| The Strange, Unusual and Just Plain Odd |
| Cabinet Photographs, Carte de Visites, etc. |
| "Naval Mounted Horse" Novelty Cabinet Photograph Hong Kong c. 1900's |
| P.O.W.? c. 1890s |
| Girl Wearing 17th Lancers Uniform Post 1902 |
| 5th Royal Irish Lancer Chicago, Illinois, USA c. 1890 |
| Double Sided Cabinet Photograph c. 1900 |
| US Cavalryman Salford, Manchester, England c. 1880's |
| Army Service Corps Private and Handicapped Brother c. 1890 |
| A Prisoner of the Zulus? c. 1900 |
| "Drums of the 24th" Japanese Postcard c. 1920s |
| Bugler Govier & Lt Col. Curzon Rifle Brigade c. 1895 |
| Lancer Dobinson "One of the 600" c. 1890 |
| Teaching an Old Dog a New Trick c. 1880 |
| Scottish Rifle Volunteer Parody c. 1870 |
| Stereoviews |
| Unusual Backwards Stereoview c. 1890 |
| Postal Cover addressed to No7709 Pte. Jones B Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot. Rorke's Drift, Natal. 22 January, 1879 |
A seemingly incredibly rare postal
cover sent to one of the defenders of
the mission station of at Rorke's Dirft,
Natal in January 1879. But as is often
the case all is not what is seems at first.
The cover is postmarked Lundy Island,
8 January, 1879. Counter marked by
the Army Post Office Natal, 22 January,
1879. The ship letter stamp indicates
that this letter was to be posted to Pte.
Jones via Royal Mail Steamer. The
letter is marked "undelivered" with the
reason given on the reverse side in a
most understated manner "Surrounded
by Zulus!"
cover sent to one of the defenders of
the mission station of at Rorke's Dirft,
Natal in January 1879. But as is often
the case all is not what is seems at first.
The cover is postmarked Lundy Island,
8 January, 1879. Counter marked by
the Army Post Office Natal, 22 January,
1879. The ship letter stamp indicates
that this letter was to be posted to Pte.
Jones via Royal Mail Steamer. The
letter is marked "undelivered" with the
reason given on the reverse side in a
most understated manner "Surrounded
by Zulus!"
| Girl in uniform of the The Hampshire Regiment c. 1890 |
| Girl in Highland Costume Wearing the 1877-79 South Africa (Zulu War) Medal Ireland c. 1900 |
| Lady in Red Stereoview c. 1860's |
| Man Costumed for Amateur Theatrics c. 1890 |
This photograph is another of
those out of place images that pose
many interesting possible
explanations.
Here we have a veteran member of
the Royal Artillery classically posed
with his foreign service helmet on
the studio plinth next to him, his
two Jack Russell Terriers at his
feet. He could have been in a studio
located at Aldershot, India or Cairo
but instead he was photographed at
Pawtucket, Rhode Island in the
United States sometime in the
early 1900s.
those out of place images that pose
many interesting possible
explanations.
Here we have a veteran member of
the Royal Artillery classically posed
with his foreign service helmet on
the studio plinth next to him, his
two Jack Russell Terriers at his
feet. He could have been in a studio
located at Aldershot, India or Cairo
but instead he was photographed at
Pawtucket, Rhode Island in the
United States sometime in the
early 1900s.
| Royal Artillery Gunner Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S.A. Early 1900s |
| Royal Artillery Sergeant Double Exposure Novelty CVD c 1870s |
| Unidentified bemedaled sergeant wearing Victoria Cross Early Kodak Photographic Print Early 1900's |
This is another of those odd photographs that
I have been unable to quite figure out. It is an
early circular format Kodak photographic
portrait of what appears to be a veteran
British sergeant wearing a considerable
number of medals including the Victoria Cross.
Based upon the Wolseley pattern helmet he is
wearing the photo would date at least from the
early 1900's when that pattern head covering
became general issue to other ranks.
I have been unable to quite figure out. It is an
early circular format Kodak photographic
portrait of what appears to be a veteran
British sergeant wearing a considerable
number of medals including the Victoria Cross.
Based upon the Wolseley pattern helmet he is
wearing the photo would date at least from the
early 1900's when that pattern head covering
became general issue to other ranks.
| Union Cased Ferrotype Volunteer Light Infantry Private c 1880s |
| Canadian Highlander Tacoma, Washington, USA Mounted Photograph Early 1900's |
The incurable romantic in some might like to look
upon this photograph with the possibility that the
above title was in reality true but the in fact while
the image does indeed depict a Canadian
Highlander it simply reflects the fact that at some
point he decided to have Washington state based
photographer F. J. Lee capture his likeness in
Lee's Tacoma studio.
The unidentified Highlander would have been
visiting from nearby British Columbia and may
have been a resident of any of the nearby towns or
cities in that Canadian province.
The photo dates from the early 1900s and the sitter
may have been a member of the Vancouver based
Seaforth Highlanders of Canada which were first
mustered in on 24 November, 1910 at Vancouver.
Another possibility is that this man had taken up
residence in Tacoma after his military service in...
upon this photograph with the possibility that the
above title was in reality true but the in fact while
the image does indeed depict a Canadian
Highlander it simply reflects the fact that at some
point he decided to have Washington state based
photographer F. J. Lee capture his likeness in
Lee's Tacoma studio.
The unidentified Highlander would have been
visiting from nearby British Columbia and may
have been a resident of any of the nearby towns or
cities in that Canadian province.
The photo dates from the early 1900s and the sitter
may have been a member of the Vancouver based
Seaforth Highlanders of Canada which were first
mustered in on 24 November, 1910 at Vancouver.
Another possibility is that this man had taken up
residence in Tacoma after his military service in...
| Woman Costumed for Military Pageant c. 1900 |
| Private The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment New York, USA c. 1900 |
| Unidentified Officer in Patrol Jacket wearing India General Service Medal Bourne & Shepherd India Carte de Visite c. 1880 |
Taken by the redoubtable photographic firm of Bourne & Shepherd, this
carte de visite duplicates another carte by the same firm. Depicting an older
veteran British officer the photograph does not seem to be an example of a
more typical duplicate photograph of the type more commonly seen.
carte de visite duplicates another carte by the same firm. Depicting an older
veteran British officer the photograph does not seem to be an example of a
more typical duplicate photograph of the type more commonly seen.
| British Cavalryman with Uninvited Portrait Guest John W. Poole Colne, Lancashire, England Carte de Visite c. 1900 |
In the age of phone cameras and digital photography a photo bomb refers to an
individual’s unwanted intrusion into someone else’s photographic moment. If
anything, this c. 1900 carte de visite proves the old adage that everything old is new
again.
Outwardly this photograph is a rather mundane late 19th Century image of a young
British cavalryman. Standing ramrod straight he proudly posed outside a building
for photographer John W. Poole of Colne, Lancashire.
individual’s unwanted intrusion into someone else’s photographic moment. If
anything, this c. 1900 carte de visite proves the old adage that everything old is new
again.
Outwardly this photograph is a rather mundane late 19th Century image of a young
British cavalryman. Standing ramrod straight he proudly posed outside a building
for photographer John W. Poole of Colne, Lancashire.
| Photographic Novelty Caricatures The Gordon Highlanders c. 1910 |