Come visit my Etsy shop! :)

Hello, ladies and gents! Yesterday, I opened up my shop on Etsy, which has a bunch of different prints for sale, of things I have photographed.

Here's the link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Whimsicalography

Please give it a look! :)

This is Quite Upsetting.

I haven't blogged in so long... it makes me so sad! I've been so busy with school and such, I've had no time to go antique shopping. To be honest, I haven't had the money to satisfy my antique addiction either. That's what happens when you're a broke university student, I guess.

Hopefully, I'll be posting more soon.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! :)

Wedgwood Article Dating

If you have a Wedgwood piece and are uncertain as to what year it was made, here's a link to help you out (it's how I found out my necklace -- pictured below -- was made in the year 1900).

My mum bought me this necklace in Fenelon Falls, Ontario as a grad present. It's a cameo and I think that it's a fairy in the center.

http://www.thepotteries.org/mark/w/wedgwood-date.html

Letter From the Department of Veterans Affairs to Mr. Albert Braine

I bought this letter addressed to Mr. Albert H. Braine of Stanford, Ontario, Canada. It's from the Department of Veterans Affairs and was written on October 17th, 1945. As for the rest of the letter, go on and read it for yourself. :)

It's baby Joe's mother!!

Recall cute baby Joe with his hair parted down the middle, who I had posted about on January 19th? Well, this is his mother! My cousin bought this photograph and upon looking at the back, it says Joe's mother written on it in the exact same handwriting as Joe's name on my photograph of him. Interesting, isn't it? Perhaps the family gave these pictures away and they somehow ended up in the same town.

Anyways, I don't know her name, but I'm pretty sure that this was taken at the same time as Joe's photo. I can now date both pictures to about the late 1800s because of this woman's clothing. Case solved! Well, kind of. I wonder what her name is and where their family lived...

S. J. Dixon Photography, 249 Yonge Street, Toronto

Again, this is a photography my cousin bought. S. J. Dixon Photography at 249 Yonge Street in Toronto and was founded in 1872 by S. J. Dixon. the year 1893, Dixon's wife Sarah took over for unspecified reasons (perhaps Dixon died?). By clicking that hyperlink above, you can see a newspaper advertisement put out by this photograph company stating what they do in their shop. Along the side, you can see their insignia as well as multiple other ads.

Just an extra bit of information for you: here are their listings in the Toronto directory...

• 1901
• 1903

There is no note of who the two people in this photograph are, although I believe the picture was taken in the very late 1800s or very early 1900s due to their attire.

H. E. Peagam Photography, 254 Yonge Street, Toronto

My cousin bought this when we went antique shopping. There's no name as to who this young man is, but I was able to find some information on the photographer, H. E. Peagam at 254 Yonge Street in Toronto. In fact, they have their first listing int he Toronto Directory in 1903, which can be found by clicking here. Because of this, I believe that this photograph was taken around the same time.

Miss Adrienne Augarde

Miss Bessie Rothudl
536 Lower Hursted
Smallbridge
Rochdale


Dear Bessie
Thanks for your views they are very nice. It was good of you to send them. I suppose you will have had a grand day at Rochdale today. Annie and I will come over before long. If you don't object. From your affec. friend Nellie.



Written in 1906 and costing only half a cent to mail, this postcard is from England and was bought at Raphael Tuck & Sons' Real Photographic Post Card shop. The front of the postcard sports the image of Miss Adrienne Augarde. The card says art published to their majesties the King and Queen and that they are of celebrities of the stage. For more postcards by this company with Augarde on it, click here (mine is the second from the top, as you can see).

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the address listed on the postcard.

I am not very well pleased at you not answering my last card...

Mary C. Leitch
22 Princes St.
Govan


Dear Cathie
I will be down on Sat. I am not very well pleased at you not answering my last card. I am sorry that I could not get down any time as another was seriously ill. She was just gone(?) up on Sunday for the first. I hope I have an answer for this P.T. (Mary)



The postcard was sent on November 18th, 1909 with the postage costing a mere half cent. The card was produced by Millar & Lang Art Publishers and it was part of The "National" Series as well as Printed in Britain. The front depicts a picture of Miss Rita Tomkins; a celebrity or just an average citizen? I don't know.

If you click here, you can scroll down to find some information on Millar & Lang Art Publishers, the company who produced this postcard. They're from Glasgow, which is in the UK. To see a few other postcards printed by this company, you can click here. On a side note, the place where the card was sent from was also the place where the cards were sold from. Now, it's a different business, which I have included a modern-day (Google Map found) image of at the very bottom of this post.

Hello, American Felix!

Bonjour Americain Felix!


M. J. D. Felix Lavoie
89 Rumford Ave
Rumford Falls
Maine
U.S.A.


Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatèire
Cher Felix
      Que j'ai bien haté de te revoir au près de moi eu jour est encore bien loin cheri.
                                     Par amie sincère
                                     et fidele à pour Felix,
                                                      M.L.

***

Hello, American Felix!


M. J. D. Felix Lavoie
89 Rumford Ave
Rumford Falls
Maine
U.S.A.


Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatèire
Dear Felix,
     I cannot wait until you are near me again, but the time is still far away, my dear.
                                                                     A friend sincere and loyal to Felix,
                                                                                                           M.L.





The front of the post card says M. Louise written over top the woman on it in the bottom left-hand corner. Felix is written in the top right-hand side by the man depicted on the telephone. Clearly, the 'L' in M.L. is for Louise, but the initial 'M' is unknown from this postcard. Clearly though, the two people on the front of this postcard were intended by M. Louise to show how the two of them can only speak over the phone for the time being, considering she lives in Quebec and he in Maine. If you're curious as to how far exactly that is, it's 1,422 km away (about 883.6 miles). This would take about 19 hours to travel in the modern day car on modern highways, not including the time to pass the tedious border security...imagine how long it would take for these two friends to travel over borders to see one another in the late 1800s or very early 1800s! It would have taken forever and then some!

Here is some information on Rumford Falls and a video of it from YouTube, the place where Felix lived. Thanks to Google Streetview, I was even able to get a picture of the actual house where Felix was living at the time (I put the picture below that of the postcard). Secondly, I found that Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatèire is in Quebec (Canada), but there was really only this picture of the town from around the time this postcard was written.

Oddly enough, there is no postage nor any indication that this postcard was ever sent from the female friend M.L. to Felix. Strange, huh?

Well, I think I'm going to mail a copy of this postcard to the address that's there and include my email and maybe, maybe, maybe the people will email me regarding any information they may have about their house's past owner (if they're nice and have the time to do so). Of course, I will update this post with any information that I receive.

  

King Edward Hotel, Toronto

Miss E. George
Gelert(?) - P.V.
Ontario


July 21/10
Dear Etta
       Mother and I were going out there Saturday. I sent Flora H a card telling her and now I am not sure whether the trains will be running since the strike is on. If you see her tell her. Good bye. Lillie Sherman.


P.S. If I get there I will go and see you. Maybe you will be at the station Saturday night.
                                                                                                                     Lillian




Postage on the stamp was one cent. My, my, how times have changed. Also, the front of the postcard is a picture of the King Edward Hotel in Toronto, which is still there today! And perhaps the coal strike Lillian speaks of is in reference to the Westmoreland County Coal Strike of 1910-1911, considering coal was used to power trains of the time? If you're interested, there's an article you can look at regarding it on Wikipedia here, and also a (potentially) more reliable source with less to say about it here.

One of Many Postcards

Here's a Christmas postcard from 1909 from Ms. Chapman to Ms. Dobson of Ontario, Canada! I can't really make out the city, but if any of you can, please let me know! :)

Front of the postcard reads: Wishing you Three hundred and Sixty-Five happy Days, and hoping that the spirit of the Christmas Time may help to make each one happier and More Blessed than the last.
The back reads: Merry Christmas. From Ms. Chapman"


The postage stamp is from the USA and the stamp put on by the post office says "Dec 23, 13PM, 1909, MICH"... So, it was processed on the 23rd of December, 1909, and sent from Michigan. :)

One of Many Postcards

Found a wonderful package of French postcards and this was included in them! The front is gorgeous and the handwriting on the back is kind of difficult to read. Plus, my French isn't exactly the best, but I'll try to post and translate whatever I can below. :)

The front side of the postcard says "Havana 16/3/13" and "Bons Becs." as well as "ML" is written on the woman's foremost arm.

Havana

16/3/13

Chère Cœur,

Comment es-tu très bien je suppose pour moi je suis très bien mais il fait bien chaud j’ai tourjours attender a écrire parce que je pensais de reçevoir une nouvelle de tois ici mais je vois t’écrire sans en avoir je pense a Puerto Mexico eu me fait bien de la peine mais je crois que tu m’oublie tranquillement tout de même je t’achirai  de tout arranger cela quand je serai rendu a Lté H une. D’un ami qui l’aime toujours et ne t’oublie pas.

***

My darling,

How are you? I suppose I am doing well, but it is very hot and everyday I write because I think I may receive a new letter here. I think that Puerto Mexico made you forget me slowly. Still, I write  [unknown translation]... Always your friend who shall never forget you.

Another Picture I Have :)

I don't know her name, but I know that it was taken in Belleville, Ontario by Clark J. Smith. Judging by the dates of other pictures Smith has taken, this picture is probably from the mid-1800s.

More Pictures! :)

Got both of these for $2 at that store in Fenelon Falls! Neither have anything written on the back, but the one of the little boy (holding the cat) looks to be from the 1920s, the one of the baby from 1890s or maybe early 1900s. :)

Am I jealous of whoever buys this!

I guess everyone is pretty interested in where I got so many of these antiques in Fenelon Falls, Ontario, Canada. The place I go to is called Grr8 Finds and you can click here to go to their website. :)

Whoever buys that gorgeous table they have features right now on the top left-hand corner of the page (which is over $3000, if I remember correctly, if not more), I AM EXTREMELY JEALOUS.

Happy shopping!

Awwwwwh, it's a reading baby!!

Look at how cute this baby is! They've got a book! And, like my previous post, I know absolutely nothing else about this except the fact that it's so incredible precious.

Family Portait

I'm not sure who these people are or their relationship to each other, nor do I know who took the photograph; the occasion; the location; or the year it was taken. Judging by the clothing though, I'm assuming it's the very late 1800s (after 1890) or very early 1900s (prior to 1910).

Amazing Christmas Present!!!!

My daddy knows me too well. He bought me this gorgeous picture that's from an 1894 catalogue for Christmas! Let's take a look at why it's the idea gift for me (from "Le Coquet: Journal des Modes" -- I believe there is some information about the magazine/newspaper here, but it's all en français):

1. It's an antique from before 1900
2. It's got not just one pretty dress on it, but multiple pretty dresses on it
3. It's from Paris, France (if you didn't know, I have an obsession with France...79 days until I go to Paris!)
4. It's in mint condition
5. It's from a fashion magazine...I love clothes. :)

To make it even more "exotic" to me, he picked it up from his trip to New Hampshire. This Ontario girl is thrilled. Guess what's going up in my baby blue cherub toile-pattern wallpapered room? You guessed correctly -- THIS IS! :)

Little Joe

Like many of my other acquired photographs, I'm uncertain as to when this was taken as well as who took it and exactly how old the child in the image is. All I know is that his name is Joe. It had his name scrawled on the back of the card the photograph is attached to.

My mom actually picked this one out of a pile of pictures at the antique store the took me too (in Fenelon Falls). She loved it because of the little hair part he has in the middle of this head. Isn't it adorable? His expression is so cute, too! :)

This is what talking to my friends makes me feel like doing -- POSTING. :)

I was discussing my blog with my friends and I felt the urge to post about this. It's a porcelain antique shoe my cousin (who also loves antiques!) bought for my for Christmas. Isn't is pretty? It's my favourite colour, too! She knows me too well. Anyways, it's from England and made in the early 1900s. :)

Unknown, unknown, unknown!

It makes me so sad that I know absolutely nothing about this picture. Oh well, I thought you'd all like to see it regardless, because it's a baby and babies are so cute. Enjoy!

What a find!

I found this pretty picture of a group of ladies, seemingly having a picnic. What was best about this picture is that I know every single on of their names! From left to right they are Annie, Margaret, Allie, Mabel, Louisa, Hazel, and Edwina! According to the writing on the matte, it is "The Day of the Races". I can't make out what is written below that, except for the word "the", which is useless. The year is unknown as well, but I was so excited to see all of their names written down! Amazing, eh?

P.S. A little bit of (potentially) unreliable information regarding "The Day of the Races", AKA Columbus Day, from good ol' Wikipedia!

Now, for another photograph!

Again, I'm not sure when it was taken, though I think it was taken between 1876 - 1912. Her name is Effie Ripley and she's "Uncle Simon's daughter" (as it says on the back of the photo). It was taken at the Beverage Cottage Gallery run by a man named Maurice Beverage, also the photographer. If you have any photographs taken by Beverage, the website I found this information on requests you send any information to his email address (click here).

I'm pretty sure this is the most adorable little girl EVER! :)

I don't know who she is, where she lived, what year this was taken...nothing. I do, however, think she's the most adorable little girl ever! I tried to find the decade it might have been taken in and did so by researching different dolls of the 20th century. From what I found (combined with the style of her outfit and her hair), I think it was taken in the 1940s when dolls looked kind of creepy like this, and this, and all of these. What do you think of this picture?

LOOK WHAT I GOT IN THE MAIL TODAY!

A Tibetan manuscript from the late 1700s that I ordered off of eBay a few days before Christmas! Isn't it lovely? it's double-sided -- here's the pictures of each side:

I haven't got the slightest clue as to what it says, but if you click here, you can find a Tibetan alphabet chart that can maybe help you decipher it. Or maybe you're just interested in seeing what Tibetan writing looks like in modern-day print.