8/10 from my series of 19th century photos
I call this one "Three men and a baby."
Almost certainly a four generation photo: great-grandfather, grandfather, son, and grand-son. The child is wearing a christening gown, so I'd say chances are high. Not sure what other occasions would call for this group!
Original post for more context: https://mastodon.art/@jeremyosborn/116268053719423828
7/10 from my series of 19th century photos
At first, this appears to be an unremarkable photo, the composition is decent but the lighting and exposure aren't great. Also, wires and trees: the photographer's nemesis even in the 1890s.
And yet! This photo was the key to placing the entire negative collection into context. (See detail)
Original post for more context: https://mastodon.art/@jeremyosborn/116268053719423828
7/10 detail 1
Thanks to the detail in medium format dry plate negatives, we can read a partial sign on the building on the background and extrapolate the location..
The "Greenfield Light Infantry" was the second regiment of the M.V.M.
M.V.M. stands for "Massachusetts Volunteer Militia", which in 1907 turned into the National Guard.
So we are looking at the Armory building in Greenfield, Massachusetts sometime in the 1890s. But wait, there's more!
5/10 detail
I got very interested in what sort of food was being served up this day, as was the cat.
5/10 from my series of 19th century photos
Family dinner most likely somewhere in Western Massachusetts in the 1890s.
Only the gentleman in the center got the memo about standing still for the photo.
Original post for context: https://mastodon.art/@jeremyosborn/116268053719423828
5/10 detail
I definitely would want to hang out with this fella! His personality shines strong: pencil tucked behind ear, leaning back in his chair, hands tucked into his lapels, a confident smile on his face.
Being a telegraph operator in 1895 was a pretty good job, there were only 330k telephones in the US total.
It would be different in 10 years time, by 1905 there were over 6 million telephones and you didn't need to know Morse code to use them.
5/10 from my series of 19th century photos
A group of telegraph operators in their office in the mid 1890s.
The double dial clock and the maps on the wall leads me to think this might be a railroad station. Note the "No Smoking" sign in the top left!
The flaking and silver mirroring on the edges of the image are pretty heavy, but I absolutely love the texture.
Original post for context: https://mastodon.art/@jeremyosborn/116268053719423828
4/10 detail
The fashion of the woman in the photo strongly points to this being taken somewhere between 1894-1898.
In my research, I've found that she is wearing gigot sleeves, which is French for "mutton leg"! Similar to bell-bottoms in the 1970s, these were at peak puffy in this period before going out of fashion.
Based on my best guess, the father would have been in his mid 30s during the Civil War. His quiet and patient expression fascinates me.
4/10 from my series of 19th century photos
This light-leaked image is as much a portrait of the anonymous photographer as it is of the couple.
Consider the skewed angle/position of the camera, the haphazard outdoor composition, the newspaper casually tossed on the ground.
In my imagination, these are the photographer's parents indulging in their son's new passion on an early summer night in New England.
Original post for context: https://mastodon.art/@jeremyosborn/116268053719423828
3/10 from my series of 19th century photos
The most pristine group portrait I have, virtually everyone standing still, so no motion blur from the long exposure.
Two cuts of meat hanging from the doorway and the gents in the back wearing white aprons lead me to conclude these are the employees of a butcher shop. If I had to guess, based on the more urban setting, maybe this is Springfield, MA?
Original post for context: https://mastodon.art/@jeremyosborn/116268053719423828
Jeremy Osborn