Re: Chicago - That Toddlin' Town...

[AndyBurr@xxxxxxx]

Hi Bob et al.,

>>
a view card which is labeled on the back ... 820 (E?) California St,
Chicago Ill.... curved orange mount, no manuf name. It in fact appears
something
like an "amateur" card, exept the notation on the back is printed (or
rubber stamped) rather than handwritten....
>>

Don't you love those mystery views? Though I'm originally from Chicago I know
very little about the town. I can offer, however, from my limited experience,
that the orange cards generally began appearing in the late 1860s, and were
pretty much out of favor by the early 1890s. Of course it's possible that
someone had a large supply of them and just kept on using them.... I bet
someone on the list knows where California St. is. Why would they photograph
this particular building?

I have a mystery, too: a totally unmarked grey curved mount (pretty sure it's
a Keystone) of a European scene, a lady washing clothes next to a canal.
Talking to her is a photographer sitting holding a telebinocular viewer; his
Stereo Graflex (I think) open on the ground next to him. His face is turned
away, but he's tall and lanky, receding hairline but no facial hair, wearing
a brown or gray (well, it's a b&w photo) casual suit. Who....?

Andy Burr
Winter Park, FL


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