Wedding Wednesday - 1920's (Art Deco Era) Iowa Matrimonial Couple, Bride in Satin, Lace & Pearls

This week's bride and groom are unidentified, but what a beautiful couple they are and the presentation is gorgeous.  The photograph is housed in a 7" x 10" cardboard folder and the frame around it has a lovely Art Deco feel with the brownish-green marbling and gold inlay.

The groom is dressed simply and elegantly in his tuxedo; the bride is breathtaking in her satin dress with the most unusual headdress and veil with large rosettes. She is wearing a long strand of pearls and is holding what appears to be a white bible or prayer book.

Almost impossible to see, but just below the first gold inlay frame is the photographer's name, McIntire Studio, Ft. Madison, Ia.

Sepia Saturday #173 - Odd Animal Photos - Fish & Fangs

The theme for this week's Sepia Saturday is based on a photograph of a boy holding two birds/ducks/geese, not sure what they are, but a quite odd photograph it is.  I have a couple of photos in my collection I have been holding on to that I thought would fit this theme perfectly.  Therefore I humbly submit to you my odd animal photos.

The first photograph is a small snapshot taken of a portly man holding a rather large fish.  On the back he is identified as "Uncle Bert", 37 (1937) Ft Drum, at Corpus Christi.

This next photo is actually a real photo postcard and I have to be honest with you about this one.  I bought this in an antique store and why I did, I do not know because I have a terrible phobia about snakes; I cannot look at them, cannot even bear to think about them, I will probably have a nightmare tonight from just posting this photo, but it is too perfect for this theme not to post.  The man is identified on the back as D. J. Winters, but I have not been able to find out any information about a snake wranger with this name.  I believe this was a rattle snake but, since I have no knowledge of snakes and want none, I am not sure.  According to the AZO mark on the back it was produced between 1904 and 1918.

For more odds and ends, please visit Sepia Saturday.

Another Photo Family Reunion - Yeah!!!!

On March 2nd I posted a photo (see below) showing a number of people posing in front of business called "The Markey Bronze Bushing Company."  Markey Bronze was located in Delta, Ohio and I estimated the photo was taken in the 1930's.  If you would like to read the entire post click here:  Sepia Saturday #166 - The Markey Bronze Bushing Company, Delta Ohio.

The Markey Bronze Bushing Co, Delta, OH - Eugene Markey, far left

On March 29th a received an email from Joanne in Ohio who had this to say about the photo:

"I just found your photograph/blog post of Markey Bronze Bushing Company. My Grandfather Eugene Markey a metallurgist started the company in Delta, Ohio in 1919. He had two partners Louis Leidle (SP?) and Doctor Hutchins. My Grandfather is the bald man holding his hat in the photograph. I’ve contacted my brothers, they are older and remember a little bit more and might be able to identify the people in the photograph. They have both lived and stayed in the Delta area.

There are three buildings that comprised Markey bronze, and at one time the company employed 150 people. It is currently owned by Bunting Brass and as far as I know they do continuous casting of brass bars."

Joanne went on to ask if she could purchase the photo from me and I told her I would send it to her for the cost of postage (and that I always welcomed contributions to fund my hobby).  I sent the photo off to Joanne and yesterday I received a very, very generous check from Joanne and a card thanking me for returning the photo to the family.  Joanne hopes to meet with her brothers sometime soon to hopefully identify more of the people in this photograph.  This was a very exciting and rewarding experience for me and I can't wait for my next reunion!

Fashionable Friday - 1860's (Victorian Era) Woman Wearing Hooded Cloak & Fur Muff

I suspect this lovely young woman was considered quite fashionable when she posed for this Carte de Visite (CDV) in the 1860's (most likely between 1864 - 69) for photographer A. W. Tice of Ellensville, NY.  She is wearing a full-length hooded  cloak over a hoop skirt which was perhaps made of silk taffeta.  Covering her hands is a fur muff.  There appears to be some sort of hair covering or adornment over her hair in the back.  

The photographer's full name was Alfred Wurtz Tice who appears to have lived and worked in the Ellensville are for quite a number of years.  He wasborn 19 Oct 1829 in New York to John & Huldah Tice. In 1854 he married Irene Miller.  Several Ellensville City Directories between 1861 and 1871 report him as "A. Wurts Tice, photographer, Canal opp Liberty sq., h Canal."  In 1900 Tice was still living in the area according to the Ulster County census at age 70 with his wife June (2nd wife?).  He still listed his occupation as photographer.  Tice died 5 Feb 1909 and is buried in the Fantinekill Cemetery in Ellensville, NY according to Find-A-Grave.

Sepia Saturday #172 - Mystery Wedding March

When I saw the archive photo for this week's Sepia Saturday prompt titled, "Palmer's Mystery Hike No. 2," I knew immediately what I was going to use.  I should probably save it for one of my "Wedding Wednesday" posts, but it just seems to fit this theme.  My photo is actually a real photo postcard of a wedding party from probably the 1940's walking down a cobblestone street.  I purchased this postcard from a gentleman in Germany and as it has a very European feel I suspect that may have also been the location.  Unfortunately, it was pasted into an album and then torn out so there are no identifying marks left on the back.

What a happy day this must have been for the couple,  I have to wonder where they were walking from (the church?), where they were walking to (a pub?), what was their story, who were they, were they happy the rest of their lives?

Take a hike on over to Sepia Saturday to see more great photos!

Wedding Wednesday - Serene Bride - 1910's?

I know very little about this photograph; the bride is unidentified and there is no photographer's mark. It almost appears that there was a sticker of some sort at the bottom at some time, but hard to tell if that was original.  The photograph is mounted on a 6" x 9" card with embossed edges.  The woman and the pose are unusual and it almost reminds me of an actress posing for a theatrical photograph. It is purely a guess on my part, but the photo has a 1910's feel to it.  I welcome any input or suggestions to the contrary.

Sepia Saturday # 171 - Castles of Scotland, Let Me Bore You With My Vacation Photos

In September of 2009 my husband and I took a two week vacation spending three days in London and eleven in Scotland.  It was only our second trip out of the United States and the first to Europe.  Everyone told us we had to take a guided tour while in Scotland, that there was no way we could do it on our own.  I, however, had my heart set on us just being alone, exploring the sights together, and this is exactly what we did.  After London, we rented a car in Edinburgh and set off for the Highlands.  We had some fun, crazy adventures, getting lost a number of times. Learning to navigate the single track roads in particular caused quite a few moments of skipped heart beats.

While there I took over 3,000 photographs, I mean I just couldn't help myself because around every turn was something so breathtaking I would scream at my husband to pull over.  These photographs included a number of castles, there were just so many castles! This week's Sepia Saturday theme centers around castles so, yeah, I finally get to share some of my amateurish photographs.

Castle Stalker, Loch Laich, mid-way between Oban & Glen Coe

Castle Dunvegan, Isle of Skye

Castle Dunvegan, rear view, Isle of Skye

The Famous Castle Eilean Donan. Loch Duich, Western Highlands of Scotland

Edinburgh Castle, back/side view

Edinburgh Castle, view from cemetery in back

Cannon overlooking Edinburgh from Castle

Bam!!  Now fire yourself over to Sepia Saturday for more great photos and stories!

Fashionable Friday - Rose Pierce, 1890's (Edwardian Era) Doctor's Wife

This lovely young is identified on the back of this cabinet card as Rose, Rollin Pierce's wife.  The lovely Rose obviously posed for this cabinet card in sometime in the 1890's as evidenced by her dress and the photographers imprint at the bottom.  I suspect this photo to have been taken around 1894 - 1895.  Rose was married to Dr. Rollin Pierce (see photo below).  I thought it would be easy to identify Dr. and Mrs. Pierce, but I had no luck finding them on Ancestry.com or on Google.  I tried using variations of Rollin Pierce's name but struck out.  Such a shame, they are surely someone's ancestors.

Rose is wearing the very typical large puffy sleeves seen in the 1890's and the teeth-like cut of the bodice is somewhat unusual.  Her collar sits high on her neck adorned with one button and she is wearing a string of beads above that.  Her photograph was taken by photographer Stigleman & Son located at 826 Main St., Richmond, IND.  Interestingly enough, Stigleman is actually "Rolland" Stigleman who had a studio in Richmond until he sold it in 1898.  He took over the business from his father George after the business was destroyed by fire.  I posted a photo taken by George Stigleman previously and I believe these photos were bought together in a large group so it is possible they may be related.

Rose's husband, Dr. Rollin Pierce looks quite fashionable himself in this photograph which was probably taken around 1896 give or take a year.  He is wearing a dark colored three piece suit with white high-collared shirt and white bow-tie.  He was a very handsome young man.  The photographer was Wright and Holloway, 510 1/2 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute, IND.

Wedding Wednesday -Elegant 1910's St. Louis Couple

This elegant young couple was photographed in St. Louis. MO by photographer Schneidt most likely after 1910.  The bride was truly beautiful in her white, high necked wedding gown.  I love the small tiers on the skirt of her gown and the lacy layers at the bottom of the train.  Her headdress is not overbearing, it has a light frothy feel on top of her Gibson Girl hairstyle.  She is holding a small bouquet of flowers and has a gloved hand on her new husband's arm.  The groom is dressed in a simple black suit with a high collared shirt and matching bow tie.  He is holding a pair of white gloves in his left hand and you can see his wedding band.

The photographer was George Gustav Schneidt, born 14 Nov 1887 in Missouri.  I found Schneidt in the 1908 St. Louis City Directory living at 3301 S. Jefferson Avenue and working as a clerk.   Note the address on the photo says "3300 S. Jefferson Avenue."  In the 1910 census he was living in a boarding house and listed his occupation as "salesman."  He was found once again in the City Directories of 1914, 1916 and 1917 working as a photographer at  3114A S. Grand Ave. He was living was again at the S. Jefferson Ave. address in the 1920 census with his mother Barbara, a widow, and sister Norma.  Evidently this was probably the family home.  In the 1930 census at age 41 he was living there with his wife of eleven years, Frieda, no children and no mother or sister listed.  I found a death record for Schneidt in Missouri for Feb of 1965.

This photograph was likely taken either between 1910 and 1914 before his move to Grande Ave or between 1917 and 1920 when he returned to Jefferson Avenue.  I tend to lean towards the earlier time frame.