This picture, a sequence of three photographs, has for some reason intrigued me since I first saw it some time ago. It was in my grandparents photo album and set among all the stills of individuals, families, landscapes, etc. this one stands out.
In part it is that as a sequence it conveys a sense of movement. As well, they are family members: my grandfather, Fritz Hertha, on the left, my great-grandfather, Heinrich Schellhorn (my grandfather’s father-in-law) on the right, and the latter’s brother-in-law, Oscar Nennstiel, in the centre.
As my grandfather’s father (Max Hertha) isn’t included, I’m going to guess that this picture was taken after his death in February 1927. Furthermore, as Oscar is present, it must be have been taken before February 1929, when he died.
The photographs of three men walking together along a city street, with no wives or children, in suits, including walking sticks, suggests a business rather than familial event. Heinrich was a toy manufacturer, Oscar operated a packaging plant (boxes for shipping toys) and my grandfather worked for the American firm SS Kresge who imported toys into the United States. The three of them almost represent a compete supply chain.
A more subtle element is the inclusion of the sprockets. These expose the technology of the period, reinforcing the age of these images, if only by clearly stating these are film-base images, not digital ones (even though they are now … but that’s another story).
I wonder who took these pictures?
Leave a Reply