Posted 8 years ago
Chrisnp
(310 items)
I took a break from posting awhile back. It wasn’t because I ran out of things in my collection – I still have lots of stuff left to post. I just needed some time when the rest of my life became…er…challenging. I’ll try to get back into it in the next month or so.
I believe these were relatives, because they were found with other family photographs and papers in my mother’s basement, but beyond that I have no clue.
The carte de visite shows a rather sporty fellow with trim on his lapels and sleeves, stripe down the pant leg and unbuttoned vest with watch chain. I know people didn’t smile for photos back then, but the lady/girl looks like she’s just putting up with him.
The back indicates the photographer was H. Bishop of Chambersburg, and a little research shows he was operating there during the Civil War. Of course this could have been taken a few years before or after. This CDV was found with a photo film negative of the image, so I think the pencil marks might mean a later photographer enlarged this picture to 4x5, but I have no idea where the enlargement went. “Sim Stumph ?” is written in ball point pen. I looked up that name, and there was a S Stumph that came to the US from Bavaria in 1865 at the age of 26, and a Simon Stump who lived in Lancaster about 1870 and was born in 1837. Either way I don’t know the connection to my family.
The style of the backmark is indicative of a post- Civil War product.
Based on what I can see, I would put these in the 1870s.
scott
Welcome back Chrisnp I had noticed your absence. Hopefully neither of them is being held up by a stand.
That post mortem "death stand" is PURE internet MYTH.
Posing stands were not strong enough to support a dead body-- the were used to hold the head still.
ebay sellers have perpetuated the myth to a rediculous point. I have collected antique images for about 30 years and have NEVER seen a standing pm. I have seen some seated pm images but they are very unusual. I have only seen about TEN no doubt, ADULT seated pm images.
scott
I was wondering about how the stand would be able to hold them up. It would have to be bolted to the floor but it did not occur not an issue.
Nope it did NOT! Even supported at the base, the stands aren't strong enough to support anything-- the extended arms would break.
Here is a photo that shows a stand and my thoughts on the subject:
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/143689-posing-stand-often-attributed-to-post-mo
BEWARE OF WHAT YOUR READ ONLINE. I have even seen entire web sites devoted to the myth-- unfortunately accepted by many as fact.
scott
Now there ya go, ruining a perfectly good urban myth!
Sorry to add so many comments to your posting, but the posing stand post mortem myth really bugs me!
scott
It's ok, I get the same way over "blood grooves"
It is OK I already saw the site debunking the myth.
It is Vaseline glass for me.
Probably an equal number of sites perpetuating the myth as debunking!
scott