Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Circa 1860's CDV of an Abstract Pattern



Available here.

10 comments:

Robert said...

I like it! Any speculation about what the image might represent?

Joey said...

You know, I've asked a few people and still haven't come to any firm conclusion. The "No. 41" in the corner tells us it's one in a series and the back shows that I guess it won a medal in a Photography exhibition in Berlin. Not sure what "prümm" means.

What's your best guess?

Balance said...

I was thinking Th. Prümm was either the artist's name, or the name of the studio where the card was produced. Prümm is a German last name I believe. ?

Joey said...

Yeah, I think you may be right.

angvou said...

This is one of those optical tricks--anamorphic lettering-- very popular in the 19th century.

Its definitely words or a phrase that is stretched and condensed, with another word/phrase turned 90 degrees and placed on top.

I think you're supposed to look at it at a steep foreshortened angle to read it-- but it never works for me.

let us know what you find!

Falk Keuten said...

Yes, Angela, its right ! Prümm is the name of this medal winner.
And if you turns the card a little
the kryptic lettering is readable, you will find this sentence:
"If you love me as I love you"
and turned 90 degrees:
"Nothing but death shall part us two"
How nice !!!

Joey said...

Angela and Falk,

You guys ROCK! Thanks for solving that one!

Greg Allen said...

Theodor Prümm had a photo studio in Berlin.

He's mentioned in Baden Pritchard's 1885 guidebook, "les ateliers photographiques de l'europe"

there's a copy for sale at acanthus.nl at the moment.

angvou said...

Yay how fun! thats great!

Joey said...

Great info. Thanks Greg!