Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Panoramas

 Sixteenth Head Camp, M.W. of A., Buffalo, N.Y., June, 1911
[As far as I can tell, "Head Camp" refers to the governing body of a 
fraternal organization, presumably the "M. W. of A."
I  think it's the Modern Woodmen of America.]
  
 South Beach Alligator Farm, ca. 1910
[this may be the single coolest image I've posted on this blog]
  
 The officers quarters on the Hogsback and cavalry horses at Pine Camp, NY, ca. 1910
  
 Upper Eagle Falls & Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, ca. 1910
  
 West Point Centennial, ca. 1902
  
 White cotton, black pickers and a gin. Humble and crude, but the crop 
Uncle Sam depends on to maintain his gold balance, ca. 1915
  
 William Jennings Bryan's Presbyterian Tourist Bible Class, Miami, Fla., Feb. 6th, 1921
 [In the image below I've circled my best guess for Mr. Bryan]
  

Wreck on I.C.R.R., near Farmer City, Illinois, Oct. 6, 1909
["I.C.R.R." = "Illinois Central Rail Road"]

Monday, December 30, 2013

When the Ship Comes In

From the USC archives, here are photos of US Navy ships arriving in port after deployment (some during the Korean War), showing reunions of sailors with their loved ones. Some serious heartwarming here to close out 2013.

 Arrival of USS Helena at Long Beach from Korea, 1951
  
 Arrival of USS Juneau, Long Beach Harbor, 1951
  
 Arrival of USS Missouri, Long Beach Harbor, 1951
  
 Arrival of USS Missouri, Long Beach Harbor, 1951
  
 Arrival of USS Rochester, cruiser, San Pedro, 1952
  
 Arrival of USS Rochester, cruiser, San Pedro, 1952
 
 USS Rupertus arrives, Long Beach, 1953
  
 USS Rupertus arrives, Long Beach, 1953
  
 USS Rupertus arrives, Long Beach, 1953
  
 USS Saint Paul arrival in Long Beach, 1952
  
 USS Saint Paul arrival in Long Beach, 1952
  
 USS Saint Paul arrival in Long Beach, 1952
  
 USS Worcester arrival, 1956
  
USS Worcester arrival, 1956

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Vintage Japan

 Japanese woman with parasol dressed for winter
  
 Japanese women picking tea leaves, with Mount Fuji in the distance, ca. 1895
  
 Japanese women with parasols, dressed in kimonos, 
standing on stone steps below cherry trees, ca. 1890
  
 Japanese women, wearing bamboo hats, planting rice, ca. 1895
  
 Large group of women in kimonos, possibly geishas dancing, ca. 1890
  
 Peony garden, Tokyo
  
 People threshing harvested rice
  
 Tea house girls
  
 Three women dancing
  
 Two girls at Mankayen Garden, ca. 1890
  
 Two girls playing with ball, flower arrangement, hanging scroll, 
and biwa (musical instrument) hanging on wall in background
  
Two young women greeting another woman, 
presenting her with a gift box tied with mizuhiki, ca. 1890

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Joseph Pennell

Joseph J. Pennell was another great midwestern photographer who documented life in turn-of-the-century Fort Riley, Kansas and neighboring communities, especially Junction City.

 Crowd of men watching Zeke Guddy on horse wearing a large sign saying 'Baseball Today', 1896
[Do you notice what's unusual here? The guy on the horse is black, and his name is given. 
That's a rare acknowledgement of basic humanity that was often withheld, back then.]
  
 Double Portrait of Alice Hardin, 1898
  
 Double portrait of two women, one wearing man's suit, 1898
[wish I knew the backstory here]
  
 Enfield girls playing cards, 1897
  
 Gormley Family, 1898
  
 Group of women at M. E. Picnic, 1896
  
 Group of women exercising, Junction City, Kansas, 1901
  
 Jim Miller's house with people in front, 1899
  
 Portrait of Burnside girl, 1898
  
 Portrait of Florence Swenson and Lillie Nelson, 1901
[a ravishing portrait of two supremely elegant ladies - and those hats...!]
  
 Retreat soldiers holding rifles, Fort Riley, 1897
  
 Senior Tea Party, Junction City, Kansas, 1902
  
 Soldier and woman standing under mistletoe at party, 1903
[is this staged or candid? I would hope the latter but there's no knowing]
  
Vera and Alma Jolley beside river - one photographing the other, ca. 1900

Friday, December 27, 2013

Vintage Korea

 Gordon Paddock and Senator Newlands with Koreans, 1905
[Gordon Paddock  was appointed Secretary of the American Legation in Seoul in 1901, 
as well as Vice and Deputy Consul General; he became Consul General in 1902]
  
 Korean farmer and daughter under thatched roof, ca. 1904
  
 Korean kisaengs, or singing girls, dressed up for singing and dancing. Korean kisaeng is special women's occupation that exists for helping parties enjoyable by singing and dancing, ca. 1904
  
 Korean porter with wicker chair on back
  
 Korean shopkeepers with wares, ca. 1904
  
 Namdaemun (Great South Gate in Seoul) is shown here with the tramtrails, 
which was instituted as a public transportion system in May 1899. ca. 1904
  
 Namdaemun (Great South Gate in Seoul) is shown here with the tramtrails, 
which was instituted as a public transportion system in May 1899. ca. 1904
  
 Senator Newlands, ca. 1904
  
 Seoul from a distance
  
 Three people on a swing in the countryside, ca. 1904
[the one constant everywhere in the world? people like to have fun]
  
 Water-carrier, ca. 1904
  
 Western man and Korean laborer resting by statues, Yi Dynasty kings' tombs, 1905
  
Women are shown washing laundry in the stream running through a side street, ca. 1904