Trains and Trainmen

Written on the back of the train picture, "1939 engine that went to worlds fair." On the border of the photo of the man on the box car, "Hanging on." I got these photos from the same source, so I'm betting that the three men in the final photo are either fellow trainmen, or friends of the man on the box car.

Chautauqua

I don't know if these photos are from an actual, real Chautauqua or not. The Chautauqua movement started in nineteenth century America. Usually held in a rural area, near a railroad stop, Chautauquas were a combination of group camps, lectures and entertainment.

Magic Lantern Slides for the New York Schools

The originals on these two images are glass transparencies. Magic lantern slides. The picture of coal being loaded on board the ship is labeled, "Dv N.Y. 6 Virginia, Norfolk. Loading Coal from Railroad onto Ocean Steamer (1927) Negative No. B13589" The one with the potatoes, "Dv N.Y. 36 Virginia, Norfolk. Schooner Loaded with Sweet Potatoes from North Carolina. (May 10, 1927) Negative No. B13590." Both are also labeled, "New York State Education Department Visual Instruction Division." Despite the numbers assigned, both are positives rather than negatives.

Another From Maurice Seymour

Yet another theatrical portrait from Chicago photographer Maurice Seymour. As I noted in my two previous posts (published 8/7/09, and 6/22/09) of Seymour photographs, he was an immigrant from Russia who opened up a studio in Chicago in the 1930's. Until his retirement in the 1970's, he specialized in society and theatrical portraits. No name, dates, or any other identification on this photo.

WAVES of the Navy

The WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) started in August of 1943 after first lady Eleanor Roosevelt urged congress to authorize service by women in the United States Navy. Within one year of it's authorization, there were over 27,000 WAVES in the navy. At first their service was limited to the continental United States, and was mostly clerical in nature. By the time the war was over WAVES were also serving in Hawaii, and some were involved in naval aviation. The WAACS (Women's Auxiliary Army Corp.) began as an auxiliary part of the army and WAACS were not part of the army. WAVES were part of the navy right from the beginning, they held naval rank, and were also subject to military discipline. I don't know whether or not there were official portraits, done by the navy, of WAVES. This could be an official portrait, or just something paid for by the subject of this great World War 2 era portrait.

The Earl Carroll Theatre Restaurant, Hollywood

Two unrelated souvenir photo folders from the same Hollywood, CA night club. Earl Carroll was a Broadway producer, director, composer, and song writer. Starting in the 1920's he had a number of very successful stage revues, many of which were considered "businessman's specials" shows that were considered racy, often with brief or implied nudity. On December 26, 1938 he opened the Earl Carroll Theatre Restaurant at 6230 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood, California. A night club, it featured floor shows, performed on a large rotating stage. The woman featured on the photo folder, as well as a large neon sign on the front of the theater was Beryl Wallace, Carroll's mistress. They died in a 1948 plane crash. After their deaths, the Carroll Theatre continued to operate. It was, eventually sold, and became the Moulin Rouge Theater, then the Hullaballo, The Aquarius, and is now the Nickelodeon, and is used for the filming of the iCarly show. The picture with the soldiers is dated, November 21, 1943. The other image is dated October 23, 1945. Written on the soldier picture, "Good luck, Heather." On the other photo, "William, Betsy, Dotty, Joe Barrett." Printed on the back of the folder, "For additional prints write to EARL CARROLL'S THEATRE RESTAURANT Sunset near Vine-Hollywood 28, Calif. Price Ex. Tax, $1.219512. Sales tax, $.o30488. Total Price, $1.25. Be certain to mention this No._ and Date_ HOLLYWOOD NITE CLUB PHOTOS 6304 Riley Way, Carthay Circle Theatre Bldg., Los Angeles 36, Calif. YOrk 5293."

Wisconsin and Beyond

Old photo collectors love great images and there are a couple of those in this collection. But, collectors also love a great story behind the images and this set of estate photos from a Wisconsin dealer are all over the place. The two pictures in front of the house are very probably from the United States, as is the last image, that looks like it's from the fifties. Two guys near a palm tree. Florida vacation? The long haired guy with the umbrella and bag could be a doctor, or then again, just a guy with a doctor's style bag. The older couple are labeled Adolph and Jennie. The group of young people above the sea. I doubt that's Wisconsin, and with the woman in the clothe coat,newspaper and purse is labeled, something I can't make out and the "de depart, le 22 Octobre 1945." From France or maybe Quebec. Speaking of dates, the lady, prone on the grass with the shadow of the photographer is dated July 20, 1914. The couple in mid 20th century clothes are labeled Grandma and Grandpa. Not all of these images were taken in Wisconsin, as I've already noted. The woman is sitting in front of the for sale sign is stamped on the back, "MADE BY Goodhart-Tompkins Co. KODAK HEADQUARTERS 33 Peachtree, Atlanta, Ga." The kneeling man is labeled Cornwall Mines, 6/2/21. Cornwall is in England. And the strangest of the lot, the adult woman with the four children, written on the back, "Forced merriment is easily detected, and is an admirable quality that always arouses my deepest sympathies; The children betray the fact that something is troubling the family collectively. H.H." I wonder what made her write that. It's almost a short story.