Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Sword Fight



















Somewhat of a photo-glitch with a double exposure? people making fun of other people while play fighting is priceless.  i don't know why subjects of old photos are sometimes devoid of sense of humor, but when they show it, it makes me happy that 'having a good time' enjoys  a long thread in history. 

The Workers

















amazing people, and the composition with stacked boxes certainly means this was a long-lost photographic artist

Friday, February 20, 2009

Brooklyn Twins


































upon first glance, these girls would seem like siamese twins, but i don't think they are considering their arms are around each other. i think they're mother just dressed them to match like this and i don't think they're identical (usually a practice of identical twins.)  i love this photo because twins are a super-rare find in the vernacular world. Even more exciting is that it was shot in my neighborhood, not more than 5 blocks away. I went to the place now; it's the Williamsburg Photo Gallery. So, go figure, photography has been there for possibly more than 100 years. 


Local Bar Friends




















And never were there so many antlers. they look happy. it's somebody's birthday.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

On the Waterfront















this one is also up on my wall. i recently tried to paint it and its been quite difficult. i'm not very good at repetition of lines, which is what the picket fence requires.  you might have to see this one in person; the sepia really adds to the 'old-timey' landscape effect. how trees can appear dated is beyond me, but it happens here.

Fun Faces
















women's lib, early.





Monday, February 16, 2009

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Friday, February 13, 2009

The Uprooted Tree


























what moves a tree of that magnitude? that's not one tree. it is more like 4. natural disasters fascinate me. and also make me feel humbled by the earth.

Weimaraner Freaked Out About Motherhood



















she does look shocked to have had 5.

White Shirts


















this one is on my bedroom wall. at first i thought this was a dry cleaner. not at all. it's a dress shirt factory. the detail is incredible. you can see in the far right that in front of those two men is fabric used to cut the shirts out of. then there are small clippings on the floor. the ladies on the left are in action making the shirts, sewing. the piles are the finished product. they are also dressed to the nines for work. it makes me think of American Pastoral and how the Swede ran a tight-knit glove operation. 

At the Museum

















not sure where this is exactly. it is obviously an outdoor shot, so not the Natural History museum in NYC. I've never seen anything like it. It is obvious what the hot hat on the streets was at this time.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

The Class





















i keep an eye out for pictures of full classes. this is my absolute favorite. the expressions are priceless. i always wanted to use it for my first album cover, to be entitled: "Every Good Boy Does Fine." 

Kid Squeezing Tabby


































sometimes owners take on the look of their pets. this was taken in Montana. I'm guessing in the earliest part of the 20th century.

Child With Rifle

one question: in what state were they ever allowing children of this size to carry a gun?

Child with Toys

not sure what she is playing with here. a whistle? any thoughts? 

The Cropped Kids
















exactly why children don't like getting hair cuts.

Character

your guess is as good as mine about this guy. actor? vagrant? revolutionary?

The Rowing Men

The City Kids Play

  i like to think this is Brooklyn. it probably isn't, but that little girl sure has style.

Dan, the Wounded Soldier

certainly one of the best photos i own. on back it says 'dan and may.' i like to think that may is dan's girlfriend and she's helping him out. you can feel how sad he is. 

The Man and The Sea

he's beautiful. i also like when people turn their backs and are walking away in photos.

The Buried Kids

Probably Not Betsy Ross. But Maybe?

Wash the Baby

on back: "Jamie" Banks. 1918

The Axe Man Axes Shadow