Along the bottom of this carte-de-visite is a handwritten inscription: Oh! A very shy young Quakeress am I And they call me Pretty little Ruth When I first published this post, I speculated that these lines might have come from a play, and that the young woman in the photograph might have been wearing a... Continue Reading →
Man with blanket in Cleveland by Thomas T. Sweeny
The man in this carte-de-visite portrait isn't identified. Why does he have a blanket wrapped around him? He seems to be pointing at it: The photographer, Thomas T. Sweeny (1831-1891), worked in Cleveland, Ohio, throughout his life. Although he was active for about three decades, information about him is scarce online. Census records indicate... Continue Reading →
Apple seller on Boston Common by Edward Allen
Apple season is in full swing in New England. It will continue until early November, which is probably the time of year when the photo above was taken, considering how few leaves are visible on the trees. The photo is the right half of a stereoview by Edward L. Allen (1830-1914). Edward Allen seems... Continue Reading →
A joyful moment in Frederiksberg, Denmark
The school year started this week in Vermont. When I saw a yellow school bus on the road for the first time in months, it occurred to me that I haven't posted a school photo on the blog in a while. Class photos can be rather somber, but most of the kids in the photo... Continue Reading →
Tribute to a flag in Merthyr, Wales
The young woman above is wearing a skirt that matches the flag behind her. She's also wearing ribbons on her shoulders, bodice and waist. But which flag is it? From 1807 until 1953, the flag of Wales was white with a red dragon at the center. The cabinet card was made by Alfred Betts (1829-1890)... Continue Reading →
“After the Regatta”
I had hoped to share a sporting image here on the blog while the Summer Olympics were going on in Tokyo, but the two weeks went by so fast that I didn't manage it. Since today is the day after the Olympics, it seems appropriate to share a stereoview titled After the Regatta. Published by... Continue Reading →
Man with royal charter
This cabinet card photograph is the first image I've shared from Australia. It was printed at the Anson Brothers studio in Hobart, Tasmania, which was in operation from 1878 to 1891. Founded by brothers Joshua, Henry Joseph and Richard Edwin Anson, the studio became known for views of Tasmanian scenery, which received medals at the... Continue Reading →
Cycling enthusiasts at a rally in London
No bicycles appear in this photograph, but the sign at upper right tells us that the occasion for this gathering was a cycling club rally of some kind. Unfortunately, some of the names of the clubs are cut off at the edge of the photo. No one in the group is identified, but a visitor... Continue Reading →
Cutting wood for a sauna near Bristol Bay, Alaska (1929)
This photograph has an inscription on the back which is written mostly in Finnish: I was able to read enough of the Finnish words to guess that the men were cutting wood to heat a sauna. After I published this post, readers in Finland confirmed that guess. Luisella from Tra Italia e Finlandia helpfully typed... Continue Reading →
Dolores and friends in Manila
When I started this blog four years ago, I decided to post only photos taken before 1940. It was an arbitrary line to draw, but I wanted to draw one somewhere, and a century seemed like a good place to do it (1839-1939). For one thing, sitters in photos taken after 1940 are more likely... Continue Reading →
MIT students at Camp Cunningham (1917)
This publicity photograph was taken at a summer camp in East Machias, Maine, called Camp Cunningham. The camp was organized by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to provide military-style training to students after their sophomore year. The decision to organize the camp was made after the United States entered World War I in April... Continue Reading →
Hospital workers in Moscow (1925)
The back of this photograph is signed in ink. Part of the name looks like Arivash, but I can't read the rest. There's also an inscription in pencil which is legible. The inscription: Москва 1925 год. Горькое время студенческое в материальном отношении и счастливое в моральном положении. Это не для всех, а только для... Continue Reading →
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