NEED HELP WITH PHOTO ID OF POSSIBLE FAMOUS PERSON

[DCMatt]

Butch Cassidy? Nah... The chin is all wrong.....

Arch Stanton?

I think he is the guy in the grave marked Unknown next to Arch Stanton.

DCMatt

 

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[SODABOTTLEBOB]

I am behind on my replies and want to thank everyone again for your time and interest here. It would be so much easier if we just recognized the person in the photo and then be done with it. But since this is not the case, I suppose all we have to go on are the other clues ... weak as they may be. With this said, I would like to add the following ...

1. In my attempt to scrape off some of the paint over the stamped word, I did more harm than good because when the paint was scraped off, so was the stamped word beneath it. Thus, I have called it quits on that experiment. However, based on what I am able to make of the word, I am certain it starts with ... RI ... But other than that I have no way of knowing how many, if any, other letters follow the RI

2. The dictionary definition of the word Mal is as follows ... Mal , a combining form meaning ... bad - wrongful - ill. Used in the formation of other words such as malfunction; malcontent.

3. Regarding the photo paper itself, I found the following that seems to apply ...

Summary of Important Qualities of the Early Albumen Print

Almost all were produced in the 19th century. A few examples can be found in the early 1900s. Most 1800 paper photographs are albumen prints. Due to the delicate nature of the paper, albumen prints had to be mounted, meaning the albumen print had to be pasted to a heavy backing like a sheet of cardboard.

4. There are two references to the number six.

1.) Upper left corner ... Mal no6
2.) Top center/right .... ? ive # 6

These two sixes must be related in some way. I can't help but wonder if the Mal and the ive are also related ... as in ... Mal_ _ _ ive # 6

5. Take another look at the full image photo and at the bottom in the white area you will see the indentation of a thumb tack. I'm certain that the missing chunk at the top was also where a thumb tack once was. But whether the thumb tacks were used by the touch-up artist or the person who owned it, is impossible to say.

6. My current area of focus is with the partial word on top that appears to end with ... binez (Although I am not entirely certain of the letters).

7. All things considered, and because the face doesn't jump out at us as being immediately recognizable without question, I am beginning to suspect we have a John Doe on our hands that may never be identified. However, this doesn't mean I don't love a good mystery, because I do! So I am going to forget about the face for the time being and focus all of my energies on the penciled text at the top. I wonder what Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson would have to say about the text if it were necessary for them to decipher it in order to solve a major crime? I'm not sure about the Doc, but I can just hear Sherlock saying ...

"It's elementary, my dear Watson!"

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I have been playing with the "stamped word"..It is an unusual "K" followed by a "6" then a strange "A"..I turned the pic upside down. It has"63878X1l ' "..also "35XA75", "D,B,D7" and a hidden "T"..The pic was taken through a magnifying glass...

You lost me. Do you really see numbers?

1. In my attempt to scrape off some of the paint over the stamped word, I did more harm than good because when the paint was scraped off, so was the stamped word beneath it. Thus, I have called it quits on that experiment. However, based on what I am able to make of the word, I am certain it starts with ... RI ... But other than that I have no way of knowing how many, if any, other letters follow the RI

Did you try water? There may be a chemical that will remove the paint. I saw it on a detective show, maybeRockford.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Here is a current picture of the stamped word after I did the scraping. I will experiment with the water on another area first. If it proves successful, I will try it on the stamped area and see what happens. I will post the results irregardless of the outcome. By the way ... I don't see any numbers either. But I suppose there could be. Plus, I suspect the stamped word is most likely related to the paper itself and not the person in the photograph nor the artist. At one point I thought it was Kodak but have since dismissed that idea because I am confident it is not an O that follows the first letter. Notice on the first letter that it is open at the top, and could either be an R or a K. But because of the shape of the lower 'leg" on the right, I personally believe it to be an R

Additionally, I always thought the word "Kodak" was someone's last name. But I recently discovered this to be wrong. Here is a qutote from George Eastman himself regarding how he came up with the word Kodak ...

George Eastman- "I devised the name myself. The letter "K" had been a favorite with me- it seems a strong, incisive sort of letter. It became a question of trying about a great number of combinations of letters that made words starting and ending with "K." The word "Kodak" is the result."

The bottom picture is that of an old Kodak ad ... Date unknown, but very early. The Eastman Kodak Company was founded in 1892.

I will be back this evening with the results of the water experiment.

SBB

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I think that is Miss T Laine....perhaps a picture of her boyfriend....or father?

I am bad with writing. I can never read my doctors scribble. But Im pretty sure its not Miss because the e is the same as the others e's..




But to add to the confusion, the e off the the right is different.

 

[Digaplug]

What if Laine is his first name, and "ess" is the end of his last name?

 

[Goldwind]

BCH..I can see the numbers in an image program I put this in..I just can't get it to post what I see...But it has numbers over letters which makes it twice as difficult...

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

BCH..I can see the numbers in an image program I put this in..I just can't get it to post what I see...But it has numbers over letters which makes it twice as difficult...

OK. If its just a bunch of numbers, then it wont help us. I was hoping for a company name to at least put a date range on the paper used. Or if really lucky, the artists name.

What image program do you use? Did you try "print screen"?

 

[Goldwind]

I am trying again..I turned the "word" on end..R is on bottom..does anybody have a program to see the numbers in the 1st leg of the "R"..or am I senile?? It almost looks like cryptic messages!!

 

[Goldwind]

BCH..I use HP Image Zone..lets me edit photos..the one above i transfered to MS Paint..inverted colors so maybe you could see the numbers with a magnifying glass or another program..it seems like the letters were painted over the numbers..

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

There is definitely some kind of logo on the paper and it appears to start with an R. I dont see any numbers.

 

[aka da Prof]

what ends with 'ess? my first name, Jess, a after my Swedish grandfather--could be a fancy scripted 'J'---da Prof

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

My experiment regarding the removal of the paint from the paper was unsuccessful. I even attempted it with alcohol and a couple of other things, but nothing worked. So the last image I posted of the stamped word is going to be as good as it gets.

Regarding the date of the photo, I honestly think it is safe to say it is circa 1880, with 1870 to 1890 being the full date range. I base this on a number of things, including the following ...

After very close eximination of the top paper itself, I am of the opinion that it is "Albumen" print. It is as thin as today's standard copy paper, and then adhered in some manner to the cardboard backing. Below is a link to the history of Albumen print, which was at it's peak use between 1860 and 1890.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albumen_print

As for the process of hand coloring photographs, it too was popular during this same time period. It's history can be read via the following link.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand-colouring_of_photographs

I realize and appreciate that discovering the studio - photographer and artist who produced the finished photo would be great to know, but I also feel that if the person pictured is not someone famous, then our continuing efforts here may be in vain. And as much as I appreciate everyone's time and interest in this topic, I'd really feel bad to come up empty handed in the long run. So please don't rack your brains too much, as I am almost at the point of calling it quits myself. If in time the person is identified by a TN member, and it turns out to be someone famous, and I sell the photo, my offer to share the proceeds still stands. But that possibility appears to be getting dimmer and dimmer by the moment. Who was it that said "one picture is worth a thousand words?" In the case of our mystery man, it seems to be the other way around.

Despite my words above, I am not disappearing just yet, but please anticipate my participation here to be on the wane. Unless someone has more to add to this, I really don't know what else to do ... and I full understand the disappearence of those who proceeded me.

Thanks again to all.

SBBOB

 

[Goldwind]

BCH..OK..I've flipped my mind..LOL..but I will get someone to come over to verify this or take me to the crazy house..

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

BCH..OK..I've flipped my mind..LOL..but I will get someone to come over to verify this or take me to the crazy house..

No I just mean that I dont see any numbers. Maybe someone else may see it.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

what ends with 'ess? my first name, Jess, a after my Swedish grandfather--could be a fancy scripted 'J'---da Prof

Jess Laine. Both names are Scandanavian.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

P.S. ~

I forgot to do this update on the dozen or so inquiries I made to various photo experts across the country. So far I have only heard back from the one I posted earlier. I'm hopeful that if any of the others recognize the man, they will eventually let me know. If/when that occurs, I will be sure to let everyone here know as well. In the meantime I am going to find a nice vintage frame for the photo, and then hang it on my wall and let those piercing eyes haunt me in my dreams of unrealized wealth.

Dear Mr. Laine

If you happen to be following any of this, please blink once and let us know you are there. And then blink twice if you are someone famous. If none of the above are possible, just crack a smile and the joke will be on us. At least then we will know you are real, and simply someone's great-great grandfather. Whoever you are, I thank you for being the subject of our most interesting discussion.

Sincerely,

FULLOFBULLBOB

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Have you thought about going back to the antique shop to see if they know anything?

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Big Cy ~

Yes! I intend to do that the next opportunity I get. But you may recall that on the price tag the seller simply titled it ... "Old Photo of Gentleman." He may or may not know anything about old photographs, but I suspect if he knew a name or anything else about it that he would have indicated it on the tag. I'll find out and let you know.

Thanks.

SBB

 

[Tnmountains]

Hmmmmmm. 8)