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Tag Archives: vintage photography

Patty Barker – Licensed Cosmetologist

January 30, 2012
Vintage Photobooth
5 Comments

Patty looks to me like the epitome of the swinging sixties. The pale pink lipstick, the heavy eyeliner and probable false lashes, the sunglasses perched jauntily on her beautiful, raven, back combed hair, all suggest a go-getting 1960s girl about town. What I love about this photo is that surely this would have been Patty’s image for a very short period of time? I can imagine all her future incarnations, as styles of hair and make-up changed. She would have been blown about on every new trend, as an example to her clientele of what was “in” at that moment. Maybe she was the creator of some new styles herself, working hard on the professional competition circuits?

Pat looks to be in her trainee uniform and has a chain around her neck with a pendant that spells out a word, which I cannot make out, even with a close zoom. No matter, that too was a very trendy look at the time.

Maybe Patricia is still working?  This item comes from a large lot of similar licenses that were sold on eBay recently. All had photobooth photos of different styles attached. Given there were so many together, I would imagine it came from the records of the Division of Licensing in the State of New York. It is a peculiar thing that in the USA, so many of these documents are allowed to make it into the public domain. I am not complaining, as I love these wee slices of history, but maybe Patricia and her cohort wouldn’t be so thrilled.

Meet Harold S. Chambers, Superintendent.

January 26, 2012
Vintage Photobooth
8 Comments

This is Harold who has been separated from an incredible series of photos showing him ageing gracefully from his teen years to late middle age.  These photobooth photos are just a small selection of the series.  You can see the rest by clicking here.

Harold S. Chambers at one time lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan and was an assistant superintendent of schools in Saginaw for 6 years from 1939 to 1945. He then became a full superintendent in Kelloggsville and later Godwin Heights (until 1953). The above photos were taken in the 1930s, the top three in Detroit and the bottom one on another day, at an unspecified location.

These photos were carefully preserved by Harold, or his wife. What happened to the family and how did these and the other photos get separated from them?

Maybe good, hardworking Harold never married and had no children. He was involved in school surveys that resulted in recommendations for school building construction programmes.  Maybe he is remembered in one of the schools he helped to build? Dapper like my Grandpa, of the same era and with the same curly hair he had, I feel very fond of Mr Chambers. I hope he is remembered fondly by someone other than a day-dreaming stranger.

Old Maid Archetype?

January 22, 2012
Vintage Photobooth
11 Comments

This middle aged lady, looking dowdy and severe could well be dubbed an archetypal old maid, bitter and shrivelled, typecast as a sad lonely old thing. Popular imagination is less likely to explore the possibility that she could just as easily be a hard working mum, with no time to spruce up for a picture, that may have been a spur of the moment indulgence.

I see her as neither of the above options. I am going to dub her a spirited independent woman, who made her own way in the world. She worked hard against many obstacles but persevered and succeeded. Although unmarried she was not in any way wanting. She was constantly surrounded by friends, nieces and nephews who appreciated the uninterrupted time she was able to give them. She was adored by her siblings and friends as she was able to step in to help them at a moments notice, an integral support to them all. By the relative freedom of time in life, she offered opportunities to friends and family that otherwise would not have been open to them.

This is not a portrait of my Great Aunty Kit, (but it could have been), it is a description of how valuable her life was, how loved she was, despite the fact she never married or had children. She may have been typecast by society, as most unmarried women once were, but the reality is that the contributions of these women were as big as they were unseen. RIP Aunty Kit, you are still loved and remembered despite your departure so many years ago.

Cigar Anyone?

January 16, 2012
Vintage Photobooth
8 Comments

These business men, chomping on their cigars, showing off their success, seem to have disappeared as a type, at least from Australia. I remember (and loved) the smell of cigars smoked by guests, before and after my parents’ dinner parties in the 60s and 70s. I cannot think of the last time I saw anyone with a double maduro or smelt the aromatic waft of cigar smoke.

There is still something appealing to me about this particular vice.  Smoking a cigar  has a chunky, masculine, bravura that now represents a very different age; a time in which men were men and women were mainly pissed off, but hey, who doesn’t romanticise the memories of childhood?

This is another great photomatic that just got a bit too pricey for my budget. I normally buy them for US$10.00 or less. This one went for over $60.00. I envy the owner. Indeed, I do.

Not A Good Picture Of Me

January 15, 2012
Vintage Photobooth
10 Comments

More and more, when I am shopping for old photobooth photos, I look for ones that appear in a context that gives me more information about the person than a single photo might. I was thrilled to find this beautiful and unintentionally funny letter written by Cathy Prindler to her favourite teacher Mrs McConnell. I am guessing she would have been 11 or 12 years old, as she is about to enter a junior high school in the USA, although the very 1960s back-combed, mini bee-hive “do” looks like it should belong to an older girl.

The letter has been glued to an album page and at some point cut out of its home, possibly for selling. It is another item made melancholy by the fact that it has parted ways with its owner through death, accident or neglect.

Photomatic Big Nose

January 13, 2012
Vintage Photobooth
6 Comments

Listing titles in online sales are often funny, sometimes completely wrong, sometimes overly flattering or in this case, just plain insulting. This poor man was listed as Big Nose. Written on the back is the date, 3rd of August 1939, with the place name Nantacket (sic) which I believe is how the place name Nantucket, is pronounced.

Nantucket is an island 30 miles (48 km) south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. It looks to be a very pretty place for a holiday which means this is possibly a souvenir of a vacation. Big nose or not, this guy has a friendly and appealing face, as does his happy partner.

University Buddy Rediscovered

January 12, 2012
My Friends in Photobooths
3 Comments

This little gem is of my university friend Karin (left) with an unnamed friend of hers. Not sure when it was taken but it looks to be late 1970s to me. I was so thrilled to receive it in my in-box just now, I didn’t ask any questions as I was too impatient to wait for a reply!

Karin was a staunch friend to me at uni, often driving me home and helping me out in many other ways. She did fabulous delicate little pieces of ceramic art for her final folio. I still have pictures of her pieces, somewhere. After we graduated we lost touch. I went to live in England and she went to live in Bali. The wonders of the internet have reunited us. (Cheers facebook.)

Karin has encourage me a lot in using my photobooth pics by giving me great feedback comments and sharing her inspiring thoughts. So thanks, Kaz. You are a star!

Sparkle Shirley, Sparkle!

January 9, 2012
Vintage Photobooth
12 Comments

This little girl’s name is Arline Michlinger. The above photos were taken in the USA on the 10th of January 1938 (top row) and on the 21st of January (bottom row). At the time, Shirley Temple, probably still the most recognisable child star of all time, was at the height of her fame.

There is something about the practiced poses of this young lady that suggests to me that her mother may have had ambitions for her daughter to be a baby star like Shirley.  The pose with hands clasped under the chin is very reminiscent of Shirley (see photo below), as is the one with the cheeky sideways glance.

Here is the same little girl posing with her mama, who is as equally relaxed in front of the camera as her daughter.  They were also taken in 1938, but on the 25th of May. These are the first hand coloured photobooth photos I have bought where there are multiple shots, from the same session, where the clothing colours have not been consistent. I had previously assumed that the colours in the photos represented the true colour of the clothing which was worn on the day.

Shirley Temple

Not One Of Us

January 8, 2012
Vintage Photobooth
4 Comments

So far on this blog I have not revealed the actual dimensions of any of the photos I have posted. I suppose I have assumed that either it was irrelevant, or that people generally know how big a photobooth photo is.  There is actually a considerable variation in sizes. Different types of booths produced different finishes, dimensions and formats of strips.

This pic, measuring 37 x 50 mm, is by no means the smallest type of booth photo around but it is small enough to lose a lot of the details of its condition without the magnification a good scan provides. Until scanned, this image looked to have a very minor mark across it but as you can see, what is minor in the original, is major in the blown-up version. I toyed with the idea of using a gel rubber to try to gently remove what appears to be a pencil line, but decided against it for fear of ruining the image.

From the costume and jewellery the sitter is wearing I would say this photo was taken in the early 1930s. The style of clothing is very similar to that worn by my Grandma in the same era. In fact this lady’s robust size is also reminiscent of my granny, who was a cuddly lady her whole life. The sitter also has a softness of feature and air of patience and kindness about her that I find very appealing. So having formed a strongly positive opinion of this woman, it was with some horror I read the note on the back of the image – “this is no relation of ours, thank god”. I take personal offence at this disparaging remark and wish to redeem the reputation of this lovely woman by saying I would be very pleased to be related to her. I thank god I am not related to the writer of that mean-spirited little note.

Petrina and Me – 24 February 1996

January 7, 2012
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
2 Comments

February 1996, Melbourne, Australia

This is my beautiful and steadfast friend Petrina and me in a photobooth at – guess where??… Luna Park, St Kilda. Trini and I met whilst working at an Australian franchise of the American firm, The Nature Company. Shop chicks together, we tried our best to get as much nattering time as possible, in between serving, whilst dusting and whilst presenting the stock for sale. Everybody loves Petrina, especially Mark to whom she is married and with whom she has two kids.

Trini and I slipped into this photobooth one Saturday in 1996. It was the 24th of February, according to notes on the back of the strip.  We had known each other about 12 months and were already very firm friends, as we are today. Her daughter Grace is my god-child, I am extremely proud to say.

I would also like to add that I am NOT wearing braces!! The striped band over my shoulder is a souvenir of Guatemala, a beautiful hand crocheted bag.