American photographs

One thing is certain: it's a boy.When did dresses for little boys go out of fashion? They used to wear them, at least for formal photographs, until the age of four or five, and they didn't get their baby curls cut until that age, too.

It seems this little man's parents had compromised, or fashions were in flux by then. Haircut yes, dress, still yes.

Indiana girls

"Aunt Edna and Eula Mae."

When a farm girl gets dressed up to have her picture taken ... or was she a city girl, and this her high school graduation photograph? If so, she would have been unusual. My grandmother, a city girl probably of about the same generation, always bragged about having graduated high school, which girls didn't necessarily do in the early part of the 20th century.

I like the little pearls around her neck. They represent glamor and wealth, can't possibly be real -- and aren't remotely needed. She is far lovelier than they are.

Bride? Bridesmaid? Halloween?

Ottie's postcard

Mrs. Elsie Carter of Frankfort, Indiana, received a lot of postcards from family and friends in the early 1900s. She saved most of them, it seems. The complete postmark for this one is illegible, but the others in the box are dated around 1907 or 1909.

If you read this one carefully, you'll notice that Mrs. Carter's sister, Ottie, is telling her that she is about to have the baby. It is early February.

"Well sister I got your letter I hope you will all be much better of your colds until you get this that receipt is for cake she baked it in a bread pan. it is real good for a dark cake. I thought that picture was cute Alta sent I got 11 eggs yesterday that is the highest for 3 weeks. Well I am alright this morning but I expect to be in bed in a few days so you can wonder how we are will let you know as soon as I can I hope for Good Luck. from Ottie."

Who are the 29?

Once again, a tiny minority submit to sharia, Islamic law and its inherent triumphalism, on our behalf. Who are the 29 members of New York's "community board 1" who voted to approve plans for a 15- storey mosque practically at the site of the World Trade Center? In an interview with Rush Limbaugh yesterday, Andrew McCarthy says the mosque builders intend to have it built by the tenth anniversary of the attacks.



Image from Standbesideher.com

Do you think this man, rather nattily dressed for a nice late summer day, would approve?

Boy in a garden

He's standing before his -- or his mother's? -- prize hollyhocks. Are those giant mallows, too, to the right, or more hollyhock leaves? And what is the building? It looks industrial, not home-like.

The date? Judging by his pants and haircut, 1940s.

Spot the black kitten, marching busily past.

Vintage shopping

Let's go to the Antique Mall on Main Street in Crown Point, Indiana. It's right across the street from the old courthouse, where young things used to elope to, say in 1937 (my aunt was eighteen, her new husband seventeen -- there was hell to pay), and it's right across the other street from the old jail that couldn't hold Dillinger. Johnny Depp filmed part of Public Enemies here. The locals were suitably agog.

First floor: the best is usually here. The second floor offers things of only middling quality and interest, and the third floor is given over entirely to holiday shlock, year round. Even before it was turned over to that, it was the place to find Pez dispensers and little troll dolls. But the first floor -- well, you might find here a big scarf which is almost certainly silk, and even looks like Hermes. The colors a bit drab, but otherwise a fairly good fake, perhaps?





The things people save. Old, empty bottles of celery tonic. Perhaps it was the Red Bull -- or the green tea -- of 1906.



If you are an antique dealer and you'd like to rent this space,



-- this, the courthouse, will be the view out your window.



Random finds: only the French would make a lamp like this. But if the dealer claimed, on the little handwritten price tag, that this was Polish or Argentinian, would it seem as beautiful?



Good heavens: my parents' old bedroom set.



Why yes, it's a radio. They were more decorative in 1934.



And a unique piece of Americana: a black family places a portrait of Woodrow Wilson on the mantel piece, below the bunting around the picture of the absent soldier father, and near both Abraham Lincoln and, a bit hidden behind the price tag, George Washington.

American photos

Judging by the hairstyle and clothes, my guess is the date is around 1880. This woman is young -- she may even be a girl of perhaps sixteen or seventeen. The crucifix at her throat stands out, but what is that other dark necklace? It looks almost like an actual chain. And what are the symmetrical smudges on her dress? A flaw in the photograph, or real colors in the fabric?

Imagine her in a sweatshirt and jeans, and you might see her pushing her cart in any modern day grocery store. But she probably would not appear quite so self possessed, regal even. When ordinary people circa 1880 wanted to shine for the camera, they had no helps to present to the world -- the future -- except clothes, hair, and their own, inexpensive jewels. No makeup, at least not any that wasn't on the toxic side; likely no fine, healthy teeth; no way to reproduce color. And yet they often carried themselves quite well. Perhaps, conversely, that explains something of why we moderns, in our photos, with all our aids to good health and beauty, still tend to resemble smiling, uncomfortable, underdressed shlubs.

American photos

It's the mystery of this one that I like. Is she a seamstress, showing off a masterwork? Is she an actress, caught forever in her most famous costume? And how old is she -- six, ten? Twenty?

American photographs -- 1910

Chicago, Sept. 12 - 10

To Mrs. E. E. James, Boswell, Ind.

Dear Cousin Nellie,

Will let you know that I can not go out this summer. Will can't get a vacation as he thought he would for any length of time so don't look for me until next year now you & Earl & Lucy come and visit this winter near Holidays we would like to have you come Lovingly Nelle

(This was taken at night it's not very good
write soon did you receive my letter
my Best to all

(Note the card has no stamp. It was never sent.)

American photographs, 1910

Mr. Alex Black
Hebron, Indiana

Dear Father, Am getting along pretty well in school. I like it fine, and also my teachers. It keeps me pretty busy at times. From Beatrice, Stony Run Farm

Postmarked 10 A(pril?) 1910