May 29, 2015

The 1880s unknown Indian War U.S. cavalry officer

By C.E. Ryan
Image copyright Caroline Ryan. Original from cabinet card of private Collection.

Digitally enhanced picture from cabinet card of private collection.

A gorgeous portrait of an American infantry/cavalry officer. He’s standing proud with his arms crossed, his sword on the side. He’s wearing white gloves and a high collar below his dress coat. He moved ever so slightly, and it seems he has a scar on his nose.  I cleaned it up and played with the contrast some, and quite like it this way.

His belt buckle.

The Indian War officer belt buckle.

The card is blank on both sides, what a pity. No name either.

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

May 28, 2015

Hot kissing the blonde

By C.E. Ryan

A sizzling hot couple of French postcards showing a brunette man with the slicked back hair kissing on the chest of a gorgeous curly haired blonde girl. On the second one, we see that he’s wearing a military uniform.

What’s interesting is both postcards used the same photo session, yet they are not of the same company. I would very much like to discover who the talented photographer was.

I want to say this could be the same man as on the blue kiss postcard, not sure about the woman.

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

May 28, 2015

‘Drink this, it’ll put hair on your chest, son.’

By C.E. Ryan
Father and son in top hats. Tintype. Private Collection.

Father and son in top hats with a stiff drink. Private Collection.

Teaching the boy the grown-up ways! This father is posing with his little man with the adult sized top hat on his head, and he’s acting like he’s going to share a stiff drink with him. He found it humorous to pose with his son this way, and I do too! His son is holding on to the hat and looking at the bottle with keen interest!

After the picture I see the dad giving a sip to his eager boy and laughing at his reaction, and the little one saying “Eww…how can you drink this, dad?!”.

This tintype is quite endearing, and -bonus!- it has top hats. The father has that cheeky Harrison Ford smile too, doesn’t he?

It’s easy to imagine the son holding on to this photograph throughout his life, and with a fond memory of that day.

Creative Commons License
Digital restoration work titled “Drink This, It’ll Put Hair On Your Chest Son” by Caroline C. Ryan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Boys, Groups, Humorous, Tintypes

May 27, 2015

James Everett “Jimmie” Caldwell’s Jazz Jesters

By C.E. Ryan
Jimmy Caldwell's Jazz Jesters

from left to right: Chuck Cheney, Virge Leach, Don Murray, Jimmie Caldwell and Jimmie Fallis

A gorgeous vintage 7″ by 10″ photograph of the Jazz Jesters, a Northern University jazz band founded by Jimmie Caldwell and based in the Chicago of the early 20s. I can’t help but imagine the wild soirees these five slick musicians played for, and how much illegal alcohol they saw flowing.

Click for larger detail

Click for larger detail

This photograph is attached to a grey album backing with a note stating the organist (Jimmie Caldwell) played at a venue (I can’t decypher) in Omaha.

A big thank you to Mavis Purdy of The Vintage Photo Booth group on Facebook and Christian Perales of the Jazz Age group on Facebook too.

Sources:

For in-depth info on this group please visit Jimmie Caldwell’s Jazz Jesters by Albert Haim

James Everett Caldwell’s Find A Grave

Photographer: J.D.Taloff. Evanston ILL.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Groups, Others

May 27, 2015

These ‘Dock Rats’ won’t rat

By C.E. Ryan
RPPC. Private Collection. Click for larger image.

‘Dock Rats’ 1910s RPPC. Private Collection. Click for larger image.

Three best street lookin’ pals hanging out by the docks, one smoking a cigarette. Oh, those idle hands must be up to no good!

RPPC: AZO 1907-1914

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Bad Boys, RPPCs, Teens