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November 1941. "Mrs. Edgar Jones and her son, Farm Security Administration clients near Woodville, Georgia. Her son works at the Civilian Conservation Corps camp." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size.
You can tell that the mantle mantel shelf is an old door because of the notches for hinges.
Two things that stand out to me is the Diamond Matches the kind I still buy today. Hard to believe they are still in business and a post mortem photo next to the oil lamp.
Surprised to see that Charles Dana Gibson's 1903 "The Weaker Sex" has evaded comment. You might not see it every day, but it does get around.
The USA also had a prohibition on import on white phosphorus matches during this time frame. Apparently import/export wars are not a new thing.
Interesting things to look at in this one. The kerosene lamp stands out to me. Seems odd it would be lit at 3:37pm or is it a tribute to the funeral photo next to it?
Looks like there may be a postcard view of Richmond's railroad landmark Triple Crossing in the lower right corner of the multi-picture frame.
The matchbox reminded me of a box of toothpicks I once saw in a Publix.
As I recall, on the back of the box was a blunt statement to the effect that these toothpicks were not a product of ill-treated foreign labor but were proudly made in the U.S.A. by happy, well-paid folks.
It's been 50 years, so I won't swear I remember that correctly.
More vivid in my memory, from the same shopping trip, is seeing a fresh whole coconut wrapped in a flyer produced by Jay Ward, of Rocky and Bullwinkle fame. It described the many inventive things one could do with a whole fresh coconut. Hilarious!
I bought the coconut for the wrapper, and left the toothpicks on the shelf. They were just too indignant for me.
What goes around, comes around. People are copying the look of their walls by putting shiplap siding in their homes again. In their case it's boxcar siding applied shiplap style.
Family photos and the prized Seth Thomas -type clock shares pride of place on the mantle with other life necessities. The vases might have been a wedding gift.
Note also the photo to the right of the chimney. A final momento of a deceased family member in the casket in the parlor. Wonder if the netting around the casket was to keep flies off the body a practical necessity in the south.
Hope that the magazines nailed to the left side of the chimney doesn't mean that there's a chamber pot in the vicinity.
No doubt about the relation. Same eyes, nose bridge and blank stare. I wonder what kind of things made these two laugh.
A tendentious matchbox.
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