Tag Archives: bowler

April 15, 2016

The Weeping Ghost was my friend

By C.E. Ryan
The Weeping Ghost. 1890's-1900's cabinet card. Private Collection.

The Weeping Ghost. 1890’s-1900’s cabinet card. Private Collection. (Click for larger image)

I’m in love with this cabinet card. On the left, a young man is weeping, holding a handkerchief to his face as he fades into the backdrop and chair, while the other one is engaged, solid, to lend an ear at his disembodied friend. Those Victorian sensibilities!

I am not 100% certain the ghostly effect was meant to happen, but I would not be surprised if it was intended because it all feels perfect as is. The light, airy lace curtains on the sides help give this photograph an ethereal effect. I could write a story inspired by this beautiful photograph.

Close-up.

Close-up. Click to enlarge.

On the close-up you can better see the expression of concern. And here’s the whole card as is:

the-weeping-ghost-3

8 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Cabinet Cards, Groups

April 11, 2016

The bowler hatted benefactor

By C.E. Ryan
RPPC vignette. Private Collection.

RPPC vignette. Private Collection.

This is one of the first RPPCs I got. I had to have at least one vignette portrait of a gent in a bowler. This one wrote to a lady named Roxie. He made good on a promise and gave her something -with the postcard picture of himself- that would help her father ‘next spring when he plants corn’. What it was is lost to time, but this seems like it was a thoughtful message and nice gesture. And maybe getting into the good graces of the father does help. :)

 

 

rppc-euclid-back

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

March 21, 2016

Celebrating one year on WordPress with this fine group

By C.E. Ryan
rppc-the-tilted-hats-gang

“The Tilted Hats”. RPPC. Private Collection.

The first person who attracted my attention was the gent in the bowler, I love the way he tilted his head in the opposite direction of the hat. And then I noticed his friends; the charming one next to him tilting his head too, and the others with the hat sideways or to the back.

I don’t think I have a favorite in this group; they all took a good picture. There must have been a joke or two about how the camera made the tough looking middle one quite blurry, and I think his nose was broken too.

And the front left nature boy with his neck scarf, undone collar and cane reminiscent of a branch. The teen to the front right looks like he was the younger brother of the one standing left.

rppc-the-tilted-hats-gang2

Click for larger image.

All in all, a fine Edwardian group who must have made quite an impression! And with them goes one year of blogging on WordPress with 416 posts!

RPPC: AZO triangles, 1904-1918

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

March 14, 2016

On the Omnibus of 1904 Paris

By C.E. Ryan
"This is getting to be a serious affair". 1904 postcard. Private Collection.

“This is probably going to get serious”. 1904 postcard. Private Collection.

I would call this series How to Discreetly Show Interest in a Gentleman on the Omnibus.

The cute series starts out quite innocently…and ends with the sure promise of a second meeting. I am missing #5 of the 6 postcards though. I wish I had it! But the story is quite simple, really, and the person who sent these postcards could not resist putting words into the gentleman’s head!

So I added what she’s thinking before the translated comments.

Both models were sitting on chairs, with the design of the omnibus line added later. The third has a misspelling too! But the line did exist, and if you’re curious to see what omnibus these two would have been on, here’s an image of the Madeleine-Bastille line omnibus of the era:

Paris-Tramway-Omnibus-Madeleine-Bastille

Source: famillefine.free.fr

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

March 10, 2016

Here’s to the girls of the American Shore

By C.E. Ryan
Here's to the girls of the american shore

1909 postcard. Private Collection. Click for larger image.

Well, if there ever was a better excuse to drink..! This gent was colorized with red hair too. Is he supposed to represent an Irish immigrant? Aw, sure look it!

The photo of this gent (with, again, an attitude-lol-) was taken by Theodor Eismann, New York. The postcard was copyrighted in 1909 and sent the following March.

I’ve decided to take a picture of it instead of a scan, the golden tones come out better.

In fact, I ordered this card last July 1915, but the seller had misplaced it. I had completely given up on it but was very surprised to find out Marilyn of Etsy’s VintagenutsInc decided to send it to me at no cost when she found it again last month. So very nice of her!

 

8 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Humorous, Postcards

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