Sepia Saturday #145 - Boys (and Ladies, too) with Boxing Gloves

This week's Sepia Saturday theme is supposed to center around feet, shoes, football boots, cows, etc. I couldn't find anything that fit that theme just right and I just kept coming back to this one particular photograph and then I realized why. The theme was saying to me "pairs," pairs of things, leather things and since I really like this photo I just decided to go with it.

I don't have any information about the people or location of this picture, it's just one I picked up somewhere, but my guess is that it is probably from the 1940's.  It looks like it is autumn from the lack of leaves on the trees or perhaps even Christmas and the young man has received these boxing gloves as a Christmas present.  It's such a fun photo and if you click on it to enlarge you will see that he has the most devilish little grin.  All I know is he looks like he is immensely enjoying himself and hopefully found a worthy sparring partner!

For more fun and games head over to Sepia Saturday!

Wedding Wednesday - Early 1900's Fairmont, Minnesota Couple

I am quite drawn to this week's Wedding Wednesday photograph for a number of reasons. It features a very newly married young Minnesota couple and what appears to be their maid of honor and best man.  This photograph measures 8" x 10" and was taken by Peterson Studio in Fairmont, Minn.  The photographer was most likely Paul Peterson who I found in the 1900 Fairmont, Martin County, MN census.  Paul aged 34, birthplace Germany, immigrated to the US in 1881, parents birthplace Denmark.  In 1900 he was single, living in a boarding house and listed his occupation as photographer.

The couple is not smiling in this photo yet I don't think they look unhappy.  The bride's white dress is beautiful and typical for the early 1900's with its high neck.  I especially like the small rows of pleats from the hem all the way up to almost the neckline and the unusual ruffles at the elbows on the sleeves.  All in all the dress, while intricate, displays a simplicity that is lovely.  The bride has an unusual look about the eyes and I suspect that she normally wore glasses and left them off for the photo.  The bridesmaid looks like she could very well be the sister of the bride and you will note she is wearing her glasses.  The bridesmaid's dress is simpler and a little shorter, but what  makes me smile is that her shoes are black with a big bow.  The men are both wearing dark suits but the groom sports a white boutonniere to match his bride's headdress and large bouquet of flowers. 

It's such an interesting picture, I really wish I knew what they were thinking as they stare off in the distance.

Tintype Tuesday - 1860's Baby in Christening Gown

This week's tintype features a young baby probably about 3-4 months old in a christening gown.   Both the type of chair and flooring clue me in that this photo was taken some time in the 1860's.  The sweet little tyke is chubby faced and alert and I'm sure the child's mother treasured this  photograph of her child.  Too bad, once again that there is no identification.

Fashionable Friday - 1908 Edwardian Woman

I have been missing for a couple of weeks, took a week's vacation to visit my parents in Illinois and had a grand plan to post while I was there.  You know what they say about best laid plans.....unfortunately the Internet did not cooperate and I just finally gave up in frustration.  Next year I'm investing in an air card.

Today I am showing you an interesting photograph taken in 1908 of a unidentified, but fashionable young woman.  I have not seen another photograph of this exact style before but if you look very closely you can see a smaller picture of the subject in the lower left hand corner and she is wearing a hat!  Too bad they didn't use that as the main photo.  She is sporting a Gibson Girl hairstyle and her dress is most unusual.  I am not certain whether it is made out of cotton or perhaps linen, but it has a high neck and has triangular shaped designs down the bodice as well as over the shoulders on whatever those "things" are called.  The sleeves are especially fascinating to me with the tiered levels.  This dress appears to have the typical "S" curve and small trim waist and I think you will agree with me that she is a vision of loveliness.

The photograph measures 2 7/8 x 5 7/8 inches and is undoubtedly one of the unusual shapes to come out of the early 1900's.  Unfortunately the photographer is not identified.

Fashionable Friday - 1860's Woman Freelove Ann Holmes

This Carte de Visite of an 1860's young woman was taken by a famous New York photographer most likely between 1863 - 1864 using the twin borders on the edge of the card as a guide.           The young woman is demurely leaning on a chair wearing a white blouse, dark overshirt and what appears to be a taffeta hoop skirt.  Her hair was worn in the conservative fashion of the early 1860's, pulled back at the nape of the neck and I believe into a snood.

The subject is identified on the back as Freelove Ann Holmes B. 1838.  A Freelove Holmes, aged 12 is found on Ancestry.com in the 1850 Hyde Park, Dutchess County, NY census living with her mother, also named Freelove and a brother George.  She is listed as a male which is clearly an error.  In the 1860 census in Pleasant Valley, also in Dutchess County, a Freelove Holmes of about the right age is found as a domestic servant in the home of Amos Irish. There are a number of family trees on Ancestry.com that show Freelove Holmes as the daughter of Freelove Lattin and Joshua Holmes, listing George among her brothers and also a sister Irene who married Amos Irish. 

Abraham Bogardus (Wikipedia)

According to Wikipedia, the photographer is American Daguerreotypist and photographer Abraham Bogardus  (1822 - 1908).  He operated a very successful studio and gallery at 363 Broadway in New York City in 1846.  Bogardus has several other locations in the city over the course of his career including 229 Greenwich Street and 1153 Broadway which he opened in 1869.

That same year he was an important witness at the trial of William H. Mumler, a spirit photographer, who was accused of fraud by a number of people including P. T. Barnum (Wikipedia).  Bogardus was hired by Barnum to fabricate a photograph of him with the "ghost" of Abraham Lincoln which was entered into evidence at the trial to show the court how easy it was to produce fake images.

Sepia Saturday #142 - Trio of Lovely Ladies from 1890's

This week's Sepia Saturday theme can be interpreted in a "number" of ways, but I am going with the idea of a trio of people.  I actually will be on vacation starting Friday so am posting my entry early for a change!

This odd sized photograph is from the 1890's and most likely of a mother and her two daughters.  Odd sized photographs came into fashion in the 1890's and while I can't find a name for this type of photo which measures approximately 2 7/8 x 7 7/8, it probably is one of the many specialty cards of the those times.  The photographer signed his name in pencil; the first name is unreadable but the last name is Townsend.  You may notice the card has an embossed emblem at the bottom which appears to have a "T" for the photographer's initial.  Unfortunately, there is no identification of our subjects.

The mother is wearing a white shirtwaist blouse, small dark bowtie, glasses and Gibson Girl hairstyle.  Her two girls are wearing dark clothes.

To see more interpretations of this week's Sepia Saturday theme please click the link.

Wedding Wednesday - Stunning 1924 Chicago, ILL Couple

1924 Chicago Wedding Couple

I recently purchased a large lot of wedding photographs from the early 1900's, most were taken in Chicago and all seemed to be studios located on Milwaukee Avenue.  I tried to do a some research as to why this particular location housed so many photography studios, but could find no real answer.  I suspect however that this was a Polish neighborhood.  This photograph of a very attractive unidentified bride and groom was taken in 1924 by Polonia Studios located at 1029 Milwaukee Ave, Chicago.  I did not find any information on the studio, but the word "Polonia" refers to people of Polish origin who live outside Poland (according to Wikipedia) so this supports my theory.  In addition, the white sign at the groom's feet is in a foreign language and I am guessing it is Polish.   I  am not sure what is says, perhaps the name of the bride and groom and it is where I got the 1924 date.  Perhaps one of my readers will be able to translate for me.  

The bride is quite beautiful in her white dress with long train and her headdress is quite spectacular as well.  It looks like a hat with a long veil.  The groom is also very dashing in his dark suit and he is holding a pair of white gloves.  There are two large bouquets of flowers, I am assuming that the one in front of the bride is her wedding bouquet.

I have more Chicago wedding photographs to share in the weeks to come and two more from Polonia Studio in particular.

Mystery Monday - 1880's Dapper Man with Bowler Hat from Medina, NY

I posted this cabinet card of an unidentified man from Medina, NY with a group of  photos the other day for Sepia Saturday, but thought he deserved another mention.  He is quite the picture of style for the times which I believe to be the late 1880's.  The handsome subject with the full mustache is wearing a three piece dark brown suit with long jacket and is holding his bowler hat in his hand.  He is also leaning on a studio prop, paper-mache column.  If you look closely you will see his unusual bow-tie made out of checkered fabric.  He also is sporting a watch chain at his waist.  

The photographer was Charles A. Stacey of Medina.  I found him on Ancestry.com in the 1880 Lockport, Niagara, NY census, born in New York  aged 23, married to Helen aged 20. He listed his parents' birthplace as England and his occupation as "photographer."  I also found this small mention:

1886 Niagara Falls City Directory (source)

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Two 1890's Women in Coats & Hats

Unknown 1890's Women

This small photograph of two women wearing coats and hats measures 3" x 3" and is a good example of  one of the many new types of cards that came on the market in the 1890's.  The cards all had specific sizes and names.  This particular card was probably known as "Carre."  This card also has beveled and gold gilt edges.  The two women in this photo, who are both unidentified, are dressed in nearly matching coats and hats.  I am guessing that they may have been sisters.  The photographer is also unidentified.

Sepia Saturday #141 - Time Stands Still for No Man...or Woman

Pocket watch 1897 Sears Catalog

Well actually it does...sort of....in the case of the art of taking a photograph.  It hasn't waited for me either.  I have been missing from Sepia Saturday for the last few weeks for a couple of reasons, the main one being that most of my "time" has been spent resting in a chair after a tumble through space.  To try and make a long story short, I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and in trying to be quiet so I didn't wake my husband, left the lights off as I usually do.  On the way back I tripped over the dog's bed, fell forward and landed on my stomach on the corner of the the bedpost, rolled and landed on my ribs, hit my chin, my head, my elbows, my butt, well, I think you are getting the idea.  I was bruised and banged up from head to toe and ended up waking all three dogs and my husband. I dragged myself to work everyday, but didn't feel like doing much else afterwards.

Pocket watches 1897 Sears Catalog

Now I'm back and ready to tackle the issue of time.  I wasn't sure where I was going to go with this week's Sepia Saturday theme, but when I was looking through all my vintage photographs I kept noticing that in many of the photos of men you can see the chains connected to the pocket watches.  It was a little frustrating because I really wanted to see a pocket watch but not in one single photo out of dozens did I see one.  According to Wikipedia "a pocket watch is a watch that is made to be carried in a pocket."  Wow, I would have never figured that out on my own!  They were the most common type of watch from their development in the 16th century until wristwatches became popular after WWI. Pocket watches generally have an attached chain to allow them to be secured to a waistcoat, lapel or belt loop and to prevent them from being dropped (Wikipedia).

Please take a look at the photographs below and you will see what I mean about just seeing the chain - you will have to use your imagination to visualize the watch.  Hopefully, the photos from the Sears Catalog will give you an idea.

CDV of Late 1860 couple (unidentified)

Cabinet Card 1870's Couple (unidentified)

Cabinet Card Late 1880's Medina,
NY Man (unidentified)

Summer 1866 Philadelphia Man - CDV
(Blue Playing Card Rev Stamp on back)
(unidentified)

Please take the "time" to click here to visit Sepia Saturday too see more intriguing  photos and stories posted this week.