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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Uhnnohn on Tuesday 22 July 25 01:16 BST (UK)
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Old Crayon Portrait Purchased From A Thrift Store
I'm trying to see if I can figure out the name of these twins
I THINK they are twins and the right one may be male
I'd like to figure out the name written on the back
And then see if I can find a matching person in historical records
The small town of Melrose MN is close to the purchase location
No M. Swidborg found using FamilySearch.org
Any guesses or suggestions for research are appreciated
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The name of the possible town is Melrose. Apart from this town in Massachusetts there is a famous location of a large slave trader/plantation owner house in Mississippi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melrose_(Natchez,_Mississippi)
To me the M starting writing could be
large flourish M
then
small i
Also the first initial could be an 'N' depending on flourishing the writing was
As far as the name is concerned I'd be looking at
Swetborg/burg
Swedborg/burg
and all the remaining vowels.
Also Swenborg/burg. A non native speaker may not speak the 'N' and a non native listener may not pick up the 'N'
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Can the picture be dated?
1900 census, Melrose has ‘Svedberg’.
Breko Svedberg with children William 5yrs and Hilda 2 yrs.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M93B-TDX?lang=en
Olaf Svedberg with a 15 yr old daughter
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M931-XMZ?lang=en
I can’t see any others but might be a variation of the name to search.
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As an aside, I'm intrigued by the picture, the two children look rather unnatural compared to the woman behind them, they are looking in a different direction to her, are positioned rather oddly relative to her and almost seem like they are in a different, less skilled hand. Is it some sort of mash up?
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I am not sure that you can assume the name "Swedburg?" on the back is the surname of the people in the portrait.
It could be the name of the artist.
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Thanks for the great responses!
shanreagh - I will search for the variations you suggest. Since it was purchased near to Melrose MN, I believe that to be the proper town and state.
heywood - I'll look through those census records
gaffy - I had not though of that. It could be a mash up. Perhaps not from different artists, but from enlargements of different photos take at different times of different quality. I understand that people often had these portraits made after a family member has died using one of the few photos they may have had.
Neale1961 - Yes I am assuming the name on the back is the purchaser. Probably a parent. I have seen the name and town written on the back of several I have purchased like this. Sometimes on the backboard. But since these are 100+ years old, by the time I get them the backboard and name has often deteriorated and is gone. Many were sold by salesmen traveling through the different smaller towns.
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Sorry, the name is Svedberg - I have amended my post.
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... I understand that people often had these portraits made after a family member has died using one of the few photos they may have had.
I think you could be right about some sort of commemorative picture, the front two have relatively little depth compared to the woman behind. Fascinating.
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I am not sure that they are twins.