More vintage photos

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Oct 2021 1:41 pm

Spotted on eBay. An interesting photo of a young man playing a shiny, new Gibson lap steel w/matching amp, probably late 1930s or early 40s.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 18 Oct 2021 4:56 am

Courtesy of Jack Needham. Frances Helen and band.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 18 Oct 2021 5:52 am

Evidently smiling was not allowed in that band!

Glenn Wilde · Post by **Glenn Wilde** » 18 Oct 2021 7:10 am

Good lord, all those reso's fighting for airspace, what a sound that must've been, the little Uke don't stand much chance! And the poor girl playing the style 0 with the Triolian in her face.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 18 Oct 2021 7:29 am

I've been noticing a lot of interesting old family photos popping up online lately. This couple appears to be playing matching slide guitars.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 18 Oct 2021 8:13 am

Nice vibe to that pic.

Here's the story behind thie photo I shared earlier from Jack Needham:

This photo was sent to me yesterday by Tobey Crockett in Morro Bay, California. She was asking me if I could find the very same guitar that her great grandmother is playing (she is standing, with what looks like a Triolian 12 Fret).
Tobey says: "My mom sold my great grandmother's National way back in 1974 when she died - in the Long Beach area. She's the tall one in the back, in the middle. Family legend has it that she toured with this band up & down the West Coast during the Depression.

"I can only imagine what this must've sounded like! My great grandmother (and all of us) had strong Cherokee heritage and they are wearing leis...
"I am an art historian but this is too rarified for me to parse, but perhaps you can tell me more? I would love love love to buy this back if possible. My mom didn't know what she had - she sold it for $40.

"My great grandmother Frances Helen was born in 1901 as a Clark, married into the Morgan family in 1918, but divorced (highly scandalous in those days!) in the early 30s. Finally in 1939, she married her last husband, H.W. Johnston, whom she also outlived.
"I believe this touring photo must've been taken in that narrow window of being a single mom after the divorce, but before resuming a more housewifely set of roles once she remarried in 1939. Plus this is a hand colored studio photo which I am pretty sure may have been done on a glass plate. So... either in the boondocks (totally possible) or just the Depression era? Maybe taken in Long Beach, CA? Even if I try to make that photo fit in the 30s, that technology and the choice to hand color really would suggest an earlier date. Her daughter was born in 1920...

"I have no idea who any of the other band members are. She did have a younger brother named Lester. Maybe he was also a musician? It certainly was not my great grandfather to whom she got married so young. I don't think he was a nice guy.
"Anyway - I wish I had more to offer. I know the band toured up into Oregon and I believe Washington, but her dad lived in Oregon and I think that might've been an incentive."

Tobey may have a bit more info; a few more photos, maybe a serial number. I'd love to help her find this guitar! The photo is a fantastic window into that time, probably 1930s.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 19 Oct 2021 3:24 am

One of my favorite vintage pix is this one of Bill Pester playing his Weissenborn:

The "Hermit of Palm Springs" is pictured here next to his hut about 100 years ago, not in the 1960s.

Glenn Wilde · Post by **Glenn Wilde** » 19 Oct 2021 6:14 am

Andy Volk wrote:Nice vibe to that pic.

Here's the story behind thie photo I shared earlier from Jack Needham:

This photo was sent to me yesterday by Tobey Crockett in Morro Bay, California. She was asking me if I could find the very same guitar that her great grandmother is playing (she is standing, with what looks like a Triolian 12 Fret).
Tobey says: "My mom sold my great grandmother's National way back in 1974 when she died - in the Long Beach area. She's the tall one in the back, in the middle. Family legend has it that she toured with this band up & down the West Coast during the Depression.

"I can only imagine what this must've sounded like! My great grandmother (and all of us) had strong Cherokee heritage and they are wearing leis...
"I am an art historian but this is too rarified for me to parse, but perhaps you can tell me more? I would love love love to buy this back if possible. My mom didn't know what she had - she sold it for $40.

"My great grandmother Frances Helen was born in 1901 as a Clark, married into the Morgan family in 1918, but divorced (highly scandalous in those days!) in the early 30s. Finally in 1939, she married her last husband, H.W. Johnston, whom she also outlived.
"I believe this touring photo must've been taken in that narrow window of being a single mom after the divorce, but before resuming a more housewifely set of roles once she remarried in 1939. Plus this is a hand colored studio photo which I am pretty sure may have been done on a glass plate. So... either in the boondocks (totally possible) or just the Depression era? Maybe taken in Long Beach, CA? Even if I try to make that photo fit in the 30s, that technology and the choice to hand color really would suggest an earlier date. Her daughter was born in 1920...

"I have no idea who any of the other band members are. She did have a younger brother named Lester. Maybe he was also a musician? It certainly was not my great grandfather to whom she got married so young. I don't think he was a nice guy.
"Anyway - I wish I had more to offer. I know the band toured up into Oregon and I believe Washington, but her dad lived in Oregon and I think that might've been an incentive."

Tobey may have a bit more info; a few more photos, maybe a serial number. I'd love to help her find this guitar! The photo is a fantastic window into that time, probably 1930s.

I would guess no earlier than 1930, the instruments are all California made imo (can't see the square neck very well) and the model 65 Dobro appears to have the old style cover plate screw spacing. All those reso's look new too.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 19 Oct 2021 7:19 am

One clue in the photo is the hairstyle of the women... early-mid 1930s. I watch a lot of old movies on TCM!

Regarding the Bill Pester picture, I'm always fascinated by those old black and white utopian-nature-hippie photos from the late 1800s to about 1920. There were many such groups in Europe in that era. I saw a picture of hippie girls dancing in a field, wearing nothing but loincloths, and I thought it was from the 60s. Actually from the 1880s!

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 20 Oct 2021 1:06 pm

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 20 Oct 2021 1:41 pm

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 21 Oct 2021 6:45 am

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 22 Oct 2021 7:06 am

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 22 Oct 2021 5:11 pm

Doug Beaumier wrote:

Bessie Keaunui & Knutsen. More when I remember it.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 22 Oct 2021 7:47 pm

"Bessie Keaunui" ...I didn't know that! Here's something she recorded in 1922. --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlSo8wewesc

Marc Muller · Post by **Marc Muller** » 23 Oct 2021 5:04 am

I know I already posted this when I got it in August. But great shot of early 50's gear all around, in Cleveland. Really enjoying playing this steel and have used it on a bunch of sessions.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 23 Oct 2021 5:54 am

That's a great picture, Marc.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 23 Oct 2021 6:21 am

1930s?

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 23 Oct 2021 10:47 am

The dog comes in on the chorus.

Glenn Wilde · Post by **Glenn Wilde** » 23 Oct 2021 12:10 pm

Andy Volk wrote:The dog comes in on the chorus.

Nice Harmony H50 in that last one, great guitar! Mine is from 1948

Dale Foreman · Post by **Dale Foreman** » 23 Oct 2021 12:25 pm

My dad on steel in the back on the Gibson console.

Dale Foreman · Post by **Dale Foreman** » 23 Oct 2021 12:29 pm

LAwrence Walker band, my dad on steel!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 23 Oct 2021 12:40 pm

That’s awesome, Dale.

Dale Foreman · Post by **Dale Foreman** » 23 Oct 2021 1:27 pm

Dad on Steel
The infamous Rufus Thibodeaux on fiddle!

Glenn Wilde · Post by **Glenn Wilde** » 23 Oct 2021 9:42 pm

Dale Foreman wrote:

Dad on Steel
The infamous Rufus Thibodeaux on fiddle!

Very cool Dale. Alot of good stuff outta Crowley!

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