Found Photographs

[captainscot]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]118088[/ATTACH I got this glass negative in a box with with other old misc. photo stuff, it was labeled as Met life building, but i dont know if that is accurate or not... You can see the horse drawn carriages.

[dachyagel]

Yes, that is the Metropolitan Life Building in NYC (not to be confused with the Met Life skyscraper that was plopped in front of Grand Central).

It was the tallest building in the world for 4 years (1909-1913), and judging from that the surroundings, the photo was probably taken around that time or thereafter.

[Keith Pitman]

118393
My grandfather (center), his two sisters, and their mother and father. About 1900.

[Keith Pitman]

I thought the back of this portrait was more interesting than the subject.

[Keith Pitman]

They look like they belong together, I think.

[Chauncey Walden]

http://dcphotoartist.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/soldier_tintype_guttaperchacase_uncased.jpg

Any help in identifying the military unit this guy came from would be much appreciated. It could be he was attending a fair and someone had a dress-up kit he posed in and this is not an actual soldier at all. It is most probably American, not British, despite the pith helmet. Most likely pre-1880 from the various pieces of accoutrement he's wearing (if it is a US Army uniform, the belt buckle puts it before 1873, when they changed to rectangular buckles). Beyond that I can't tell anything for certain.

[Chauncey Walden]

Scott, the rifle he is holding is an 1873 Springfield and compare his jacket with the second one here: http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/photographs1.html

[jcoldslabs]

A photo of my grandmother circa 1938 shot on Kodachrome. Knowing my grandfather's gear at the time this was probably shot with a Kodak Retina II. I inherited that camera from him and it still works just fine.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage-35mm-Jean-1938.jpg

Jonathan

[Keith Pitman]

While cleaning out my mother-in-law's house a few months ago, we found a Kodak Jiffy camera with an exposed roll of 616 film in it. I developed the film and found three images of my wife and her grandmother, circa 1954. Badly fogged after 60 years, but both still recognizable. Her grandmother died shortly after the photos were taken.



118578

[jcoldslabs]

My great-grandparents circa 1916.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage-McDougalls009.jpg

Jonathan

[Joe Smigiel]

My great-grandparents circa 1916.
Jonathan

Wonderful portraits Jonathon.

[Tin Can]

So nice to have! How big were the prints?

Just think, today's youth will never have a picture as nice or long lived as these.

They even combed their hair!


My great-grandparents circa 1916.



Jonathan

[jcoldslabs]

My aunt just moved into a retirement home in Florida and has been sending me old family things as she downsizes. I feel pretty lucky since she and I were never close, but she seems to understand my interest in both family and photographic history.

Randy, both portraits are printed side by side on the same 8x10 piece of paper. The resilience of vintage film and prints continues to amaze me.

Jonathan

[jcoldslabs]

The reflective bed of my scanner has been broken for nearly a year (the bulb burned out), but a friend recently gave me his old scanner so I'm back in business. I'll try not to flood this thread going forward, but I've got quite a backlog of vintage photos--some family, some not--to scan.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Boy-With-Dog.jpg

Jonathan

[ImSoNegative]

My great-grandparents circa 1916.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage-McDougalls009.jpg

Jonathan

I love these portraits, they look so distinguished, I bet getting your picture taken back then was really a treat and a special occasion

[ImSoNegative]

keep them coming jonathan, I could look at shots like this all day :)

[djdister]

A somewhat askew shot of my Dad (on the left) with a buddy during WWII in Australia, circa 1943-44. I don't know the exact location, but someone from Down Under might recognize the rocks...

118648

[jcoldslabs]

Speaking of WWII, here's a shot of my wife's grandfather in uniform. He was deaf but faked his way through basic training by lip reading, but he was discharged before he ever saw combat once they figured out about his disability.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Phil-WWII.jpg

Jonathan

[jcoldslabs]

Here are some shots of my grandparents around the time they met in 1938.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Jack-and-Jean-1938.jpg



http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Jack-1940s.jpg



http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Jean-and-Friend.jpg

Jonathan

[tgtaylor]

My great-grandparents circa 1916.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage-McDougalls009.jpg

Jonathan

I just started readingThe Origins of American Photography 1839-1885: From Daguerreotype to Dry-Plate, Keith F. Davis, 2007, and your grandparents portrait may have been taken in the style of what was know as the "crayon Daguerreotype" patented by John A. Whipple in 1849. "It entailed photographing a subjects head through an oval opening in a large white card which was kept in motion during the exposure which yielded a pleasing soft cameo effect around the head - the tones in the face and shoulders were normally strong, fading to a creamy white around the periphery of the image. These vignette portraits were popular and other daguerreotypists produced their own versions of this simple technique." (ibid., page 33).

Thomas

[jcoldslabs]

Interesting, Thomas. Thanks for the info.

Here are some people standing around their vehicles.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Man-with-Car.jpg


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Women%20and%20Child%20with%20Car.jpg


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Man-with-Truck.jpg


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Cars-On-Bridge_r2.jpg

Jonathan

[jcoldslabs]

I believe this is Shoshone Falls, Idaho.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Man-and-Waterfall.jpg

Jonathan

[jcoldslabs]

A street scene in Steubenville, Ohio. The back reads: "4th Street, late one rainly evening, Feb. 1940."


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_JKD_Steubenville-at-Night.jpg

Jonathan

[jcoldslabs]

http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Man-and-Child_Scan02018.jpg

Jonathan

[Jim Galli]

Interesting, Thomas. Thanks for the info.

Here are some people standing around their vehicles.

http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Cars-On-Bridge_r2.jpg

Jonathan

If you sit on the bumper like this man is doing for very long, you will get something called "bumper rash" on your buns.

[Scott Schroeder]

Interesting, Thomas. Thanks for the info.

Here are some people standing around their vehicles.



Jonathan,
I just spent quite some time reading into the last photo.
Lots to extrapolate.
The little girl is especially interesting.
It's interesting that she's probably passed on but here she is still a little girl.
Then there is the other girl, the one in the back vehicle behind mr. squatter.
She's older but they both have this stern, concerned look.
But the dads/drivers seem pretty chill.

[jcoldslabs]

Scott,

Some of the people in that photo may be my wife's distant relatives (why else would we have the picture?) but she isn't sure. I wonder about the situation that led to the photo being taken. Was it a passenger in the first car who got out to take it? Why are the cars stopped on the bridge? Is it a draw bridge? Was there an accident? I love this photo for all these reasons as well as the ones you mentioned. Also, every person visible in the photo is looking at the photographer. Was that planned or was the act of photographing still enough of an anomaly that it caught everyone's attention?

Also, now that I look at it more closely, the man and girl in the first car look to be the same (possibly?) as in the most recent photo I posted above.

J.

[Scott Schroeder]

yes, the front car seems to still think it's going to clear soon.
But the back dude certainly doesn't.
That;s some nice film processing that the girl in the back of the front car, as well as the one in the rear car, came out.

[jcoldslabs]

My wife's grandfather and his sister circa 1920.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Boy-and-Girl.jpg

Jonathan

[Keith Fleming]

Jonathan,

Is your wife from a Northwest family? If so, (and speaking as a user of the Washington State ferry system),my vote on the "bridge" photograph is that the cars are waiting for a ferry going across a river--probably the Columbia. Based on the terrain and trees in the background, the photo likely was made in the eastern part of either Oregon or Washington. In any event, you have a fine collection of family photos. Thanks for sharing them.

Keith

[Jac@stafford.net]

From glass plate. Newark, New Jersey, sometime between 1917 and 1919.

118938

[jcoldslabs]

Keith,

My wife's mother's family is from Idaho going way back. Her great-grandfather had a farm there, I think in Shoshone. Many of these pictures I am now scanning are from that side of the family. Without landmarks it's tough to tell just where they are, but eastern Idaho is most likely. Unless they were out for a longer drive I bet the bridge you refer to spans the Snake river instead of the Columbia, but waiting for a ferry to pass is still a good guess.

We are fortunate to have a good photographic record going back to around 1900 for both sides of our families. I don't want to dominate this thread, but if other people are enjoying the images I'll keep going....until I run out!

J.

[jcoldslabs]

Not sure who this is, but I love the perfectly placed lens flare.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Sunflare-Silhouette.jpg

Jonathan

[jcoldslabs]

At the beach near Santa Barbara, CA, circa 1940.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/VINTAGE-JKD-at-the-Beach.jpg

Jonathan

[Tin Can]

And the shooter is carefully following the Sunny 16 rule, of Sun at your back and is really hip well before Vivian Maier by including selfie shadows.

This print is only lacking crinkle edges!

Great stuff, make sure those are all packed carefully for the next 75 years!


At the beach near Santa Barbara, CA, circa 1940.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/VINTAGE-JKD-at-the-Beach.jpg

Jonathan

[jcoldslabs]

Great stuff, make sure those are all packed carefully for the next 75 years!

I have archival albums for the good ones and archival boxes for the rest. My wife and I don't have kids, so all of these photos will get passed down to my cousin's three girls. The oldest is only 12 at the moment, but I hope one of them shows an interest in family history or all of these photos might get tossed in the dumpster no matter how well preserved they are when they leave my care.

J.

[jcoldslabs]

My grandmother in the kitchen around 1939. It's so easy for us as photographers to focus on the exceptional and overlook everyday scenes like this, but I am so glad my grandfather bothered to take these shots. I like them better than all of the "special event" photos (birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions) put together.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Jean-in-Kitchen-Steubenville.jpg



http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Jean-in-Kitchen-Steubenville-02.jpg

Jonathan

[Tin Can]

Tossing and destroying old photos seems to be a family sport. It's as if they are too heavy or dangerous, despite their small size and storage requirements. I caught my father just as he was about to throw out all our old family photos. Both my ex-wives would get drunk and toss my pics out and cut people out of group pictures, particularly images of my first wife. I now have none of her and she is deceased.

My life has been cursed with destroyers of images. I could go on, but the memories are painful.


I have archival albums for the good ones and archival boxes for the rest. My wife and I don't have kids, so all of these photos will get passed down to my cousin's three girls. The oldest is only 12 at the moment, but I hope one of them shows an interest in family history or all of these photos might get tossed in the dumpster no matter how well preserved they are when they leave my care.

J.

[Jac@stafford.net]

This print is only lacking crinkle!

Trivia point of the day - those wiggly edges were called 'deckle'.

[Tin Can]

I am familiar with deckle as taught to me by a printermaker, who insisted fine paper for drawing and watercolor is always torn to size and never cut. Thus creating deckle.

But old photos had a very rough fake deckle, I call crinkle. The photo prints were obviously not torn to create the edge condition. It seemed machine made.





Trivia point of the day - those wiggly edges were called 'deckle'.

[Peter Gomena]

There actually was a paper cutter that would make those crinkly edges. Just like the levered paper cutters we know so well, only with matching opposed wavy edges. A former employer of mine found one somewhere.

[djdister]

Workers of the Thomas Staniland Marble Works, Ohio, circa 1900.

119185

[djdister]

GIs enjoying some beer from the Great Northern Brewery, Australia, WWII.

119186

[jcoldslabs]

Reno, NV.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Train_%28Reno%29.jpg

Jonathan

[Jim Cole]

Reno, NV.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Train_%28Reno%29.jpg

Jonathan

Love the perspective of this one. Also, people walking all over the tracks, unlike now when we have stupid rules to protect people from themselves.

[jcoldslabs]

I thought that, too, Jim. It's also hard to imagine that people really dressed like this in everyday life.

Here's another one of unknown provenance:


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage_Infant-%28Studio%29_024.jpg

Jonathan

[RHITMrB]

Tillamook, Oregon, sometime around 1910. A found negative cut from 126 rollfilm (4.25" x 6.5").

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=121804&d=1410644065

121804

[Pat Kearns]

I found this lovely portrait at recent antique dealer estate sale. It's a whole plate size print from The Misses Selby N.Y. guessing circa 1910.

[Will Frostmill]

There actually was a paper cutter that would make those crinkly edges. Just like the levered paper cutters we know so well, only with matching opposed wavy edges. A former employer of mine found one somewhere.

I got to play with one in High School, in the late 1980's. It had a 8x10 size black painted base, like a miniature version of the standard green lever paper cutter, with matching wavy edges, and a fair amount of fine curves and details in them. Good action, as I recall. A curiosity, after playing with it a little bit, we never could figure out a proper artistic use for the effect. Modern-day scrapbookers use such tools, ranging from simple wheel cutters all the way up to programmable (but proprietary) sheet fed machines that are based on a inkjet printer chassis. (Drop in to a craft store sometime, you'd be surprised what people work with.)

[Jim Noel]

I got to play with one in High School, in the late 1980's. It had a 8x10 size black painted base, like a miniature version of the standard green lever paper cutter, with matching wavy edges, and a fair amount of fine curves and details in them. Good action, as I recall. A curiosity, after playing with it a little bit, we never could figure out a proper artistic use for the effect. Modern-day scrapbookers use such tools, ranging from simple wheel cutters all the way up to programmable (but proprietary) sheet fed machines that are based on a inkjet printer chassis. (Drop in to a craft store sometime, you'd be surprised what people work with.)

You are talking about a deckle edge cutter. Very popular for trimming contact prints from roll film in the 30's and 40's. Glad I still have mine.

[DrTang]

You are talking about a deckle edge cutter. Very popular for trimming contact prints from roll film in the 30's and 40's. Glad I still have mine.

I had a deckle edger..it was a small metal device with a crank that one would crank the print through.. kinda like a hand can opener..kinda

[Tin Can]

You are talking about a deckle edge cutter. Very popular for trimming contact prints from roll film in the 30's and 40's. Glad I still have mine.

Slam forehead!

Of course all our parents pictures were roll film contacts done up with a hand cranked deckle cutter!

I have many of those albums, but why are they all shot from such a distance and still out of focus...

[Jac@stafford.net]

Deckle edges inspired my artist uncle to threaten to have his new son circumcised with pinking sheers.

[Tin Can]

Found these last night. Shot by Carmine Cervi, now in possession of the son who is also Carmine Cervi and I now own the camera that shot these, purchased from the son, 3 years ago. The still mint Speed Graphic was purchased new in 1952 by Carmine Cervi the eldest. These 3 Weegee style photos are the only ones like this, most of the found 4x5's are family images. We assume 1952 as there is an insurance receipt for the camera, 22 DS's, D2 enlarger and 2 lenses all purchased and insured for $600. And the family pictures are of CC's bachelor years, which ended happily in 1954.

These are straight scans, no spotting, my dust. The Kodak 4X5 B&W Safety Film is embossed with '27' and single notch. The films are all in good shape but warped from close packing in paper envelopes and over stuffed into a tie box.

I also found very thin films, perhaps Lith? which all looked as good as the normal film. There are a few more to scan of less dreadful scenes, but obviously I scanned these first.

More soon.

126232126233126234

[Jim Noel]

Slam forehead!

Of course all our parents pictures were roll film contacts done up with a hand cranked deckle cutter!

I have many of those albums, but why are they all shot from such a distance and still out of focus...

Most were made with box cameras which had a singe meniscus lens with a prime subject distance of 8-10 feet.

[Richard Wasserman]

Chicago 1949

[Harold_4074]

I also found very thin films, perhaps Lith? which all looked as good as the normal film.

Quite possibly pack film. This was pretty popular with the press photographers both for speed of operation and compactness.

[Tin Can]

I also found very thin films, perhaps Lith? which all looked as good as the normal film.

Quite possibly pack film. This was pretty popular with the press photographers both for speed of operation and compactness.

This stuff felt like 0.002", no notch and maybe a little undersized.

[Tin Can]

Chicago 1949

Is this your image?

[Harold_4074]

Sounds about right. That stuff was a bit hard to handle in regular hangers, but all the lith film I remember using was pretty stiff (made it easy to handle when stripping in). I have some pack film negatives filed away; if I find them I'll check for the sizing and notches. Mine would have bee Tri-X from about 1968 or so.

If your negatives have the remains of perforation one short edge, then they are more likely Polaroid 55 negatives. Those were really hard to handle in hangers, had no notches, and may well have been smaller than standard 4x5. (That I could confirm also, but not for "vintage" PN 55 if there is such a thing.)

[Tin Can]

Sounds about right. That stuff was a bit hard to handle in regular hangers, but all the lith film I remember using was pretty stiff (made it easy to handle when stripping in). I have some pack film negatives filed away; if I find them I'll check for the sizing and notches. Mine would have bee Tri-X from about 1968 or so.

If your negatives have the remains of perforation one short edge, then they are more likely Polaroid 55 negatives. Those were really hard to handle in hangers, had no notches, and may well have been smaller than standard 4x5. (That I could confirm also, but not for "vintage" PN 55 if there is such a thing.)

I have one NOS 3x4 Pack Film that I do not want to use. I also have no idea how to use it. There were also some medium format sheet films that were the same thickness. The owner has no interest in any of the photos. I have one with a single engine airplane and a couple other landmarks people may be able to identify. I may as well post them in 15 minutes.

[Tin Can]

3 more form CC 1952. Most likely Ohio. Can anyone identify the airplane and locations?

126265126266126267

[wcarroll]

3 more form CC 1952. Most likely Ohio. Can anyone identify the airplane and locations?

The airplane looks like a Taylorcraft BC-12D. The aircraft visible in the background to the right is an Aeronca Champ.

[Richard Wasserman]

At first I was going to say that this is not a photo of me, but of a model, but then I decided to be serious. This is the Large Format Forum after all... This photo predates me, I was born at the end of 1950. It was taken for the Sunday magazine supplement in the Chicago Daily News.


Is this your image?

[Harold_4074]

Randy,

Your "church" is probably an observatory; at the top and right side you can see the vertical shutter elevation traverse of the telescope, and the dome would revolve on tracks for azimuth. The architecture (and scale) would seem to put it on the campus of a small, private college. If there is an amateur astronomy club around someone might be able to identify it.

[Tin Can]

Randy,

Your "church" is probably an observatory; at the top and right side you can see the vertical shutter elevation traverse of the telescope, and the dome would revolve on tracks for azimuth. The architecture (and scale) would seem to put it on the campus of a small, private college. If there is an amateur astronomy club around someone might be able to identify it.

Of course, I ignored the roof structure. I was going by the 'cross' on the doors.

[Harold_4074]

I was going by the 'cross' on the doors.

Maybe that narrows it down a bit---a small, church-affiliated college? :)

[Robert Brazile]

A bit of Googling suggests that is the newer (started 1923) of the two observatories at Perkins Observatory of Ohio Wesleyan University.

Robert Brazile
Arlington, Mass.

[Tin Can]

A bit of Googling suggests that is the newer (started 1923) of the two observatories at Perkins Observatory of Ohio Wesleyan University.

Robert Brazile
Arlington, Mass.

Did you use image search?

I never got the hang of that.

Thanks!

[Robert Brazile]

I did use image search, but with keywords rather than the image itself.

Robert

[Tin Can]

I did use image search, but with keywords rather than the image itself.

Robert

Thank you.

Very interesting.

Randy Moe

[Harold_4074]

Hmmm... I had done a bit of Google Image searching myself, looking for candidates which had the more distinctive features (arched door, rose windows, brick pilasters, railing and upper level windows). I passed over the Perkins because about the only features that match are the arched door and the wrought-iron railing. The brickwork in Randy's picture is really distinctive, and the combination of pilasters and rose windows should mean something to an architect so I hope that one will chime in on this.

Harold

[Robert Brazile]

I think that if you spend a few minutes on Flickr looking at exterior photos of the newer observatory, you will be convinced, as I am, that they are the same building as portrayed in Randy's photo. The distinctive brickwork is there, albeit aged a half-century.

Robert

[Harold_4074]

It's entirely possible that I picked the wrong image for comparison; this one came from an Ohio Wesleyan webpage, and shows up a number of times in Google Image searches for "campus observatory". Of course, the perspective is not the same, and it is possible that the masonry was altered down through the years, but I can't seem to find any trace of the rose windows or the "original" doorway surround in the newer photo. The images that I was comparing:

126664

It's a fun search, in any case.

Harold

[Tin Can]

I agree Harold, those are 2 different buildings.

And I happen to have started looking into telescope construction thanks to our lens designer. The book he recommended arrived today, 'How to Make a Telescope'!

Astro Photography is amazing, even on a beginning level.

[Harold_4074]

Randy,

The prize goes to Robert Brazile: if you search Google Images for "Perkins Observatory rear view" you will find your "church", no question about it. (I was originally using the presence of an arched door to narrow down the search, but the first images to pop up don't show that.) Wouldn't it be neat to re-create your picture? From what I found, the buildings date from around 1931, so you might have to work around some 80-year-old trees in a modern version!

Harold

[Tin Can]

Randy,

The prize goes to Robert Brazile: if you search Google Images for "Perkins Observatory rear view" you will find your "church", no question about it. (I was originally using the presence of an arched door to narrow down the search, but the first images to pop up don't show that.) Wouldn't it be neat to re-create your picture? From what I found, the buildings date from around 1931, so you might have to work around some 80-year-old trees in a modern version!

Harold

WOW! Just read some of the history. The very famous mirror sure got around!

I usually don't go to Ohio, but this would be worth a trip.

Telescopes just keep popping up in my view.

I sure hope I don't catch telescope fever, LF fever has got me on the run. Sing that to John Lennon's 'Cold Turkey',1972.

[Robert Brazile]

Yes, sorry, in case it isn't completely clear by now: there are two observatories at Ohio Wesleyan, and Randy's photo is of the newer of the two. That older one has likely confused the matter a bit.

Robert

[Randy]

Mad Men -

I have had a large envelope for a few years with a lot of large color prints from 1949 - 1950. Some were for advertising, some for magazine covers (some of the color prints have copies of the actual magazine cover attached). All look like they were shot with large format.

Anyway, been a few years since I looked through them - this evening I found in between some of the prints - 3 4X5 Kodachrome slides, 2 8X10 chromes (don't say Kodachrome or Ektachrome, just Kodak Safety Film), and 1 8X10 B&W neg. Below are the 4X5's.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52893762/img437a.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52893762/img438a.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52893762/img439a.jpg

[Randy]

And the 8X10's -

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52893762/img440b.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52893762/img441a.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52893762/img442a.jpg

[Iga]

http://s010.radikal.ru/i312/1503/d4/c15321146fd8.jpg

10x15 cm glass plate
Igor.

[jcoldslabs]

My grandfather and great-grandfather in Atlantic City (I think) in the late 1930s.


http://www.kolstad.us/ebay/VINTAGE-JKD-and-JFD.jpg

Jonathan

[Leszek Vogt]

Hmmm, this appeared to be familiar. Despite the familiarity, several things were different...like the hanging boat or clothes style. I've worked out of AC for one year in late 80's.
But, since Sandy hit this place...now the entire place looks way different. Thanks for the memories, Jonathan.

Les

[Robert Brazile]

From a 5x7 dry plate negative picked up at a PHSNE show over the weekend:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/17114824975_112b0d86d0_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s5nXce)
FF-018 (https://flic.kr/p/s5nXce) by rbrazile (https://www.flickr.com/people/87045848@N00/), on Flickr

Robert

[Art Liefke]

From 5x7 glass negatives my grandfather gave me...circa 1938
My grand mother seated and my mother standing.

132382

132383

[Rick A]

While chatting with the owner of an antique shop yesterday, he informs me his father owned and operated a studio in St. Marys, pa. and he grew up working in his dads dark room. He also had several dozen LF negatives that haden't either thrown away or sold off, and handed the entire lot to me, free. His only request was a print and return of one negative of his father sitting in his Jeep. Here are a couple of preliminary contacts of what I was given.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/407/18489452211_d515c5fcd7_d.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/442/17866952803_303337d810_d.jpg

the first is his dad, the second was a photo taken by his dad.
I really need to clean these negatives, and my scanner.

[Tin Can]

I love all these old images.

Just think, most of the last 15 years will lose they pics forever.

[Rick A]

Found in the envelopes with all the negatives I was given



135168

[Rick A]

Four more, 8x10 negatives. I spent most of the morning trying to clean these, then about 5 hours in the dark room last night trying to get a decent print from each. I still have a few more to work on.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/496/18488096428_e7a03ac90c_c_d.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/552/18675870305_557ca540ff_c_d.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/459/18488161230_25c91c828e_c_d.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/415/18671129942_e8722cba9d_c_d.jpg

Not too awfully bad considering the storage and rough handling they endured. First three are from the mid-1930's, documenting the rebuilding of the Kaul Memorial Hospital. The still life from 1962, originally shot for use in a documentary book about Stackpole Carbon Company, published by the photographer, Mark C. Lenze. I was given the negs by his son.

[djdister]

Four more, 8x10 negatives. I spent most of the morning trying to clean these, then about 5 hours in the dark room last night trying to get a decent print from each. I still have a few more to work on.



A dumb question perhaps, but are you trying to clean these from scans (in Photoshop) or directly on the negatives?

[Rick A]

I'm cleaning the negatives themselves. I don't scan negatives, only prints. These were so badly mishandled for years, evidenced by the scratches and overlay marks. I despise digital remastering of the old works.

[Ian Gordon Bilson]

136041

Rescued from a rubbish pile. No info,but the "Palmerston" would be in North Otago,South Island,New Zealand.

[Ian Gordon Bilson]

136043
No date,but a photographic nod to the "Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company" (South Otago", New Zealand).
Experts may note the Hipster Beards on these ,long dead dudes.

[mdm]

Lovely to see something local, thanks Ian.

[leighmarrin]

In a used bookstore I found a bunch of photos from the 1940s and 1950s of streetcars and trains. The bookstore owner said they were taken by a San Francisco cabdriver whose hobby was traveling up and down the west coast of the US and Canada, photographing railways.

In the first picture the sign on the side of the streetcar reads GET THE STREETCAR HABIT IT SAVES.
http://i.imgur.com/Skq0361.jpg
In the second picture the ad on the front of the streetcar reads SPORTS BY ALF COTTRELL DAILY IN THE SUN. (A Vancouver BC newspaper.) The writing on the top side reads BC ELECTRIC RY CO
http://i.imgur.com/f39an4e.jpg
In the third photo the sign on the right/front read I'M RETIRING SOON. On the side near the door some of the text reads HELP SPEED UP SERVICE. On the lower left front I can't read all the text, but some reads BETTE DAVIS WINTER MEETING--a movie, I assume. Its destination sign reads LEEDS: any idea where in western north America that might be?
http://i.imgur.com/lRv3t2m.jpg

[Rick A]

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/428/19063615609_0289d30422_z_d.jpg

Contact print from 8x10 press negative, 1935 dedication of new addition at hospital, St. Mary's Pa.after fire gutted main building previous spring

[Tin Can]

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/428/19063615609_0289d30422_z_d.jpg

Contact print from 8x10 press negative, 1935 dedication of new addition at hospital, St. Mary's Pa.after fire gutted main building previous spring

Do you mean this is a modern, done recently contact print of the old neg?

I ask as I may buy some old negs for this purpose.

[Rick A]

Do you mean this is a modern, done recently contact print of the old neg?

I ask as I may buy some old negs for this purpose.

Yes, Randy. The son of the photographer gave me several dozen negatives to play with, dating from the early 1930's through the 1960's.

[Rick A]

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/270/19261796622_801699b642_z_d.jpg

print of 4x5 negative, fire that destroyed the St. Mary's hospital, spring 1934

I started working on this print last night, work in progress.

[Randy]

I recently processed a roll of 120 Verichrome Pan that I have had for years - must have been in a camera I purchased off ebay. The paper backing was stuck to the film for about 2/3rds the length. I just cut it off and processed the unstuck portion - kind of wish I had of soaked the stuck portion to see if I could get the paper to sluff off, as there probably were images there...this is the only surviving image - my dad says it's a 1958 Ford...

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52893762/img534a.jpg

[jcoldslabs]

http://kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage-SLOPortrait_r3.jpg

[Rick A]

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/435/19542581890_b24480b377_z_d.jpg

Another negative I'm working on from the Lenze collection, test print

[Kirks518]

I have just reading all 61 pages of this thread, and it's awesome.

I've found lots of film in old cameras, and it feels like Xmas when I do. I can hardly wait to develop them to see what presents await.

The first two were 127, and I had to monkey with the Paterson tank and reels to be able to develop them. Stand developed in HC-110 for probably about an hour. Came out ok, but I didn't adjust the amount of developer for the larger film size, so I had a nicely underdeveloped stripe along one edge (somewhat corrected in LR & PS).

The whole roll was this family, and it seems it was all shot on the same day. I came up with my own storyline - Jimmy and his wife Mary Ellen took the new baby to the family farm in Central Washington (maybe Oregon), as the family hadn't made it into the big city to see the baby. So they loaded up the '56 Plymouth Belvedere, and here we are...

136959

136960

On a sidenote, I tried contacting Washington State DMV, but they won't release records of ownership, even after all these years.


This was from a different camera, and as you can see, the film didn't hold up very well at all. This was the best of 4 images I was able to pull.

My guess is Grandma is going to church for one of the grandkid's communion...

136961

[Kirks518]

This is from some miscellaneous 35mm camera. My guess is 1972-74. If anyone can recognize the school (college?) it would be cool.

136962

[Preston Capes]

I love these images, old photographs tell us about the world we live in now and that is wonderful.

Thank you for sharing, I have some old glass plates from the 1930's of villages in East Anglia they are just views with no people in them so imagine to my surprise when I visited the villages they hadn't changed!

Pictures with people in them are a wonderful slice of social history.

[Rick A]

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/257/19704407406_68fbe3a788_z_d.jpg

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/394/19735258241_378079081c_z_d.jpg

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/557/19542587830_a36ce138df_z_d.jpg

[jcoldslabs]

One of my wife's great aunts.


http://kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage-SLOPortrait_03.jpg

[Joe Smigiel]

Marvelous photograph Jonathon. I'm constantly amazed at the quality of these old portraits done in times of less-sophisticated equipment. The KISS principle at work. Many, if not most, modern color and digital portraits seem garish or harsh to me in comparison.

[Tin Can]

One of my wife's great aunts.


http://kolstad.us/ebay/Vintage-SLOPortrait_03.jpg

I'll say!
Great image, wonderful genes, that's a perfect nose!

Any idea what year?

[jcoldslabs]

Marvelous photograph Jonathon. I'm constantly amazed at the quality of these old portraits done in times of less-sophisticated equipment. The KISS principle at work. Many, if not most, modern color and digital portraits seem garish or harsh to me in comparison.

I agree. It's hard to know, but it wouldn't surprise me if this was lit with just window light and reflectors. Regardless, it seems both dated and timeless at the same time.


Any idea what year?

The photo itself isn't dated, but I'd guess this was around 1920 or so. To be honest, my wife can't be sure which of her grandfather's sisters this is since he had four. It's a good reminder to label and date photos for future generations. It feels weird to write out my full name on the back of a photo of myself, but if I don't in 50 years someone will look at the photo and ask, "Who the hell is this?"

Of course, since we don't have kids I really don't have to worry. Once I'm gone, that's that!

J.

[Jim Galli]

marvelous photograph jonathon. I'm constantly amazed at the quality of these old portraits done in times of less-sophisticated equipment. The kiss principle at work. Many, if not most, modern color and digital portraits seem garish or harsh to me in comparison. x2


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/McGowan/SilverPeak/SilverPeakBarbers1929Cad341Bss.jpgthe barbers of silver peak

Move on over barber of seville

[Tin Can]

Who needs hair when we got hats!

[Rick A]

Artist at work. Noted artist and photographer Adeline Lenz at work 1947 painting a mural of the Stackpole hunting lodge, on the walls of the great room of the lodge. She was a 1938 graduate of the Fort Worth School of Photography, a gifted painter, and wife of Mark Lenz, who took this photo of her. Negative was in the bundle handed me by their son for reprinting. 4x5 Kodak safety film, all other info unknown.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/461/19912811005_a580ddcddf_z_d.jpg

[Rick A]

Portrait of Adeline Lenz, holding a portrait she painted. 4x5 Kodak safety film, photo by her husband.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/498/19739729062_c2a5d4b5b5_z_d.jpg

[cuypers1807]

Interesting story....
I met with a lawyer recently in my town to discuss a Civil War reenactment that going to take place over a weekend. I explained that I shot tintypes and he asked me if I knew anything about glass plate negatives. He had a client that wanted them scanned and he was having trouble getting good results. I offered to take a look at them and see if I could scan them. At that point the lawyer mentioned that he believed the photos were of a family from a town 250 miles from here. When he named the family, my jaw nearly dropped as it was my own! It was total luck that I met this lawyer in the first place and that he just happened to have the plates at the time of our meeting. The plates were not in great shape but I managed to get some decent scans of most of them. Here is a photo of who I believe to be my great great grandfather and my great great grandmother:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7756/17888264526_2da250fc57_c.jpg

This is from a 4x5 dry plate negative.

[mdm]

Beautiful story.

[Jim C.]

Marvelous photograph Jonathon. I'm constantly amazed at the quality of these old portraits done in times of less-sophisticated equipment. The KISS principle at work. Many, if not most, modern color and digital portraits seem garish or harsh to me in comparison.

Equipment had nothing to do with it in my opinion one has to remember that there
was an awful lot of retouching the negative and or the print too back then,
especially for portraits, compare the candid snap shot to formal portraits
these old portraits have a painterly look to me.

The are exquisite !

[C Jensen]

Self portrait my Grandfather Carl G Jensen Circ 1910 scanned from 5X7 glass negative.
142071

[C Jensen]

Hello all, attached is a photograph taken by my Grandfather (Carl G Jensen) in 1910 with his 5x7. This is a scan from the glass negative. I have a number of his glass negatives and this has lead me to the large format 4x5 and 5x7 world. This particular photo is of my Grandmother and Uncle.

142072

[Tin Can]

Nice plates.

Thanks for posting.

[barnacle]

As a slight non-sequitur, has anyone read "A Richer Dust" by Colin Gordon? http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-RICHER-DUST-Colin-Gordon/dp/0397013507

I read it in the eighties, and (as I was working at BBC Leeds at the time) was able to see the film 'Atkinson Huby' that BBC Leeds made of the story: the author found a box of glass negatives on Wakefield Market, identified only by the script 'Atkinson Huby' on the lid, and was able to track down the photographer and his story.

[photonsoup]

Last spring I bought a 5x7 kit here in the FS section. one of the film holders had two exposed sheets in it. After developing them I was going to send them to the person I purchased the kit from.
however, after some procrastinating, my messages all wound up going away. So if this photo is yours, PM me your address and I'll send both of them to you.
http://theplumberbryan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_0634.jpg
The second photo is basically the same shot minus the eyeglasses.

PS the camera kit is great

[John Jarosz]

I have a collection of (mostly) 5x7 B&W negs from my grandfather's era. No one is left to interpret who is who, so except for very few images I have no idea who these people are or their relation to me. I'm guessing this was taken in the 20's.
142685

[Tin Can]

I have a collection of (mostly) 5x7 B&W negs from my grandfather's era. No one is left to interpret who is who, so except for very few images I have no idea who these people are or their relation to me. I'm guessing this was taken in the 20's.
142685

Now that's Art! Really, I like it! Lovely.

I wonder if the cell phone pictures will be identifiable of the object'? Facial recognition is working pretty good. I just checked my cell phone iOS 9 and the image met-data has no shooter info.

Of course my DSLR does...

[Randy]

Rescued two 5X7 plates from an antique store yesterday ~

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52893762/img628a.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52893762/img629a.jpg

[stawastawa]

lovely find randy.
Such characters. That man's black jacket, so soft!

[Pat Kearns]

Picked up this book of Edward Weston's 1946 MOMA Exhibition for a $1 at a local antique gallery estate sale. Written by Nancy Newhall and has 24 images from his exhibit.150850

[Chauncey Walden]

151001151002Found some 3.5x3.5 plates in an antique store, acquired and printed them. Here are a couple that have had the foregrounds cut off because I printed larger than my scanner. There are 2 others of the circus parade which have elephants pulling carts and being ridden and camels doing the same. A lot of internet sleuthing using the clues in the photos and some information from the Dubuque library got me to Dubuque, Iowa for the July 5th, 1901, 10 AM parade of the Great Wallace Circus. Researching the Great Wallace was also interesting as in later days the son of one of its clowns also worked for the circus for a while. His name was Red Skelton.

[tonyowen]

Not quite found, except it was given to me a decade or so ago (unframed).
Sorry about the obliqueness - it was the only way to avoid reflections without taking the frame off the wall
The main image is of my maternal grandfather 1886 - 1936 in WW1 (British) soldier's uniform.
The image in the lower left hand corner is of my maternal grandparents - I'm assuming around 1905 - 1910.
The medal is my grandfather's WWI medal.
regards
Tony
151062

[Tin Can]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/309/32345056291_5dd5ae6018_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RhdSmk)Magic Lantern slide Elizabeth St NYC (https://flic.kr/p/RhdSmk) by moe.randy (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

[Richard Wasserman]

Thanks Randy. My father grew up not too far from where this photograph was made. He came along a bit later, but I imagine it looked much the same.

[RedGreenBlue]

160241

This is a tintype. This scan is on my PC and the image is at home so I don't recall the size; most likely around 2x3". What I find amusing here is the head clamp stand is visible in the shot. The background seems incongruous as well.

...Scott

[RedGreenBlue]

160242

Another hammock print. This is an RPPC, 3 1/2 x 5".

...Scott

[dasBlute]

Magic Lantern slide Elizabeth St NYC

wow, that is just amazing; lots of stories right there...

[RedGreenBlue]

160372

This scan is of a 4x5 glass plate negative I found in a box of Central Dry Plates.

...Scott

[EarlJam]

While cleaning out my dad's house a few years back, I came across box upon box of prints, negatives (glass plate and film), and transparencies going back to the late 1800s. The "gem" of the collection is my grandparents' wedding photo, by Edward Weston. (My grandparents lived in Tropico, a small town between Glendale and Los Angeles, not too far from Weston's early studio.) In addition to the signed print, I have a box of glass plate negatives from the same photo session.
160386

[RedGreenBlue]

The wedding photo of your grandparents is wonderful.

[Mark Sampson]

Not only that, it's probably pretty rare. In the vast literature by and about Weston, you will find numerous references to him destroying old portrait negatives. I wonder how many survive?

[EarlJam]

Not only that, it's probably pretty rare. In the vast literature by and about Weston, you will find numerous references to him destroying old portrait negatives. I wonder how many survive?

My grandparents kept the print in a small writing desk. I don't recall ever seeing it displayed when I was a kid. My dad's brother once told me that Weston was a socialist, never made more than $5000 in a year, and didn't consider what he was doing (at least in the 1920's) to be "art". He was just a photographer trying to eke out a living. Here's another one of the Weston's, although not signed.
160401

[RedGreenBlue]

and didn't consider what he was doing (at least in the 1920's) to be "art".

And yet, these portraits are in the pictorialist tradition.

[cowanw]

Wonder why he always has the bride in front of a picture frame? Looks like he showcased the groom.

[Newrustic]

A signed portrait by Edward Weston is precious, a negative may be priceless. Very special to have this in your family history, thanks for sharing here!
BTW, that couch in the other pic looks familiar, perhaps the photo was taken in his studio? Weston's daybooks are a good read with many insights into the photographic process. He had much passion for the art, tragic that that he could not continue to photograph in his final years.


While cleaning out my dad's house a few years back, I came across box upon box of prints, negatives (glass plate and film), and transparencies going back to the late 1800s. The "gem" of the collection is my grandparents' wedding photo, by Edward Weston. (My grandparents lived in Tropico, a small town between Glendale and Los Angeles, not too far from Weston's early studio.) In addition to the signed print, I have a box of glass plate negatives from the same photo session.
160386

[Tin Can]

Found! My parents. They both have passed and I got some of the photographs.

Can anyone identify my mother's trailer and WW2 LA home? The smiles are just after marriage in Las Vegas. They were a couple from age 15.

She paid $600 for it and lived in a parking lot while father shipped out. In the corners of the pic, you can see trailers parked everywhere.

Mother worked some sort of 'Rosie the Riveter' factory job, as millions did.

Father was severely wounded in France and spent a year in various hospitals in Europe. All he would say was he never saw the enemy and got hit by a mortar shell.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4762/28405742799_1f83e3ea2a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Kh7RGc)Mom and dad (https://flic.kr/p/Kh7RGc) by moe.randy (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4609/40153178792_70cef45492.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24bcx95)Mom (https://flic.kr/p/24bcx95) by moe.randy (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

[Corran]

I don't normally buy random photos in antique stores. I don't find old, faded prints particularly compelling. However, today I found a big pile of negatives for 25c apiece. I picked through them and grabbed a dozen interesting ones.

I used my laptop backlight to grab a quick cell phone pic since I am travelling, of two frames:

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/photosharing/foundfilm-1s.jpg

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/photosharing/foundfilm-3s.jpg

[Tin Can]

They are addictive.

My old factory had a truck full of discarded slide and prints of all the employees. Most shot by pros. Waiting for destruction in my one bay garage, inside the factory.

I spent 8 paid hours looking at them.

They were of people I knew at all ages as they aged from children at company picnics to old retirees.

'They' had decided to upgrade to digital and toss all history.

Digital at that time still was crap. The newsletter vastly degraded.

I kept a few...

[Havoc]

The nicest I found so far in a couple of boxes of glass negatives and celluloid negatives (all 9x12) is this one:

http://users.skynet.be/sb262617/forum_foto/glasplaten/strand_vliegtuig_sm.JPG

There are quite a lot of these holiday snaps in the boxes but this one is relatively easy to put an approximate age on. The plane is the René Couzinet type 33 "Biarritz". It made its maiden flight 25 november 1931 and crashed 30 october 1933. I have a feeling this would be made on the beach at Biarritz, the city that sponsored its building and it was named for.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Precious, Randy Moe. Precious.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?85918-Found-Photographs&p=1429733&viewfull=1#post1429733

[Michael Kadillak]

Precious, Randy Moe. Precious.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?85918-Found-Photographs&p=1429733&viewfull=1#post1429733

+1. What a tremendous story and great accompannying photographs to share.

[Tin Can]

Thanks guys!

They had a good run. He 87 years and she 95.

Born a day apart, mother older.

[Jac@stafford.net]

An odd story. I have a regular automated search for family names. On eBay several years ago someone was selling a photo of my mother as a young girl. I showed it to my mother and she was nonplussed saying, "I remember that day because I was wearing some new clothes I liked.

182160

[DBuck]

I think the pistols were a prop of the era. I have a set of three small photos (possibly a PingPong photo), late 1890s/early 1900s, of my grandfather, in one of which he is holding a small revolver, possibly a prop gun, and wearing a goofy cowboy hat. Even with photos taken in the 19th century American West, the subjects are sometimes so festooned with revolvers, rifles, and knives, that one can only conclude it's for show. Not every person went around looking like Wild Bill Hickock. A colleague recently observed that the same decorated & fringed buckskin jacket reappearing in several different portrairs, indicating the jacket belonged to the photographer, not the subjects.

[Bob Salomon]

I think the pistols were a prop of the era. I have a set of three small photos (possibly a PingPong photo), late 1890s/early 1900s, of my grandfather, in one of which he is holding a small revolver, possibly a prop gun, and wearing a goofy cowboy hat. Even with photos taken in the 19th century American West, the subjects are sometimes so festooned with revolvers, rifles, and knives, that one can only conclude it's for show. Not every person went around looking like Wild Bill Hickock. A colleague recently observed that the same decorated & fringed buckskin jacket reappearing in several different portrairs, indicating the jacket belonged to the photographer, not the subjects.

For my daughter’s high school graduation pictures in the late 1970s in northern NJ the photographer posed her with an old Colt 45 in her hands,

[tgtaylor]

here's one of my own that I found a week or so when rummaging thru stuff:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1865/43625550935_cf9ac229a4_z.jpg

It's printed on 8x10 RC glossy but I am going to reprint it on 16x20 or maybe even 20x24 fiber.

Thomas

[Tin Can]

Lol

[tgtaylor]

Lol....Doesn't that just piss you off?

[Tin Can]

Lol

Nope, this is the Insane LF Forum...

No?

[invisibleflash]

here's one of my own that I found a week or so when rummaging thru stuff:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1865/43625550935_cf9ac229a4_z.jpg

It's printed on 8x10 RC glossy but I am going to reprint it on 16x20 or maybe even 20x24 fiber.

Thomas

Too bad, not even the watermark is left?

I have a huge, huge found archive 25,000+ images, films 500+ and tons of ephemera and audio.

Here is one up your alley...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy5bTWqSd3k


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy5bTWqSd3k

[Corran]

Got around to scanning the batch of film I found last month. Since it's about to be October, here's an interesting frame in the bunch:

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/photosharing/foundfilm-1150ss.jpg

[Corran]

This thread needs reviving.

A boy and his dog:

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/photosharing/f-3951ss.jpg

[Corran]

Found a horde of negatives in Bay St. Louis Mississippi - a city on the Gulf Coast between Biloxi and the Louisiana state line. The antiques shop I was in wanted $100 for the lot but I really didn't want thousands of old negatives, a lot of them worthless, so I quickly parsed through them and grabbed about 40 interesting photos.

This one was a larger 3.25 x 4.25 negative, an oddball in the lot of mostly 120 films. I have no idea what's going on here but it reminds me of theatre production photos taken for the local newspaper to advertise, at least the ones I've done or been a part of:

http://www.esearing.com/Bryan/AV/photosharing/found-baystlouis-4503ss.jpg

[Corran]

The other negatives seem to encompass a couple of families. I have many of this young set of what I'm guessing are twins, and their sister. These negatives immediately grabbed my attention, clearly having been taken on a higher-end camera and care was taken to focus correctly. Some kind of odd 6x10 format, but I always crop down these found photos as they tend to be loosely composed so made it 6x9:

http://www.esearing.com/Bryan/AV/photosharing/found-baystlouis-4500ss.jpg

Another set of negatives are of a young soldier and his friends on what I'm guessing was shore leave in Paris, but I haven't scanned those yet.

[Tin Can]

Very interesting Brian!
.
I have a similar but different situation. I am volunteering with a college that has a Historical Village (https://www.jalc.edu/facilities/the-harrison-bruce-historical-village) on their property. Tomorrow we decorate as if 1890. I will shoot B&W film, period camera at Christmas Stroll (https://www.enjoyillinois.com/explore/listing/christmas-stroll)

But concurrently they have a pile of old family prints donated by local folk to the Village and want them scanned for publicity usage. I have not seen the prints yet, the college is setting up their library 'CDW' scanner. No idea what that is yet.

Here's the question, what about copyright on donated and maybe untraceable provenance of images to promote a non-profit entity, the college?

I already have asked them to talk to their lawyers...

They desire far better documentation and website. The plot is expanding.

[Corran]

Here's the question, what about copyright on donated and maybe untraceable provenance of images to promote a non-profit entity, the college?.

This is a great question. I do need to talk to a lawyer, about a few different things related to this.

Our copyright laws have not kept up with technology, but also these gray areas are problematic. I am reminded of a church in south GA I have photographed - the place burned down and all documents / info on the place has disappeared. However, as a religious entity, they had no property taxes - and therefore the land is still "owned" by someone, and cannot be repossessed by the county. A conundrum! Just like found negatives with no owners, with potentially no living memory of who/where/what/when.

[goamules]

A few weeks ago I found 8 rolls in a box of donated film developing equipment I'd have for several years. My wife convinced me to look at them, and I was surprised they were a US GI's photos from Okinawa, about 1957. Lots of very interesting shots of a new bar district going up, and bar girls. I talked to a vet's group, and got confirmation of where they were on Okinawa. Some of the bar girl shots and some GIs:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49056508702_bc4cb6e018_z.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49055780063_977f515660_z.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49056292301_be286b2d1d_z.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49056289686_5ecc297bb1_z.jpg

[Tin Can]

Interesting, my brother was there 64 to 68. He shot 16mm slides, I have one but cannot find it

He told how locals could expertly hop up a Honda CL250. He was often busted riding on base like an idiot

[NW2Wheeler]

Is there any information as to when these pictures were taken?

[Neal Chaves]

Is there any information as to when these pictures were taken?

The sign in the first photo about their business association says it is
Okinawa.

[Mark Sampson]

NW2Wheeler, per goamules' post #665, "about 1957".

[Keith Fleming]

there was, of course, a tremendous amount of military construction on Okinawa after the US captured the island in 1945. There were numerous camps, mostly Quonset huts, to house the troops preparing for the invasion of Japan. A US military government ruled the island. The Korean War made Okinawa a much more vital part of Far Eastern military policy, and the number of major units increased. The 3rd Marine Division arrived in the mid-1950's, for example. The increased importance of the bases, combined with the dangerous frequency of typhoons, led to the construction of permanent typhoon-proof buildings, and the gradual replacement of the World War II buildings. Out in the villages near the camps, the increase in American clients led to the building of new bars, restaurants and other businesses. American money was the legal tender--not Japanese Yen. The exchange rate in Japan at the time was 360 Yen to the American dollar, which gave American dollars on Okinawa twice the buying power as in the States. The bar businesses boomed.

In some the photos you can see parts of a large letter 'A.' That meant the establishment was approved by the American civil government to do business with American military personnel. It was against regulations for servicemen to frequent unapproved bars. A heavy military police presence enforced this and other regulations. Booze was cheap. At the on-base clubs, mixed drinks were only 15 cents--and 5 cents during happy hour. The village bars were more popular, of course, because they had women employees.

I was on the island at one of the Marine camps from December 1961 to January 1963. Those photos show exactly what was out in town. But I spent my extra money on camera gear. I'm still down here in that rabbit hole I fell into back in 1962.

keith

[NW2Wheeler]

Thanks for the date info to all.
I knew several people who were stationed there from the early 50's onwards.
This adds another small piece to the stories.

[goamules]

I found some more photos this weekend, glass slides. Rolling mill, pouring off slag, NY, 1911. These remind me of Jim Galli.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50714559276_2a9c2c10b3_b.jpg

[cowanw]

That's a lovely picture. I presume the colour was added; in such a minimalist way terrific lighting and detail. Love the horseshoe and the broom!

[dasBlute]

That is an awesome scene, how was this colorized?


I found some more photos this weekend, glass slides. Rolling mill, pouring off slag, NY, 1911. These remind me of Jim Galli.

[Randy]

Does anyone know if there is a forum dedicated to the collection and sharing of 19th and early 20th century photographs? I can not find one. I have found some personal websites, some flicker and facebook groups, but don't care for either of those. I just wish there was a forum for "found photograph collecting".

A fairly recent acquisition:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u3g8cfvtvt0zv6v/dag2a.jpg?dl=1

Daguerreotype

The mat - This particular style of mat, sandy texture, beveled nonpareil, dates from about 1845-1852.

The clothing - In the style of the 1840's and 50's.

The plate - 1/6th plate, slightly turned up edges match the 1844-1850 time-frame, no crimp marks. The plate thickness from 1845 and on = .016". This one is .016".
Manufacturer hallmark on the plate - In 1850 Scoville incorporated - the hallmark on this plate reads "Scoville Mfg Co. Inc." - this daguerreotype must be 1850 or after.

Based on all of these factors, this image was likely made in the early 1850's.

The subject looks like he is in his 60's or possibly 70, likely born in the 1780's or 90's.

I refer to him as Ebeneezer - he could have played Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol" - which was coincidentally, written in 1843. Perhaps Dickens fashioned the character after this gentleman...?

[Tin Can]

https://monovisions.com/vintage-decayed-daguerreotype-portraits-by-mathew-brady-studio-19th-century/

[cowanw]

Randy, if you find such a site please let us know. I have a interest in pre 1846 ninth plate images usually but not always British. there is the http://britishphotohistory.ning.com/ site not dedicated to early 19th century images but they are a frequent topic.

[Randy]

1/9th plate daguerreotype, young lady probably in her teens - likely from circa 1860.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/umg2dlhptw0i4ku/003b.jpg?dl=1

My recent discovery on this one is...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5we67aeox9r8w1a/003c.jpg?dl=1
...zooming into her eyes you can make out the square'ish silhouette reflection of the camera.

[chris73]

1/6th plate. Lovely young ladies from the early 1850s

215959

[Thad Gerheim]

My neighbor found this photo on the floor of an old homestead that he bought last month. It looks to me to be a collodion print maybe from the early 1900s. I think they're calvary. Does anyone have any ideas about the photo? There's an insanely amount of horses tied to both sides of a high line.
https://flic.kr/ps/3UVziH
215972

[Greg]

Route 44 in Canton, Connecticut...

[Tin Can]

Nice find!

click through to a much better and larger image


My neighbor found this photo on the floor of an old homestead that he bought last month. It looks to me to be a collodion print maybe from the early 1900s. I think their calvary. Does anyone have any ideas about the photo? There's an insanely amount of horses tied to both sides of a high line.
https://flic.kr/ps/3UVziH
215972

[Randy]

Help!

In my quest to identify any old photographed subject that offers a clue or two, I have come across this tintype:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/98attkmxnospdn3/img068a.jpg?dl=1

On the back, written on what is left of the tattered paper:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/e31ea5dnh76frrn/img069a.jpg?dl=1

I have made some glaring mistakes in the past, going with my initial opinion on the name(s), so I don't want to influence the view of anyone who cares to examine this and offer an opinion. I would appreciate any help. My hope is to waste many hours on the genealogy sites looking for these two names linked up, either marriage, census, or death records. Since I don't have a last name, my search will likely be futile, but I can't resist.

[cowanw]

Uncle Elisha and Aunt Meek

Elisha Meek, Sr.
Birthdate: 1765
Birthplace: Greene County, Pennsylvania, United States
Death: October 20, 1843 (77-78)
Morris, Greene, Pennsylvania, United States
Immediate Family:
Husband of Mary Meek
Father of Nancy Zuck; Elizabeth W. Fee; John Meek, Sr.; Delilah Iams; Elisha Meek, Jr. and 5 others

Elisha Meek Jr.
BIRTH 17 Jun 1802
Greene County, Pennsylvania, USA
DEATH 21 Jun 1884 (aged 82)
Amity, Washington County, Pennsylvania, USA
BURIAL
Amity Presbyterian Cemetery
Amity, Washington County, Pennsylvania, USA
He is a bit old perhaps he has a son Elisha III

[Randy]

Thanks Mr. Cowan, that looks like a very good conclusion. Since I don't write in cursive and haven't since elementary school, I often find it difficult, especially on some of these very old photographs, to decipher. I was confident in all but the Uncle's name, and "Elisha" had not entered my mind yet.

BTW, you never lived in southern California did you?

[cowanw]

No I am up here in Canada, 5th generation from Ireland.
I to like to learn all about old photographs; I fact I wrote the book on it:)
www.eleventyoneportraits.com
It is very satisfying to comeup with an identification. And yes cursive writing is hard; especially given different countries write in different languages and in different styles. It has been my experience that once you see it you cannot unsee it. On one daguerreotype I had to learn a bit of Danish to understand the inscription
Something to pass the time.

[Tin Can]

Nice book too!

I am another 71 year old they could not force into cursive and stay within the lines...

I can't read any of it

I double space type so I can read it

quickly


No I am up here in Canada, 5th generation from Ireland.
I to like to learn all about old photographs; I fact I wrote the book on it:)
www.eleventyoneportraits.com
It is very satisfying to comeup with an identification. And yes cursive writing is hard; especially given different countries write in different languages and in different styles. It has been my experience that once you see it you cannot unsee it. On one daguerreotype I had to learn a bit of Danish to understand the inscription
Something to pass the time.

[Randy]

I need help with another old photo - this one looks like a publicity still, to my eyes. I can't even begin to make out the signature - looks like some initials and a last name.

https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/toxo3bw8bvz77l9/img077a.jpg?raw=1

https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/iazkox4g7dj1kuq/img076a.jpg?raw=1

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Graham Patterson]

T T Doone ?

[Dugan]

Possibly P.T. Doone?

[cowanw]

Possibly Richard T. Dooner, a collegue of Elias Goldensky. Circa 1920- a really nice portrait.

[Randy]

Well Mr. Cowan, looks like you did it again. The signature belongs to the photographer, not the subject.
Below is another portrait signed by the same photographer - Richard T. Dooner:

https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/6u06ex0tbb79hom/img076b.jpg?raw=1

Guess I'll never know who the subject is in my portrait, unless Mr. Cowan recognizes him.

[cowanw]

A. call me Bill!
B. no, I don't recognize them but the child could be anybody's boy but almost certainly from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The man, done in soft focus, is much more interesting to me very like the work done in the 1920 to 1920 work. It is possible that if you look at sources that feature the Philadelphia Salon photos of those early years you may find it.

[Randy]

This is my first Ambrotype purchase:

https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/qexovdsi6dglh7u/001a.jpg?raw=1

The process, invented in the early 1850's, was in vogue for only about 10 years, when it was largely replaced by the tintype and other print processes. I purchased it from an ebay seller in England for next to nothing. The shipping of about $12 (15-20 years ago) was more than the picture cost.

This photograph was - I thought - likely made in the mid 1860's, but the first conflicting clue was "July 1891" etched on the back of the wooden frame, and conflicting with that date is the fact that barely visible under that etching is the date "July 1888". So at some point in the early history of this photograph, the owner etched “July 1888” on the back, but then someone decided that 1891 was the correct date of the photograph.

https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/v3jfsf6saghg6ei/002a.jpg?raw=1

The image was not a studio portrait but was taken outdoors as evidenced by the brush in the background, and it was likely on one of those many gloomy, overcast, British afternoons.
The lady on the right has a folded paper in her lap. A close-up scan shows the printing on it. I inverted it as the writing is upside down in the picture. It reads:

July 12
Modern Society
Cadbury's Cocoa
Sunlight

https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/8mxiycwo85qpz4y/ambro2.jpg?raw=1

I did a lot of searching for British news papers / periodicals from the 1800's and can not find any named "Modern Society", so I gave up on that.
“Cadbury's Cocoa": Cadbury's was founded in England in 1824. So that adds to the idea that this picture was taken in England.
“Sunlight”: Was a brand of household soap manufactured by the British company Lever Bros. But they didn't start making “Sunlight” until 1884.

So the date(s) etched on the back of the picture frame are looking more accurate than my initial 1860 estimation, as the picture had to be taken after 1884, even though the ambrotype process ceased in popularity 20 years earlier. My search of the history of the ambrotype led me to this statement - "Collodion positives (ambrotypes) first appeared in about 1853. By the 1860s the process had largely disappeared from high street studios, but it remained popular with itinerant open-air photographers until the 1880s, because portraits could be made in a few minutes while sitters waited."
The book “Fixed In Time” states that the ambrotype remained popular in England many years after it lost popularity in the US, well into the 1890's.

So, my ambrotype was likely made in the mid to late 1880's, and quite possibly in July of 1888, as the original etching on the back states, and is very likely of two lovely young English ladies.

A few days after I email my findings to some of my camera-collector friends, one of them, Alexander, sent me this reply:

"On the Modern Society paper I see the word “Saturday” next to July 12th. He continued – Saturday, July 12th occurred in 1884 and again in 1890. There was no Saturday, July 12th in 1888 or 1891!"

The closer I looked at the scan of the paper in the ladies lap, the easier I could make out “Saturday" before July 12th”.

It seems to me, more likely that the lady is carrying around a copy of the Modern Society that was only a year old (July 12, 1890) rather than the other possibility that it was 4 years old (July 12, 1884).

It does appear that the July 1891 date etched on the frame back is very likely accurate.

[cowanw]

Wow that is quite the investigation. I think the dates match well with the clothing as well. The Gigot sleeves of the lady on the right date very nearly to 1890 and onward for about 10 years.
One other interesting thing about Ambrotypes is that they can be left/right reversed or not, since they are the original glass negative which can be turned over to present either face forward with the appropriate extra layers of protection and blacking with the casing. Here the glass has been turned over and the writing on the newspaper is read correctly right to left.

[Scraps]

I enjoy trying to decipher the context of a found photo. Thanks to all for posting these.

[Randy]

This is D. D. Wisell (Weisell), a 1/9th plate ambrotype that I have had in my collection for some years.

https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/am3ejwi71euin4g/DDW.jpg?raw=1

After I purchased this cased ambrotype, I dismantled it for cleaning and found a note inside:

https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/5gqea28omu30zem/img516a.jpg?raw=1
https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/udg6fh7epo8z6f4/img515a.jpg?raw=1

“June 1857 – D. D. Wisell - to – Gufsie Robinson”
I have found a “D. D. Wisell” born in (aprox) 1833, as well as a “David D. Weisell”, born in 1832 (I suspect that they are the same person), which would have made him 25 years of age in 1857, when this ambrotype was made.

I suspect that this is indeed David D. Weisell – he was a dentist, inventor, and medical doctor living in Indiana. He died in 1909.
https://www.dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/wj8rjhitb8cz9gu/headstone.jpg?raw=1

I have found several women that could be the "Gufsie" in the note, but no way to know for sure. And thanks to the 2005 obituary for Davids 94 year old granddaughter, I have been able to make contact with a few of his great and great, great grandchildren and email them a nice image scan.

*post script - July 31 - I managed to find the obituary of D. D. Weisell's granddaughter - she passed in 2005 at age 94. Using the obit and ancestry dot com I managed to locate his great grandson and great, great granddaughter. I have contacted them and emailed the jpegs of him, which they had never seen before.

[cowanw]

Very cool. I wonder if he served in the civil war. Does the Government have an online list of people who signed up?

[Randy]

He registered for the draft in 1863, and lists his occupation as physician (last name on this list below), but I have not found any documentation that he served in the war, but I really wasn't looking for it either. I did find his marriage license and it is dated 1864.

217836

[Jim Jones]

He registered for the draft in June of 1863. I haven't searched further.

[Tin Can]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51340292015_74af11ae24_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/2y86s0)Death 1951 Ohio (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/2y86s0) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

[r_a_feldman]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51340292015_74af11ae24_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/2y86s0)Death 1951 Ohio (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/2y86s0) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

Looks like a Warhol.

[Jim Noel]

Looks more like a Weegee to me.

[Tin Can]

I got the negative in a box with a like new Speed 4X5, from a big collection in Ohio.

I assume the seller shot it 1951 as the license plate is 1951 Ohio, the Speed was made 1951.

I bought from a son of the collector directly out their Toledo home.

He collected any and all photo gear, found almost no negatives or prints and we searched the entire large home.

Found SF lenses in a safe, the good Leicas inside a very nice piano in an immaculate home.

One bedroom was FULL as was 1/2 the basement.

The son told me his father went to camera swaps every weekend...

The family planned to get a dumpster.

I advised sell.

They did.





Looks more like a Weegee to me.

[Corran]

A few days after I got back from my recent road trip, my grandmother died (dad's side). I unfortunately did not get to see her before it happened. She was 95. My grandfather died in a car accident over 20 years ago, and I know she was very much prepared to be with him again.

Because of some family things, the funeral will not be for several months. I volunteered to scan some old photos I knew she had but what I found was boxes and boxes of photographs dating back to the 40s. I didn't know she had so much, or else I'd have tried to do some of this sooner. Anyway, I plan on making a slideshow for the reception and making large prints of both of them for the service, as this will be a celebration of both their lives.

Here's a photo of the two of them, marked as being from Nov. 1954:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcoIF9P57ay9tymInINRYn1jGJlSSux3UXZylBJJoEB5Cojf1ELX8Pi7yqO63bFeEcr6rhByKyPr5r1R5r3x36StgpLDXhDFgQILPguBzTIhWXEHMqzivj_p2-DXelpW0qHIDPhHpbQZMc6PTuEO7YxYWcIxqhKH6OEIufE-OMxfTyDwF7Lo_BKBA/s700/g0174ss.jpg

I am fortunate to have gotten my hands on these photographs before they were lost or sent to a budget digitizing service (which is what happened on the other side of the family).

[Randy]

Just seeing if anyone can offer some ideas on translating this:

I collect cased images (daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes). I removed my latest acquisition - a daguerreotype - from it's case and there was writing (in pencil) inside the case:

233213

The writing is pretty clear, but I may be mistaken on some of it:

Mr Badgley
4/4 file Jig Vig
P. P.
3357

Alternately, the 2nd line could be:

4/4 Jill Jia Vig

As for the 4 numbers at the bottom, I was hoping that it was a date:

March 3, 1857

If it is the date that the image was made that might help me in determining the subject in the photograph, who could have been born about 10 months before the photograph was made.

Anyway, I don't want my desires clouding my judgment :(

Any ideas? I have had others on the forum translate 100+ year old handwriting for me and it made perfect sense.

[Dugan]

4/4 Full figure vignette

[Randy]

That looks good Dugan. What would the 4/4 mean?

[Dugan]

I only know 4/4 as a time signature in music, or as
4/4 = 1 (whole plate?), or as April 4th.
Maybe someone else will chime in with more info...

[cowanw]

? whole Plate; how large is the image?

[Randy]

? whole Plate; how large is the image?

9th plate :(

233234

[cowanw]

Perhaps the fourth shot of four

[Corran]

I think I found something pretty special this past week.

I was taking a short trip to Pensacola, FL to visit family and spent an afternoon combing through a number of different antique stores. In one, I just barely noticed a stack of photo prints leaning against a bookcase with almost no information or description. What grabbed my interest was the top print being a submarine, which was unusual. Most of the stack was old faded color prints of various military ships or locations but one black and white print stuck out.

It was an aircraft carrier underway with flight crews prepping a couple of planes. There was no info whatsoever and it was just a loose 20x24 print, but I recognized CV-11, the USS Intrepid. This image included some A4 Skyhawk planes so I knew it wasn't WWII vintage but likely Vietnam. It was clearly a silver gelatin print with some patina (creases, silvery edges), but a quality print and looks to me like original to the time. I asked the price - $60. I couldn't believe they weren't asking more so I bought it hurriedly.

Upon researching this image, I've discovered it is in fact from c. 1968 during the Intrepid's deployment to Vietnam, and is used as the cover image of the US Naval Institute's book detailing the USS Intrepid's history (https://www.usni.org/press/books/aircraft-carrier-intrepid-0). The image size is exactly 19x23, the same size I mat my 20x24 prints, so I was able to mat it right up when I got home. I'll order a piece of P99 for the 30x24 frame and hang this proudly in the house with my other SG prints. I might contact the USS Intrepid Museum - I'm curious if this is a really interesting/rare find or perhaps the Navy made a ton of these prints for whatever, I don't know. Does anyone have any knowledge and what the Navy would use prints like this for other than just archives?

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqM3A2t5nePTbaiHrgA9DOdYs5efmajrN7VvMzIfW3RMm5cRGdN9hd_OZedWKa92S-8lB6MxaK_wjnmQNSV3ly_5kg5JDzV_oUvmuvRNzexFczjOws5uKEv16cLsHJiz86udBPw1RS1S_Mm238hbcr7WPitBTUghV3jEPl-KVbJ8Tomv6S4zzhb-oX0tQ/s900/ussintrepidprint.jpg

[Tin Can]

Recruitment

[Corran]

That would make sense I suppose.

I also picked this 8x10 print from Beken of Cowes of the HMY Brittania in 1924 at another little antique shop. The frame has the paper backing that I don't particularly feel like opening to inspect, but the signature and information on the print looks like other originals I've seen online. These early yachting photographs from Beken are gorgeous and the story about building his own camera to shoot glass plate negatives (https://www.beken.co.uk/about-us/) of the yachts is quite interesting. I also like the mat that was done for this print. Looking at some of the other Beken images I liked them so much I found an older photography book of their work and imported it - hopefully the prints in that are high-quality. I guess I'll see when it arrives in probably a month.

245119

[Joshua Dunn]

Contact the Naval Academy Museum (https://www.usna.edu/Museum/index.php) in Annapolis Maryland if you want more information on the photograph. If it has any other historical significance they would certainly be the ones to ask.

-Joshua

[Corran]

Reviving this thread again to post something I'm working on. Almost 9 years ago I bought out the estate of a photographer, including his entire collection of negatives. It's been on the backburner for years, but I'm finally starting to comb through these. There are some very interesting advertisement or lifestyle images, including prominent brands that look like what might've been published in fancy magazines. However, I can't find a record of any of these images on the internet that I've searched, and so I'm starting to believe he may have just created them "for fun." There's lots of other interesting things and honestly it could make for a decent book project, but there's some serious legal issues I have to figure out.

Anyway, here's an image I just scanned. I'm not sharing the advertisement images yet but this was an interesting little tableau:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGv2MEm-FI3owO5UmCBgqmT_1v8B6ZVtXUZu4ejizJwe9VLOXtNG93ySqdgpZyL8LpE8DtARWhaqMzbK4oqqPMsX_87ShryjmGPbnFrX2j2SNcL1WCWjwfY-w5Q6a1e2le872mnwYvgUbAbVQkfbFGXB73xlCmzItlSp-oKk-xrBEc88QKESCrFHMBPi8/s800/a.jpg

[Kino]

I bought this photo booth strip in an antique shop in Cincinnati, Ohio several decades ago. The chap in the middle must have had the least amount of money to chip-in!

256760

Random Kodachrome slides found in a projector bought at a garage sale. Post WWII Alaska adventure in a PBY!

256761 256762256763

[David Lindquist]

That's not a PBY. First thing I noticed was the two bladed propellers. Then the wing is directly atop the fuselage rather than raised above on a pylon. It does kinda look like a PBY at first, maybe a 3/4 size one.

Seventy years ago I was a real nut about airplanes. I can still tell you the wing-span of a B-29...:)

David

[Dugan]

Grumman Mallard, maybe?

[David Lindquist]

Grumman Mallard, maybe?

Good suggestion. Looking that up led me to the Grumman Goose, maybe another possibility.

David

[Dugan]

I think the Grumman Goose is the right answer, going by the windscreen shape and the engine housings, a pre-war design.

[David Lindquist]

Thank you very much for that, Dugan
David

[Mark Sampson]

The Goose was designed in the late 1930s as an executive transport (really). The Navy and Coast Guard used many of them during WWII, and about 20 are still flying today. One was the star of a TV show called "Tales of the Gold Monkey" in the 1980s.
The Mallard was a larger, faster, postwar design, but only about 60 were ever made. They were famously used by Chalk's airline out of Miami for many years, and one was seen in the opening credits of "Miami Vice".
Those are great found pictures- especially because of the formal dress clothing the people are wearing. No expedition gear for them!

[Thad Gerheim]

I bought a collection of magic lantern slides from Sen. Frank and Bethine Church's niece, who had lived in Portland OR. She said that they mostly were by the photographer Fred Kiser in Portland. But also in the collection were several slides by Asahel Curtis, Edward's brother. If you don't know Asahel's story, this is a good youtube introduction- https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-fc-4004_10&ei=UTF-8&hsimp=yhs-4004_10&hspart=fc&param1=7&param2=eJwtjs1qhDAAhF8lx12IMf%2Fq5rRb3QcoPTWEJU1TDUYjRmnp0xfLMpdh%2BAa%2BPnxqZV5bgrFgTGhoZq0M19Acu4bGaWWaptHQhEUrQ4lEpKaokYhTDU3vk1Zmzxqa3WplpvQbYrSlQBicJuvCvKU8KBDmzUcwWQdSBj%2BA4AcRj%2BoM7LJE%2F%2B0%2FxrCVglWISXAah22KEMQwetB7N6YzcMOaJl8SIhE%2BArL9smt4Xg65HJ7Ce%2Fbrf8fdy01KjouOV21BSNcVVy7q4soY5%2Fe6vd1Fe%2FDugCmmvMCsINUbkReOL1Qiwej7H0rUVCU%3D&p=edward+curtis%27s+brother+photo&type=fc_A8E837262B8_s58_g_e_d_n4_c999#action=view&id=1&vid=32405e4dc9db8dbc047f933f4c13eeaf
This is one of his from the summit of Mt. Baker WA
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52625886380_8c55448645_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2obnqyC)mtbaker mazamas copy (https://flic.kr/p/2obnqyC) by Thad Gerheim (https://www.flickr.com/photos/191162430@N03/), on Flickr