Today’s guest post was written by Janet Smart.
I love old family photos. I have lots – wish I had more. I cherish them.
We take picture taking for granted nowadays. With digital cameras we can take as many as we want. Back in the olden days few were taken. You are lucky if you have very many of your ancestor’s photos.
I’ve been doing a little research lately on vintage pictures. I have quite a few that are on the back of postcards. I always thought that was interesting. Below are three and the backs of two of them.
I found a site that tells you how you can date them. Have fun dating yours. Click here to go to it. The information confirmed my idea of when these pictures were taken.
I also have this picture. I haven’t been able to find any images like this online. Can any of you help me in finding out what type of picture this is? This picture is attached to a metal oval. There is small punched hole in the top for hanging. The paper is torn and coming unattached to the metal. The baby in the picture is my mother, so I know it was taken in the mid 1920s.
Tin type pictures are also neat. Here are two small ones. They have a hole punched in the top right corner and the pictures are dark. I have copies of these and a copy of the one above, too.
Quite a while back I did a post here telling about how you can display your old family photos.
I wrote a poem once, inspired by some of my family photos.
TRAVELING PHOTOGRAPHER
by Janet F. Smart
The traveling photographer
Caught their solemn pose
For a few moments
Their current life froze.
Their neatly groomed hair
Their finest attire
Captured in hist’ry
For us to admire.
Just a tiny piece
A snippet of life
That solemn portrait
Of husband and wife.
One look at the past
One page in a book
Of life long ago
In pictures he took.
Do you have a lot of old family pictures? Do you have yours in shoe boxes, detailed scrapbooks, photo albums, displayed about your house in frames? Or all of the above?
I hope the link helps you in dating them.
And I hope names are on them and you know who they are.
I hope you enjoyed Janet’s guest post as much as I do. I love old photos. I have them in all the places Janet mentioned, but the one thing I don’t have is names and dates on all of them.
As Janet indicated it is very important to document who the people in old photos are. I’ve learned the hard way once older loved ones are gone, there’s no one left who knows the names of the people in the photos.
Janet has a wonderful blog Writing in the Blackberry Patch. Be sure to jump over for a visit!
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I loved looking at our photos of my dad’s and mom’s family. Unfortunately our house burned up and all them were in it. But I remember a big case daddy had of all kinds of pictures and some were of him and one of his brothers. They were out of state and didn’t have the money to get back home and some how This photographer paid them money to take pictures of them. And I gave yo say my daddy was a good looking man. and so was his brother . So they had enough money to get back home. I loved that story among others daddy would tell us.
Tipper this may be pushing the envelope a little too far, so don’t post it if you think it is. I once read a story wrote by Joel Vance- he wrote a lot of stories for the outdoor hunting and fishing magazines. He wrote that the people in the old time pictures never smiled, if they never had any fun, how did we get here?
I love looking at old photos and seeing what people wore in the day. I have one of my grandmother taken in the 1900’s and her large plumed hat and all her kids surrounding her. Prayers go out for your Mom, and your family.
Regarding the picture in the metal oval, it looks like a photo cut to fit a pretty tray of some kind and used as a frame. Is this possible?
Hi Nancy. Thanks for your response. But, no, it’s not on a tray of any kind. The back looks as though it is made of tin or something similar, and the picture was glued onto it. The picture is smooth and glossy.
I love old photos! There is always a story behind them. I have several. When my parents and parents-in-law died their photos and albums became ours here at home. When my mother had to go to a nursing home because of Alzheimer’s, I wanted to do something special, so I made her a photo album. I started with pictures of her with her family, then of her and my dad young and old together, his family, pictures of me and my brother and lastly, her grandchildren. I would get it out and I would go through it with her and for a brief moment when she would see them, I think she knew who they were. Toward the end, she thought I was her sister, and I went along with it because it would have confused her if I told her any different, but I just remember the brief periods of joy on her face and tears too looking at the photo album.
That’s so sweet of you to do that. I’m sure it meant a lot to your Mom.
I have so many I like you wish I had more. Mom took so many pictures of us 4 older kids. By the time my baby sister was born mom was done. The few I did find were Polaroid and the quality is so poor. Stay cool. Us here in central Texas are trying. I wanted a fall garden but that’s not happening I tried. I just can’t put enough water on it.
Hope Granny is doing ok. Of course she’s in my prayers.
I have always been the keeper of all the family photos. Recently I decided to stop making albums and scrapbooks because I thought I was the only one interested. My Great Grand daughter told her mother she wanted one and wanted to help make it…. Music to my ears!
I love old photos as well. When my mom was living my daughter and I took all the family photo albums which were looking really rough and transferred all the pictures to two 3 inch binders that I had covered with fabric with Blue Birds on them, which were her favorite bird. We filled the binders with the clear sleeve page protectors. We attached sets of photos on scrapbook themed paper to make the photos really stand out. We made sure to use acid free tape and ink pens so the photos would not be harmed. We then put them in the page protectors for easy access in case additional information of the photos needed to be updated. Under each photo we listed the names, dates, places of each person along with family history or a few funny quotes relating to the picture. My mom loved them and was very happy how they turned out. I’m thankful my mom loved getting the albums out each time we visited. She was proud to show them to her friends and extended family when they came to visit her. Before she passed she gave them back to me. She felt since my daughter and I put all the hard work into preserving them, we should keep them. After she passed, I felt it was best to divide the photos with my siblings and their families. I was able to keep one of the albums with many photos that brings back lots of sweet memories and for this I am thankful.
My dad used to get his pictures out all the time when we visited him. I loved looking at them.
I love old pictures, too. I buy pictures of people I don’t even know just because they’ve been abandoned by those who have gone on. Wierd? Maybe…
I have several of those metal/oval photos and the borders are actually similar. Those too are falling apart and it looks like there are 3 layers. Most are from Denmark or Sweden, as mom was Danish. What an interesting subject! Thanks for posting this, Tipper, I thoroughly enjoyed.
Michelle in Boston
Hi Michelle. As you can see, the picture I have is slightly falling apart around the edges. I remember from when I was a child seeing this pic hanging on the wall of Grandma’s house. We all lived in West Virginia.
I too love old photographs. I am fortunate to have some of my grandmother’s albums. Unfortunately, I have almost no idea who the people are. I also have a picture of my grandfather in his WWI uniform. I was surprised to find it is actually a drawing. My wife has some pictures of her ancestors that are drawings as well. Apparently this was commonly done at one time. Does anyone know anything about the artists that did this type of work? Did they travel around or did they have studios or shops? I’ve never seen or heard anything about them.
Some time after my mom died I took her box of photos around to various relatives, to share and to learn some identities. My aunts and cousins really appreciated seeing Mom’s treasures, and some recognized family faces unfamiliar to me and explained the relationships. My wife and I have tried to label our own family’s photos for those coming behind us.
Sometimes we bring pictures to our family reunions for people to look at and help identify.
This is interesting. I’ve been told to be careful about what is used to write on the backs of old photos. I have some that are written on the front! At least they are identified. I’m emailing a portrait of my mother as a young lady that is on a metal (tin?) oval that has an attached wire stand. It measures 5 3/4” x 7 3/4”. She was born in 1903 so it had to have been taken in the 1920’s. She has thick auburn hair coiled around her ears so it looks like her hair is short. That would have been around the time she said she had her long hair cut short in a “bob” which was popular at the time. It was about the time women started wearing shorter hemlines that showed their ankles also. Thanks for sharing the link to date postcards.
Hi Sallie. That is the approximate size of the photo I put in my post and it was taken around 1924. Maybe they are of the same type. And, if you notice, the girls all have the “bob” haircut. I thought that was so neat. That is another way you can put an approximate date on old photos, by the hairstyles and clothing they are wearing – and the old vehicles.
Hi, Sallie. Another thing I forgot to mention. My dad had a habit of writing on the front of the pictures! My sister said he caught him one time fixin’ to write on the front of our baby pictures. She stopped him in time. :o)
My cousin invited me to spend the day at her house looking through family pictures, as she knows that is one sure way to get me to come visit. She is going to be 84 next Friday and her mind is still sharp as a whip so hopefully she will be able to identify most of the people. It was rare to find someone with a camera when my mom was growing up. Her uncle who lived in another state had a camera he brought when he came back home. The only picture I have of dad was taken after he married mom. I always said I would grab my pictures if my house was on fire and I was trying to escape.
Janet, thanks for sharing the information on how to identify dates and the beautiful poem.
Hi Shirl. You’re very welcome. I have quite a few of those post card pictures, and I was glad when I found that site that told you how to date them.
I enjoy genealogy and too have a collection of family photos. When my mother-in-law pasted, I inherited her collection, many of them did not have names and dates, fortunately I do know most of the family members. I had read where most family photos will only be kept for 2-3 generations. The more I know about my ancestors, the more I know about me.
Hi, Pat. That’s how I feel. I love old pictures.
I have been thinking lately about going through the boxes of photos of my family. I want to write names and dates on them so my kids can remember also. It’s just such a big job to start. I think it will be a winter project. I need to be able to put them all out so they can be left for the many days it will take me to sort and mark. But what a joy it will be to complete this task and know my kids won’t have to. Have a great day everyone.
I enjoyed. reading Janet’s post this morning, the poem was beautiful. Back in the early 60’s, my adopted mother bought me a Polaroid Swinger Camera, and later on through the years she bought me another camera called Vintage Instamatic. I loved to snap pictures of everything I could, including the cows out in the field. I still have those first pictures of the cows to this day. When my adopted parents passed away, I now have their family photos. Through the years I went back and labeled many of the photos. I have many pictures in albums and in shoe boxes as Janet mentioned, and I enjoy bringing them out at times and looking through them. So many precious memories to cherish. I miss my adopted parents so much. My father passed away in 1992 at the age of 81, and my mother passed away in 2009 at the age of 87. Thank you, Tipper, for posting Janet’s amazing story. I will go and check out her blog to. God bless you and your wonderful family.
Hi, Patricia. So glad you enjoyed my post. I also enjoy so much going through old photos.
I have long wondered about how much information could be gleaned from old photos beyond names of any people shown. I have a hunch it is far more than most would think. I’m thinking of things like location, time of year, size of objects, time of day and so on. I recall the picture you posted of the dirt road past the old store and how many things different ones saw. I would not be surprised if there were some books written about that subject. Just the other day I found 8 books about “reading the landscape”; same idea but just in real time.
Hi, Ron. You can find out so much looking at the surroundings and types of clothing and hairstyles. They are a journey into the past.
Great article!!! I have many old photos from Daddy’s family. One of his oldest sisters had a Brownie camera and took many pictures of the family in the 30s and 40s. So I know who is who in those pictures.
Prayers for Granny.
Your poem is wonderful…!!!!! Tipper you should write a book!!!!!
I love your blog and your You Tube channel so much…you are so talented…!!!
Sending love and big hugs today and every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wanda-glad you enjoyed the post! The poem is by my friend Janet Smart-she wrote this post for me 🙂 She has written several books. You can see them here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AJanet+F.+F.+Smart&s=relevancerank&text=Janet+F.+F.+Smart&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1
Hi, Wanda. This is Janet. I’m so glad you like my poem. I love writing poems and stories about my ancestors. They are a way of honoring them and keeping their memories alive.
Fortunately for me, my uncle was deeply interested in old photos and old stories of our ancestors. He spent most of his retirement walking and driving through the mountains of Wyoming County WV. If he got a lead on a story somebody knew about ancestors, he was not shy, and he would go to their house to look into it. He could not always talk them into letting him take the photo home to copy, but would take a photo with the best camera he could find at the time. He would inquire, find their names, and post them right on the picture. He would get the latest photo shop on his computer, and was quite brilliant with computers. I remember him being excited when computers would upgrade. I cannot look at Ancestry.com without thinking he deserves a cut. I see his photos with names, newspaper articles, and old stories on there all the time. He personally looked up an old timer to share a story of a forgotten graveyard from the 1800s and who was buried there. They went out into a remote part of the county, and on a beautiful hillside uncovered the small cemetery where a few graves were marked with field stones. He cleared it off, bought tombstones for what would be his 3x gr grandparents, and even added a sign for the Joshua Green Cemetery. Each year part of our reunion funds is dedicated to clearing that very cemetery.They are shared and shared over and over again. I always loved history, so it was only natural for him to share this with me. After he was no longer able to remember, drive, and investigate, I researched lines he had not and discovered one of the most interesting hobbies anybody could ever have. There is nothing like bringing life to an ancestor from long ago by piecing together their life through records and old photos. My sister bought old glass photos, and had a deep interest in the old vintage collectibles. With all this around, it was only natural for me to become deeply interested in family history and old photos. We each have a calling, I think, and I am sure glad Tipper decided to do a blog. Thank you Janet Smart, my sis may know a bit about that interesting photo.
Hi, Pinnacle Creek. Your uncle sounds like my kind of person. I love visiting old cemeteries. We bought small tombstones and put them on my grandparent’s graves, because there wasn’t any there. Some had just a stone and others only metal markers that would deteriorate over time. My son also constructed a wooden sign to put there. I love history, genealogy, folklore and all things such.
I am lucky enough to have a lot of old family photos and a grandmother who wrote on them to tell us who they were. most are black and white snaps, a few on postcards and even a couple of tin types. one of Abraham Lincoln which my sister has and one of my grandmother as a toddler. I feel so honored to have them
Sherry, You are indeed lucky!
That’s wonderful that you have those pictures. I’ve got pictures that were given to me by my cousins. Some of the pics are of people that were kin to them on their dad’s side of the family (we’re kin to each other through our mothers). I just found out that our librarian is kin to them. She started naming names and I started naming names that we both recognized and she was tickled that we knew the same people. I took a few pictures down to her that I thought she might recognize. Come to find out, one of them was of her grandmother! She said we have so few pictures of her because she didn’t like her picture taken, and she wondered if she could make a copy of it. I gave her the picture and she was so happy. I’ll never forget the look on her face when she discovered a pic of her grandma among my pictures.
Old photos have long held a fascination for me and I spent one Sunday afternoon long ago with my grandmother, going through her family photos and identifying people in them. Sadly, many photos obtained from other family members have no such identification and those of us who have worked on our family’s genealogy have struggled and agonized over the folks in them. When my husband and I used to go antiquing, I would spend most of the time, digging through boxes of old photos, checking to see if any of the people portrayed were named. Most were not.
Thank you both for this post. It struck a chord with me!
God bless my old photos, God bless granny Louzine, God bless Tipper and her family in Jesus name
I do love my albums. Severall years back my daughters started me on scrapbooking with ‘Creative Memories’ It was a new way of preserving memories in pictures and do a journal along with it. It did help reduce a great deal of pictures, especially the ones that only you would know who that person, place or thing way. I probably threw away a few pounds of them to make room for the good ones, so to speak. I guess the oldest one I have was on tin of my in laws. Take care of Granny, she is precious. I would love to sit and watch her crochet. God Bless you guys.
We have many plastic storage boxes full of photos of our children, grandchildren and other family members. Some do have dates on them. My mother and grandmother had many photos – I say pictures and each one kept their pictures in a white pillow case. I have wrote about this before, they lived through a very bad tornado -May 5, 1933. This tornado destroyed the home and killed some of their family and came within 150 yards of their own home. We lived beside of my grandparents and during the 50’s anytime there was a bad thunderstorm we would all sit in a car until the storm was over. Both mother and grandmother would grab their pillow case of pictures and put them in the car with us. Along with dating the pictures, identify the older ones in the pictures. We still have mother’s pictures but have no idea of who some of the people in the older pictures are. They are probably family members that pasted away before we came along.
Hi, Randy. Such a neat story about them grabbing the pillowcases full of pictures.