Tag Archives: 1920s

May 9, 2015

1922 Mr. Pappas from Lewiston, Maine.

By C.E. Ryan

RPPC. 1922 (digitally erased date at bottom). Private Collection.

RPPC. 1922 (digitally erased date at bottom). Private Collection.

Roaring Twenties gentleman. On this photo I like the trousers’ pocket flap peeking from below the waistcoat. This gentleman is rocking his suit and hat, isn’t he? I like the classic 20’s look very much…but if you’re a regular reader of my blog you already knew that.

And the man was a shoe craftsman. A coincidence after the cut.

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May 8, 2015

Steamer train 4423 crew

By C.E. Ryan
RPPC. Private Collection

RPPC. Private Collection

One of the workers is IDed on the back, the one to the left with the checkered cap and sunglasses (!): Pete Dobrzynski. He was the son of Polish immigrants, born in New York circa 1894. He had a wife, Sophie, and a daughter, Lavina (cute name). This photo is an AZO from between 1918-1930. I think this was taken circa 1920.

I love the composition with the front of the steamer locomotive in the background. While I love photos of dapper gents of the era in studio settings, I also love photos like this, of groups of workers posing together.

Larger detail.

Larger detail.

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May 7, 2015

The French Larcenist

By C.E. Ryan

Mugshot. Private Collection.

1927 Mugshot. Private Collection.

This Frenchman got caught for ‘larceny by truck’ in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was a salesman who -if I understand this right- tried to flee by truck without giving back the change on a transaction? If so I hope it was an amount significant enough to risk the trouble of getting caught. And they took his mugshot with his hat still on!

Back of mugshot

Back of mugshot

Name: Thomas E. Marsh

Crime: Larceny by truck (short change)

Age: 28 Height: 5 ft. 6 3/4 in. Weight: 133 lbs

Hair: Light Brown Eyes: Light Blue Build: Slender

Complexion: Light. Mustache: — (don’t you love it that ‘mustache’ is an actual option?)

Born: France Nationality: French Occupation: Salesman

Arrested: 1-13-27 Officer: […] Davis

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May 4, 2015

Boys with guns will be boys with guns

By C.E. Ryan
Candid circa 1920. Private Collection.

Candid circa 1920. Private Collection.

Teen boys posing as robbers over the wall with real guns. The element of surprise is in their favor!

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April 25, 2015

The 1920’s detective

By C.E. Ryan
The Detective. RPPC. Private Collection.

The Prohibition Era Detective. RPPC. Private Collection.

I brought this photo back to life…it was so torn up and stained, and the focus isn’t quite up to par for a studio photograph, i.e. it has no value in monetary terms…but the subject was worth it!

This photo was part of a lot I got for a few dollars because I was only really interested in one photo, yet when I digitally fixed this one up the gentleman came through.The first thing that popped into my head when I saw him was he looks like a detective or the senior journalist who likes to dig where my bad boy characters would rather he didn’t! Wouldn’t you cast him as such in a movie? The thorn on the side good guy! And this is a gentleman who can rock the mustache with style, don’t you agree?

I love fixing up old and damaged photos, bringing back the otherwise forgotten person back to public view. It feels rewarding in a sense.

RPPC: AZO 2 up 2 down triangles. 1918-1930.

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