Tag Archives: smiling
Taken February 5th, 1909 in Grand Junction, CO. RPPC. Private Collection.
This is one of my favorite RPPCs. Look at this grown-up man holding a teddy bear in his arm with the unlit cigar in mouth. And then the note on the back; his friend “Pooch” admitting he and his pals felt fine when they had this taken.
I think the note on the front says: We are looking for the Big Cap. Nothing to[sic] good for the Juish ([sic] Jewish. The one holding the teddy bear is my guess. Bad speller!).
I think the ‘Big Cap’ is the Liberty Cap in Grand Junction, CO. It wasn’t going to feel too good for his pal getting a bit too merry before the impending hike. Oh, the adventure!
The happy fellow on the left even positioned the teddy bear’s head and arm to wave at the camera!
Click for larger image
RPPC info: AZO 1907-1914
It’s been done before on this tintype!
Leave a comment | tags: 1900s, 1909, Colorado, drunk, Funny, Grand Junction, smiling, teddy bear, toy, USA | posted in Groups, Humorous, RPPCs
1920s Betty & “Kurlie” in front of tavern. Private Collection.
The note on the back says Aunt Betty / ‘Kurlie’ Buair. 1920’s
“Kurlie” with the cigar and flashy smile under the homburg was dressed to the nines!
Click for larger picture.
The Free Lunch sign tells us these two were in front of (what used to be) a tavern. Since prohibition started January 16, 1920 this either was taken across the Canadian border or they were in the U.S, the sign is outdated and this is now a speakeasy!
Betty is simply dressed and seems a little nervous and camera shy checking out the street! By contrast “Kurlie” the peacock is all too eager to show off for the camera! Oh, and the spats! I’ll bet a whole American dollar this one was a character.
Leave a comment | tags: 1920s, fashion, fedora, gangster, overcoat, smiling, speakeasy | posted in Bad Boys, Others
Leonard Spiller (1890-1952) Cabinet card. Private Collection.
When I first saw this photograph I thought the boy looked familiar…then I see he’s IDed. Success! What a lovely photograph too, very clean which is always a plus. This cabinet card was taken on June 11,1903 when Leonard Spiller was 13.
And this is the second photograph I have of him, the first a CDV taken in 1910 when he was a student at Cambridge. I learned some more about his family too. Leonard was the son of John Spiller, a consulting analyst chemist and once the President of the Royal Photographic Society (1874-1875) in London.
Leonard came into this world late in the life of his father John (1833-1921) who married Emma (born Davenport), his second wife. Leonard had much older half siblings from his father’s first marriage to Caroline Ada Pritchard: Ethel Mary (1857-?), Arnold John and Claude Pritchard (1870-1938).
I found some photos of his family from the same seller. A photo gallery of Leonard and family members after the cut.
Continue reading
4 Comments | tags: 1900s, Acton, edwardian, edwardian boy, edwardian collar, edwardian family, Emma Spiller, England, Ethel Mary Spiller, europe, Islington, John Spiller, Leonard Spiller, London, Norfolk jacket, reverend Leonard Spiller, RPS President, smiling, UK, vicar Leonard Spiller, victorian, victorian family | posted in Cabinet Cards, Teens
Super tiny photo booth style strip. Dated 1915. Private Collection.
A cute early example of a photobooth style photo strip. Look at this one with the wide engaging smile. And he looks younger with his hat on!
Apart from the subject, what makes this photo strip interesting is that it is dated 1915 on the back in pencil. This means this strip was taken a good eleven years before inventor Anatol Josephewitz (later Josepho) patented his machine and opened the infamous New York based automated Photomaton Studio dubbed “Broadway’s greatest quarter-snatcher”. As many as 7,000 New Yorkers a day stood in line to experience his machine, and by the end of the first year Mr. Josepho had made a swell million dollars (in yesterday’s money!) contracting his machine for expansion Ok, I’m getting sidetracked here..!
I’d like to find out why strips like this one existed before the era of the Photomaton, but info on photo strips taken prior to Josepho’s invention isn’t readily available online. This particular example is very tiny. Each photo is about 1 inch by 1 inch. I think these were proofs for larger versions to be ordered, but the portrait poses look informal, like taken at a photobooth…
4 Comments | tags: 1910s, 1915, Anatol Josepho, cute, edwardian, handsome teen, photo strips, photobooth, photomaton, smiling | posted in Photobooths, Teens
“If my calculations are right, I shall be 100% drunk this fine evening.” 3″ x 3.5″ Private Collection.
I’m not exactly sure what this amused and dapper gent in evening wear is home distilling, but clear alcohol is never good! I think it was most likely moonshine. Drink up!
3 Comments | tags: 1920s-1930s, candid, Connecticut, drinking, evening wear, Funny, home brewing, moonshine, New Haven, prohibition, smiling, USA | posted in Bad Boys, Humorous, Others
Bowlers And High Collars 