Historic Hood River
Still Life with Owls
8-17-2011
Notes
We recently ran across a rather undistinguished set of glass negatives. We know little about their source, but I like to believe they are from an amateur first learning his or her way around a camera. The compositions are plain, the lighting is variable, the focus is frequently poor. But as this photographer went from room to room documenting their home they provided us with a rare glimpse into everyday life. Here we see how a normal person lived before electricity, indoor plumbing, and big fluffy mattresses.
Charlott
And we complain of back pain from our bed…..You can sort of see the bed slats also.
Note the old castors on the bed frame, don’t see those often anymore. It is somewhat surprising to see an actual closet, as many of that era did not have such. Noticed the pitcher and bowl, but wonder if the bucket is a water bucket or something for night time use….Wonder what the significance of the two owls on the bedstead represent?
l.e.
It’s the early 1900’s and that dresser already looks old.
I would imagine the pretty bucket is the slop bucket. You pour your dirty wash water into it.
I think this is a pretty fancy room. Nice big closet with hooks, not nails. And wallpaper, not bare boards.
The owls keep all of the other birds away. There should be a smiley at the end of that comment.
Arthur
It’s amazing how the basic elements of life have changed since then. Not sure I would know how to brush my teeth or where to empty the slop bucket. Wait ’til you see the kitchen.
Connie
I just love this image. I can just imagine life in this room. I wonder where the house is since you can see what is obviously another wall just outside the window. Arthur – what are the pictures on the wall of?
Arthur
You have to use a fair bit of imagination to identify the pictures on the wall, as they are out of focus. Most of the wall hangings in this series (7 photos) seem to be portraits, including 3 of dogs, a few of older men, and many of children– possibly in foreign dress. Then there’s one which in my best guess is a hedgehog sitting on a book. Or it could be a loaf of bread on a cutting board. As I said, they’re not very clear. They’re all small images– large images were very expensive back then.
Esther Smith
I think it’s interesting how randomly the pictures seem to be placed. "I guess I’ll just stick it — here"