Sepia Saturday - Turn of the Century Woman in Silhouette (Edwardian Era)

This past week I made my reentry into publishing blog entries after nearly a year and a half away.  It felt like meeting up with an old friend, one you haven’t seen in a long time, but fall right back into where you left off.  Today I return to another old friend, Sepia Saturday, who I have also greatly missed, and the wonderful people who post each week.

This week the subject is based around making silhouettes.  I had the perfect photos in mind, but of course, cannot find them.  A year ago my computer crashed (part of the reason I've been away so long) and when my son was helping purchase and set up my new equipment he insisted on putting all my carefully cataloged photos on an external hard drive while saying, “Mother, who keeps 40,000 photos on her C drive?”  Well, me of course.  The photos are now jumbled in a giant mess and I have neither the energy nor the expertise to efficiently organize them.

I finally decided on this photo of a very interesting "turn of the century" young woman in silhouette pose.  She is wearing a high-necked white blouse quite typical for the time and I love the poofy, flowery bow in her hair.  What really drew me to purchase this photograph was her spectacles – they help make her face so interesting.

The photographer was Elmer M. Enlow born in Lee Township, Athens County, Ohio on September 17, 1867 according to Jeffrey Weidman in his book, Artists in Ohio, 1787 - 1900:  A Biographical Dictionary.  According to Weidman, Enlow bought his studio from John C. Brannan in 1898 and was still active as of 1905.

I urge all my readers to click this link, Sepia Saturday, for more great photos and fascinating stories.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - 1890's Nashville, TN Woman

Sorry I haven't posted much lately, much going on personally, but wanted to share this photo of a young woman from late 1890's Nashville, TN.  The quality of the photograph is not great, in fact it is a little blurry.  I like it for a several reasons; some of my ancestors came from that area, she is sporting a great hat and if you look closely you can see she is wearing eyeglasses.  I'm not sure what you call that thing around her neck, maybe a boa or just the collar of her coat, but it is wonderful as well.  I tried really hard to make out the photographer's name which is embossed right above the location at the lower right hand corner with no luck.

Sepia Saturday - Older Women of a Certain Character in Bonnets

Wow!  This week's Sepia Saturday was a real doozy, I wasn't sure which way to go with it, but I just kept coming back to to that old lady in the bonnet with that, shall we say, unusual look on her face.  Or let's just call it character.  I have  several photographs of "older women of character in bonnets" I would like to share so here they are:

This first photograph is a CDV taken probably about 1863-1864 by Geo. W. Wilcox, Traveling Photographer of an unidentified woman.  This appears that it may have possibly had a revenue stamp on it at one time so most likely late 1864.

1864 Woman

 


The first photo below is a CDV taken around 1860 - 1862.  The card was cut at the corners to fit into a photo album.  There is no photographer listed, but on the back is written in hand, " Grandma Misserner, Harrison & Ernest Great Grandmother."  The second photo is also most likely early 1860's and the woman and photographer are both unidentified.  Update:  I just realized the second woman, on the right below, is wearing eyeglasses!

1860 -62 Woman

Early 1860's Woman

This next photograph is interesting, it appears to be of a woman probably late 1850's to early 1860's, but the photo was copied from glass and reprinted most likely sometime in the 1870's.  The photographer who made the copy was Groves & Little, 21 Henry Street, Carlisle and the woman is unidentified.

Late 1850's to Early 1860's Woman

 


This last photo I have posted before but I think it deserves another mention, don't you?

Early 1860's Woman

Please check out all the other enticing photos and stories at 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.

Those Places Thursday - Traveling Railroad Photo Cars

This wonderful cabinet card photo of four young women brought to my attention something I had never heard of before - traveling railroad photo cars. According to Robert O. Brown, the Hutchings Railroad Photo Car was designed to be a traveling studio. The train car would consist of studio, dark room and sleeping rooms for the photographer and assistant. It appears Hutchings, who was headquartered in Kansas, traveled in his railroad car up and down the Kansas railroads and into Nebraska. To see what a traveling photo car may have looked like check out this webpage. In Brown's 2002 book, "Collectors Guide to 19th Century U.S. Traveling Photographers" he believes that Hutchings most likely worked from 1884 - 1889. If you do a web search you will find many photos posted with his photographer's mark and most look to be from this time period.

I would date this particular photograph more at the end of that time frame, about 1889.  The uneven scalloped card edges were rarely seen before that time on cabinet cards.  The girls' clothing fits the time period as do their hairstyles.  The lace collars three of them are wearing are so intricate and beautiful.  I also love the girl with the eyeglasses!  Alas, our subjects are once again unidentified.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats! Out for a Stroll

This week's Women with Hats shows a photo postcard of a woman in a tailored walking suit.  The coat is hip length, notched at the lapel and has three buttons.  There seems to be a button or other decoration at the waist of the coat.  The skirt also has buttons that appear to match the jacket.  The blouse is beautiful, somewhat sheer with a necktie and standing collar.  She is wearing white kid gloves and carrying a small, beaded purse with a chain handle.  She is also wearing eyeglasses.  Her hair seems to be pulled up into a bun on the top of her head as was popular for the era.  I believe this photo to be dated between 1909 and 1914 although I am unsure about the hat.  She is not identified and there is no photographer named as well.

Wedding Wednesday - Unknown Philadelphia Couple

Here is a picture of a newly married couple taken in Philadelphia, PA, probably between 1900 and 1910 I'm guessing based on the style of her dress (I'm still working on my photo dating skills).  She is holding a lovely basket of roses and note her eyeglasses.  He is very dapper in his dark suit, wearing white gloves and I particularly like his handlebar mustache.  I could not find any information about the photographer,  "The Sommer Studio, 210 N. Eighth St., Opp. Bijou Theatre, Phila."

Woman with Hat 1903

Here's a great picture of a woman in a hat - I love hats!  There is no photographer marking, but on the back it says "Elsie to Gramma, 1903."  This is such a great picture and it is in wonderful condition.  

I also love her eyeglasses.