In my thrifting adventures I happened upon a pile of vintage photos, and I couldn't help but buy them solely for the purpose of nosing through someone else's history. My husband just shook his head when I picked them up. I'm a bit of a magpie I guess and bring home "shiny" things of all sorts, but I have a real fondness for this sort of visual storytelling. Looking at the pictures I imagine the sorts of lives these people had led, how they might be feeling, where they ended up in this world....
Some of the pictures were really quite compelling but unfortunately this magpie's nest is full so I've listed them in my "extras" shop in hopes that someone else will get to enjoy them as much as I have.
But you can bet I'll be on the lookout for the next batch....
5 comments:
I often talk about this "analysis" they once had us do at work called Strengthfinders -- the main tenet being that we should all focus more time and energy on our strengths than weaknesses (which I happen to agree with. Well, long story short, one of my strengths was "input" which basically means someone who collects things as "inputs" to his or her life that help tell stories, etc. I think this affinity for bringing home old things might be part of that. Perhaps you and I share an input strength. Or, we just like old stuff! Who knows! Happy thrifting!
One of my Big Yard Sale Regrets was a box of photos including many tin types.... they were asking $10... I had $7 and didn't feel confident enough to try to dicker...
I totally understand.... and I think it is great to adopt these orphan photos!
Have you ever thought to post these on Flickr to see if anyone spots them? I seriously love these photos and as much as I want to have them I feel like they'll never belong to me. I'll always wonder what "happened" to these people.
PumpkinGirl - I find that really interesting. I don't feel the need to keep these treasures, I just feel the need to mull them over, take in the details, and when I'm done, pass them on. Like I just want to steep in them a bit if that makes sense.
Jennifer - I know, I never dicker but really should learn.
Tumus - that's an interesting idea. I was really surprised to find a bag of memories at a garage sale. The lady who was selling them didn't know the people so who knows where they came from.
I do the exact same thing! I bring home all sorts of odd "shiny" finds and Austin just shakes his head. I love to think of the lives people in those old photos had.. to think they are relatives to someone and to wonder what the world was like during that time and what these people did to fill their day... I love it! So glad I'm not the only one.
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