Photograph Of Unknown Family - 1920s/30s Smiles - smiles on photos, at least - were a twentieth century invention: smiles on the faces of the subjects of Victorian photographic portraits are as rare as Trumpian truths. The reason was partly that Victorian cameras could only cope with fixed expressions - but it was also partly … Continue reading The Age Of The Smile
Category: Pictures From Nowhere
A Bottle, A Radio And A Map Of Latvia
A photograph of unknown origins, subject and date - a true "Picture From Nowhere". Two men in suits, just the hint of a bottle, a radio of certain antiquity, and a map of Latvia pinned to the wall. What in earth is the back story?
Cruising Faces
I am not sure where this little print came from - no doubt it was part of some job lot of old photographs I bought. It shows the crowded deck of a boat, and must have been taken at some point in the 1920s. It could be a ferry, but the people seem a little … Continue reading Cruising Faces
Through The Viewfinder
This photograph comes from a collection of old photos bought as a job lot on eBay for less than the price of a pint. I am a great fan of the novel "Sweet Caress" by William Boyd, and as soon as I saw this photograph I thought of Amory Clay, the heroine of that fine … Continue reading Through The Viewfinder
A Question Of Sport
This is an old, real photographic postcard that must date from the first part of the twentieth century, and is full of questions. I can not be certain about the date, the place, the sport or the team. There are eleven players so I am immediately drawn to a football team (soccer team). The only … Continue reading A Question Of Sport
With Love From Hilda And Leo
There is something rather joyous about this little sepia print. The caption on the reverse simply says "With love from Hilda and Leo", and it is the smile on Hilda's face that is so striking. The photograph must have been taken during the mid 1920s, which suggests that Leo might have been one of those … Continue reading With Love From Hilda And Leo
Look Into Their Faces And See History
I have no idea who Mr George Day of Fairbury, Illinois was, or how the photograph of him and - I assume - his wife came into my possession. But now they are mine and I am prepared to share them with the world. They are fine figures, serious subjects, people who do not smile … Continue reading Look Into Their Faces And See History
There’s Tons Of Money At The Palace
Walking To The Palace (1924) : Taken from a photograph album of unknown origin. It is August 1924 and we are walking to the cinema to see Leslie Henson in his latest film, "Tons of Money". Where the cinema is and who we are is unknown, but film itself provides a date stamp. The advert … Continue reading There’s Tons Of Money At The Palace
A Grand Old Age
This is an old sepia photograph of a seaside resort, which was taken, I suspect, in the early twentieth century. I don't know where it was taken: I am sure it is somewhere in England, but there are few clues in the photograph itself. There is what looks like a ruined castle on the top … Continue reading A Grand Old Age
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