Historic Hood River
Living Room, Blythe Home
9-17-2013
Notes
Interior shots are always a treat. This is the living room of the Blythe home in downtown Hood River. I’m not sure what year they moved from Twin Oaks Farm, but this is where the Blythes spent their later years.
spinsur
Wow… An interior scene didn’t grab me at first… but the more I looked… A lazy, warm, pastoral late summer afternoon sun thru the window… one can almost hear the clock ticking in the background… the cat’s toys left on the floor, a nap in a sunny chair instead… dahlias or hydrangeas in the vase… An "Oregon" pillow in the corner… tick…tock…
l.e.
I agree spinsur. At first it was kind of boring and then I enlarged it a little bit. Cat in the chair, spools of thread on the floor, the pillow and lots of books.
Some creative photography.
Now I am yearning to know where that furniture went after the Blythe’s were gone.
Arthur
I used to try to guess which images people would find most interesting, but I’ve learned that my interests and everyone else’s don’t match too well. Now I just try for variety, and hope someone finds something interesting in it. I didn’t even see the cat.
We’ve just hit 13,000 scans (thanks Matt!) and while they’re not all "keepers" there are plenty to choose from. Tomorrow’s and Friday’s are ones I really like.
charlott
My passion is old houses and the furniture, etc. that went with them. Absolutely wonderful, but that is my personal opinion.
Judy
I too like interior shots. I did not see a cat, only its toys (spools of thread) Could that be an organ in this shot?
longshot
Look at how the pictures hang away from the walls. Was this done so that shorter people could get a better view of the pictures?
Electric lights and not gas or oil.
What is the machine like apparatus to the left of the tall plant in front of the window?
Lot of books on the shelves.
Jill Stanford
I agree this is a wonderful picture, full of things to look at and ponder. I can tell you that the pictures are hanging at an angle because they are hanging from the "picture rail" below the ceiling.. No one apparently wanted to drive a nail into wallpaper. I think that is a white Hydrangea in the vase. I believe that is a pedal pump organ and I would love to see the shawl draped over the top more closely. The curtains are clean and starched and ironed but imagine keeping all that furniture and bookcases dusted!
nels
That seems sto be a sewing machine by the window…treadle or electric? And a piano or organ on the far left. Looks like a music stand at least. But all the chairs face a rug on the right, which might be a hearth out of the picture. Thanks all for the comments. Brought back memories of my great grandmother and the coal bucket by the fire place. And when she set a table there were 3 kinds of meat, squashes, green beans, a multitude of relishes and pickled things strange to the eye of a child, and the delicious smell of the buns and the jam and butter at the ready. I even recall the smells. Great grandfather was out tending his racing (sulky) horses of which he was very proud.
l.e.
One thing we seem to never know, is…"which photos will inspire a multitude of comments."
There is an antimicassar on the back of the rocking chair. Can anyone tell what is on the back of the straight back chair? Two ribbons coming down from something.
spinsur
Wow, word for the day, l.e.! Ya know I looked at those too, because it reminded me of the stole a priest might wear.
Jill Stanford
Question of the day: do you know what antimacassar means? Points for i.e. for even knowing that’s what it is on the back of the chair!
Arthur
I think it’s a regular piano. I can’t be sure about the sewing machine– too many books in front of it. Flower look like chrysanthemums up close.
Seeing the word antimacassar reminds me of a cold war era satire postulating that we were losing the battle with the USSR over antimacassar and samovar production. And of course it’s online now: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1981/09/07/1981_09_07_028_TNY_CARDS_000334561
Charlott
My guess that is an organ instead of a piano as I have one somewhat similiar. The majority of the photos I have seen of pianos or organs have something on top of this similiar. Some were lace and they hung down over a few inches in the front.
When I look at what has been termed cat toys I basically see spools of thread. Ofcourse, that kitty in the chair could think thread was toys, as from experience I know cats loves thread and yarn.
Did anyone notice the big throw pillow on the left. The writing says Oregon on it.
The table between the two rockers has a marble top and just by looking at it one can tell it is of quality, as is the rug on the floor.
Just think of all the "foo-foos" that one had in this house to take care of and without the modern washers, driers, irons, etc. They had to work hard enough, but just added to their woes.
l.e.
When I was a little girl, my grandmother lived with us. She crocheted and tatted many sets of antimacassars. I knew they were for furniture protection against the "macassar oil" previously used by men.
Like most kids, I thought they were stupid, and never thought beyond that until Jill asked if we knew where the word came from.
I didn’t know there was an area named Macassar nor an ylang-ylang tree.
Arthur, I don’t know why you would remember that article but it ironically fits in with today’s world happenings. I like the bit about the Russian toaster popping the black bread higher than our Wonder Bread.
Jill Stanford
i.e. is right and my grandmother crocheted thousands of them too!