Wedding Wednesday - Exquisite 1920's (Art Deco Era) New York City Bride

What can say about this stunning 1920's New York City bride.  She is a vision of bridal perfection. Her dress is so beautiful and ethereal, but what is amazing is if you look closely, her dress is actually a short sleeved, light shift almost like a chemise. This seems to be a common theme in the 1920's and they were all so beautiful.  There is much more to the veil it seems than the dress.  The wrap-around headdress is magnificent with its pearl beading. She is also wearing a long pearl necklace and note her full length lacy gloves. 

Unfortunately, this beautiful bride is unidentified which is quite sad; she is probably someone's mother, grandmother or great-grandmother and I'm sure they would love to have this photograph.

The photographer was Speiss of 54 Second Avenue, New York.  His technique was excellent in the softness he applied to her face; she is truly a  bride for the ages.

Wedding Wednesday - Unusual 1920's (Art Deco Era) Troy, New York Newlyweds

I don't even know where to start with this photograph of an 1920's newlywed couple posing with the maid-of-honor and best man.  There is certainly a lot to look at in this wedding photo taken by The Lloyd Studio of Troy, NY.  Both women are elaborately dressed, but obviously the woman on the left is the bride as she is wearing the most unusual headdress with a filmy train and lace arm mitts.  The detail is so stunning on both women's dresses and shows up quite clearing in the photo.  The bride is also wearing what appears to be her wedding rings on her right hand.  The woman on the right is wearing a beautiful headpiece made out of what appears to be pearls with Art Nouveau tones.  These were usually popular in the early to mid-1920's.  Both women are wearing pearl necklaces, also popular in that time frame.  I find it interesting that their bouquets appear to be almost equal in size, I would think the bride's would be larger.

The groom and best man are dressed nearly identically in dark suits in suits with small boutonnieres and holding white gloves.  Notice that both have their hands on the shoulders of the woman in front of them.  The man on the right has a most unusual hairstyle!  I do believe the groom has a rather dour look on his face.

The photographer was Alexander Lloyd born September 1869 in New York to parents Alexander and Mary Lloyd..  In the 1920 Troy Ward 1, Rensselaer, New York census he is married to wife Mary with a son James B. I found this ad in the February 23, 1920 edition of The Troy Times listing his address at 44 Third Street:

The Troy Times, 23 Feb 1920

Wedding Wednesday - 1920's (Art Deco Era) Bride from Pottstown, PA

Look at this lovely 1920's bride who was photographed on her wedding day by Santangelo of Pottstown, PA.  I don't know anything about her, but she made a beautiful bride in her long white gown and beautiful  headdress with with the long, lacy train.  This photo is framed in an elegant 6 1/2 x 9' cardboard folder.    I have cut it down to make it easier to see the lovely bride.

The photographer was Antone (Tony) Santangelo (1879 - ?) who  lived and worked for many years in Pottstown. He married Edith Maud Ormee on 5 Jan 1909.  He and his wife both worked as   photographers in his photography studio according to the 1920 Pottstown Ward 3, Montgomery Co, PA census. 

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.

Wedding Wednesday - Enchanting 1920's Newlywed Couple from Fall River, Mass.

This 1920's wedding photograph of a young newlywed couple looks just like something out of an old Hollywood movie. It is one of the more intimate and unusual poses I have seen to date.  While I cannot see the full face of either of the unidentified subjects, I am totally drawn in by the beauty and sensuality of the pose and can feel the love and affection of this couple.  The photographer, J. A. Bello, was quite gifted at his craft, creating lifetime memories for his clients.  Bello was located at 226 S. Main St., Fall River, Mass.  The 4" x 6" photograph is enclosed in a beautiful, Art Deco style, embossed cardboard folder .

The photographer's full name was Jose Augusto Bello born in Azevo, Pinheil, Beira Baixa, Portugal on 28 Jul 1879.  He immigrated to the US in November of 1913 arriving at the port of St. Albans, Vt.  By 1925 he was working in Fall River, Massachusetts as a photographer at the Main Street address.  In the 1930 Fall River census he listed his marital status as widowed.  In 1940 he was living in East Providence,  RI where he continued his photography business.

Wedding Wednesday - Ethereal 1920's Chicago Bride

Today's lovely 1920's bride is posing with what I assume is her maid of honor.  This Art Deco photograph is in very poor shape with a number of scratches and flaws (see bottom photo below). The woman on the left has a black mark on her nose, but from their facial features and the shape of their mouths I suspect they were sisters.  This young bride was truly an ethereal and exquisite vision.  She appears so serene and is wearing a lovely white gown with the most beautiful headdress.  She is holding a large bouquet of white roses. One thing I always find interesting and have seen before;  she is wearing white heeled shoes, her maid of honor is wearing very serviceable black shoes.

Unknown 1920's bride and maid of honor (sisters?)

The photographer was the Liberty Studio at, 223 Milwaukee  Ave., Chicago.  I did not find any information on this studio, but perhaps another of the many ethnic photography studios along the Milwaukee Avenue corridor which included a large Polish population.

Wedding Wednesday - Beautiful 1920s Newark, NJ Bride

Unknown 1920s Newark NJ Bride

This beautiful young bride from the 1920's had her photograph taken by Silver & Steinberg located at Springfield & 15th Aves. in Newark, NJ.  She is wearing a white wedding gown with a scooped neck and sheer sleeves.  I love her bridal  cap with the Greek-like floral arrangement and the veil/headdress with the unusual trim along the edges.  She is wearing a pearl necklace and is holding a large bouquet of red roses and white carnations. She seems to be very young, probably a teenager.  I wish we could have seen a picture of her groom.

I found a few other pictures taken by the same studio, but had no luck finding any further information on the photographers.  This photograph was placed and preserved in a decorative Art Deco style folder, which although a bit stained, has held up over the years and is still very attractive.

Wedding Wednesday - Elegant 1920's Chicago Newlyweds

Unknown couple, Avondale Photo Studio,
2987 Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Ill.

Today's bride and groom are another example of the elegant photography of the 1920's. This photograph was taken by the Avondale Photography Studios located at 2987 Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Ill.  There were a large number of photography studios on Milwaukee Avenue during this era and the area surrounding the route was associated with many ethnicities including a large Polish population.  

While the bride's dress is difficult to see, her headdress is unique, almost cap-like and instead of a train it wraps around her like a lace shawl.  I may not be describing this correctly, but it is quite lovely.  She is holding a large bouquet of white roses and other flowers with trailing ribbons.  The groom is very dashing is his tux and I like his casual pose with his hand in his pocket.  All in all, I would say they look very happy.

Wedding Wednesday - 1920's Chicago Wedding Photo - Stunning Bride

Unidentified 1920's Chicago Couple

This beautiful wedding photo was taken most likely in the 1920's by Chicago photographer Zygmunt Rozanski.  This 5" x 7" photo is actually in a large Art Deco looking folder (see below), but I cropped it so that we can get a more close up view of this elegant couple. While the groom is quite dashing, the bride's entire ensemble is breathtaking.  I love the way the photographer has posed her sitting high on a stool so that we can see her long, flowing train.  Her headdress is absolutely stunning, I have never seen anything like it.  It is made of some kind of sheer lace and and covers her head with arches over the ears and forehead - truly unusual and unique.  Her dress appears to be mid-calf length and allows us to see her white high-heeled shoes with multiple bows.  She is holding a bridal bouquet of mixed flowers with long ribbon streamers and the groom sports a boutonniere which seems to match the sprigs in her headdress.  She  appears to be wearing a pearl necklace and I expect her wedding ring is camouflaged by the bouquet; you can clearly see her groom's ring on his left hand.

The photographer, Zygmunt Rozanski, was born 28 Sep 1889 or 1890 in Warsaw, Poland. He emigrated to the US in 1913 and in June of 1917 he registered for the draft during WWI.  He stated that he was 27 years old, lived at 1069 Milwaukee Ave, Chicago,  was single and had blue eyes and blonde hair.  His occupation was photographer and he was the proprietor of a photography business.  On 19 Jun 1918 he married Stefana Wisniewska in Cook County, IL.  In the 1920 Chicago Ward 17 census they had one child, a daughter Jadwiga,  7 months old.  I was unable to find them in any other censuses, however I did find a WWII draft registration for Zygmunt listing his wife as Stephany Rozanski and his address as 1073 Milwaukee Ave.  I also found a Social Security Death Index listing Zygmunt's death in Cook County, IL in January 1976. Interestingly, I found more than one Zygmunt Rozanski so evidently this was a popular name - I am assuming the English version is Sigmund.

Wedding Wednesday - Vintage Photo - 1920's "Older" Couple

I've had this photograph for a while of a more mature, newly married couple and I decided to share it for this week's Wedding Wednesday category.  I believe it to be from the 1920's, probably later in the decade. The couple appear to possibly be in their thirties and I am assuming it was a first marriage for the bride as she was wearing white.

The bride is wearing a dress with a tiered skirt and her veil is longer than the skirt.  Both the bride and groom are wearing a wedding ring, the groom more prominently than the bride - if you look closely you can see hers in the midst of her bouquet.  

Neither the couple or the photographer are identified.

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.

Sepia Saturday #134 - Then Comes the Baby Carriage

This week's Sepia Saturday centers around baby carriages/prams.  I thought I would have some good examples in my stash, but for some reason I couldn't find any!  Here are three that I did find:

First is an early 1900's photograph (cabinet card) of a young toddler identified in a unusual carriage.  This photo, which I belive is of a young toddler girl, was taken by Geo. A. Joyce of 1073 Hunter Street, Columbus, O.  She is wearing as a sweet little print dress, black tights and black shoes.  She must have moved as her face is blurred.  I have had no luck finding the photographer in the usual ways.  

This next photograph is identified as Frank Owen Wilson, 1924. The young subject is sitting in a wagon and is smiling quite sweetly for the camera. I believe this photograph came from the same lot I purchased the family group photo I previously posted on May 19, 2012, Family Group Shot in The Front Yard. How this young boy might be related I have no idea. There is no photographer on any of these photos and when I did a Ancestry.com search on Frank Wilson Owen there were too many options to do a good search. Maybe someday someone will be looking for him.



Finally, this last photo is a tin type of a baby approximately one year old in a old-fashioned baby pram. Too bad the tin type has been poorly handled over the years, it is scratched and faded and of course, the subject is unidentified. I'm not entirely sure how to date this photo, I'm leaning towards the late 1890's. Note the fake mountain range in the background painting.


Push your carriage on over to Sepia Saturday for more rolling stories!

Sepia Saturday #126 - Family Group Shot in the Front Yard

Ah, it's a family tradition to drag the family outside and pose them for a group picture in the front (or back) yard, usually in the summer when the weather is nice.  I had a hard time coming up with a photo for this week's Sepia Saturday theme, but I thought this early 20th century family, most likely posing in their own yard, was pretty close on theme.  I got this group photo in a lot I bought somewhere all marked on the back, "Grandpa Paul Owens and family."  There is no other identification of the subjects although I would assume the gentleman on the the left is Paul Owens and the woman in the middle his wife with the rest being their children.  I have no idea as to the location and it appears it could be spring as several of them are wearing jackets or coats. I'm not sure how to date this photograph - my guess would be 1920's or 30's. They are all dressed rather nicely so perhaps they were on their way to church.

Update:  Due to the bows in the girls' hair I am revising my date to early 1900's.

Check out more great group shots at Sepia Saturday!

Wedding Wednesday - 1920's New Jersey Wedding Party

This wonderful 1920's wedding photo was taken by the Art Photo Studio, 32 Ferry Street, South River, New Jersey.  None of the members of the wedding party are identified, but all are quite well-dressed and beautiful.  I particularly like the two little girls, probably flower girls, who are each flanking the bride and groom on small stools.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Funny Hat in Milwaukee

This unidentified woman from Milwaukee is wearing a hat like I have never seen before.  It appears to be made of fabric with artificial leaves and jewelry added for decoration.  I am not exactly sure how to date this photo but I do know it was most likely taken between 1893 and 1920.  I suspect the date to be around 1900 - 1905.  She has quite a sassy smile as well.

The photo was taken at The Wollensak Studio, 500 National Ave., Milwaukee.  The photographer was William Wollensak born Jun 1857 New York, parents born in Germany.  According to Milwaukee city directories he moved to the 500 National Avenue address after the 1891-1892 edition.  I found William in the 1900 and 1910 census working as a photographer but in the 1920 census he was listed as retired.  These facts are how I determined the 1893 - 1920 time span in first paragraph.  

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Who is She?

This unidentified, well-dressed woman was photographed by Fred Hartsook of California probably between 1915 and the early 1920's. Hartsook, a well-known California photographer of silent era actors was born in 26 Oct 1896 in Marion Indiana.  According to Wikipedia he was born into a family of successful photographers and as a young man moved to Salt Lake City and began his own photography business.  In 1901 he married Florence Newcomb, a photographer as well.  They traveled around Utah taking photos with a team of mules pulling a homemade darkroom.  If you look closely in the lower right hand corned you can see the Hartsook embossment which matches the Hartsook name in the copyright image below.

Eventually they settled in California where he opened studios in a number of cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco.  His clients included Mary Pickford, Charles Lindbergh, Lillian Gish and President Woodrow Wilson.  I've looked at hundreds of Google images and have half convinced myself that this could be Mary Pickford.  

In 1919 Hartsook remarried Bess Hesby and they honeymooned in the redwood forest of Humboldt County, CA.  They eventually purchased their honeymoon cabin and 37 surrounding acres turning the cabin into the Hartsook Inn where many Hollywood celebrities stayed including Mary Pickford and Bing Crosby.  A forest fire burned down the inn in 1927 and in 1928 the photographic business went into receivership and was sold at auction.  Fred died on 30 Sep 1930 at age 53 of a heart attack.  His wife would live for another 46 years.

Sepia Saturday #117 - Scouts - Saluting Grandpa Howard Wilson

Howard M. Wilson ca 1920

In this month celebrating the 100th anniversary of  Girl Scouts what better time for Sepia Saturday to have a weekly theme about "scouts."  In my childhood in Mt. Vernon, IL, I spent a number of years first as a Brownie then as a Girl Scout, but I realized that, sadly, I have no pictures of those wonderful years I spent with my friends in all those great activities that taught us young women many important life lessons.  I don't even have the badges I earned,  I don't know what ever happened to them.  

I do, however,  have this blurry photograph of my paternal grandfather, Howard Mathis Wilson in some type of scout uniform. Grandpa was born  12 Apr 1909 in Bonnie, Jefferson County, IL so I'm guessing this picture would have been taken about 1919-1920.  I don't have any information about Grandpa's scouting experience, but he looks quite serious and is using the proper three finger salute.

Incidentally, my youngest son spent a few years in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and enjoyed all the experiences the Scouts offered, but he went on to other activities.  His oldest son who is seven is enjoying his first year of Cub Scouts and my youngest grandson, age four, tags along on many of the activities.  I have saved all of my son's badges in hopes that my grandsons might want them someday.

For more scouting stories and adventures check out this week's Sepia Saturday.

Sepia Saturday #115 - Games - Shuffleboard, Dog Racing & Baseball

For this week's theme at Sepia Saturday, "Games," I really had to dig deep. I couldn't find any old pictures featuring games, but I do have these old postcards and one special baseball card.  Being a transplant in south Florida I really enjoy the old  scenic views.  This first one is from my adopted home town, Fort Lauderdale postmarked 1936.  These people, winter tourists most likely, were playing shuffleboard at the Lauderdale Arms Apartment.  I couldn't find any information on the Lauderdale Arms, I'm sure it is long gone.  However, one interesting and sad note is the postmark.  For nearly 100 years a Fort Lauderdale postmark has been on all mail posted in Broward County, FL.  However, the US Postal Service has recently announced that in an effort to reduce costs they will most likely close the processing center in Fort Lauderdale and all mail will be processed and postmarked out of Miami.  It seems like a minor thing, but it is a blow to the identity and historical presence of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County.  

This second postcard, which is probably technically more a sport than a game, is Greyhound Racing at the West Flagler Kennel Club in Miami, FL and postmarked Valentines Day 1942. The back of the card says, "Nightly thousands of fans gather at Miami's most beautiful dog track, the West Flagler Kennel Club, where the Greyhound is King.  Steam Heated Grandstand." Not sure what that means and why they would need that in Miami!

Now, where the baseball card comes in - baseball is of course, the all American past-time, the game of games.  This card which was put out in 1992 is a republication of a 1925 card for Jack Warner of the Detroit Tigers.  It's relevance to me and my family is that Jack Warner was married to my maternal grandmother's aunt which would make him I guess my great grand uncle.  His full name was John Ralph Warner, he was born on 29 Aug 1903 in Evansville, IN and died 13 Mar 1986 in Mt. Vernon, IL, my hometown, where he is also buried. After his career as a baseball player was over, Jack became a baseball scout for the Chicago Cubs and later a coach for the Los Angeles Angels. If you would like to read more about him you can check out this post on my other blog Teresa's Tangled Roots or see Wikipedia.

Great Grand Uncle John Ralph Warner

Jack Warner Stats

There are more games to be played at Sepia Saturday so check them out.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Girl from Spencer, Mass

This lovely young lady with dark, curly hair is wearing a beautiful lacy dress and what appears to be a matching lace hat.  She also is wearing a choker necklace with pendant.  She has a very serene and contemplative expression on her face. There is nothing on either side of this cabinet card to identify her, but the photographer is E. L. Jaynes of Spencer, Mass. who had a very long and illustrious career in Spencer.   According to the back of the card, Jayne's studio was located at Comins & Ames's block, Main Street in Spencer. Dating this card has been difficult for me; E. L. practiced in Spencer between 1873 and 1920 and this card I at first believed  to have been done around 1885.  However, I have never seen a woman wearing such short sleeves in that time period.  I now believe this to be between the years 1895- 1900, tomorrow I will share why I think this to be true.  If anyone knows something that would point to a more definite date I would gladly appreciate the information.

E. L. Jaynes was Edward Lyman Jaynes born in Massachusetts in October 1842 to Lyman James (1814 - 1902) and Harriet Towne Janes (1821 - 1895).  It appears at some point E. L. changed the spelling of his last name adding the "y".  On 9 Aug 1862 at Sturbridge, MA he enlisted as a Private in the Civil War for the State of Massachusetts, listing his occupation as farmer.  He mustered out on 14 Oct 1862.  

According to the book, "Leading Businessmen of Spencer, Brookfield and Vicinity" published in 1889 by Mercantile Publishing he set up his photography business in Spencer sometime around 1873.  Also per the  book he was very succcessful at his profession and his work "decidedly superior to two-thirds of the work turned out in City Studios."  His studio was burned out in 1887 and he relocated to his then location on Comins & Ames - Main Street.  

In 1879 Edward married Inez McNeil, most likely in Spencer.  According to the 1900 Spencer, Worcester, MA census she was the mother of four children, three living, Florence I. aged 18, Emily M. aged 7 and Irene E. aged 2. With the large age gap between Florence and Emily most likely the fourth child was born and died between the two.  I found Edward and Inez in every census in Spencer up to 1930 at which time he was 88 years old.   He practiced his art until at least 1920 when he listed his occupation as photographer in the 1920 census.  His death is reported on Ancestry.com  in 1937 at age 95 in Worcester County, MA, but I could not find any documentation to back this up.  Regardless he lived a long and productive life.

Sepia Saturday #109 - Duh! Dolls Dammit!

Please forgive my title, I promise this post is not going to be vulgar, but it got your attention didn't it?  You will just have to read further to understand.  This week's theme at Sepia Saturday is dolls and at first I kind of drew a blank. I don't know a lot about dolls, I was an unusual little girl, more of a tomboy and animal lover and I didn't really play with dolls much when I was kid.  So now I was worrying about where I was going to find a picture that fit the theme and then I started thinking and well, DUH! As you will see once I did start thinking I came up with a number of things.  I couldn't just pick one or two so I hope I don't bore you with all of these.

This first photo is a little girl holding her doll and toy horse - her name written on the back is Muriel Blair, no further information is known and she appears to be about two or three years old - isn't she sweet? Love the curls on the doll and look at the mane on that horse!  I don't know the year, but from the type of photo I am guessing 1920 's or 1930's:

The second photo is one that I forgot that I had posted previously and how could I have?  She is the most adorable little thing in her bonnet and holding her dolly.  I have no information on this little doll or her doll, but click here to read my original post which has information about the photographer George Dresser, from Winfield, Kansas.

Next, I was browsing around in an antique shop a couple of years ago and found an old cardboard box marked "Mother's Dolls" with over one hundred pieces of Victorian paper dolls produced by Lion Coffee and a number of what I believe are Dollie Dingle paper dolls.  I normally would never have bought something like this (please don't tell my husband), but for some reason I just had to and so added them to my ever-growing ephemera collection.  At the time I had no idea what on earth I would ever do with them -  perhaps I was thinking to use them on scrapbook pages, but at least this is the perfect reason to use them.  I thought this one was particularly fitting as it pertains to photography:

Lion Coffee Paper Dolls circa 1895 "Photographer's Studio"

Here is a cute, what I think is a "Dollie Dingle" paper doll, holding her dolly.  Dollie Dingle was created by Grace Dayton an illustrator in the Edwardian age.  In 1904 she created Dollie Dingle for Campbell Soup and continued doing so until 1933.  She died in 1934.

And finally, this is a picture of a doll my aunt bought me some years back when I was going through a rough spell.  Now I'm not one much for cursing, but it's called a "dammit doll" and when you're mad you take the doll and hit something with it like your desk (no people or pets, please) and say "dammit!"  I think it works pretty well.