Scribbled on the back in fountain pen:"206 W State
Industrial Life +
51938 n
John Dye
Sivers
309 E 39th"
the handwriting was really messy; that's just the best that I can make out. And it still makes no sense. As to what these things mean and why they're scribbled on back of a photo?
This photograph could be either a copy of a graduation photo or a debutante card. Many girls' schools required white dresses for the graduation ceremony, and the fit of the lady's dress as well as the long string of pearls identify her as rich enough to merit a "coming out."
ReplyDeleteIt's likely that the handwriting indicates the offices of the photographer. "51938 n" could be a phone number (most early numbers were 5 digits with a letter that you told to the operator) and "John Dye Silvers" may refer to silver daguerreotypes, a particular kind of photo process. He may have used this photo as a business card.
I realized that about the 5-digit phone number a little while after I posted; I didn't know about the operator letter though. That's a really good theory about graduation or a debutante coming out! I bet you're more on track than me in that arena! :)
ReplyDeleteI do wonder about how scrawly the handwriting was though - if the photographer did hand off the photo as a business contact, perhaps it was to someone he already knew fairly well. It seems as though he would've paid a LITTLE more attention to neatness if it was a completely new client. But then, maybe his handwriting was just awful anyhow. :)