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Item Specifics
• Type: Personal Archive (Letters, Documents, Typed Ephemera)
• Year: 1923–1960s
• Subject: Naval History, Social History, Vintage Humor/Erotica
• Location: Philadelphia, PA / USS Annapolis / France / Scotland
Description
Headline: From Sea Stories to Secret Meditations: The Palmer Regenhard Archive (1923–1960s)
This is a rare opportunity to own a comprehensive, "unfiltered" personal archive that chronicles the life of an American man from his youth as a Naval Cadet in the 1920s through his later years. This collection offers a fascinating look at the public and private faces of the "Greatest Generation."
PART 1: THE MARITIME JOURNEY (1923–1926)
The "public" side of the archive features the correspondence of A. Palmer Regenhard during his training on the U.S.S. Annapolis (PG-10) and the U.S.S. Utah.
• Original Letters: Vivid descriptions of 1924 shore leave in Le Havre, France, and Scotland.
• Naval Documents: Includes a 1924 Summer Cruise itinerary, travel ephemera, and a 1923 Trade Acceptance document ($1,000).
• Postal History: Rare envelopes featuring 1925 Paris Art Deco Exposition postmarks and French stamps.
PART 2: THE "SHADOW" ARCHIVE (Vintage Bawdy Humor & Erotica)
The "private" side of the archive consists of a hidden collection of typed and handwritten "locker room" ephemera. This material represents the secret subculture of military and working-class men from the 1920s through the 1940s.
• "Meditations": A lengthy, 37-stanza erotic poem (both handwritten and typed versions included).
• Bawdy Parodies: A hilarious 1940s parody of the hit song "Pistol Packin' Mama" and the scatological epic "A Windy Contest."
• Social Satire: Typed jokes and cynical "meditations" on aging and 20th-century life (e.g., "Does It Pay to Advertise" and "Ain't It So").
• Type: Handwritten Letters, Postal History, Documents
• **Year: ** 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926
• Conflict: Interwar / Post-WWI
• Service/Branch: US Navy / Merchant Marine
• Region of Origin: United States, Scotland, France, Canada
Description
Headline: A Sailor’s Journey: The Palmer Regenhard Correspondence Archive (1923–1926)
Up for sale is a captivating and deeply personal collection of original 1920s letters and documents chronicling the life of A. Palmer Regenhard during his time as a Naval Cadet and his transition back to civilian life in Pennsylvania. This isn't just a pile of paper; it is a complete narrative arc of a young man navigating the "Roaring Twenties."
Archive Highlights:
• The Naval Journey: Includes an original 1924 itinerary for the U.S.S. Annapolis summer cruise. Letters detail stops in Nova Scotia, Scotland, and France.
• Rare Social History: In a standout 6-page letter from Le Havre, France (Aug 15, 1924), Palmer recounts a cinematic encounter involving an American jeweler from Wanamaker’s, a French girl, and the unveiling of a WWI monument to Belgian heroes.
• The U.S.S. Utah Connection: Letters from 1924 written while stationed in Portsmouth, NH, detailing a fall into a dry dock, life in a Naval Hospital, and his interactions with his shipmates (including a candy-thieving "Brutus").
• Postal History & Ephemera:
• Rare 1924/25 envelopes with Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs (Art Deco) stamps and postmarks.
• A 1923 Trade Acceptance document for $1,000 (Philadelphia/Wayne, PA).
• 1925 letters from Bristol, PA, detailing work on a milk wagon and plans to join the Police Force.
• A Veterans "Y" (Pennington, NJ) St. Patrick's Day Dance program.
• Personal Insight: Beautifully legible handwriting detailing the costs of "Gabardine" coats, the confusion of British currency, and the transition from military to the Merchant Marines.
Condition:
Documents vary from Good to Very Good. Some letters show expected age toning, original mailing folds, and minor edge wear. The ink remains dark and very readable. (Please see photos for details).
Why This Collection?
This archive provides an unfiltered look at the interwar Navy and the economic realities of 1920s Pennsylvania. It is an ideal addition for collectors of Naval history, Philadelphia-area genealogy, or primary source research for the 1920s.
From a historical perspective, this collection is a fascinating "time capsule" of the mid-1920s, offering insights into post-WWI naval training, the economics of the era, and the social transition of the "Greatest Generation" before they were defined by the Great Depression and WWII.
Here are the most noteworthy historical elements:
1. The "Schoolship" Era of Naval Training
The U.S.S. Annapolis (PG-10) was a gunboat that served as a schoolship for the Pennsylvania Maritime Academy. Palmer’s letters capture a specific, vanished transition in maritime history:
• The Merchant Marine Pivot: Palmer’s desire to quit the "scholarship" ship for the Merchant and Miners Transportation Company or the Cosmopolitan Line reflects the booming 1920s maritime industry. He highlights a common tension of the time: the rigid, military-style training of a schoolship versus the "modern" and more lucrative experience of the commercial Merchant Marines.
• Target Practice in Guantanamo Bay: His mention of the U.S.S. Utah heading to Cuba for target practice marks a standard routine for the U.S. Navy in the interwar period. Interestingly, the Utah would later be sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
2. Post-WWI European Sentiments
The letter from Le Havre (August 15, 1924) contains a significant historical observation:
• The Belgian Statue: Palmer mentions the unveiling of a statue "in honor of the Belgians holding off the Germans for 4 months." This refers to the early days of WWI (1914) and illustrates how fresh the "Great War" remained in the European psyche and landscape a decade later.
• Hyper-Inflation and Exchange Rates: He notes the volatility of the French Franc (swinging from 19 to 14.50 to the dollar in a day). This was characteristic of the "Battle of the Franc" in 1924, a period of intense currency instability in post-war France before the Poincaré stabilization.
3. Economic Snapshots (The 1924 Dollar)
The documents provide a granular look at the cost of living and global trade:
• Trade Acceptance ($1,000): The 1923 document from H.C. Roberts Electric Supply Co. represents a massive sum—roughly $18,000 in today's currency. It shows the scale of infrastructure and supply business in the Philadelphia/Wayne area.
• The "Gabardine" Craze: Palmer mentions that "all the boys" are buying Gabardine coats for $10–$15. Gabardine, invented by Burberry, was the high-tech fabric of the era—waterproof and durable—and was a status symbol for young men traveling abroad.
• Wages: Making $10 in two days on a milk route in Bristol, PA, was a very respectable wage for a young man in 1925, highlighting the relative prosperity of the mid-20s.
4. Cultural & Social Geography
• The Veterans "Y": The St. Patrick's Day dance program in Hopewell Township/Pennington, NJ, is a relic of the "Social Hall" culture. These organizations were the primary social outlets for veterans and young adults before the ubiquity of radio and cinema.
• The "Exposition Internationale": The envelope postmarked with the "Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs" stamp is historically significant. This 1925 Paris exhibition is where the term "Art Deco" originated. Though Palmer says he didn't have the money to go to Paris, his mail was processed through the propaganda machine of one of the most influential design movements in history.
5. Authentic "Sailor" Narrative
Unlike official military records, these letters provide the "unfiltered" cadet experience:
• The "Brutus" candy-stealing saga.
• The poached egg dinner in Scotland where they were charged per slice of bread and "much milk" used.
• The candid story of the French girl and the jeweler from Wanamaker’s.
This collection moves Palmer from being a name in a ledger to a real young man navigating the temptations, financial struggles, and career anxieties of the Roaring Twenties.
I. Financial & Official Documents (1923–1924)
Dec 28, 1923: Trade Acceptance Form for $1,000 from H.C. Roberts Electric Supply Co. to Nathan Pechin (Wayne, PA).
Official Navy Form: S. and A. Form 143a (Issues and Inventory of Clothing and Small Stores).
Educational Notes: A list of military examination subjects (Military Courtesy, Hygiene, etc.) and study references to Infantry Drill Regulations.
II. The Summer Cruise of the U.S.S. Annapolis (1924)
Itinerary: Official schedule listing departures from Philadelphia (June 3) through various European ports, returning October 1.
Correspondence from the Cruise:
May 17 (Pre-Cruise): Letter from Palmer to his mother acknowledging $5.00 and providing his cadet address.
June (Sydney, Nova Scotia): Letters describing the "dead" town, eating at a Chinese restaurant, and the beauty of the scenery at sea near Cape Breton.
June 25–27 (Leith/Edinburgh, Scotland):
Palmer describes the "midnight sun" (light enough to read at night).
He asks for money ($15) to buy a Gabardine overcoat and describes the confusing exchange rates for British currency.
August 15 (Le Havre, France):
The "Jeweler and the Girl": A detailed story of meeting a jeweler from Wanamaker’s and a French girl who "kidded" the jeweler out of his money.
Career Shift: Palmer expresses a desire to leave the scholarship program for the Merchant Marines, citing advice from a "Boss of the Cosmopolitan Line."
August 19 (Postmark): Envelope from Le Havre addressed to Mrs. A. N. Regenhard in Philadelphia.
III. Training on the U.S.S. Utah (Late 1924)
Oct 27, 1924 (Portsmouth, NH): Palmer writes from the U.S.S. Utah. He mentions the ship is heading to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for target practice.
Hospital Stay (Portsmouth, NH):
A series of letters (some duplicate fragments) describing a fall into a dry dock.
Palmer mentions a friend named "Powder" (or Powton) who also fell but only sprained an ankle.
He asks for "scout shoes" and "dungarees," and complains about a boy named Brutus stealing his candy.
IV. Post-Naval Period & Civilian Life (1925–1926)
June 6, 1925 (Bristol, PA): Palmer writes about working on a milk wagon and potentially an ice wagon. He expresses intent to return to the ship in October to get his diploma.
Undated (Philly/Home): Letter mentioning he is going to Philadelphia with "Elwood and Walter Paul" to check on a job with the police force.
Birthday Card: A card from "Mother & Dad" addressed to A. P. Regenhard at 10 S. 3rd Street, Richmond, VA.
V. Community & Social Ephemera
Veterans "Y" Program: A St. Patrick’s Day Dance program in Pennington, NJ, featuring Chuck Windham’s Orchestra.
Officers List: Mentions Andrew Paul (President), Walter Paul (Secretary), and others involved in the Veterans "Y" and the Dance Committee.