Nothing at yardsales Saturday... but did good Sunday at swapmeet.

[cyberdan]

I live two miles from a vintage swapmeet and never even knew about it till Friday when I was making my yardsale hitlist for Saturday. It is at the local Univ of CA. and been going on for 10 months. They do no advertising and no signs. How do they even get any customers or sellers. They are even in a back parking lot and can not see it at all from two major streets.

Any way picked up 9 vintage to antique Toby mugs. They were marked $15 and up each. The lady saw me looking at one and offered my $25 for all of them. Me, being me countered with $20 and she accepted. $2.25 ea ain't bad. Looked up a couple middle sized ones and they are going for 15-16 each. These are going to be packed away. I am moving to an area where there were zero yardsales last saturday. (compaired to 118 locally)

Also, got a cabinet card that I need to do research on. I always look at old photos, especially what is called cabinet cards. They are photos taken by a professional photographer. All are mounted on card stock with deckle edge. Only well to do folks could afford to buy these or if someone dies a poor family scrapes together enough money to have their loved one photographed. Probably the only photo ever taken of them. They are called post mortem cabinet cards. Look at the card close, I think this is a post mortem cabinet card of twin girls. The guy wanted $2.00 and would not go down. I will start my listing at $150.00 maybe higher because it is twins. I will do some research. See the names on the back and they are from Chicago. I need help figuring out the last name. Maybe they are buried locally.

 

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[Turbo21]

Hate to rain on your parade. But if they are post mortem then why are their eyes open. And the one on the left looks like his hand is in the air? Maybe just a nice photo of some live babies

 

[bdsawyer]

Sorry to say I have to agree with Turbo, hand moving on the left one and not a post mortem

 

[Lost&Found]

Hate to rain on your parade. But if they are post mortem then why are their eyes open. And the one on the left looks like his hand is in the air? Maybe just a nice photo of some live babies

They could be Zombie Babies

 

[cyberdan]

Hate to rain on your parade. But if they are post mortem then why are their eyes open. And the one on the left looks like his hand is in the air? Maybe just a nice photo of some live babies

Often times the mother will sit in a chair and be covered up and then hold the child to get the right pose. Not saying this is the case here but it is a big ratan chair with some kind of fur draped over the back but the center is pretty high. (like to cover a head)

Also did some searching and found these photos, all about the same time period, all with eyes open.

 

[Keith Jackson]

I would have to agree that it probably is a postmortem photo. Or it could be that only one of them is dead. They took pictures like that, too. Do a web search for vintage postmortem photos and you will find all sorts. Makes you see how peoples' attitudes about death and dying have changed over the years.

 

[Turbo21]

Often times the mother will sit in a chair and be covered up and then hold the child to get the right pose. Not saying this is the case here but it is a big ratan chair with some kind of fur draped over the back but the center is pretty high. (like to cover a head)

Also did some searching and found these photos, all about the same time period, all with eyes open.

Very cool find then. That's why I asked the question about the eyes being open. I am not an expert for sure on these types of things lol

 

[cyberdan]

any body have any idea on the last name?

 

[billn1956]

I meet a lot of people who I would swear were dead,eyes open and still talking. Yankees and democrats will do anything to swindle a good southern boy or girl.

 

[kcm]

I meet a lot of people who I would swear were dead,eyes open and still talking. Yankees and democrats will do anything to swindle a good southern boy or girl.

....I ain't EVEN touching that one!!

 

[75matador315]

i agree with cyberdan. if you research postmortem pictures of that era they did all sorts of wierd things. i have seen a few photos where there eyes are open but look like they are looking into space they also had ones where the family had them standing and in these pictures you can see a pedestal made just for those types of pictures and they helped hold the person in a standing position. they also had alot of photos where they had the living relatives in the photos as well and you can see the difference in there eyes. these photos are very facinating and at he same time disturbing for me but that is just the difference in times.

 

[75matador315]

i just took another look at your photo and to me it appears as the one on the left side of the chair is deceased but i believe the one on the right is still living. the reason i say that is because again if you look at their eyes the one on the right side of the chair is looking straight towards the camera and has a closed mouth where the one on the left side of chair is staring off to the left with its mouth open. Buy that is just my opinion. good find

 

[Beans]

Who would buy that type of photograph? Talking about the subject not era or type of picture.

 

[cyberdan]

Who would buy that type of photograph? Talking about the subject not era or type of picture.

People collect post mortem cabinet cards. some might specialize in children. I am going to ask $150 to start and see if I get any nibbles.

 

[kcm]

Who would buy that type of photograph? Talking about the subject not era or type of picture.

You'd be amazed!!