Old stereo slide image

kimsdad · Nov 9, 2008

This is what I saw today. I was going through a box of old stereo slides that I have and came across this one. Yes it's a staged scene, but it's a glimpse of long ago country living. Tell me you have never hunted or wanted to hunt old house or farmhouse like this one. I thought it was a great pic, especially with the caption, and wanted to share it. Life was good back then, and they knew it.

Leon · Nov 10, 2008

Very neat old photo, thanks for sharing...
One thing that caught my eye was the, pole/long stick, the old lady is holding. It looks as though she is holding it with only one hand and it seems to have a basket hanging from the bottom of it? Just trying to figure out what the deal was with that? Apple picker?... Can you see any details in the original that would enlighten me as to what it was about?
Maybe one of the old timers can clue us into something about it...

It seems to me she would have to be one strong woman to hold it the way she is?

rmptr · Nov 10, 2008

I put on my 3D glasses but it didn't work!

I recall many years ago that one city library still maintained a large collection of those stereoscope pictures.
They were neato! I liked them a lot!

I hope they are all packed away in a museum, somewhere, and available for people to look at.

Budget problems around here... museums pretty much shut down except for a few days maybe....
Libraries cutting back, also.

Cynangyl · Nov 10, 2008

That is a great photo, staged or not! Looks like you found a great treasure in those slide images!

kimsdad · Nov 10, 2008

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

Leon, here's a closeup. I had to put the slide in the viewer to see it in stereo again, too. I thought they were standing at some kind of water well. She is definitely holding that pole, but it just has to be supported from above. It beats me - I thought that wells either had a pump or a bucket with a rope. Any other ideas?

Update - It's a "water lever" or "well-sweep"

Similar to this:

"A well-sweep was a device used to lift buckets of water from a well. Made primarily of two large timbers or tree trunks counterbalanced so that the long lever could be pulled down to lower the bucket into the well; the bucket filled with water would almost lift itself from the well when the person turns loose and the counterweight from from the end of the lever takes over to pull up the bucket. [Works on the same principle as a see-saw."

I think the cow is tied to the main upright....

Well, there's the one new thing I needed to learn today! :tongue3:

Thanks for the great question!
Neil

Leon · Nov 11, 2008

Wow!,,, Thanks Neil...
I should have been able to put that together from the photo. I have see that setup used before in some of the older movies. I guess I'm old enough to have seen it but also getting to old to remember I did...

That explains why I didn't see any signs of strain on the lady's face or arm... Who needs electricity, or any other form of power, when you have some good old fashion ingenuity...
Thanks again for the update...

P.S.> The larger, telephone looking, pole should have sealed the deal... I doubt very much they had any electricity, or phone, on that farm way back then. Also, I guess with the sides of the well being made of wood insted of stone it just didn't hit me that they were standing by a well... :tongue3: