Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Vintage Relatives

A very OLD photo of some relatives of mine. The person on the left next to the horse, wearing a cowboy hat, is my grandmother.
(click on the picture to see an enlargement)

Friday, January 26, 2007

Battleships

There's actually only one battleship here...it's the Battleship Indiana, part of the "Great White Fleet", the U.S. fleet of the late 19th century, if I'm not mistaken. This is a stereo image of the ship, each view slightly different from the other. It is meant to be viewed in a Stereoscope (click on the image for a larger view).

Blues Cruise

This is an antique photograph, a kind called
"cyan-otype". It's a find, no? But, of course, I have no idea where this scene might be...

Saturday, September 30, 2006

The Suburb Kid

This is another found photo-some kind of polaroid-type process.This kid is apparently REALLY ticked off...and is about to strap on his holster for a showdown.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Old Folks

An unknown elderly couple. Probably taken around 1910 or earlier. Some of the items in the room are much older, and I'm not just talking about the two people glaring at us like that. Note the mid-19th century chair, next to the fireplace. The fireplace surround is decorated with early 19th century details.

Friday, June 23, 2006

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot

Here's a photo of the 19th century French painter Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. Best known for his landscapes, he is seen as a precursor to impressionism. This photo was taken in 1875, the year of Corot's death. The photo is a Woodburytype, the result of a photomechanical process. This technique was only used for a few years between 1870 and 1900.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Mexican Water Works


Here's a "real photo postcard", made around 1904-1918. It shows the way in which some residents of Laredo, Texas received their water back then. At one time, there were several towns near the border with Mexico that failed to provide adequate services (such as municipal water) to areas where Mexican-Americans lived.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

An Old Cowhand

When I was a kid, I used to know a lot of old guys like that looked kind of like this guy. Used up, worn out old cowboys. Some of them told great stories about the old days, when the ranges were still open. But things changed, as tends to happen. The old guys had to shift around for work, sometimes failing at it.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Speakeasy

It's probably safe to assume that this photograph was taken during the prohibition era. The clothing is a clue. Those unmarked jugs of hooch are strong evidence. Perhaps the scene is a "speakeasy" in the basement of a Chicago brownstone, and these folks are part of the booming rum trade under someone like Al Capone, in violation of the Volstead Act. Click on the image for an enlargement.

Found Photograph


I have a box-full of photos like this one that I have found over the years...in the trash, at flea markets, etc. It should be easy to make up a good story about this.

Friday, May 26, 2006

Carte de Visite

This is a type of photograph popular in the late nineteenth century called a Carte de Visite. The photograph was taken in a professional photographer's studio. The photo was then pasted on a thin sheet of cardboard about the size of a business card. These were used as an alternative to the then-popular use of visiting cards, or calling cards. This one was made some time between 1860 and 1870.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Mud Brick House

A nice panoramic image of an old brick house and a big family. I think that the bricks are made of mud or sod. Some would call this an "adobe" house. The photograph is probably from the late nineteenth century. Click on the image for an enlargement.

Friday, April 28, 2006

Lightfall

I took this shot while we were boating with the Floyds in Connecticut. It was a stunner of a day. Thanks to Beverly and Steve.
(click image to see enlargement)

Monday, April 24, 2006

A view of a "Trading Post" in Bemidji, Minnesota. The tall Native American is one of a breed.
(click image to see enlargement)

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Night-Blooming CEREUS


A Night-Blooming Cereus, which lived with us for some years. It was abandoned to strangers when it became inconvenient...

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Boston Alley

I took this picture during a winter snow storm some time in the 1970's. The scene is downtown Boston. The building in the background, seen partially at the end of the alley, is Old City Hall, built in 1865. You can just see the statue of Ben Franklin. It's at the corner of School Street and City Hall Avenue. I don't know if the view from this vantage is even possible now...

Click on the image for a larger view.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Wallkill River

A view of the Wallkill River near Tillson, NY. Taken with a digital camera.The overpass at left is the New York Throughway, Interstate 87. At right, obviously, is an old covered bridge.

click on the image to see it larger

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Chinese Food

A restaurant on Broadway in Kingston, NY. Taken with a digital camera.

click on the image for enlargement

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

ARMADA



Resemblances are everything.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Marfa

A building in the west Texas town of Marfa. Taken with a digital camera. Marfa is the site of the Chinati Foundation, among many other things.