Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Ancestors

Last night, in a drawer, I found these old tintypes, cabinet photos and other photos. This is a tintype.

Another tintype.

A gathering of tintypes.

At the well. On photo paper.

Various eras and folks. Some have names on the back, most do not. Here is a site that sells tintypes and daguerreotypes.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those are wonderful photos. I love the one of the women at the well.

studio lolo said...

Wow Suki...what a find!!! You could do some amazing collages and writing about these. ( make photocopies and collage them I mean, not use the real photos!)

I saw a neat poost that made me think of you. Here's the link!

http://carolinesstudio.blogspot.com/2009/02/good-luck-cat-and-wabi-sabi.html

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

What a discovery. Do you know your connection to these people, great aunts, uncles? Did you feel connected as in family...history? I went through photos but at some point there was a disconnect for me but still interesting to see the fashions and buildings. Will you be using them in your collages?

~Babs said...

Somewhere, floating around in my family are lots of photos like these. Sure wish they were at my house,,,,but I have cousins who lived in the area, and got first choice, (read GRABS) at all the old stuff.
Wonderful seeing these, thanks Suki!

Lynn Cohen said...

What a great collection of photos Suki, I wonder what great art they will enhance, become?

I just love the new banner photo of YOU!

Andrea and Kim said...

These are great, Suki! You are finding all kinds of treasures! How cool is this?

Thanks!

ArtistUnplugged said...

What a wonderful treasure of photos, my favorite is the women at the well also. Pardon my ignorance but what exactly doess a tintype photo mean?

Tess Kincaid said...

What a terrific treasure trove! I adore the history and poignancy of old family photos. You have some beautiful ones, Suki.

And your new header is WONDERFUL! The snow has all melted here, so I need to play around and put up another one soon, too.

Tess Kincaid said...

And don't you hate it when beautiful photos have been separated from their families. I always find it very sad to see boxes of photos in antique stores and flea markets.

Elizabeth said...

So fascinating!
Don't you want to know ALL the stories behind each one.
Willow Manor did geneology today too.

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

These are wonderful. I have a couple of those tin type things. one is round. but is fading. Mom had it out in the light. Fun to see the clothes and things in past eras.

soulbrush said...

these are exquisite, love them. you have some incredibly interesting things. i lurv your new header, looks like you are looking though ice.bit eerie too.

Katiejane said...

Suki, these are so nice to find. Now, if only you had someone to explain who the people are. Are the women in the photo at YOUR well, I wonder? I love to find old things and try to discover the history behind them, don't you?

patti said...

These are quite a treasure! The women at the well remind me how very lucky we are today having water come directly into our homes. They were made of sterner stuff than our generation!

sukipoet said...

Hello all. Off on another son helping day today and I return from these jaunts exhausted.

Annie, I too love the well photo.

Laurel, I often use the real photos in my collages although with these maybe I wouldnt as they are family even though I dont know who many of these people are.Thanks for the link, will try to check it out.

BSD, Some of these people I do know. Others Mom has labeled elsewhere with names and connection but still others I have no idea about. I love to look at them though.

sukipoet said...

Thanks Babs. I actually have boxes of daguerreotypes and more tintypes too packed away that mom gave me earlier. I was surprised to find these second large stash.

Lynn thanks re: banner. I do find these pictures inspiring and thinking of my well series I am inspired to paint these women at the well perhaps.

Kim, yes this house is full of treasures. Mom was a collector and saver.

sukipoet said...

artist unplugged, I guess to answer you I'd have to read a bit. They are pictures though affixed to metal. They do chip off with age and also fade with the light. check out my first link to learn more.

Willow, I too find it sad to come upon old photos. Especially as in the old days they didnt take as many as we do now. I bought a lovely family of photos a few years back in a thrift shop which I use in my collages. Thanks re: header.

Elizabeth I know i saw Willow's post and chuckled. One thing about being a fiction writer, I have no compunction about making up stories to go with the photos. :)

sukipoet said...

cris, yes I like to see the clothes etc and the expressions on folks faces. Even the babies look solemn.

soulbrush, one of the two photos used to make the header was an ice photo. There are some interesting things here for sure. All my family love old stuff.

Katie Jane, it must be a different well as my family is from Connecticut. Dad and Mom retired to NH when they were in their 60's. It is fun to know the stories but Mom was the last of those able to tell me.

sukipoet said...

Patti, that is an understatement. Can you imagine carrying the water bucket in the snow and ice of winter? I am so grateful for pipes and faucets.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

What fun to find these treasures. I love to see the fashion of the times. The ladies at the well is quite eyeopening. Wouldn't you hate to be carrying pails of water with those long skirts on? Lots of hard work, and don't they look lovely doing it.

Teri said...

Gee, these are so interesting and their clothes are even more interesting. Thanks for this treat Suki.

Cynthia Pittmann said...

What a lovely collection! Do you think you will try to identify the people? I have some of these too...not the "tin" type...I feel bothered not to know who they are! Silly me. I left you some blog appreciation over at Oasis. Please come by for a visit, and know what an inspiration you are! <3

Mary Richmond said...

it is fun to find all these old photos and imagine the whole lives that have passed as we hold these shadows of an old moment in our hands, isn't it? we have so many boxes of old photos of both our families....it is going to be quite a project to sort through them. unfortunately very few of the ones in my husband's family are marked or labeled. my family seems to have been a little better. sad to realize how quickly a life fades into old photographs and memories....

sukipoet said...

Lisa, I love to see the clothes too. At one time I had an authentic Victorian dress. Back then I was small enough to wear it. I can understand why women were so happy to see bloomers ocme into style. Much easier for the hard work times.

TeriC, I just love to look at old timey photos. I have some of guys at the beach too in their funny swimming costumes. I love it.

Cynthia, I probably wont bother identifiying most of these unless they match up with the others I have in storage which are labeled. OK i will visit you soon, thanks.

Mary, I like the way you word that. "Shadows of an old moment." That's what they are arent they. And those who love to tell stories are moved to tell some by the looking. Mom was pretty good at labels. For her generation photos, I went through an old album with her and dad and marked down names etc. in addition to pictures Mom made notations on. Still, things get mixed up and lost. Esp when one doesnt have a special spot to keep them in.

Dianne said...

I often wonder what will become of my photo's when I am gone. These were all significant to their loved ones, but now they are lost in time.

marianne said...

Boxes full of menmories!
I love these old pictures!

Anonymous said...

Wowie-Zowie! As an avid follower of my family's roots I am jealous of your find. I have few old photos of my ancestors.

sukipoet said...

dianne, I took tons of photos of my son as a child. Once he grew up, and since I am partnerless, I have few photos. But all I do have are in acid free pockets awaiting their fate. I imagine my son will keep them however as he as of yet has no children, I think he'll be the last that has an interest in them.

Marianne, thanks. I love them too.

Chewy And these are but a few as i have others in boxes Mom gave me before plus varieties of photo albums although they only go back to great-grandparents era. some of these not in albums go back to the Civil War at least.

Anonymous said...

I love seeing how faces get passed down. Do you see your cute little nose and your eyebrows over and over in those faces?

sukipoet said...

Kelly, actually there were a few of these folks I thought I looked very much like. Sharp of you to notice.

Jude said...

Gosh, how lovely.I love old family photos. My father was a photogragher so we had loads taken of us when we were children.I find the fact that my son resembled my father and his father before him (my grandfather) so much. Are you going to incorporate them into one of your journals?
Hope you are well and the snow is disappearing??

Raymonty said...

Happy Valentine Day to everyone and may your heart find love and serenity.

sukipoet said...

Jude, I am not sure what I will do with the photos. Once I get settled in some kind of permanent home I may just put them all in acid free pockets and try to label a few. I DO use actual photos in my collages but not sure if I will use these old family ones or not. We still have plenty of snow but no new snow predicted today anyway.

sukipoet said...

Thanks, Raymonty and the same to you

A Brush with Color said...

What fabulous photos. I could spend days just going through old photos and never get tired of it. I could even go through someone else's photos, with people I don't even know, and still be happy!

sukipoet said...

A brush with color: Hey, you would be a lovely guest then as I think folks love to go over photos with others! I love photos too. Once, a friend came to my house and asked to see photos. I was showing them to her when she said, but where are your wedding photos. Oh my. I had none. The man I married and I had run in to the justice of the peace in Kansas City MO and got married with two witnesses called in from some other office. !!!