Saturday, February 8, 2014

Sepia Saturday - The Piano


The Sepia Saturday suggestion is a piano with pictures displayed. A piano was often a place to prop up a crop of family photographs for display. Most old photographs of a music room will feature at least one photograph somewhere in it.

Piano, water color.

This one, of course is not a found photograph. But we did find it in a dark warehouse/junk store, abandoned by its original owner(s). It is a water color sketch of an old upright piano, signed by "English,79". It hangs in our own music room where there is no real piano.


Young man and piano
"Your Nephew JR."
Desmond couldn't play a note
Desmond couldn't play a note
but he could pose as if he could.

At the piano
This portrait is part of a SERIES OF TWELVE found together in an antique mall in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Boy at piano


Woman with mandolin


This is a rare one. It is printed on studio "proof" paper. The paper turns dark when exposed to light. The photographer could sandwich the paper with the negative and then expose it to the sun. No wet chemicals needed. Photographers could use it to make quick contact proofs to show customers. The prints would not last as they continued to darken each time they were exposed to light until finally the whole sheet was dark.


At the Piano - original
At the Piano - enhanced

This is a slightly enhanced version.


Three and a piano

Can't get enough? Here are a couple more pages about musical instruments:
Music Makers
Trombones

Now, run on back to the Sepia Saturday home page for some more arpeggios and trills.

The most popular photographs most popular, Family Group, An album of the most requested photographs in the Lost Gallery.

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
One Man's Treasure
Penny Tales
Square America
Tattered and Lost
Vernacular Photography
The best
FOUND PHOTOGRAPH
sites on the web.

And for postcards try
THE DAILY POSTCARD.
POSTCARDY

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?"

at

15 comments:

  1. La NightingailFebruary 8, 2014 at 12:40 PM

    I love the watercolor of the upright piano, & the studio "proof" is a lovely old photo, but I'm wondering who the young fellow sitting at the spinet is?

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    1. anyjazzFebruary 8, 2014 at 1:05 PM

      Thanks La Nightingail. We like the painting too. Unfortunately, there is no identification on that studio proof. I can't decide if it is a man or a woman.

      Delete
  2. Mike BrubakerFebruary 8, 2014 at 2:27 PM

    That "proof" photo must have been well protected from light for a long time as it looks like it is from the 1900s. Where do you keep it now?
    The watercolor could be a trade sketch showing an alternate cabinet style that was a special order.
    The woman with the "corner" piano is my favorite. Come to that, I wonder why no one every invented a corner piano. It would fit into more homes.

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    Replies
    1. anyjazzFebruary 8, 2014 at 2:48 PM

      Thanks Mike Brubaker. I found it between the pages of a book and that's pretty much where I am keeping it. Now that it has been scanned, it will last a little longer. I'm not sure about the reason for the watercolor painting. We thought it might be a class exercise but there is no way of telling unless the artist shows up and identifies it. I have googled for him with no luck. A corner shaped piano. I'll have to think about that one. With today's technology they have become small enough to carry around like a suitcase.

      Delete
  3. PostcardyFebruary 9, 2014 at 8:30 AM

    Nice collection. The watercolor is very nice, and I especially like the photos that give a good view of the room interiors.

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    1. anyjazzFebruary 9, 2014 at 9:57 AM

      Thanks Postcardy. Yes, the interiors give us a clear look at some of the customs and designs of the past.

      Delete
  4. Little NellFebruary 9, 2014 at 2:33 PM

    Despite the rarity value of the last picture, it’s the woman in profile above, centre, which makes a more appealing picture I think.

    I’m not sure if you realise that you still have word verification switched on; most of us have ditched it in favour of comment moderation, which works very well and is less tedious for the commenter.

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    1. anyjazzFebruary 9, 2014 at 4:21 PM

      Thanks Little Nell. Yes, that one is well posed showing not only the subject well but the surroundings in her home. And thanks, I switched it off.

      Delete
    2. Little NellFebruary 15, 2014 at 8:34 AM

      Thanks so much for that. Now if only I can work the same charm on a few others :) I my have to crack the admin whip.

      Delete
  5. BoobookFebruary 9, 2014 at 6:01 PM

    What a lovely collection.
    I have several photos in an album like the proof ones - I'll have to go have another look at them to see if they are indeed 'proofs'.

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    1. anyjazzFebruary 10, 2014 at 6:39 AM

      Thanks Boobook. If they are on "proof" paper I would recommend scanning them to preserve them. Each time they are exposed to strong light, they darken a little.

      Delete
  6. BelFebruary 9, 2014 at 7:05 PM

    Some great photos there! I agree the photo with the woman's profile and long neck is the best one. She is beautiful.

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    1. anyjazzFebruary 10, 2014 at 6:43 AM

      Thanks Bel. She is part of a set of photographs apparently intended for promotional purposes. Here is a link to a page called "The Dancer." I added the link to this page too.

      Delete
  7. Alan BurnettFebruary 10, 2014 at 9:17 AM

    Not seen so many pianos in the same place for a very long time. A great selection, as always.

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    1. anyjazzFebruary 10, 2014 at 10:33 AM

      Thanks Alan Burnett. Actually I have found more trombones than pianos.

      Delete