Old photo-Here's a man that is proud of his lever!

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:02 pm

Where was this taken?

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:37 pm

Nice old 1886 , while I am a Marlin person by choice I wouldn't turn down a nice old 1886 in that condition

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:42 pm

The one thing that stands out to me about the man is his hands. They are stained and calloused from working.
He's sitting in his Sunday go-to-meeting suit wearing a silly hat on the bow of small boat somewhere in the boonies while cradling a nice 1886 rife.
Hard to tell, but it looks like the remains of a cabin or structure of some kind in the background. Maybe the old homestead.

Looks to me like he's waiting for the revenuers.

Joe

Booger Bill · Post by **Booger Bill** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:51 pm

We sure are slobs compared to those old timer sportsmen. Most people dont dress that well for their wedding or funeral! And he`s going hunting?
Well I guess it`s in the north east, or wisconsin or michigan. The man is a hard worker, he has hard dirty hands. He is in timber near water. Wonder what club the pin stands for?

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:01 pm

Reminds me of one of those Pinkerton fellars.

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:13 pm

I've seen numerouse photos of the old guys bird hunting and shooting skeet/trap back in the 20's and 30's always carrying fine looking Parker's and Fox's and to a man all wore a necktie and seemed to be wearing what we would now call "dress coats" or "coat and tie" coats .

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:19 pm

Other than that fine rifle, his hands sure are real prominent in the photo.Any idea as to caliber from looking at the bore?

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:23 pm

JerryB wrote:Other than that fine rifle, his hands sure are real prominent in the photo.Any idea as to caliber from looking at the bore?

My guess would be 38-56 WCF .

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:32 pm

Same as Booger Bill...somewhere in the upper midwest, sitting on a poplar tree near water. Most likely a lake as that is not a river bow.

Warhawk · Post by **Warhawk** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:40 pm

Can't help with any info on the photo, but it's nice to see you back posting again.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:22 pm

That fellow looks like he's about to bust out in tears.

They musta took that photo right after "The Big One" got away.

The 1886 looks well used. Like it could tell some stories.

Adirondacks?

jhrosier · Post by **jhrosier** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:37 pm

A fence made like that would probably be for sheep.

Jack

Booger Bill · Post by **Booger Bill** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:42 pm

Got to tell this one. I am not trying to be racest here, just a story as it was. In 1962 my company sent me to Amite louisianna. My first day on the job I was working on a power pole by myself when a very old man walked out of the woods from bird hunting.
This old gentilman looked like he had stepped out of time. He was dressed up like that picture in old tweeds, vest and tie. I thought him to be 85 or so. Remember he had about 1" long pure white eyebrows that just stared at me as I was doing my job. Finaly I broke the ice and said, Hello sir, thats a mighty fine looking shotgun you have! (Looked to be a parker or L.C. Smith?)
The old gentilmans face glowed and he said, "Why yes, it tis! Why, hits killed three, fo blacks that ah know bout! (Only he didnt say blacks).
I was impressed immediately my first day down south! This was fall of 1962, probley at the heigth of the civil rights movement.
Probley didnt help that I had new york plates on my company truck!

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:53 pm

Upper midwest, I favor WI or MI also, maybe Canada. Either that's a "Short Rifle", or that's a big fellar. I'd say at least one of the .40 cals.

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 9:01 pm

Booger Bill wrote:Got to tell this one. I am not trying to be racest here, just a story as it was. In 1962 my company sent me to Amite louisianna. My first day on the job I was working on a power pole by myself when a very old man walked out of the woods from bird hunting.
This old gentilman looked like he had stepped out of time. He was dressed up like that picture in old tweeds, vest and tie. I thought him to be 85 or so. Remember he had about 1" long pure white eyebrows that just stared at me as I was doing my job. Finaly I broke the ice and said, Hello sir, thats a mighty fine looking shotgun you have! (Looked to be a parker or L.C. Smith?)
The old gentilmans face glowed and he said, "Why yes, it tis! Why, hits killed three, fo blacks that ah know bout! (Only he didnt say blacks).
I was impressed immediately my first day down south! This was fall of 1962, probley at the heigth of the civil rights movement.
Probley didnt help that I had new york plates on my company truck!

Back in the 30's and 40's my maternal grandfather used to travel with the race horses from Virginia up to New York and down the east coast as far as South Carolina when it got cold .

One year he told me he was in Camden South Carolina where they stayed during the winter months . And one night he went to the local bootleggers to get a bottle of hooch . To get to this guys door you needed to walk up about 50 steps in this bank and there was a landing in the middle .

My grandfather said that night when he arrived he already felt pretty good and it was dark of course . And when he got to the landing in the middle he kinda tripped over something he couldn't make out in the dark .

When he got the rest of the way up the steps he noticed a hole in the big thick oak door maybe 3 or 4 inches in diameter . And as he was paying the guy for his bottle he asked wat happened .
He said the bootlegger told him some N...er had tried to break in so he let him have it with both barrels thru the door . Seems what my grandfather semi tripped over was the n...er laying in the middle landing .
My grandfather said later he heard all they did to the bootlegger was fine him $3 for disturbing the piece !

Booger Bill · Post by **Booger Bill** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 9:35 pm

After that incident I was working in texas. I hired a nice natured hard working black guy. Went to pick him up one day and his sister told me he was in jail. When he did show up some days later I asked him what happened. He said, Man ah wuzz in downtown houston da other day and got busted fo sumpin ah never heard of befo! Ya ever hear of google eyeing?

KCSO · Post by **KCSO** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 10:16 pm

The picture was taken outside, of course.

Charles · Post by **Charles** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 10:40 pm

I suspect "google eyeing" was looking the wrong way at white folks, most likely the women. In those days a black man would step off the sidewalk, take off his hat, look at the ground and say "morning sir", when a white man was on the sidewalk. Black people didn't look white people square in the eye. To do so was not knowing their place.

No racism meant, but things were indeed different "back in the day" and too few people black or white have a living memory of those times. Glad they are gone!

Booger Bill · Post by **Booger Bill** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:00 pm

I know there were plenty wrongs and hatred on both sides. I remember I was going to take a train north just before christmas of 1962 to return to wisconsin, get my car and drive it back to louisianna. I went to the train station at hammond la. It was a huge station from the golden years when more people rode them. I got in and only seen one or two people in the otherwise empty station. Saw a sign that said colored waiting room. Thought I would give it a look. It was a relatively small room and to my surprise it was jammed packed like sardines with standing room only with blacks waiting! Just outside the room was empty benchs and chairs where you could have seated a 100 or two! That was just plain wrong!

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:06 pm

Racism and prejudism is something I can do without.

Nice picture, RR7. Good to see you here.

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 1:25 am

I believe it's a 45-70.

There's a reason, look at the sight. Most rifles had "sporting" sights on them, the 45-70's had "leaf" sights, commonly called ladder sights today, similar to carbines or military rifles.

Interesting old picture.

I think it was taken outside also.

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 1:57 am

Malamute wrote:I believe it's a 45-70.

There's a reason, look at the sight. Most rifles had "sporting" sights on them, the 45-70's had "leaf" sights, commonly called ladder sights today, similar to carbines or military rifles.

You may very well be correct .

But look at the hole in the end of the barrel and the amount of barrel on all sides of the hole . Awfull lot of barrel on all sides for a .40 or .45 IMHO !

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 7:18 am

1890's Cabinet Photo,Man & Lever Action Rifle,Boat,Lake Pleasant,NY Adirondacks. Very good FWiedner.

P.S. The wife is doing pretty good. Looking forward to when this chemo is over that's for sure. Thanks guys, RR7

wecsoger · Post by **wecsoger** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:25 am

Awesome photo. There is just a story begging to be be told about this.

What is the backstory on this? Why did he have the picture taken? Memorabilia for family? For his lodge or club? (that pin) Political ad or newspaper photo?

Dress and bearing, excellent - good clothes, matched vest, pocket watch with ornate chain, tie hat and killer 'stache. Wish we had enough of photo to see his shoes.

And I think we all agree this is his rifle, this looks to be no staged studio shot. Looking at the background, I'm not seeing a seam for a backdrop.

But the picture is of the man. If it was to be a shot of the 'old home place' that would be more prominent. Now it's just an out-of-focus falling down porch.

So why was it worth it to drag the photo gear to this spot?

Upstate New York or Penn.? Minn.? Just looking at the wood on the tree and adding in the canoe.

Rube Burrows · Post by **Rube Burrows** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:32 am

What a nice pic. Very neat.

Wonder what kind of pocket watch he is hiding in his vest

bdhold · Post by **bdhold** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:22 am

he should be proud - a fine shooter and a great photo

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:57 am

I just noticed he has what looks to be a ring on his right little finger. Something I haven't seen much of on these old pics.

Joe

adirondakjack · Post by **adirondakjack** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:00 am

Though I wouldn't have guessed it, yeah, it's lake pleasant alright. I can almost take you to the spot. Lake Pleasant was then, and is now a tourist town, the population ballooning 10X in the high season. There were several decent sized hotels back then, and deer season was in August and September. There are several such photos of men, prominent and simply well-heeled enough for such a trip, taken around that time in various Adirondack camps and lodges. Most notable is a "deer camp" picture of Teddy Roosvevelt, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford, taken days before TR became president. These men were seated on folding "church chairs" and a dozen or more others stood at the fringes. Ford wore a stovepipe hat and all were in vest and jackets.

The presence of a flat-bottomed boat and rifle indicates it was deer season. Deer were often taken by boat at night, with lanterns on tall poles stuck in the oar locks of the boat to see deer. Guides would pole the boats into the shallows and the deer would be shot as they stood transfixed by the light. With the heavy underbrush and horrendous mosquitoes, "land" hunting was best reserved for after the first snow, but boats worked earlier in the year..

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 1:20 pm

adirondakjack, great information for this Texas boy. Thanks RR7

Ben_Rumson · Post by **Ben_Rumson** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:31 pm

Thanks RR7 great photo as usual... Now to me the man looks like he might be there as a watchman or such... Maybe to keep boats from being “barrowed” for night hunting like AJ mentioned folks used to do...I say that because of that hand made barrier pole directly behind him...

GoatGuy · Post by **GoatGuy** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:25 pm

You know boys, to my thinking that gent bears a striking resemblance to Harry A. Longabaugh. Wouldn't that be a kick if he and Etta spent some time hiding in plain sight in the Adirondacks? Doubtful though, as the Pinkerton hound dogs were pretty good at sniffing out his and Robert LeRoy's hiding places during those years. Or were they?

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:51 pm

The modern sport coat, if it's made right, comes from those days.

The full button-up collar was for field wear if it was cold, and they had/have functonal pockets to hold hunting and fishing gear.

This is a leftover of the Victorian times where your shirts were always fully buttoned, usually with tie, or you weren't 'dressed', and a vest/waistcoat as well.

Tweeds started out as popular hunting wear in Ireland and Scotland/England because the fabric is extremely tough, it provides some camoflauge, and a tweed sport coat and trousers with boots following their dress of the day, was about as useful as a Filson coat and Levis would be in the US hunting in many places.

Interesting photo.

Bullard4075 · Post by **Bullard4075** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 10:42 am

Finger on the trigger. Bad form.
Surprised none noticed it.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 1:48 pm

what Kimwcook said. kewl picture

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 2:46 pm

Bullard, pretty common, even up to the 1970s.

Booger Bill · Post by **Booger Bill** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 3:41 pm

Finger on the trigger is a sacred subject as is any comment one makes in the last 40 years about not likeing helmits rideing motorcycles, hateing to wear seat belts or whatever is always met with the usual reproachs. How did I and everyone before us survive to be fathered? The hammer is down which means it`s on the safety notch, the man is at rest, he`s poseing for a picture, if that gun go`s off honduni has come back to life. I bet you can get 10 rock climbers, those type that will scale the wall of a skyscraper without a rope and some will automaticly tell ya, why, I wouldnt drive my car 10 feet without fastining my seat belt!
While I dont walk around with my finger on the trigger, I havent drank the kool ade to repromand others that choose to ham it up for pictures. We just had this exact discussion on the S&W site yesterday and someone posted that famous picture of jeff cooper, jack weaver, thell reed, ray chapman and eldon carl all pointing their guns at the cameraman. I guess they were all idiots that didnt know what they were doing and not as sophisticated as us.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 4:41 pm

As to the way he dressed, if you go back and find some old pictures of Pope and Young, the archers they went to the woods dressed like that all the time.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 4:48 pm

Bill you sure said a mouthful there, I feel the same way everytime I read about the FINGER on or near the trigger. Proper gun safety is certainly needed when a gun is handled, but to jump and holler at every picture we see like this old photo, oh well you know what I mean.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 5:24 pm

Thanks for putting the common sense cards on the table, BB. I agree.

Safety is important but the finger on the trigger cops are in the same class as the grammar cops IMO.

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 10:07 pm

FWiedner wrote:Thanks for putting the common sense cards on the table, BB. I agree.

Safety is important but the finger on the trigger cops are in the same class as the grammar cops IMO.

Actually the grammer cops aren't so bad . After all it's common grammer that keeps us all from eventually speaking EBONICS

Bullard4075 · Post by **Bullard4075** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:44 am

Bullard4075 wrote:Finger on the trigger. Bad form.
Surprised none noticed it.

Thought I'd get a rise.

You guys are too easy.