Girls with flowers and scrolls
By: usermattw
Tags: antiques, graduation, Olyphant, photography
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What it is:
Photo (4 x 6 inches) mounted into a cardboard frame/folder (I have cropped some of the folder from the scan).
What I know about it:
Photographer is Staniszewski Photo Studio of Olyphant, Pennsylvania. Otherwise undated and unidentified.
Comments:
I’m not sure what the occasion here is. My first assumption was graduation, but I don’t know why the girl on the right would have two scrolls. In any case, it’s obviously something special. I have a picture from the same shoot of the girl on the left by herself, which is quite nice, too. But I decided to offer up this one, because I’m generally more attracted to photos that show some interpersonal relationship, however posed.
Pics of Then 
Beautiful photo. The girls look so pretty. I think it’s interesting that they both have the same kind of hat, hairdo, dress, shoes… but their flowers are different. Since I like to sew, I always study the dresses and wonder how many hours it must’ve taken to make these (probably made by hand!) I don’t know how they did it but it sure is beautiful.
Thanks, I’m glad you like it. I don’t sew at all. If I tried to do one of the outfits above, it would look like it was designed by Picasso. Feel free to correct me, but I’ve been under the impression that the time and effort it took to create clothes back then meant that people had fewer clothes, but had better clothes and took better care of them.
I’m sure you’re right… It seems people took a lot of pride in everything they did back then. How many times did I hear my parents say, “they don’t make things like they used to!” ….don’t tell them, but I think they’re right! 🙂
Your secret is safe with me. 🙂
I would guess early 1920’s, judging by the Mary Pickford curls. Gorgeous photo!
That’s probably a good guess. I somehow ended up with a bunch of photos from the town of Olyphant (this is the fourth I’ve posted) and they’re all from around the same era. I think it’s a beautiful photo, too.
What a charming picture!
Thanks, I agree.
Are they at a funeral? They both look very sad, or the photographer forgot to tell them it’s ok to smile. I know about long exposures but they could hold a smile, eh.
Ha, yes, they do look a little gloomy for what is presumably a happy occasion. I don’t think exposure times were such an issue by that point. They should’ve been able to smile. But perhaps they were trying to be elegantly serious. Some people definitely look better when they are smiling.
A thought on two scrolls, possibly one graduated with honors or had a specific achievement of excellence in a subject. Just guessing.
I don’t know, but that sounds like a perfectly good suggestion to me.
Mrs. P said what I would have said! And the similar clothes, hat, etc. could indicate they were graduating from a boarding school.
Yes, something along those lines is probably a good guess. Thanks!