Photo & Postcard collecting

[duffeycycles]

Up to 1897 all photographers were pro.Cutting edge home pics started 1897.1900 was the explosion of home photography.You can tell pro vs home by the mounting.1905 -1918 was the era of the postcard with 1910-1914 the most common.For 5c photographers would take your pic and give you 6 copies.For 10c they would take 6 pics and you got a copy of each.These were done on glass plates wich were heavy & expensive ,so they would clean off the plates and reuse them.Negative destroyed.When they set up at fairs you could also get 6 of their stock postcards for 5c...most real photo postcards are one of a kind.Either one was made or one survives from six.Often they would have a motorcycle that traveled in the wagon for lacal transport and photo setups.I have seen many with the same bike -diff people and backdrops....Over the last 100 years these prints have aquired defects[folded corners ,folds ,foxing etc.]..To the buttheads:If I say "that's my image" it is showing the defects of my original copy.This is an ex. of a real photo non stock card

[duffeycycles]

This is an example of a stock card wich was produced in quantity.Often few survive---I know of at least one other like this one...recently on ebay $150...same price I payed 20 some years ago

[exeric]

Duffy, I very much appreciate what you have so generously shared. Something as purely visual as a photograph is meant to be shared. Your knowledge of early photography is also very interesting. A friend of mine is also an early photography buff and he made the comment that many early cameras had precision lenses and were very skillfully made, hence those early pictures were quite good and had a lot of fine detail.

[duffeycycles]

Since I dropped off the planet a few months back[couldn't help it Sarge]I have been doing my family history with photos and have worked closely with the Iowa State historical society sharing my family's multiple cutting edge early photographers pics.
To bad the pics made in the 60's and 70's don't hold a candle..Here is an enlargment of part of a pic that shows my Great Grampa's Avery thresher in operation.. thats him on top

[duffeycycles]

I showed the farm pic to show what Eric said;The lenses where very good.The size and clairity of the glass negative is part of the quality.That is blown up from a tiny part of a 4"x6" home photographer pic.circa 1915.This next postcard is a production card that may well be the only survivor.Each of the guys had their own card and most are unknown.

[bob43wlc]

Great stuff Duffey! Keep them coming!

[duffeycycles]

This Curtiss card is another production card that seems to be very rare.If you search Curtiss it comes up but is a very poor image that looks like a copy of a copy of a copy.Maybe from one that I copied years ago.It was very expensive and I did not know how rare until I showed copies at Davenport.The first copy went to a museum that specializes in Curtiss stuff.He said it was probably made in Ormond and others were made in Hammondsport.The next went to Jerry Hatfield ,who had just released his book with original pics fraom the beach.Jerry had not seen this card before.Others who got copies were Dale Axelrod & Mathew Smith,leading me to believe this was a very rare image and one of the clearest of Glen.

[duffeycycles]

There are many Advertizing postcards..production cards..thrown out when new, few survive.Here is another Glenn Curtiss...Eclipse made wheel spools,pulleys,clutches,etc.I don't know how common,or how many different ones were made,but I don't find these in searches..

[c.o.]

I'm a big fan of early photos and postcards. Thanks for sharing them Duffey. That could very well be the clearest "World's Record" shot that I've ever seen.

[duffeycycles]

Here is a movie advertising postcard ;Civilization 1916..name this bike!I think Chris was in this movie!

[frichie68]

The movie is viewable on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=UwU035gIGO8
It's in black & white with subtitles, no sound except the typical pre-talkie music. Haven't had time to watch yet, it's an hour & a half long.
Rich

[exeric]

Love the post card Duffy. The bike must be a '16 or earlier Henderson based on the handlebars, fork, and fender. Like Rich, I did a bit of research about Thomas Ince. Very interesting Hollywood movie pioneer whose death was up for speculation by the gossip rags of the day. Seems the press was just as irresponsible then, as it is today.

[duffeycycles]

I agree with Eric Detroit Henderson. This next card is hand drawn and watercolored [mini painting].1912 Toronto motorcycle races

[c.o.]

You keep coming up with gems Duffey! I'm wondering if that was a dirt or board track race? I believe Toronto was the only city in Canada to have a board track.

[Chris Haynes]

Too bad ya have to ruin the pictures with that Davenport pennant. :-(
Here is an unmolested view of the Curtis postcard. Now make sure you don't make copys and sell them at Davenport.