I always keep my eyes open for nice old wood frames in the thrift stores.
A few weeks back I found this one for $5.
It would be perfect for a print I bought on Etsy that I've been meaning to frame.
(you can see more of her wonderful whimsical art here in her shop )
Since the print looked old world I was chuffed to find such
a dark coloured, aged and textured frame.
In the frame was this old, crappy photo of Lake Tahoe.
Nothing special. Something out of a magazine, perhaps from the 50's or 60's
maybe older, there was no date on it but from the condition of the glass
it hadn't been cleaned in a LONG time.
That was the other thing, the glass. It has that warbley (is that a word?)
wavy look of old glass.
Now usually when you buy a framed piece in the thrift store the
workers will rip off a piece of the backing paper to
make sure there isn't a priceless Picasso or
VanGogh behind that cheap print of Lake Tahoe...
Now don't get ahead of me...this was NOT the case in the frame I bought!!
The backing was still in tact, no one had checked it.
When I finally pulled out all the little nails and
removed the cardboard there WAS something else under
the Lake Tahoe photo...
It was her!
As soon as I turned the photo over I couldn't help but say "hello!" out loud.
I just stared at her for a minute...
"who are you?" I said aloud
"who put you here, facing backwards?"
She is so beautiful and kind looking...
Her eyes look a little sad don't they?
It's a very good quality photograph, probably taken in the early 1900's.
No identifying marks anywhere though.
No photographers studio name, no penciled in name of the lady...
So I brought her out into the light of day...she is sitting with my
seasonal fairy lights, facing forward again after all these years.
I have many pictures like this of long dead relatives,
some who I know, some who I don't.
If the picture could only talk.
I would like to know her story.
I thought about her while Tom and I were making dinner in the kitchen...
Was she married?
Did she lose someone in the Great War?
Did she have children?
Where did she live?
In the city?
Was she a country girl?
Someday, someone may look at a photograph of me and wonder the same things.
Maybe someone will recognize this lady one day and solve my mystery.
But for now she'll spend some time in my house, facing forward again.
Happy Christmas...whoever you are.
Happy Christmas...whoever you are.
2 comments:
The frame was a GREAT find. It's perfect for the print you were wanting to frame. But finding the photograph, now that's interesting. It does make you want to ask a LOT of questions. Isn't it odd that there is no name, no markings at all on the back of the photo? And why was it placed behind the cheap image of Lake Tahoe??? I'm glad she's free and facing forward, but it would be so interesting to find out some details about her.
I love this. Your writing and thoughts about this woman and wonderings are so thought provoking. She's been freed. You may never know who she is, but she has found a place that allows her another moment, here, to be seen and to feel special. Beautiful story.
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