Last year I obtained from an eBay store a collection of over 3000 vintage photographs of children. I imagine most were taken around the end of the 19th or beginning of the 20th century, probably in the UK or America.
Many of the photographs were over-romanticised kitsch. But some were taken by master photographers who captured the children in an unguarded moment, or drew out of them enchanting expressions. Nearly all the portraits were of little girls. The beauty of these children was such that tears came to my eyes. Such beauty, and gone forever.
As these photographs are in the public domain, no doubt the images are circumnavigating the world via the Internet, finding their way into scrapbooks, possibly with wings and crowns added.
But what of their stories? I found myself consumed with a desire to know who they were, and what happened to them. Many would have children and grandchildren alive today.
Using the ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ theory, I’ve embarked on a quest to track them down. People in the UK or America have the best chance in this respect, but most of us who live in English-speaking countries have ancestors (sometimes parents or grandparents) who came from one of these countries, so, who knows … any of us may be related to these children!
It would appear, from the style and the props used, that many of the photos originated in the same photographic studios. Below are some logos which appeared on a number of the photos. Unfortunately, many are blurry because the photos are low resolution. The numbers may signify account numbers. You will notice a logo from a studio in Paris … later I will post some photos which came from there.
Keep checking back here to see the latest images I’ve posted, along with any developments that may have occurred.
I love your collection!
Thank you Delta. I’ve neglected this blog for a while, but must get back to it as there are many more beautiful children to feature.