Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Haunting


Several years ago I was at the mall, in a gift shop, looking  for a birthday card, and I came across this card with three little girls pictured on the front. The title of it was "Friends"., the inside being blank. Cute, right.? Well it took my breath away, because that is me on the left along with my two older sisters. I don't mean these three girls look kind of like the three of us. I mean it IS us. This can't be? I bought the card....and later discovered this image was being sold everywhere. There were even large prints that were framed for hanging. My husband said it was just a freaky resemblance to the three of us. Not so, I have  a memory of this picture being taken. It was when we lived in a small town in south Texas. I even remember  that wall. My older sister had tried to balance on it, falling and cutting her leg.
 Mother was no longer around to confirm all of this ...and my sisters memories are not as clear as mine. I actually remember the man, with the big camera, asking Mother if he could take some pictures of us.

I tried to track down the photographer and was told the print was from France. I am not trying to collect royalties...I just want a confirmation. Both of my  sisters bought the larger framed prints and they hang in their homes. An  uncle was visiting one of them and asked...."what year was that taken?". To which my sister answered" it's not us". I guess I will never get to the bottom of this....I've even thought of looking for the wall.....any suggestions?
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26 comments:

  1. Janey, just enjoy it. I believe your strong memory is accurate, but if you solve it...let us know.

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  2. That is an interesting story, I would love to hear what you find out. The photographer is probably not alive anymore. Strange that your sisters don't remember it. Don't you have photo's of yourself with the same clothes of that time? We have a tv-program called "Trackless" in which people look for lost relatives, I like it so much when they find somebody. I am glued the the screen, so I am very curious how your story ends.
    By the way the photo is so very nice.

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  3. I have always thought that looked like you all when I have seen the card. Was Suzanne's hair curly?

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    1. Mother and her Toni perms....Judy by the way is my cousin....

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  4. Incredible story Janey, what are the chances of this happening, you must have been stunned to see this. Let us know if you get to the bottom of it.

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  5. wow. what a small world to run into that image as a card (and prints). i completely believe you - especially since a man with a camera asked to take photos. it would be nice to have confirmation, but if you don't have other photos of you 3 wearing any of those same dresses, it would be difficult.

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  6. In answer to Marianne and your questions.. My family did not own a camera back then...and what photos there are...as the third child I don't have. I will search old photos for those dresses next time I am with my family.

    Again this is just fun...the thought of solving this strange mystery. Stay tuned.....

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  7. do you have facebook or do your sisters have facebook? publish and republish and ask everyone else to republish until you get to the bottom of it..
    am curious to see what you find out
    the wall in Texas should be easy to find... especially as you say it was in a small village...you could even try google maps or google earth and see if the wall is there !!

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  8. The internet is amazing ...and Facebook is the best. I did a bit of snooping today ...Graphique, the co who published it actually answered me...through their FB page. They bought the photo from Willabel Cole Mitchell (a woman) who is supposed to be the photographer. It is still in print.The title is Girlfriends. Blows my memory of it being a man . I haven't been able to figure out if she is still alive?Still checking....Thanks Anni

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  9. Janey, I will have mother look at it. She has an amazing memory.

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    1. This is amazing. My mom, who recently passed has had this picture on her wall forever. My sisters and I have always loved this picture and we all want it because it looks exactly like the 3 of us. I finally found it online so we can all have one!

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  10. Judy,

    I have located an address for Willabel C Mitchell in Florida. I will write her a letter...

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  11. Jane...maybe the photographer died and his wife Willabel sold his photography to the stock agency.

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  12. Jane...was it you in the photo or your mother? I recently found an article published in the Currents on 9/17/91 that states it was your mother and picture was taking in 1932?

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    1. I am not aware of any such article...and no that is not my Mother. The picture I am talking about was taken in 1950 or 51.

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  13. This photograph is called "Entre Nous", and was taken in Thompson Park in Watertown, NY, in 1932. The photographer was Willabel Cole Mitchell, who was born in N.Y and died in Florida. Her daughter has the copyright on the photo. Her obituary:http://news.nnyln.net/gouverneur-newspapers/gouverneur-press-1992/gouverneur-press-batch-1992%20-%200177.pdf

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  14. This photograph is called "Entre Nous", and was taken in Thompson Park in Watertown, NY, in 1932. The photographer was Willabel Cole Mitchell, who was born in N.Y and died in Florida. Her daughter has the copyright on the photo. Her obituary:http://news.nnyln.net/gouverneur-newspapers/gouverneur-press-1992/gouverneur-press-batch-1992%20-%200177.pdf

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    1. this is correct. Photo was taken in Watertown, NY. My mother-in-law is on the left. I have seen the original photo which was taken in the early 1930's.

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  15. For what it’s worth, I saw this print (“Girlfriends “) in a shop in ‘93 and got it because it reminded me of me (on the left, with that mom-fine haircut with a characteristically long strand), along with friend from my mid-60s childhood in El Paso, Texas. Our houses all had stone walls at the back. Of course, my view would not have been that big sky, but the house behind ours, LOL. Still, it reminded me of the wonder of that age and place, with that huge Texas sky. I’ve not found any great images of the Thompson Park Overlook in Watertown, NY, but you can kind of appreciate the spot in this image:
    https://images.app.goo.gl/HpUKoGeTj4uB1VRW9

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  16. Also, fun fact, later versions photoshopped out some of the mortar from the wall...I guess some artist decided it was not aesthetically pleasing.

    Before: https://images.app.goo.gl/jx2PMw4bFHUnC7tg9

    After: https://images.app.goo.gl/nS6yB1axDtMXPBno9

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  17. I also have this picture. I bought it at a yard sale because it looks exactly like the back of my 2 sisters and I. Haircuts, homemade dresses by our grandmother and the closeness in ages, everything. Love this picture.

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  18. 1930’s, Thomson Park, Watertown, NY. Willabel Cole Mitchell (photographer) has a daughter in the photo along with her 2 friends who are sisters (one is a family member of mine). Another family member has the original photo.

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  19. Hello, I am trying to buy 3 copies of that picture as a gift for my wife and her 2 sisters. Do you know how / where I can buy them? Thank you.

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