Since you asked:

"Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp, to guard a title that was rich before, to gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
to throw a perfume on the violet, to smooth the ice, or add another hue unto the rainbow, or with taper-light
to seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, is wasteful and ridiculous excess."

~William Shakespeare,
ca. 1595

Yup, that's us.

March 03, 2009

Pages, dear and worn...

What a little treasure this is, something I happened upon last time I was at the flea market. I had just purchased a small bible, and thought this was another, beautifully bound in leather.

Imagine my surprise when I opened it to find a tin type album in minature. The whole of it measures just around three or so inches, and the front is tooled leather that looks for all the world like a chamfered ceiling in a grand manse...

Here's the frontispiece, in gold type. I have no idea of the significance of the "113."

One of the pages in the album, with old tin type portraits of the family, three generations by the look of it...

One of my favorites. There is something about a tin type that leaves you breathless. None of those vibrant colors to distract you from the clear and level gaze of the subject. A simplicity, too, and spareness of expression that lends itself to the medium...

3 comments:

Elizabeth said...

That is lovely! You're so lucky to have found that!

The Pink Birdhouse said...

that is the most precious thing I have ever seen! What a TREASURE!! Oh those old pictures. I can just imagine in my mind someone of old, carrying that little book around with them, to show off their loved ones with pride and joy. I wish I could get on over to your flea markets, they are loaded with the most fabulous things, things that could never be found over here in my neck of the woods!! WOW factor #10!!!

Sherry Goodloe said...

I'm a big fan of tintypes as well, so you can imagine me sitting here drooling as I look at your fabulous find! :)

PS Hope you are feeling better :(