The BIRTHDAY Girls

This lovely little vintage real photo postcard was given to me for my birthday. No date on it, but it was sent to my friend's grandmother.

Click on image to see it larger.

_____

Tattered and Lost volumes 1 to 7 available at Amazon.

It's TEA TIME IN SCOTLAND

The only information I have about this real photo postcard is that it's from Scotland and belonged to my grandmother. One of the few things she brought with her to California. Imagine this in her suitcase as she came through Ellis Island.

Click on image to see it larger.

It's tea time for sure, but for what purpose? Was this during the war? I'm guessing it was and perhaps my grandmother knew someone in the photo. No idea where this was actually taken, but it was in the same bundle of cards that contained this one I posted on December 11th.

Just look at that sponge cake on the plate. I'd have happily taken a piece. They do look a bit like the downstairs crew from Downton.
___________


Tattered and Lost: Forgotten Dolls

This one is for those who love dolls!
Snapshots from the last 100+ years of children and adults with dolls. 

Visiting the YMCA in SCOTLAND DURING WORLD WAR I

As soon as I saw the image for Sepia Saturday this week I knew exactly which photo I needed to feature. The problem…where did I put it?

This real photo post card is from a collection of cards that belonged to my Scottish maternal grandmother. There is nothing written on the back so I have no idea who any of these folks are. I am guessing it was taken in Scotland. Perhaps some of these people were friends of my grandmother; none of them look familiar.

There are a lot of stories here that we'll never know, but oh my it is fun to speculate.


Click on image to see it larger.
____________


And thank you to all who have bought copies of my new book. I hope you enjoy it.

Tattered and Lost: Forgotten Dolls

The FASHIONABLE YOUNG LADY in Ohio with Grandma?

The last shot in this series. We will not be seeing anymore shots of this young lady unless I discover a shot of her later in life that so far has gone right by me. I do adore her. She is worthy of a finely drawn character in a book.

Click on image to see it larger.
_________________

Available at Amazon 
Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading

The FASHIONABLE YOUNG LADY in Ohio with friend

A relative? A friend? Another member of the Bow Club for Girls?


Click on image to see it larger.
_________________

Available at Amazon 
Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading

The FASHIONABLE YOUNG LADY in Ohio

Did she love to dance? Was she graceful or awkward? Did she have a sly sense of humor or a mean streak? Was she often told she was lovely? Did she believe it?


Click on image to see it larger.
_________________

Available at Amazon 
Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading

The FASHIONABLE YOUNG LADY in Ohio

I adore this girl. I have four photos of her in Donald G. Schnabel's family photos from Ohio. Each of the photos is a RPPC; no information is written on the back of any of them. She is one of those mysteries that will not be solved. I do so wish I knew what she looked like as she matured. What became of her? What was her place in history?

I love her shoes.


Click on image to see it larger.
_________________

Available at Amazon 
Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading

Bob? How do you like the POI?

This is the same little fella who has been featured in the two previous posts. We'll now call him Bob. Or perhaps it should be Bob? to be more specific.



I'm guessing he's just sucking on his fingers, but I prefer to think maybe he's been dipping into some two fingered poi. Go for it little dude!
_________________

Available at Amazon 
Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading

Devilish CHERUBIC smile

This is the same little unknown fella from yesterday. Bob? Bob…is that you? Or is it Donald? Unless someone is really good at reading facial features we'll never know.



Nothing is written on the back of this real photo postcard from Donald G. Schnabel's family album. Donald was one of nine children. One was named Robert. So maybe this is really Bob?
_________________

Available at Amazon 
Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading

VIENNA by night

Not exactly the sort of tourist photo you send home to show lovely Vienna at night, but I'm sure it brought a smile to the recipient.


Click on image to see it larger.

Lovin' the fella on the lefts curlycue mustache. Imagine how much time he spent on that. Then again, maybe he had them made by a local barber and just stuck them on his face with wax when he wanted to feel especially dapper.
_________________

Available at Amazon 
Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading

EVERYBODY look over here…EXCEPT FOR AGNES

Dear sweet Agnes, never one to trust strangers, or the uncle who frowned, or traveling salesmen who didn't bring her favorite flavor of gum drops. Yes, dear sweet Agnes who terrified many a teacher with her stare. Dear dear sweet Agnes.




Click on image to see it larger.
_________________

Available at Amazon 
Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading

CATEGORIES: Pets…specifically DOGS

The theme for Sepia Saturday this week also works nicely as a collectible vernacular photography category—pets and those who love them. Some people specialize in collecting photos of dogs. In fact, there are at least two books that feature nothing but photos of dogs. You'll find links to them in the left column available at Amazon (Photobooth Dogs and Dogs). I'm especially fond of the photobooth shots of dogs. My dog would never sit still long enough to have his photo taken in a photobooth. Shoot, I can barely get him to stand still long enough in the house to get a shot that isn't blurred. He's a puppy and has energy to spare. I'm envious.

These photos are both real photo postcards. They are from Donald G. Schnabel's family photo album, most likely taken in Ohio.


Click on image to see it larger.

I'm especially fond of this second shot. It reminds me of an image from a silent movie.



I doubt I'll ever set out to find snapshots of pets. If I find something that really speaks to me I'll buy it, but it's not a category I'll have to have. I've already got enough photos of all the pets I've owned over the years. They are the perfect category.

To see previous posts about dogs click "dog" in the tags below.
_________________

Available at Amazon 
Tattered and Lost: The Quiet Art of Reading

RELATIVELY speaking...

This real photo postcard comes from a collection of family photos from Scotland. Not one face looks familiar, so I'm left wondering who these ladies were and why did my grandmother have this photo.


Click on image to see it larger.

The influence of Japan on Western culture and art for the masses began, I believe, in the 1850s. Of course, this photo is not that old. I'm guessing this was taken sometime during the first couple of decades of the 20th century. It was never posted so it had to be before the late teens when my grandparents moved from Scotland to California.

A group of Scottish friends having this photo taken for fun? Sort of like photos taken today where you dress up like a character from the old West? Possible.

I'm more inclined to believe that these ladies were from a performance of The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan. Now who wouldn't want to hear it performed by a group of Scots with a thick brogue?

So this card might have been for a theater troupe. We'll never know unless someday someone else comes across a copy of one and has a better explanation.

Whenever I look at this photo I think of the kimono I had that was stolen. Many years ago my home was broken into and many items were stolen. Damn alarm system wasn't working. Over the years I would suddenly remember things that I hadn't seen in a long time, adding items to the mental list of what the burglar took. My kimono from my childhood was one of them. They left the yellow obi, probably not knowing what it was. It was a beautiful red kimono with flowers and butterflies.

When I lived in Hawaii as a child my best friend and I would play samurai and geisha instead of the cowboy and indians we'd played when living on the Mainland. It still makes me very sad to think my kimono was taken. It was mine, it was infused with my memories, and I cherished it. Now? Who knows where it is or if it still even exists. It might have ended up as a rag and now be covered in refuse at the dump. Okay, now I'm just making myself really sad.

Let's go back to thinking that this was a group of ladies who were friends of my Scottish grandmother. They went out for the day to Edinburgh, had their photo taken, then went somewhere pleasant for tea and scones. Girdle (griddle) scones, please.

This is my submission for Sepia Saturday this week.

The GHOSTLY PICNIC

This real photo post card is one of my favorite images from my collection. A mistaken double exposure or a purposeful shot? It is a ghostly picnic.

Click on image to see it larger.

I always think of act three from Thorton Wilder's play Our Town when I look at it.

The Stage Manager opens the act with a lengthy monologue emphasizing eternity, and introduces us to the cemetery outside of town and the characters who died in the nine years since Act Two: Mrs Gibbs (pneumonia, while traveling), Wally Webb (burst appendix, while camping), Mrs Soames, and Simon Stimson (suicide by hanging), among others. We meet the undertaker, Joe Stoddard, and a young man Sam Craig who has returned home for his cousin's funeral. We learn that his cousin is Emily, who died giving birth to her and George's second child. The funeral ends and Emily emerges to join the dead. Then Mrs. Gibbs tells her that they must wait and forget the life that came before, but Emily refuses. Despite the warnings of Simon, Mrs. Soames, and Mrs. Gibbs, Emily decides to return to Earth to re-live just one day, her 12th birthday. She finally finds it too painful, and realizes just how much life should be valued, "every, every minute." Poignantly, she asks the Stage Manager whether anyone realizes life while they live it, and is told, "No. The saints and poets, maybe – they do some." She then returns to her grave, beside Mrs. Gibbs, watching impassively as George kneels weeping at her graveside. The Stage Manager concludes the play, reflecting on the probable lack of life beyond Earth, and wishes the audience a good night. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

Did these young ladies and gentlemen mysteriously disappear following their gathering? Was there an accident? Perhaps a drowning from an overturned boat on the nearby lake? A vehicle overturned killing all aboard? Did they forever haunt the place where they last knew happiness together? We'll never know, but the image is certainly open to interpretation.

This is my Sepia Saturday contribution for the week.

IDA

Click on image to see it larger.

TWO OF A KIND Is What It Says On the Back...

but I think I prefer "Half-assed."


Click on image to see it larger.

MEET MY FRIEND Governor Bill O'Neill, with the "C" that stood for nothing

There are just so many snarky things I could say about this vintage post card, but I'll keep my mouth shut. Politics are a touchy subject these days and rightfully so considering how some of the insane have taken over the asylum.

Not running for your vote is Governor Bill O'Neill, but at one time you could get your photo taken with him for a cheesy political fundraising gimmick. From what I've found online he was going for the very old vote. Don't believe me? Then look here and here. And Governor O'Neill with his family.




Click on either image to see it larger.

C. William O'Neill (The C stands for nothing) (February 14, 1916 - August 20, 1978) was a Republican politician from Ohio. He was born in Marietta, Ohio. He was the 59th Governor of Ohio. He graduated from both Marietta College (1938) and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (1942). While at Marietta he joined The Delta Upsilon University.

O'Neill served as a state representative and as Speaker of the House. He was then elected the State Attorney General in 1950, being the youngest person elected to the office at age 34. He served from 1951–1957, when he was elected to the governorship. O'Neill served until 1959. He was defeated for reelection due to his support of the controversial proposed "right to work" amendment to the Ohio Constitution. He served on the Ohio Supreme Court from 1960 until his death serving as an associate justice, then Chief Justice. O'Neill was the only Ohioan to serve in top leadership positions in the legislative, executive and judicial branches of Ohio.

O'Neill was married to Betty Hewson on July 29, 1945, and they had two children. He died August 20, 1978, and his funeral service was at First Community Church in Columbus. He was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Marietta. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

To read more about the Governor's life outside posing with elderly constituents click here.

Just think of all the numbskulls who will be getting their photos taken with other numbskulls this week all wearing incredibly stupid hats. Gives a person pause.

MINNIE GURR, graduating in 1915

Other than her name, Minnie Gurr, I have no information about this woman.



Click on image to see it larger.

UPDATE:  Thanks to Intense Guy, we have some biographical information about Minnie.

Minnie Gurr, born in 1890 (judging from the location) graduated from Georgia College was chartered in 1889 as Georgia Normal and Industrial College. Its emphasis at the time was largely vocational, and its major task was to prepare young women for teaching or industrial careers. And we find Minnie in the 1920 US census "teacher, public school" in Stone Mountain, Dekalb, Georgia. (SOURCE: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MJDC-S7H with some help from Ancestry.Com.)

Poor MOMMA

Poor momma was never the same after seeing the squirrel staring back at her from the toilet bowl.


Click on image to see it larger.

To his dying day father claimed he had never seen the squirrel before.

IRENE HORSLEY in 1914

No information about Irene Horsley other than her name. In this getup she looks like she should be playing a bit part in the Music Man. In fact, I'm not sure there wasn't a character in the movie that didn't wear this exact outfit.



I do wonder how old Irene was when this shot was taken. How long did girls wear these huge bows? To say the least, I'm glad it went out of fashion. I've seen some shots of girls far too old to be wearing huge bows in their hair.

It is possible Irene came from Nebraska because this shot was purchased at the same estate sale as the previous two images.

UPDATE: Thank you, Bulldog.

Irene Horsley wife of Claude A. Perry. Born November 29, 1896, died April 9, 1977. (http://nebraskagravestones.org/view.php?id=133923)