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- Tough Guys
- Lost in Toyland
- And without gloves
- If I were a blindfolded time traveler
- Smoke Consumer Also Cooks
- Oh that stove!
- Possibly still there?
- What?!?
- $100 Reward
- Freeze Frame
- Texas Flyer wanted
- Just a Year Too Soon
- WWII -- Replacing men with women at the railroad crossing.
- Yes, Icing
- You kids drive me nuts!
- NOT An Easy Job
- I wonder
- Just add window boxes
- Icing Platform?
- Indiana Harbor Belt abides
- Freezing haze
- Corrections (for those who care)
- C&NW at Nelson
- Fallen Flags
- A dangerous job made worse
- Water Stop
- Passenger trains have right of way over freights?
- Coal
- Never ceases to amaze me.
- Still chuggin' (in model form)
Photos submitted by Shorpy members!
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Baby Doll: 1917
November 19, 1917. New York. "Frances White." Half of the vaudeville team Rock & White, Frances attained brief renown for a novelty tune called the "Spelling Song." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.
Still a Teenager
According to Wikipedia, Frances White lived from 1898 to 1969. Doing the math, she was around 19 years old when this photo was taken. William Rock, her vaudeville partner, lived from 1875 until 1922.
Knitting nerds
Well, car nerds are common around here, identifying all the obscure vehicles in the photos. Train nerds are probably second in number. Flag nerds abound. And now we have a highly qualified knitting nerd.
Louise, I found that interesting, and forwarded the link to my knitter/historian cousin who will be delighted! Thanks!!
Speaking Of Spelling
My Mother would sing to us kids a variant of the Mississippi song...."M eye crooked letter crooked letter eye, crooked letter crooked letter eye, humpback humpback eye".
Frances is s a real knitter, too
... probably since her childhood. She is working on a sweater back, in garter stitch, on smaller needles - probably a size four. You can see the ball of hand-wound olive-dunn wool on the floor under the table. The great thing about knitting as a pastime is that it can turn those unoccupied minutes into something useful. Unlike a book, it won't bereave you to put it down in the middle of a compelling passage. You can still chatter or pay attention to other things - such as the sound from outside your dressing room - while your hands are occupied. it's also a great companion while you are traveling. She could probably get half a sweater done riding the rails between New York and Chicago.
Even the familiarity with which Frances holds her needles points to the verity of the shot. The cameraman probably saw her knitting on the table, and suggested that she pick it up to make a good shot.
Wow
What an interesting photo. The battered wall and window completely fail to make the scene seem house-like, but that's not what's so strange.
It's the combination of grown woman in full makeup and silk stockings wearing childlike shoes, floppy bow and rompers. Hearing the clip just confirms that the aim was a "sexy child" effect. The "knitting for the troops" just puts the icing on the slightly creepy cake.
I don't know if it makes me feel better or worse to know this sort of thing has been going on for a long time!
McKayla Maroney twin
Heh, heh. Anyone else notice the resemblance?
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