Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Novelty Photobooth - An Examination


Here is a collection of Novelty Photobooth souvenirs from the New Chinatown Series and others that are similar. So far as LOST GALLERY knows, these are all "Found Photographs."

In this collections LOST GALLERY will try to show similarities in the backdrops, flats and cutouts used. You will be able to see the changes and adaptations of the matte designs. Ideas are repaired, improved and even stolen from one booth to another.

For this page LOST GALLERY will try to stick mostly to the style where just a cut-out is made for a person's head only.

The novelty photographs using props are reserved for another page.

Stay tuned.


-- The Cocktail Glass --

This example from the collection of
Chinatowncharlie2


These three are probably the same backdrop but upgraded or repainted or repaired.

Cutout - cocktail glass
anyjazz65


Although the design is the same, the details change.

Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt


Look at the pattern in the man's suit.



-- More Cocktail Glass --
Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt


This one and the next one are probably identical including the camera position.

Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt


This print has more contrast.

arcade photo #9
From the collection of
billiken2008

-- The Seltzer Bottle --
Los Angeles New Chinatown Souvenir Photo 1969
From the collection of
Billiken2008


-- The Hula Dancers --

From the collection of
Hepped-up on Goofballs


The one above and the next one are very similar but not identical.


From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt


There has been a bit of touch up to one or the other.


From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt


Here is another that is very similar but not identical. Note the difference in the grass skirt on the right figure.


1946-China Town Souvenir Photo
From the collection of
ozfann22


-- More Hula Dancers --
Hula
From the collection of
Hepped-up on Goofballs


Note the similarity to the four above with some obvious changes. The left figure is almost unchanged.

Island fantasy photo
From the collection of
Chalkdog
Chinatown Hula
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt


-- Show Girls --
Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt
Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan
Contributed by
Sherry Schmidt
Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt


The two on the left are very similar and are perhaps identical. The photographs are not clear enough to tell for sure.

The one on the right is similar but not identical.

From the position of the legs and the fingers, all three are obviously the same panel, each with some upgrades or touch up.


-- More Show Girls --
Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt
Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt
China Town Girls Souvenir, 1971
From the collection of
Ozfan22
1948-Souvenir Photo
From the collection of
ozfan22

-- More Show Girls --
Cutout - three dancers From the collection of anyjazz65
From the collection of Simpleinsomnia
-- Trios --
Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan From the collection of Sherry Schmidt
Three in the arcade anyjazz65

Note that this one is the reverse of the next one. The negative was probably unintentionally reversed.

Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan From the collection of Sherry Schmidt

Note that the example above is the reverse of the one just to the left.

Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan From the collection of Sherry Schmidt

This one is a different cut-out flat but two of the prop hats are seen in the one just to the left.

-- More Trios --
Contributed by Sherry Schmidt

The one above and the next one are very similar. Only a few changes have been made. See the rear wheel.

◊ From the collection of wallflower810

The one above and the next one may be identical and taken in the same season or even hours apart. The camera position is even the same.

1946-China Town, 3 Women From the collection of ozfan22
-- The Bath --
Arcade Photo G.I. Cleaning From the collection of atypicalart
Cutout - arcade photo From the collection of TASTEVICK
Cutout Bath - arcade photo From the collection of TASTEVICK
Cutout - arcade photo from the collection of tastevick From the collection of TASTEVICK
-- The Donkeys --
Two guys in a photo booth anyjazz65

This one and the next one are probably identical. They might have been taken the same season or perhaps only hours apart. The camera position is even the same.

Two Men on a Donkey From the collection of AtypicalArt
-- The Donkeys and Others--
long beach again From the collection of chinatowncharlie2
mule skinners From the collection of chinatowncharlie2 Souvenir Elephant From the collection of Ozfan
Chinatown Los Angeles Charlie Chan From the collection of Sherry Schmidt
-- Transportation --
Four Women In An Airplane, Studio Cut-out From the Collection of AtypicalArt
Spirit of St. Louis Novelty Photo
anyjazz65
roadster
From the collection of
chinatowncharlie2
Chinatown Los Angeles
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt

-- More Transportation --
China City Los Angeles
From the collection of
Sherry Schmidt


-- Couples --
Souvenir Portrait of San Francisco
From the collection of
chinatowncharlie2
santa cruz
From the collection of
chinatowncharlie2
fun at the arcade
From the collection of
Hepped-up on goofballs
Two men pose in a carnival cutout
From the collection of
simpleinsomnia

three panel cutout - arcade photo


This one is a rare find. Three Poses, Same People!
It's from the TASTEVICK
Flickr collection


-- More Couples --
Los Angeles New Chinatown Souvenir Photo 1969
From the collection of
billiken2008

Contributed by
Sherry Schmidt

Novelty photobooth
From the collection of
anyjazz65


This is obviously a more modern version since it is a Polaroid print.


Contributed by
Sherry Schmidt



-- Individual Women --
Utah Centennial 1947 #2
From the collection of
chinatowncharlie2
Myrtle the Mermaid
From the collection of
WonderfullyStrange
Does this swimsuit make me look fat?
From the collection of
Addie-B

-- Individual Men --
Utah Centennial 1947 #1
From the collection of
chinatowncharlie2
Boozing It Up
From the collection of
AtypicalArt
Man Posed Against a Painted Cutout 1 of 3
From the collection of
AtypicalArt
Man Posed Against a Painted Cutout 2 of 3
From the collection of
AtypicalArt

-- More Individual Men --
Man Posed Against a Painted Cutout 3 of 3
From the collection of
AtypicalArt
Vintage Polaroid, Libby's Gay 90's Party
From the collection of
AtypicalArt
Snake Farm, South Dakota 1959
From the collection of
chinatowncharlie2




-- Two Man Cutout --

Contributed by
Sherry Schmidt


-- Groups --
Souvenir Hula & Sailors, 1940's
From the Flickr collection of
ozfan22

From the Flickr collection of
Alan Mays


From the collection of
BrianBlair







Bassingbourn 1944 384th Bomber Group, B17 landing
Long lost negatives taken during the winter of 1944-45 at Bassingbourn AAF base in England.

Area 51 and a Half Area 51 and a Half You are probably not authorized to see these.

Don't take my picture! Oh! You DID didn't you! completely unaware of the photographer This is a collection of photographs that disappear on the way home from the photo processing shop.


And don't miss
Cabinet Card Gallery
Square America
Tattered and Lost
Vernacular Photography
The best
FOUND PHOTOGRAPH
sites on the web.

And for postcards try
POSTCARDY
And see what's going on over at
Sepia Saturday!

All images are the property of Lost Gallery and the author. Permission must be granted for their use. All rights reserved.

THE KIDS Lesson one.
It is always a mystery how a photograph of any of these precious children could end up lost or abandoned. Here are a few. You will probably say "Ooh..." at least once.

Dee and the Business School Dee and the Business School
The beautiful Dee. A curious story; What do you see?

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
Neiffel and Helvetica Typehigh

"What are they doing?"