office christmas party

I wish there was more information on the back of this photo, but it's blank. Looks like an office Christmas party from around 1955.  The women seem less amused then the men. Maybe they're less drunk.

I recently added some great new finds to The Cedar Chest shop. Please stop  by.

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I am your friend

I am quite taken by the sentiment on the back of the portrait of this studious and very sincere seeming young man. On the back of this portrait it says:

With kind remembrance 

I am your Friend 

Henry Johnson

I love that he just states it. Just in case the recipient isn't sure he is letting it be known and making the commitment. I think that's lovely and I think we should do that more.  Maybe we could start posting on facebook walls and just say "I am your Friend" (friend capitalized as he did) to friends we really feel committed to. I am totally serious about this. I am not making fun of it, in case you can't tell.

I just listed old Henry here and also the beautiful wistful portrait below on my Etsy shop.  Her signature on the back is hard to see (partly damaged) but she also tells the recipient they are an old friend.

Valentine Party

I'm so pleased with this old photo that I got at the last Postcard Club meeting. It's of what looks like to be a Valentine's Day Party.

It's a group of woman, a table set with tea and snacks and homemade paper valentine decorations all around. I love that the photographer was more interested in getting a good shot of the table than the people.

I was so charmed by all the red paper hearts, I wanted to tint them all. This is a photo I really wish I could see in color.

Valentines Day is coming up. Maybe you're gonna have a little party. You can get some ideas from this photo and there's lots of great ideas in this old 1935 Children's Holiday Book I posted about previously. The illustrations in that book are gorgeous.

I posted a few new things in the shop yesterday:

Etsy thecedarchest

singular

I had a discussion with someone recently about collecting old photographs and she mentioned she likes to collect photos of women standing by themselves looking strong and solid. As soon as she mentioned it I realized that I am drawn to and collect those, too, without really realizing it.

The first image I thought of when she said that was this one of Ethel, that I absolutely adore.

I also really love this one. Just now after scanning it I could have lightened up to see more of the background, but it looks so good in the original dark state. I really like her outfit here. Such soft prettiness next to the industrial setting is great here.

This next one is more about the freedom to have fun to me. I love the old Rink sign and that she had a fun filled day of skating, presumably, in that hat and long dress. Perhaps something that was scandolous and wild to the older generation.

accidental ghosts

One of the kinds of photos I collect are double exposure photos. I often call them ghost photos. They are so intriguing and dramatic. They always have this otherworldly feeling and often create a depth that is only made stronger by the fact that it is accidental. This is something that won't happen anymore with people using digital cameras. Sure they can create the effect, but that is not the same as the accidental layers.
I used this imagine in one of my zines. I use a lot of my photos in my zines. I was so happy when I discovered zines and I finally had a place to "use" the photos I had been collecting. The one above I got recently and I really love it.

If you want to get some photos and antique papers for yourself, there is a show coming up Oct 17 and 18th here in Portland. There doesn't seem to be a good website for it, but here is the listing. I think you should go.

some new items listed

I finally listed some new items on The Cedar Chest shop. The set of postcards below is one of the listings. I wanted to share the message on the back of the red illustrated one:

Just got home from camping. Gee I wish you could come over.I'm not going to the fair. Are you? I'm working awful hard washing dishes. We have 6 men boarding here. Come over I'll give you your pick. They are nice ones too. Hazel

To: Miss Amy Harpe, Summerville, Ore. Postmark: Cheney, Wash August 9, 1909

puffed sleeves

Those are some puffy sleeves. All I know about this photo is that it was taken in San Francisco.

This, of course, makes me think of Anne of Green Gables. When Matthew buys her a dress with puffed sleeves. The thing she has been dreaming of having, but sensible Marrilla is dead against.

Anne: Marrilla, look at the puffs!"
Marilla: They're ridiculous, you'll have to turn sideways to get in the doors

sitting for a picture

About a month ago I watched the PBS show 1900 House. This is one of those shows where people go live in a house that is designed exactly as it would have been in a certain period and they have to eat and dress and live their lives as people did at that time. I love those kinds of shows.

In 1900 House they had one scene where Dad took the family out to the garden to pose for some pictures. He used a large camera with glass plates and developed them at home, I believe. I wish there was a video of that scene because it was very interesting. Seeing him set the camera up and do all the stuff he had to do and then watching them sit still for 5 seconds while he snapped the image was enlightening. It made me view the many black and white images I have from that time period with a little more color. It became a little more real to me.

About a day or two after I saw that show I came across these glass plate negatives. It was a nice moment to have it all come together in a way.

when girls and flowers shared names

The photograph on the left:

Pansy Miley Lawrence, aged 16 years 5 months. To Katie. Pansy Lawrence ----- Galesburg, Ill

The photograph on the right:

from Daisy. J.E.M.

I love the old trend of naming girls after flowers. I am sure many people have taken it up again in the last ten years. I met a woman once named Columbine. Unfortunately, I think less people would associate that with the flower nowadays.

Some other popular flower/plant names form the past: Magnolia, Violet, Fern, Ivy, Olive, Begonia, Blossom, Flora, Gardenia, Forsythia, Hyacinth, Lily, Jasmine, Marigold, Petunia, Poppy, Petula, Rose.

Are there any you have to add?

Although men are seldom named after flowers and plants, I have always liked the name Garland for a man, although it is rather flowery. There was a commercial on TV years and years ago with two old men. Their names were Gilbert and Garland and I have always been so fond of those names.

Valentines Day

Kitty Valentine from eggstudio on Flickr

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentines Day. Although it might be a bit of a dark commentary on love and all that, it seemed like a good time to share this half of a photo that I found years ago.