Contributions of the group Vintage Miserable Family

Even the Baby Is Miserable

nobody@ipernity.com (Deborah Lundbech) — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 13:34:52 +0000

Uploaded for the Vintage Photos Theme Park monthly theme for December 2025: NO MORE THAN FOUR (photos of four people or two couples)
Written on the back:
Certis, Nany Beeny, Ada. [sic]

Cropped for detail. See below for original.
A shoo-in for the Vintage Miserable Family Group.

The Lone Smiler

nobody@ipernity.com (Deborah Lundbech) — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:25:07 +0000

Deborah Lundbech has posted:

Uploaded for the Vintage Photo Theme Park theme of: ONLY ONE SMILING IN A GROUP
The one smiler in this photo has a small, rather strange, worried looking smile and is certainly outnumbered by all the non-smilers. (Can you see him?)
I'm not sure, but it's possible that the mother of the woman with the black bow-tie has died.
Or perhaps it's just a gloomy Christmas.
Below is another example of some members of the same family with, again, one smiler.

The McCarty Kids With Nora and Cora

nobody@ipernity.com (Deborah Lundbech) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 21:08:15 +0000

Deborah Lundbech has posted:

Found photo in South Burlington, Vermont.
Written on the back:

Anna, Johnny,
Dan, Grace and
Nora and Cora McCarty.

Enjoying the Mountain Top View, In A Joyless Sort of Way

nobody@ipernity.com (Deborah Lundbech) — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 14:18:35 +0000

Deborah Lundbech has posted:

Uploaded for the Vintage Photos Theme Park theme of: VIEW FROM A HILL OR MOUNTAIN
This is a Glass Plate Negative purchased in East Middlebury, Vermont.
I don't remember suggesting this topic - but I probably had something in mind from my collection. Forgotten what it was now - so here's this one!
As often happens, by the time it comes around I've completely forgotten what prompted my suggestion - and have to look for something new.
Then, generally, after a few weeks the original will pop up again - and I'll either be pleased that I chose a new one - or annoyed that I passed up the perfect choice.
Does any of this sound familiar, friends?

Large Family Portrait, Findlay, Ohio

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 03:55:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of perfect family portrait (family members trying to look good).

Photographer's name on this nineteenth-century cabinet card photograph: "F. B. Zay, Findlay, O. FBZ."

Frederick B. Zay (1842-1910) of Findlay, Ohio, took this photo of an unidentified family. The parents and their nine children are all nicely dressed, and the photographer has arranged them carefully in front of a nondescript backdrop.

The Watsons of Newport, Rhode Island

nobody@ipernity.com (Deborah Lundbech) — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 04:39:14 +0000

Deborah Lundbech has posted:

Posted, and not too long ago, (sorry) to my Vintage Miserable Family Group but I'm re-posting to the Vintage Photos Theme Park for the current theme of POLICE OFFICERS, as I apparently have no other examples.
I bought this photograph from a woman antique dealer who had grown up in Newport, Rhode Island and knew of this family.
She told me that the boy to the left of the mother had the interesting name of "Pardon" Watson.
The father was a police officer and we can see him here wearing his badge.
It was also a good fit for the "Vintage Miserable Family group" (but spot the lone smiler.)
This was cropped to enlarge the details. Below is the original mounted on cardboard.

Wishing You All a Happy New Year, 1908

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 17:20:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

Twenty-four adults and one child posed for this real photo postcard, which was used as a New Year greeting.

Handwritten message (at right): "Wishing you all a Happy New Year. Lovingly, Emma."

Addressed on the other side to Mrs. John Kreisel, 17 Cherokee St., S. Bethlehem, Pa., and postmarked in Allentown, Pa., on Jan. 3, 1908.

Compare this photo with New Year Gathering, Chicago, Illinois, 1912.

Hot Meal, July 1914

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 03:47:02 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of food.

The remnants of a meal were still on the table when the photographer snapped this picture. The calendar on the wall displays the month of July 1914, and it must have been a hot summer day judging by the sweat glistening on some of the faces. The dealer's notation on the back of this real photo postcard identifies the locale as Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

My family...

nobody@ipernity.com (Guido Werner) — Mon, 27 May 2019 22:41:41 +0000

Guido Werner has posted:

...about 100 years ago. The young man at the right is my grandfather who had already long died before my birth.

The Everitt Family, Easton, Pa., April 8, 1917

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 04:58:58 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of piercing, unusual, or distinctive eyes (a photo featuring someone or something with expressive eye; the eyes can belong to people, animals, or face-like objects).

Embossed at lower right: "Felker's Studio, Easton, Pa."

Handwritten name and date on the back of this real photo postcard: "Harry Johnson Everitt. April 8th, 1917."

With their frowns and staring eyes, this family doesn't appear to be enjoying their photo session. I'm not sure if Harry Johnson Everitt is the name of the father or the son.

Merry Halloween from Brunswick, Maine, 1943

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 17:20:10 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

Yet another Halloween photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

A real photo postcard with a Halloween portrait of kids (including twins?), a cat, and a jack-o'-lantern all posing on the front porch (see also a cropped version of the photo). The family sent this as a Christmas greeting (notice the decorative holly leaves and berries added at the bottom) to Miss Geneva B. Haley, Cornish, Maine. The card was postmarked in Brunswick, Maine, on December 17, 1943.

Handwritten message on the other side: "Yours was a lovely card. Peter read it to the other children. It's their favorite Christmas carol. Greetings from all, Cecil & Marion."

I don't recall ever seeing any other Halloween-themed Christmas cards.

The Wilsons

nobody@ipernity.com (Smiley Derleth) — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 19:21:22 +0000

Smiley Derleth has posted:

Alice, at right here, is also seen in this school group...

www.ipernity.com/doc/smiley_derleth/31007471

The Whole Darn Family with Their Pets

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Sun, 04 Dec 2016 23:04:48 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A family with pets photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

Printed on back of the back of this real photo postcard: "Penn Park Studio, 25-29 W. College Ave., York, PA. Near the York High School. Duplicate orders can be obtained any time."

One dog, five bunnies, and fifteen people posed for this picture (mouse over the image for a close-up featuring the pets).

Family at Our Lady of Covadonga Shrine, Covadonga, Spain, 1929

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 13:09:48 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A photo of faith, hope, and charity for the Vintage Photos Theme Park (any one of these themes or all 3, post up to 3 photos).

Handwritten note on the back of this real photo postcard: "Recuerdo de La Virgen de Covadonga el 17 de Agosto de 1929."

Google translation: "Souvenir of Our Lady of Covadonga on August 17, 1929."

This souvenir real photo postcard shows a family of four at the Catholic shrine for Our Lady of Covadonga in Covadonga, Spain. The opening to the Holy Cave of Covadonga (Santa Cueva de Covadonga) and the chapel inside it are both visible in the background.

The gaunt appearance of the girl on the right makes me wonder if she was suffering from some serious illness when this photo was taken. If so, then perhaps it was the family's hope for a miraculous cure as well as their religious faith that brought them to this shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Grumpy Stairsteps

nobody@ipernity.com (Deborah Lundbech) — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 02:15:11 +0000

Deborah Lundbech has posted:

Here's a few vintage photographs for my sadly neglected groups.
This is a twofer!
It qualifies for the Vintage Stairstep Group and Vintage Miserable Family Group.
Found in Ferrisburgh, Vermont, this is a RPPC with the AZO marks indicating a date between 1904 and 1918.

The Grumpus Family

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 16:58:08 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A grumpy photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

None of the Grumpuses are happy, not even the dog!

Miserable On A Mountain

nobody@ipernity.com (Deborah Lundbech) — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 03:12:01 +0000

Deborah Lundbech has posted:

Another shoo in for my Vintage Miserable Family group.
I hope this was an unhappy moment and they were all a lot happier in reality.
That poor woman looks really sad.
Probably c. late 1940s.

Family Outing

nobody@ipernity.com (Deborah Lundbech) — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 01:08:04 +0000

Deborah Lundbech has posted:

I love double headers! Here is a photograph that fits this week's Vintage Photos Theme Park theme of "Signs" with a family posing in front of a Mount Washington sign, AND it's also a shoo-in for my Vintage Miserable Family group!
Mount Washington is in New Hampshire, and had the first mountain climbing cog railway - first ride was in 1868. The cog railway is still in operation.
Found photo. Burlington, VT 2016

Opening a Can of Worms?

nobody@ipernity.com (Alan Mays) — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 21:56:57 +0000

Alan Mays has posted:

A creepy infants or children photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

At first glance, this real photo postcard seems to show a nice family pleasantly posing for a picture on a porch. Upon closer examination, however, there seems to be something peculiar going on (mouse over the image above to see a close-up of the two children).

The little boy--there's no identifying information, but let's call him Damien--appears to be holding a claw-shaped can opener in his hand, and he's staring directly at the camera with a creepy, almost evil look on his face. His sister, in contrast, seems to be clutching oddly at her neck, as if she had a sudden stabbing pain in her throat.

Now, I'm really not sure what little Damien was doing with that sharp can opener. I just hope that the photographer was able to get away in time.

Blehhhh...

nobody@ipernity.com (Deborah Lundbech) — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 14:34:39 +0000

Deborah Lundbech has posted:

Nettie Austin & Carrie Martin, Herman & June & Frank Jones.

All looking like I feel this morning.