Hidden away at the corner of a throw-away old photo is a haunting image that transcends time and place. The child looks on and, in turn, we look on, whilst the supposed subjects look at us.
Category: Pictures From Nowhere
What A Picture
Where I got this old photograph of the staff of the Manchester Hotel in Bournemouth at their Staff Ball on the 1st January 1921, I have no idea. But what a picture it is, what a story it has to tell.
Dripping With Meaning
Photo trouvée : noun - an image found by an artist and displayed with no, or minimal, alteration as a work of art. I'm no artist, but I could put together a pretty good case to suggest that this is a work of art. In the best traditions of "objet trouvée", I found it amongst a … Continue reading Dripping With Meaning
The Age Of The Smile
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
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
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