Category Archives: Types of Subjects

October 28, 2015

A Fine Victorian Profile

By C.E. Ryan
Profile. Cabinet card. Private collection.

1870-80s profile portrait of young man. Cabinet card. Private collection.

The top left of the card is a bit damaged, but nothing to detract from this anonymous sitter. He’s wearing his hair cropped short which gives him a more contemporary look. Really, he could blend in at a posh wedding today, and to think this portrait is only 130 plus years old, making this fine gentleman about a century and a half years old.

I first came across this one on tumblr, shared it on this tumblr account and by chance acquired it since. So yes, if you come from tumblr you already saw this one from me, but this is a new scan. :)

short-cropped-hair-profile-athertons-2

Photographer: Atherton’s. The back is blank.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Cabinet Cards, Gentlemen

October 27, 2015

So Bummed…

By C.E. Ryan
Tintype. Private Collection.

Man with eye injury and his friend. Tintype. Private Collection.

This unfortunate gent with the injured eye had to wear a bandage wrapped around the head for his portrait picture. He looks so down. Was he in pain and worried he’d lost an eye for good? Let’s hope he fully recovered, otherwise he was going to have to get used to it and looking at his expression he wasn’t in the least thrilled.

His friend is wearing a lucky horseshoe tie stack…I wonder if he was with the other man when the accident happened. They have boutonnieres too, one has it on the coat lapel and the other on the cravat. But if they attended an event that day, this poor lad doesn’t look like he was in the best mood to be social.

Today is not my day…pout.

Also, the backdrop design looks Arabic with a tall waterfall in the background. The right panel looks like a completely separate design, the painted window looking more American with the bottom panel supposed to slide up.

7 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Groups, Tintypes

October 26, 2015

Passion in Rust

By C.E. Ryan
PC PARIS

1920s P.C Paris postcard #1511. Private Collection.

Like the Blue Kiss, the postcard company decided to publish this one in a way that wouldn’t present the models on top of each other when they obviously are, except this time the man is below the woman. She’s wearing patterned robes reminiscent of East Asia, and he pajamas. A sexy postcard enhanced by the choice of tint.

I have a tamer one with these two I’ll be posting soon. On it she wears different robes and he the same pajama shirt.

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Couples, Postcards

October 23, 2015

Slick’s five friends were cool kids

By C.E. Ryan
Slick's Friends. RPPC. Private Collection.

1910s-20s Slick’s Friends. RPPC. Private Collection.

Who was ‘Slick’? He had some photogenic friends. The two with the hat tucked behind the ears look like brothers, maybe even twins. The one on the left was quite relaxed while the one on the right was a bit like “hmm ok, I guess it’s going to come out like it’s supposed to come out…”. They all posed outdoors on a log bench in front of a wall of vines, leaving us with a slice of everyday fashion from the era, and wondering what they were really like.

RPPC: CYKO 1904-1920s

6 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Groups, RPPCs

October 21, 2015

Up Close II

By C.E. Ryan
Up close in checkered cap. Snapshot. Private Collection.

Up close in checkered cap. Snapshot. Private Collection.

I just received this one in the mail. He looks like he’s got a trick or two up his sleeve! When I first saw it I was happy to have another amateur close-up from the late 10s or 20s. It must have been his favorite cap to wear too. It looks like it was due for a wash!

And then I realized it came from the same seller I got another up close portrait from last June, but only recently posted (seen below). The format is similar although the first had its edges trimmed. One difference is that it’s much more sepia toned than the second one. Now, how did that happen? They both do have album glue residue on the back.

But they are positioned to the left, and at the same distance to the ‘shoreline’, the sun hitting them from high above. I think these two were playing with the same camera! Here’s them side by side:

Related?

Related?

The more I look at them the more I see some facial features they seem to share…Were they related? Well, this fine duo wished to record themselves up close on a beautiful day, and aren’t we glad they did! Their personalities shine through.

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Gentlemen, Others