Thursday, December 10, 2009

Photo Number Fifty


A busy day today..but I am finally here!  Carl Thiel was a former actor turned photographer in Duluth, Minnesota..down on the Ingalls Block. This is a cabinet card and this photo was taken sometime between 1887 and 1901.   I was intrigued with her  " nose spectacles"  this type of frame is called Pince-nez. ..the spectacles were on a chain that could be reeled into an eyeglass holder that was pinned to your dress.  I got held up when I was reading about early glasses..about how some people felt that glasses were something to be ashamed of and they felt out of whack ..and only wore glasses in private.   I have worn glasses all my life, I don't think I ever could see..even as a small child.  I rarely take my glass off..I wear them even at night..that way if I wake up and need to see something ..I can!
Thanks for stopping by, come back again:)

7 comments:

  1. That's interesting about these "nose spectacles." I remember when we took mama to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore MD and they told her glasses would not help. She said she would mount binoculars to her face if she could just see even a little. There's nothing that sets me off like vain people who won't wear glasses when they need them. I'll step off my soapbox now and say thanks for sharing another great pic and for sharing about the glasses - I am learning a lot from these posts.

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  2. Those glasses are interesting--she looks a bit stern, like the school marm who has eyes in back of her head. ;-) As far as glasses, I used to shirk wearing them as a teen. Now, I would feel so lost without vision, that even if I could afford to have lasix surgery to improve my eyesight, I would be so afraid they would botch my eyes--I'll stick with my glasses (occasionally contacts, though I have sort of given up on those, too).

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  3. She looks so dour, but looking at the detail, it appears her dress has a flower design on the collar that is continued in at least the top buttons. Very subtle. Interesting that the chain for the pince nez goes over her ear to keep it out of the way, then down her shoulder and is pinned close to the buttons on her bodice. She may have been serious, but her attention to detail is beautiful in its way. Another style of old glasses were lorgnettes - the glasses on a stick - that some women used only to see distances, or maybe at the theater.

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  4. These old photos are so interesting. It is so fun to imagine the story behind what we can only imagine.

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  5. Wow, kind of awesome to see actually. Carl Thiel was my great great grandfather. His old studio still stands, in Hibbing Mn. Been trying to find more of his images

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  6. Hi Chris, As far as I know this is the only one I have that was taken by him...It has no name on it. If you would like to have this photo, email me your snail mail address:) Connie..my email can be found in my profile next to the yellow flower.

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  7. Carl Thiel worked at the Dworshak Photo studio in Duluth with my Grandfather,
    Louis Dworshak

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Hi, Thanks for the comments, your input on these old photos is appreciated! English only please! All comments will be moderated! Connie