Still, what an intriguing photo. And it's funny that I even found it on the Library of Congress website, because I was actually looking for a certain drawing of President Washington, an image I saved and have lost somewhere in the bowels of my computer.
So who are these two folks? I'm so glad you asked. According to the LOC, it's "Gertrude Mercer McCurdy Hubbard and Gardiner Greene Hubbard, parents-in-law of Alexander Graham Bell, at tea on (the) porch of their home, Twin Oaks, Washington, D.C." around 1890-1900.
So what's the deal, friends? Is she unhappy or merely "not smiling"? Has she indeed just lost a loved one? And what is Mr. Hubbard reading there? What kind of tea are they drinking? If you'd like to download the original large photo and explore more details, go here and open the 359.3 KB JPEG.
And if, as happened with me, this photo tempts you to go down the rabbit hole looking for info about Alexander Graham Bell and his wife, this is a fun place to start!
She certainly is dressed as though she is in mourning - but her expression is more "resigned" than "sad" to me. What an interesting picture! And is that a tipping teapot? The porch is lovely but the tea table is tiny! :-)
ReplyDeleteJoy, I wondered about the teapot too! It's certainly tipping, but the stand is so short. As I've looked them up online, though, there seem to be tons of tipping teapot designs, so maybe this IS one!
DeleteThat IS a very interesting photo! The Twin Oaks estate is quite close to where I live, and I often walk past it. It's privately owned (by the government of Taiwan), so I have never been inside the gates. It still has extensive grounds with many trees. The woman in the photo, Mrs. Gardiner, could very well be in permanent mourning--after losing two children as infants, two of her grown daughters died in 1885 and 1886.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Joy that the teapot is a tipping one! It's fun to see one so soon after your aquisition of one, Angela.
Wow, I am thrilled that you get to walk by the house, and how interesting that it's owned by the government of Taiwan! I'm still sort of haunted by Mrs. Gardiner's expression, and I suspect your thoughts of "permanent mourning" may be right.
DeletePlease tell me if tea is brewed in a "tipping teapot" (like yours and the one in this photo) or is it actually a tea kettle to keep water hot that is then poured into a smaller teapot. I've been curious about that question for some time. I love hot tea, and surely do enjoy your posts.
ReplyDeleteRoberta, I must confess that I don't actually know the answer to that question! But I am planning to use mine to brew and serve tea since it does lift from the stand and ought to work just like any other silver teapot. I'll be sure to let you know how this goes at my tea next week!
DeleteThird attempt at posting a comment. He is rather casual in dress compared to his wife, even to wearing house shoes. Poor eyesight maybe but I don't find any cups and saucers. I wouldn't have been surprised to see his cup sitting on the wicker seat beside him. Magnifying the photo I think I see a white floral china (?) teapot near the front edge of the table nearest him. Would that be a slop bowl on the shelf below the tabletop? The canister beside the bowl looks like a present day tea tin. You always post such interesting pictures! I am a long time fan of your blog.
ReplyDeleteInteresting photo. Is that a tipping teapot? I wonder why no one smiled in old pictures? All our really old family pictures are smileless.
ReplyDeleteAGB is invilved at Curry college , milton Mass and had a home in Newport RI
ReplyDeleteWhat an intriguing picture.
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