fedglass fauxtostream / clicheographs exposed
Huge old oak
I've been told the tree is estimated to be between 150 and 200 years old. I'll say at least 150.
This oak is located in Glenwood cemetery, Houston TX. Glenwood is basically the River Oaks for the deceased. It's an interesting place. Originally developed as a rural or park cemetery in 1871. Today Glenwood is well within the city limits.
The idea of a cemetery being a park seems a bit morbid today. Not so for those of the Victorian Era. Père Lachaise Cemetery being the first..... Kinda sorta'. Anyway....Victorians had very different sensibilities. Particularly regarding death, dieing...sex..... Victorians were more comfortable talking about the dead than procreation... It's true. Those Victorian folks were same folks totally cool with postmortem portraits of loved ones.
And.....My parents have a portrait of an ancestor who drowned at about age six. Approx.... 1900. The little boy appears to be standing for his portrait. Uhmmm... Nope...Actually the little one had gone to meet his maker. Soon after very carefully mounted on a rack by a photographer in an effort to have the kid appear alive...ish.
Well....I've actually run across on of those racks. A few years ago while passing through a Louisiana junk shoppe I overheard the shoppe owner say, "I have no idea what this is. Maybe for display mannequins?" Looking over at the rack-like device I had an idea. :-)
"Where did you find this rack?"
"Part of an estate sale."
"The deceased a photographer?"
"Yes.... Why do you ask?"
"That device was used for postmortem photography is my guess."
The expression on the shoppe owners face was priceless. lol He immediately removed his hand from the rack.
"Ha! You're just messing with me."
"I am and I'm also fairly certain that device was used for postmortem photography."
I should have purchased the rack.... thing. My wife would have freaked though.
Truthfully I'm skeptical about stands/racks being used for postmortem photography. There are a number of reasons to be skeptical. Still... The one and only rack I've ever run across was a stout and elaborate contraption. What really struck me was the broad and very heavy cast iron base of the device. See where I'm going with this?....Upper parts appeared to be brass.
Huge old oak
I've been told the tree is estimated to be between 150 and 200 years old. I'll say at least 150.
This oak is located in Glenwood cemetery, Houston TX. Glenwood is basically the River Oaks for the deceased. It's an interesting place. Originally developed as a rural or park cemetery in 1871. Today Glenwood is well within the city limits.
The idea of a cemetery being a park seems a bit morbid today. Not so for those of the Victorian Era. Père Lachaise Cemetery being the first..... Kinda sorta'. Anyway....Victorians had very different sensibilities. Particularly regarding death, dieing...sex..... Victorians were more comfortable talking about the dead than procreation... It's true. Those Victorian folks were same folks totally cool with postmortem portraits of loved ones.
And.....My parents have a portrait of an ancestor who drowned at about age six. Approx.... 1900. The little boy appears to be standing for his portrait. Uhmmm... Nope...Actually the little one had gone to meet his maker. Soon after very carefully mounted on a rack by a photographer in an effort to have the kid appear alive...ish.
Well....I've actually run across on of those racks. A few years ago while passing through a Louisiana junk shoppe I overheard the shoppe owner say, "I have no idea what this is. Maybe for display mannequins?" Looking over at the rack-like device I had an idea. :-)
"Where did you find this rack?"
"Part of an estate sale."
"The deceased a photographer?"
"Yes.... Why do you ask?"
"That device was used for postmortem photography is my guess."
The expression on the shoppe owners face was priceless. lol He immediately removed his hand from the rack.
"Ha! You're just messing with me."
"I am and I'm also fairly certain that device was used for postmortem photography."
I should have purchased the rack.... thing. My wife would have freaked though.
Truthfully I'm skeptical about stands/racks being used for postmortem photography. There are a number of reasons to be skeptical. Still... The one and only rack I've ever run across was a stout and elaborate contraption. What really struck me was the broad and very heavy cast iron base of the device. See where I'm going with this?....Upper parts appeared to be brass.