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. 

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.

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.