The Living Piñata

 

Well, she is hitting him with a stick, and he is wearing a party hat. 

Mason City, Again

 

Of the four cabinet cards I purchased, this is the one that might not show a member of the Rayburn family.  So, a bit about photographer on T. H. Eulass, a very small bit.  Eulass was, apparently, an itinerant photographer.  He was known to work out of Joplin, Missouri, as well as Indiana, and Ohio.  And of course, Mason City, Illinois.  

Springfield

 

It's pretty obvious that the man is Eddie Rayburn from the previous post.  I still can't find any info on the Rayburn family, but I was able to dig up a bit of information on photographer G. N. Burleigh. He had a studio in Taylorville, Illinois from 1878 to 1886.  Then he was in Jerseyville, Illinois for a year in 1888, and finally ended up in the Illinois state capitol, Springfield from 1891-1900.  So, at the very least we can pin down this image to a ten year period.  But, what was Eddie, his wife, and by the look of it, a new child doing in the state capitol?  Did he move from Mason City?  A visit?  

Mason City

 

I hadn't purchased any cabinet cards for awhile, but I just picked up four of them at a reasonable price.  Two of them have names written on the back.  The top one, "Eddie Rayburn & Family."  Then a bit lower on the back, "Ralph, Floyd."  I guess the mother didn't merit a mention.  The other photo, "Arthur Rayburn."  The other two cabinet cards, which I'll be posting in the next two slots, are almost certainly members of the same family.  I wasn't able to find anything on the Rayburn family.  

As of right now, I haven't been able to locate any information on T. H. Eulass, the photographer of the top photo, but I was able to find a mention of S.M. Miller, whose mark was found on the back of the second image.  Samuel M Miller was born in Illinois, in 1839.  He's listed in the 1860 census as a farmer.  I couldn't find any indication that he served during the Civil War.  In 1863 he married Lucea A. Whitney, the daughter of his boarding house landlord.  From 1870 to 1900 he's listed as a photographer, and, over the years, father of four children.  By 1910, he's a widower and retired.  So far, I haven't been able to find a date of death, but I'll try a few more searches with the next two posts.  

The Evil Eye

 

I started this blog for one reason and one reason only.  Over the years I had picked up so many of these old photos and it was just impossible to keep track of them all.  Anyway, I've been using some pandemic time top get things in some sort of archival storage situation.  I found an envelope of prints that I might have posted, then again maybe I didn't.  So, after spending the last twenty minutes scrolling through things, trying to figure out what the hell I did or didn't do, I gave up.  They're all in the rotation and if I'm repeating myself, so be it.  She does have that you are in big trouble look.  

Tree

 

He seems really fascinated by that tree.  Or is it something in the tree. 

The Dancing Sailor

 

No, not Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra or Jules Munshin.  On The Town, for those who don't get the reference. 

A Dapper Gentleman

 

The guy facing the camera is the definition of an older dapper gentleman.  The hat, the cane, the glasses.  Just a great look.  

Looking Over the Shoulder

  

There are people walking towards you.  Put on your mask. 

Who are these people?

 

My first quick glance at this rather small photo was that it was a mother and son.  But, when I scanned and blew it up, I began to think it might be two adult women, one looking, at least for the twenties, dressed in a masculine way.  So, initial impression, or the second one?  The photo isn't good enough to be 100% certain. 

Three Flappers

 

Three little flappers.  Well, maybe not, but at least they dressed the part.  There's a photo lab stamp on the back, "PAKO PHOTO SERVICE, DEVELOPING, PRINTING, ENLARGING, PROCESSED AUG 11 1928."  

The Guthries are Bored

 

I've never seen a more bored looking group of people in an old snapshot.  Written on the back, "Rudy Guthrie with Lila, Bev & Peggy Ann Guthrie."  Perhaps they couldn't get the fire started. 

Post War

 

My first thought, with the barracks like building in the background, was that this was a photograph of one the interment camps where we imprisoned Japanese Americans.  But then, I noticed that the shoulder badge on the soldier on the right was an air core insignia, so I realized it must be post war occupied Japan.