I thought some of you might find these interesting.
Britain, 1906:
Britain, 1911
Britain, 1918
I thought some of you might find these interesting.
Britain, 1906:
Britain, 1911
Britain, 1918
Last edited by Dusepo; Dec-26-2021 at 7:08pm.
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
Germany, 1910
Germany, 1911
Germany, 1920 (I suspect this one is actually a Waldzither)
Germany, 1920
Germany, 1922
Germany, 1927
Germany, 1930
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
France, 1900
France, 1900
France, 1903
France, 1910
France, 1912
France, 1920
France, 1929
France, 1930
France (Vichy?), 1942
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
Belgium, 1920
Morocco (under French colonial rule at the time), 1912
Italy, 1930
Netherlands, 1930
Switzlerland, 1910 (The peghead looks like it has 5 on the top side? Could it actually be a Halszither?)
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
USA, 1908
USA, 1910
USA, 1910
USA, 1910
USA, 1912
USA, 1915
USA, 1918
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
These pictures are so interesting. Thanks for posting them.
Look at his eyes in USA 1912 (a year before my F2 was made)
and Germany 1911 with the cigarettes in so many of their mouths
My Mom was a photographer, and did some colorizing of photos when she was young, so it's cool to see some that were artistically enhanced that way.
Thanks for posting these. Fascinating glimpses into the mandolin's storied, gloried past. People forget how popular mandolins and their relatives were back in the day. Yes, it was 110-130 years ago, but let us never forget.
Some of the posed and tinted photographs may have shown up here before. There is a thread or two featuring such things - not only the Women With Mandolins thread, but another one or two devoted to artistic representations, like the "Mandolins in visual art" thread. I'm sure Mike E with his searching skills will enlighten us concerning those soon.
You may want to consider posting some of these in threads like that as well, in an effort to compile the collective collection. I'm also impressed with the way you post such large images. I don't know how you do that, but it does make for easier viewing than clicking on thumbnails.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
Thanks both.
Is it just me or do the USA, 1918 duo and the Britain, 1918 soldiers look like they've seen the horrors of the first world war? I know people didn't smile for photos back then but they have a certain stare, especially the American duo. Compared to the earlier ones at least. Maybe I'm reading too much into their faces. The France, 1942 have a bit of that about them too.
Anyway, feel free everyone to add your own and run with it if you wish...
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
Great photos but clearly the girl in #3 hasn't a clue how to hold a mandolin.
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
It's entirely possible you are right about that. I believe that by this time photographic technology had advanced and was much quicker than those early days when people had to hold poses for quite a long time, and the resulting images were quite stiff. Even so, these images certainly reflect at least partially the times in which they were produced. Except of course for the posed and tinted ones of ladies in exotic or dramatic garb. These were clearly intended to convey some sort of artistic expression.
Also, I appreciate and approve of your new avatar.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
What a great collection, thanks for posting.
I've heard of the not smiling for old photos thing before, but the guys in the France 1900 pic look like the photographer just said something extremely offensive about mandolin players. I think he was about four seconds away from being stomped by the entire group.
Scott Tichenor, the owner of the Mandolin Cafe has a collection of his own that is here on the Cafe.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/archives/postcards/
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Thanks for sharing that great collection of pictures, Jo. Many old photos were printed on paper designed like postcards, even saying "Postcard," though they were photographic prints never meant to be sold as commercial postcards. I suppose the purchasers had the option of mailing them as cards if they chose. I have many family photos of this type. Some of the photos above are clearly postcards, but I suspect that many came from private collections. Some lover of mandolins spent a long time gathering all those pictures.
Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
"I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.
There are likely many reasons, your observations among them. Hard to speculate. Including just the norms of the day.
I found this quote ' “people begin to smile in effervescent ways” in painted portraits during in the Edwardian period, about 1895-1914, after the same change took place in photography.' which is quite something.
Lots of ideas about it in this article. https://time.com/4568032/smile-serious-old-photos/
1918 wasn't a happy time. World War One was a horror show the likes of which had never been seen, and the world was never the same after. It was also the year the flu epidemic began, leaving piles of corpses in its wake. The thousand-yard stare was probably pretty common.
Thanks for posting these, Jo.
Early photographs took so long that people posing couldn't hold a smile. I heard on a radio program (I think it was "Under The Influence" on CBC" but I can't find a reference) that in the early 20th Century, Kodak advertised that their new film could capture a smile. Apparently their advertising campaign led to the custom of smiling in photos. This is coming from my memory. I'm not guaranteeing that the story is true.
Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
"I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.
Thanks very much for taking the time to post such wonderful images!!!
The Mandolin Café postcard collection includes examples illustrating (yes, I said it) the wide range of image choices, including some real gems. Yet not one of these is in it. They must have been popular in that era. I wonder how many were produced, and how many have survived.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
Great collection, Jo. Thanks for sharing.
I have a feeling this mandolin might show up again around here at some point or another in a "What is this?" type thread.
Maybe it already has.....
Mick
Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
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One factor in the ‘say cheese’ history is the uncredited, no residuals swipe by George Eastman of the the hyper-trendy Brownie image in his marketing of the immensely popular Brownie camera, to wit:
The Brownie characters were often depicted smiling. Now the mandolin craze and the Brownies hit at about the same time, and the concept of easy and low-cost no fuss photography (originally you sent the camera back to Rochester to get dozens of ‘snap’ shots). Smiles, informality became another craze.
Also note the number of postcards titled ‘Mignon’ or showing a badly-dressed, barefoot girl: that’s related to an opera; the main character was raised by Gypsies (Romas these days), and by Act 3, reaches the castle, hence the unshoddedness and probably clutching a pop instrument in then contemporary productions. I imagine that all sorts of stage productions may have generated souvenir postcards.
A great pair of collections, and thanks! Mandolins aside, an evocative snapshot of the times.
Wonderful, Jo. Do these all belong to you? I have also been collecting mandolin and other musician images for some time and mine with those from other folks are posted on this forum thread: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...lin-of-the-Day
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
Happy new year everyone!
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
Happy New Year to everyone.
Jo, will you make a repro of that flowery bowlback you posted above?
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
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