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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: jeanlit on Thursday 03 January 19 06:00 GMT (UK)
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Can anyone help with a query I have.
Did professional photographers (about 1895 to 1905) have clothes, hats and other props in their studios for the sitters to wear?
Also I have seen a photo with husband and wife with an empty seat between them with an open book on the table in front of the empty seat. Is there any significance in the open book or in fact, the empty seat?
Any thoughts?
Jean
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I have heard others talking about props for sitters to wear but I am not sure if it is true or not. I'm sure someone will know. May I ask why you are asking?
Regarding the empty seat, there will be a story behind that. What sort of date is the photo? Could you post the image here? I'm sure many of us would be interested in seeing it and you would probably get a better interpretation of the photo. :)
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One of this lady's blogs may answer the specific question but if not will, I am sure, be of interest.
http://www.jayneshrimpton.co.uk/blog/
MaxD
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Many thanks MaxD.
I will certainly look through Jayne Shrimpton's blogs. Even if my question is not answered, there is plenty of other interesting information.
Jean
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Can anyone help with a query I have.
Did professional photographers (about 1895 to 1905) have clothes, hats and other props in their studios for the sitters to wear?
Also I have seen a photo with husband and wife with an empty seat between them with an open book on the table in front of the empty seat. Is there any significance in the open book or in fact, the empty seat?
Any thoughts?
Jean
Yes they did. My cousin inherited a garage full of backdrops and scenes, tables and a variety of different chairs, swords and helmets and gauntlets and mini canon, animal skin rugs and Chinese screens, a human skull and various animal skulls, artificial walls and ruins and finally a vast array of clothing.
Oh, and a list of "people of colour" who could be employed as human props - servants of all descriptions, slaves, black-a-moors and so on. All long since dead by then, of course.
I would think an empty chair would be for a dead person, probably a child.
Regards
Chas
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Thanks Chas,
I must say it must have been somewhat intimidating when your cousin first opened the garage and found all the various items !
I also thought the empty chair may have been for someone who had died, but why have an open book on the table in front of it. Was it to indicate the wisdom of that person, perhaps a parent, or maybe someone who always had their nose in a book.
Jean
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Hi Jean,
It all came from my cousin's first wife's grandfather (I think). The whole lot was sold at a specialist action in Birmingham. The interesting thing is that the backdrops were in vivid colours. We see them in sepia or shades of grey, but they were in fact painted in full colour. They were listed as "Backdrops/scenery/wall-hangings/tapestries" and that was how most people bought them to hang on their walls.
Regards
Chas
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That's a really great find. I was on.a post a few weeks ago and the poster was adamant that photographers didn't do clothes. I thought they did even up until 1920s as I have a photo of my gran and her friend and sister all wearing flapper style dresses which they would never have owned as they from mining families in Throckley Newcastle.
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That's a really great find. I was on.a post a few weeks ago and the poster was adamant that photographers didn't do clothes. I thought they did even up until 1920s as I have a photo of my gran and her friend and sister all wearing flapper style dresses which they would never have owned as they from mining families in Throckley Newcastle.
They still do. Go to the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. You will find loads of photoghaphers, with all the gear to dress up as a"real Highlander".
Regards
Chas
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Chas,
I never even thought of what colour the backdrop would have been. I guess that means they could be re-purposed - wall hanging to backdrop or the other way.
How long do you have to be in Scotland to be a "real Highlander" ? ?
Creasegirl,
That was a similar query as I had, because one couple was extremely well-dressed - more than you would expect.
Jean.
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You could try contacting Jayne Shrimpton with your query about the empty seat?
MaxD