29 September 2011

Insignie comemorativa AB / AB commemorative badge

Aceasta insignie comemoreaza 30 de ani de la fabricatia primului autocamion romanesc. Fapt eronat, pentru ca, in anii 20, deja se fabricau camioane la Arad. Totusi ramane o amintire a vremurilor apuse, vremuri in care lumea se mandrea cu ce se fabrica in tara, oricat de demodat ar fi fost.

This badge commemorates 30 years from the manufacture of the first Romanian truck. Not strictly correct, as trucks were being made in Arad in the 1920s. However, it remains an interesting memento of past times, when Romanians took pride in their produce no matter how old-fashioned it was.

27 September 2011

Camion mister, 1971 / Mystery truck, 1971

In aceasta poza, din 1971, aratand biserica Alba din Bucuresti, se vede un camion care, mie cel putin, e necunoscut. Nu pare a fi un MTD fabricat la uzinele Vulcan in anii 50, dar arata destul de primitiv sa poate fi de productie romaneasca din accea epoca. Ceva idei? Poate o autospeciala pentru pompieri?

In this 1971 photo showing the White Church in Bucharest, a mystery lorry can be seen. I have no clue what it is. It doesn't look like an mTD, made in the 1950s at the Vulcan plant in Bucharest - but it does look primitive enough to be Romanian and from that era. Amy ideas? Perhaps something custom-built for the fire service?

24 September 2011

Parfum interbelic / A taste of the 1930s

De la Stefan, avid cititor de blog, o poza interebelica cu bunicul sau langa un Chevrolet din 1934. Masina e proaspat spalata, desigur ca sa arate cat mai frumoasa in poza: mandria oamenilor in fotografie este evidenta. Masina in acea perioada era, bine inteles, o emblema a bunastarii sociale, un simbol ca Romania putea sa tina pas cu alte tari europene, si o tinta pentru foarte multi oameni de clasa mijlocie: daca muncesti, poti sa ai si tu asa ceva. Si cand ai ajuns - de ce sa nu fii mandru si tu un pic?

From Stefan, a keen reader of this blof, an interwar photograph with his grandfather next to a 1934 Chevrolet. The car is freshly washed so as to appear as shiny as possible; the pride of the people standing around it is clear. In that era, the car was of course a symbol of proposerity, and also one of Romania being equal with other European countries. It was a reasonable aim for a middle-class family to own one - provided, of course, that one worked for it. And once you have one, why not be proud of it a little?