that shades lettuce, fruits, etc. This year she amended the soil with a truckload of compost, and the plants have responded beautifully.
URS 321X is the last closed top Leyland Atlantean I travelled on whilst in service. At the beginning of 2004 I'd just taken up bus photography as a hobby and time was running out for the handful of Grampian Atlanteans left at Larbert depot, so on a bright morning in March I set off for a shot on at least one of them and 31575 was it.
This shows it as 721 when the First "Barbie 2" livery was still fresh and unblemished, a rare sight indeed as it very quickly wore and looked extremely shabby due to not being entirely bus wash proof.
URS 321X was subsequently converted to part open top configuration for the Glasgow City tour.
The following text is taken straight from:
omniumcars.com/cars/isotta-fraschini-tipo-8a-1933
Regarding the car pictured here.
The Birth of the Company
After years of successfully importing French vehicles to Italy, Cesare Isotta and Vincenzo Fraschini created the Isotta Fraschini Company in 1902. Their elegantly designed automobiles were popular with rich clientele in the rapidly evolving world-wide automobile market. Their creations were reliable, stylish, and quick. An Isotta Fraschini car won the t Targa Florio in 1908.
When Isotta Fraschini introduced the Tipo 8 in 1919, the firm had already established itself as the premier builder of luxury automobiles in Italy. Since the dawn of motoring, Isotta Fraschini had offered some of the most pioneering and prestigious examples of the automobile, and the new Tipo 8 would live up to its proud lineage. The Tipo 8 was, the first “production” inline eight-cylinder engine, a design that would the standard for high-performance luxury automobiles of the Classic Era.
In 1912 the Isotta Fraschini Company introduced a straight eight-cylinder engine but it would not go into production until 1919 after World War I when the company built aero engines. The eight-cylinder engine powered the Tipo 8, making it the first straight-eight cylinder engine to go into production. The 5.9-liter capacity engine could of produce 100 horsepower, an most noteworthy accomplishment at the time.
In the Twenties
The grand scale of the Tipo 8 was less essential by the 1920s, when advancements in engineering ensured that a smaller engines were capable of acceptable performance. Nevertheless, in cultivating its image as an exclusive builder of high-end luxury cars, Isotta Fraschini sought to maintain the massive size of its engines and chassis as well as the extravagant coachbuilt bodies to appeal to its very wealthy clientele. A major contributor to the long, stately lines of Isotta Fraschinis was the Tipo 8 chassis itself, with its impressive straight eight necessitating an exceptionally long hood. The coachwork near the scuttle was often aligned with the sizeable radiator, further contributing to the imposing lines and immense stature of the car. The cars were also highly stylized throughout, with many coachbuilders playing up the grand chassis with delightful touches such as intricately detailed brightwork, the finest auxiliary accessories available and bespoke options.
In 1924, the Tipo 8 chassis underwent a thorough redesign that improved the overall performance, created a more comfortable ride and helped to facilitate the larger, heavier bodies that were becoming increasingly fashionable by the mid 1920s. Engine capacity was increased to 7.3 liters, giving the vehicle between 110 and 120 horsepower depending on the configuration. The updated design was soon dubbed the Tipo 8A. The standard model sat atop a 145 inch wheelbase while a sportier version was fitted with a 134 inch wheelbase.
The North American market was especially important to Isotta Fraschini as many Americans were keen on cars that offered impressive outright performance yet still retained the ability to cruise effortlessly and majestically in the greatest of style. Isotta Fraschini built grand, dignified touring cars that could cruise the continent in speed and style and with surprising ease. At least one-third of 8As were sold in the United States, where the $9,750 chassis exceeded the price of a Duesenberg Model J and a complete coach-built car would cost in excess of $20,000.
Demise in the Thirties
In 1931, Isotta Fraschini introduced a refined engine with a four-speed gearbox and the name of their car evolved to the Tipo 8B. But as with many businesses, a Great Depression and a Second World War took a toll on the company. The last Isotta Fraschini automobiles were built in 1933. The company shifted focus to creating aero and marine engines during World War II and though several efforts were made to jump-start vehicle production after the conflict, all attempts failed. The factory was forced to close.
This Car
The unique history of this car is a perfect example of the international appeal and vaunted reputation of the Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A. Though the chassis was laid down in Milan as early as 1931, it remained incomplete until 1933, the final year of production for Isotta Fraschini automobiles. Castagna, the coachbuilder famous for their beautifully constructed work, bodied this car. The resulting work served as a brilliant expression of its technical and artistic virtuosity. Bodies built by Castagna were of the highest quality and combined the artistic qualities of fine furniture, architecture and industrial design. In creating such decadent bodywork, Ercole Castagna went to some length to ensure a truly international product, which included acquiring licenses to use a Hibbard & Darrin designed hood, Baehr all-weather bodies, as well as French Grebel headlights.
The unique two-door, dual cowl sports tourer body fitted to this car is clearly a Castagna product. They were the only Italian firm that could so successfully and coherently combine both decadent and sporting themes in a body of such high quality. The unique body featured stunning, art-deco-style ornamentation on the radiator stone guard depicting the rays of the sun, a rakish V-shaped windscreen, dual cut-down doors, twin rear-mounted spares, torpedo-style running boards and brilliant proportions all contributing to this show-stopping automobile that exudes power, sophistication and good taste.
It was such a superb achievement that the car was presented at the 1933 Paris Auto Salon, a venue that always drew the most spectacular and stylish new automobiles. From there it was shipped to the famous Isotta Fraschini showroom in New York for collection by American celebrity Joe Penner, a popular zany radio comedian known to most for his slapstick antics and catchphrase “Wanna buy a duck?” A photograph still exists of this Isotta in Central Park taken upon its arrival in the city.
A Career in the Movies
By the 1940s the car had made its way to the West Coast, ending up in the collection of Pacific Auto Rentals, owned and operated by George Schweiger. Schweiger’s collection of approximately 150 cars is notable in that many of the cars were frequently used by the great Hollywood studios and were prominently featured in films of the era. This car had a particularly significant film career, taking a starring role in the 1946 film Without Reservations, starring John Wayne and Collette Colbert. In the film, Wayne and Colbert negotiate the purchase of the car from its beleaguered owner, and can be seen driving it throughout the rest movie, with the Isotta literally serving as the vehicle that drives the story along. The car would later appear in the films Invisible Agent and Mr. Imperium, starring Lana Turner, as well as Follow the Sun: The Ben Hogan Story, serving as an exclusive and imposing mode of transport. It may be best known, however, for its role in the 1956 Warner Bros. epic film Giant, starring James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson. Certainly this Isotta Fraschini was the perfect car to illustrate the wealth and power of determined Texas oil baron, Jet Rink, the character played by James Dean who in one scene can be seen speeding along a Texas highway behind the wheel of this car with a landscape of oil derricks pumping in the background. See a compendium of movie clips that feature the car in the RH column here, the link is immediately under the image gallery.
Later Life
The Isotta’s illustrious film career came to an end and the car was completely restored in the late 1960s when it was purchased by Matt Browning of Ogden, Utah. While in the renowned collection of Mr. Browning, the car, by this time restored to its current appearance, was featured in Angelo Tito Anselmi’s definitive book on the marque, Isotta Fraschini. It has since resided in two impressive homes, including the late Otis Chandler’s famed collection, where, for a time, it served as one of the centerpieces of his growing collection of significant classics. In the 1980s the car was comprehensively restored to a much higher standard than the first freshening and, in the possession of its most recent caretaker, the car has benefited from sympathetic cosmetic and mechanical maintenance, ensuring that it remains in excellent order throughout.
The Car Today
This Isotta Fraschini is a truly spectacular car in every sense. It possesses a brilliantly engineered chassis, a handsome one-off Castagna body, and an impressive provenance that includes major roles in several classic films and an unblemished history – all of which contribute to a singular and highly desirable classic. This car is sure to continue attracting favorable attention wherever it is shown and deserves its place among the finest coachbuilt luxury cars of the 1930s. A fabulous offering from two of the most cherished names in the history of the Italian automobile industry, this car is sure to please both in the effortless way in which it drives and in its undeniable presence, two characteristics that have gained it much admiration during the past 85 years.
This miniland-scale Lego model Isotta Fraschini 8A Dual-Cowl Sports-Tourer has been designed for Flickr LUGNuts 76th Build Challenge - 'Viva Italia' - featuring all things Italian and automotive.