City of Los Angeles

Heaven help me, I'm becoming a postcard collector. It's bad enough that I spend money I don't have on fifty year old snapshots, and now postcards! "The streamliners, City of Los Angeles, 39 3/4 hours between Chicago and Los Angeles, carry de luxe coaches, standard sleeping cars, dining cars, club and lounge cars. Ten round trips are made each month." Post marked, "OMAHA NEBR., BURLINGTON STATION JAN. 9 12:30 PM 1943" Addressed to, "Mrs. Mary Hackler, 805 Edw. Rd. Madison, Ill." And the message, "Just arrived in Omaha, Neb. 8:45 A.M. Sat. And talk about gravy without potatoes. I nearly got it, and no kidding. Just like a new world for me. Son, Willie." In 1943 I can think of only one way someone could nearly get it. Soldiers called it the million dollar wound. Bad enough to get sent home and out of the army, but not bad enough to be permanently disabling.

And I'm convinced I recognize the location that the original photo that is the basis of this card was taken. About half way down the Cajon Pass above San Bernardino.

The German Couple

I almost didn't put up this nice studio portrait because of the prints textured surface. I had to use the descreen setting on the scanner, losing some of the sharpness. So, why is that I have so many pictures from Germany? Is it just a coincidence, or did German immigrants to the United States treasure their photographs more than immigrants from other countries? A question that will never be answered. Stamped on the back, "Foto Dickopf, das Fachgeschaft in Siegburg." I think that means Photos by Dickopf, at the department store in Siegburg. Any German speakers out there, please feel free to correct my translation.

We Will Never Say Goodbye in Heaven

Well, I know how it was done. The printer wrote his message on a clear piece of film, sandwiched it on the bottom of the negative. The ink, probably black, then printed white. What I don't know is why he made some of his N's backwards. Click on the image to see it in a bigger window, if necessary. Printed on postcard stock. What a way to announce that Uncle Harry had kicked the bucket.

What Makes a Great Cabinet Card Part 2?

Yesterday I asked the question, with millions to choose from, what makes a great cabinet card. Well, here is an example. The photographer, M.J. Streuser from Bellevue, Iowa had a great eye for composition, the subject matter, a group of guys out having a good time, the sense of movement one gets from Arnie brandishing his club. Wow. I feed the name M.J. Streuser into Google, not expecting much, and found another example of his work on the Cowan Auctions site, of a photographer and his assistant posing with their wares. Probably a self portrait and it was wonderful too. I really recommend that others visit and take a look. The very first post I put up on this blog was a group of prints I made from a set of glass negs, all from the same photographer, and the thought of picking up more Streuser prints, well it's the same. Written on the back, "Arnie, Geo. Zentiner, Frank Kegles, Charles Hartley, Ed Kamp, Phil, Joe Brandt, From one of Arnie's birthdays." Go punch in M.J. Streuser into Google before the Cowan Auctions site takes down the cabinet card I mentioned, and please use the archives section to the right to navigate back to Montana Glass Negatives, pubished on June 9. 2009.

What Makes a Great Cabinet Card?

There are millions of cabinet cards out there, so why buy one over another? A great pose, interesting face, unique clothing or a particular skill on the part of the photographer are all great reasons to buy an image. Sometimes, as was the case with this card, it's the back. I saw all of the medals and assumed that photographer Dabbs was a multi award winner, but when I got home and looked at them with a lens, I was a bit surprised. Three are identical logos for The Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society, three are basically advertising marks, a couple of things in Latin that could be anything and one, and only one, award medallion. Well, I guess that means that false advertising is nothing new. It reminds me of the old story of how P.T. Barnum got people to move out of his venues. He put up big signs that said "This way to the Egress." Egress is just a fancy way of saying, this way out.

The German American Collection, Cabinet Cards and CDVs

Here's the story on this collection. I bought it from an online dealer from Florida. He had picked up a large group of photos, albums, and ephemera from an estate, sold of a number of images, separately, and then took what was left and put together some lots for sale. I tried to buy a number of these groupings, and this was the only one I was able to get. There are some really nice photos, some dull ones, and some that are just plain bad. Because I think context is important, I'll eventually put all of them on line, but because so much of it is missing from the collection, I'll be putting them up intermittently, rather than all at once. Because I have some photos taken in Germany I've decided to label them all The German American Collection. Not a lot of labeling on these ones. The old man has a studio mark, "L. Rogers, PHOTOGRAPHER, TARRYTOWN, N.Y." Written, "Pops mothers father-Lewis" The young boy, "Seeley, 292 Main Street, Po'keepsie, N.Y." and written, "Katie Mortimer" And no, that's not a mistake, he's identified as Katie.

Charge With Brass

Fiorello LaGuardia, progressive Republican (Now there's an oxymoron!) mayor of New York City, while born in New York spent most of his childhood in Prescott, Arizona where his father was military bandmaster at nearby Fort Whipple. Before radio, television and the Internet, a talented bandmaster was worth his weight in gold at isolated military outposts. Bored soldiers far from home was not a good combination. Click on musicians in the labels section to bring up a photo of a World War 1, AEF military band as well as shots of small town coronet bands. Printed on postcard stock.