The German American Collection, The Album 2

Is the smallest child in the group shot a little boy, the only son, or the fourth daughter? Click on German-American in the labels section to bring up the lot.

The German American Collection, The Album 1

This is it, the most interesting part of the German-American collection. And, like so much in the world of found photographs, it's also a bit of a mystery. Except for the cover, is the album complete, or is this just a tantalizing fragment? Nothing is written on the pages so we don't know names, dates, or exact locations. Was there an index on the inside of the front cover, or was a knowledge of this family assumed, with no need for written information? I'll be putting up the album, without the big gaps that have been the hallmark of the collection, to date. As usual, I'll post a complete page to show placement, followed by separate scans of each image. Click on German-American in the labels section to bring up everything.

The German American Collection, A Single Roll of Film

I hope Kodak survives bankruptcy and comes back better than ever. I really hope that Kodak continues to make film, paper, and chemistry. Anyway, this post is a bit of Kodak history. There was a time when the company made automatic film printing machines for the local film lab. Press a button, and focus would set for whatever film format was being used. Then, it was time to set exposure. Unfortunately, the earlier automatic printers could only do one exposure setting per roll. A mythical average setting which sometimes didn't work for a single frame. (Without seeing the negatives, there is no way I can tell if good prints can be made from some of the darker images.) And finally, the photos made on a pre-perforated sheet of paper and then loaded in a Kodak supplied folder, printed by Kodak, with the local photo finishers name and address, and a nifty Kodak advertisement on the back cover. As usual, click on German-American in the labels section to bring up the whole collection.

The German American Collection, Adults Only

To recap...A dealer had purchased a number of photos from an estate, sold some of them separately, and then bundled up what was left into several lots, and then put them up on line, on EBay. I bid on all of the lots, but was only able to get one. Because it's so broken up, and because it covers such a great span of time, I'm putting the photos up in a catch-as-can manner, when I get around to it. I call it the German-American Collection, because there was a real photo postcard of a wedding with a German photo studio's name on the back (already posted), and a partial album from Germany (still to come). As usual, click on German-American in the labels section to bring up the lot. The picture of the woman on the stone wall is dated "Sept. 1936."

The German American Collection, The Partial Album Page

Yet another bit from the German-American collection. One small bit of an album page, two images, on opposite sides of the page. Click on German-American in the labels section to bring up the whole lot.

The German American Collection, The Ones With the Children

Click on German American in the labels section to bring up the rest of the lot and save me from doing another explanation of the group. Only one print is labeled, the last one in the column. "Can you believe it?" Can you believe what?

The German American Collection, Winter Transportation

Written on the back of the car photograph, "A Bent Fender Feb. 7, 1939." I guess that's why they need the horses.

The German American Collection, A Couple of Older Ones

I started this blog to impose a certain amount of organization on a growing collection. In the past couple of months I've made my bank roll even smaller with the purchase of archival storage materials. One of the first acid free boxes I purchased was for the German-American collection, and because it has been out of sight it's also been a bit out of mind. So, it's time to put up a few more posts. To recap, a dealer had purchased an estate, sold some of the photos separately, then broke up what was left into several lots and put them up for sale on line. I got one of the lots and because it's so broken up, I'm putting them up in a catch as can manner. When I get to it, I get to it. And remember, click on German-American in the labels section to bring up the whole lot.

The German American Collection, The Broken Ones

It's my preferred practice, when scanning mounted prints, to crop out everything but the actual photograph. Too, I prefer not to impose a symbolic meaning to old, family photos. But in this case, where a dealer went to an estate sale and bought up boxes of old photos that no one was willing to save from the prying eyes of strangers, it only seems right that there should be some damage to things. Take a good look at the child on the left in the final print. I'm convinced that's a little boy in the dress. What were they playing? Peter Pan? Click on German American in the labels section to bring up the rest of the collection.

The German American Collection, Deaths in the Family

The older gentleman is labeled, "Noah Jordan 1918 Grandfather, Died: Spring 1918" Perhaps a coincidence, but that would be the zenith of the Spanish flu pandemic that killed in the millions. The group photo, "Nan Nan and her sisters at her brother's funeral 1925" Click on the photo of the old man for a better look at the pin on his vest. It looks like a smaller photo, a common mourning piece. Click on German American in the labels section to bring up the rest of the lot.

The German American Collection, The Postcards

So why are there a couple of non photographic postcards in this post? My one exception to my all photos all the time rule; If it's part of a greater collection, it gets a pass. To repeat, a dealer in Florida bought these images at an estate sale. He sold a lot of the pictures separately, and then put the rest up on line in a couple of lots. I tried to get them all, but could only get this one group of pictures. Because there are so many gaps, and very little identifiers, I'm putting up this collection when I get around to it, in a very catch as catch can manner. I call it the German American collection because there was one photo postcard of a wedded couple (Already posted)and the butt end of an old album, both from Germany. When the family who owned these photos came to the United States is a mystery to me. Click on German American in the labels section to bring the whole lot up.

The German American Collection, Man in Hats

Poor guy. With that bewildered look on his face, I'm betting he was wondering how he was talked into trading hats with his lady friend. And then, out came the camera! Click on German American in the labels section for more from The German American Collection.

The German American Collection, Until Death do us Part

Written on the back of the first picture, "Our Wedding Day April 18th 1942 Until Death do us Part." I've scanned in the back of the second. Click on German-American in the labels section to bring up more images.

The German American Collection, Althea Hope Risebake

Written on the back of the school photo in a childish hand, "Althea Hope Risebake" Stamped, "SCHOOL PROJECTS PHOTO CO. 309 MAIN ST. ORANGE, N.J. Tel. OR. 5-5286 Res. OR. 5-5622."

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The problem I'm having with the German American collection (Click on German American in the labels section to get more information and more images.) is that it's so broken up it's almost impossible to build a real narrative of this family. What I do know is that a German family immigrated to the United States and made a life in New York and New Jersey. These two pieces both have education as a theme, but they don't come from the same time or place. Was the District Number 13 souvenir tag from the Andes, New York School District given to the child of a German immigrant, and a parent of Althea Hope Risebake, or was it given to someone born and raised in the U.S. who would eventually marry into that immigrant family? Was Althea born in Germany, struggling to learn English along with her math and geography, while her American born class mates made fun of her accent? Of course, when this picture was taken, an accent may have been common in this school. While it's frustrating not to know, it also allows for a freedom of speculation that makes collecting old photos endlessly fascinating. .