Very often, notations on the reverse of these found photographs are obscure or too brief or illegible. Most often there is nothing at all.
But now and then there is a message from the past that sparkles.
Back in March of 2009 LOST GALLERY had a full page of photographs and their very interesting reverse sides. There have been many new additions to the collection since then.
Here is a new group of those photographs with mysterious, funny and sometimes puzzling reverse sides; tiny bits of history, reaching out to us over the decades, sometimes a century.
On reverse:
J. H. Scott
Mrs. Dan Hughes
Dan Hughes
Bobby and his Dad, Earl
Hughes
Etta - Mrs. Earl Hughes
Iva- Mrs Harry Shoop
Etta Scott Sr. Mrs E. L.
Theompsall (?)
Taken in front of
the Shoop farm house
8 Mi from Perry,
Okla.
1, 2, 3, & 4 were taken
at a picnic in the woods
given by some of Mrs.
Hubbard's friends. It was
a lovely day & we had a good
time.
On reverse:
Junious Hauk (?) &
me - 1925
Les Cheneaux
Mich.
on the reverse:
These houses are on a
stinking little canal
On the reverse -
Orel? Psalms 23x Dec. 30 - 1894
Perhaps this date was not when the photograph was taken but when one of the gentlemen died.
Photographer:
Jas. L. Goben
Gainseville, Texas
On the reverse:
Dayton and
Julia Hinton
Parents of
Maryiuth (?)
at old Snyder
Country home
Mother and Dad
On the reverse:
My Papa & Mama
Maloke off
Mrs H H Dollars
Studio 432
Carlisle
1211 W-4th
Hiring
Copy No.
#20331
Momma
On The Reverse:
Doris Ann and
Leta Belle in Dells
back yard. I like
this one.
Doris ann &
Leta at Mayes
On the reverse;
My buddy and I his
name is Wellmouth, a good guy weigh
+1 lbs in this picture
(Partial date: Feb 194?)
On the reverse
To my dear friends
Miss Alice & Miss Riddir
Gertrude Simpson age 3 1/2 yrs
Little Son Age 9 mo
Gainseville, Texas
Sept 1901
On the reverse:
Elva Quick
Lucy Ann Thomas
about 1890
Photographer: Proctor
Girard, Kansas
On reverse:
Joe Willard Hubbard
Lee Roy Hbbard
to
Aunt Donia & Uncle Charley
& Cousins
On the reverse:
To Grace and Frank
From
Papa and Mildred
Mildred age 13 yrs
On the reverse:
Mrs Geo Duglass
On the reverse:
A little blurry
but look at
those grins
would you?
PFC Geo L. Waddell
62nd Replacement Br
Maj. Adm. Cm.
5th Amph. Corps
% F P. O. S. P. Calif.
On the reverse
From Little Billy
to Grandma
Birthday Greetings
On the reverse;
Will Inmon
and wife
Bill Inman
family
On the reverse:
Glenda
Barbara
Sue
Ransom Studio
Hobart, Okla.
Glenda
Barbara
Susie
On the reverse:
1922 graduation Class
of Olympic View school
North End of Seattle
X Louisa Mable Preston
photographer
F. A. de Vry
1531 Queen Annd Ave.
Seattle Wash.
reverse:
7th grade 1921
Olympic View School Seattle
Principal - Tomas Catching
(Research)
Thomas Ephram Catching
(1885 - 1962)
From HistoryLink.Org
In 1911, the residents between Meridian and 15th Avenue NW, from 85th to 125th, decided to form their own school district, No. 177. Olympic View was selected as the name for the new district and as the new name for their old school, because of the magnificent view of the Olympic Mountains to the west across Puget Sound. Thomas Catching became principal that year and would hold that position until 1954.
This is the Olympic View school as it appeared in 1911. Note that the small ground level window on the left side is probably the same window as seen in the Class Picture here.
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The most popular photographs 
An album of the most requested photographs in the Lost Gallery.
Area 51 and a Half 
You are probably not authorized to see these.
Don't take my picture! Oh! You DID didn't you! 
This is a collection of photographs that disappear on the way home from the photo processing shop.
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THE KIDS 
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 
The beautiful Dee. A curious story, What do you see?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
"What are they doing?"