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Photographs from an Unidentified Oklahoma Family’s Antique Film Negatives (Pre-1920)
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Photographs from an Unidentified Oklahoma Family’s Antique Film Negatives (Pre-1920)

Keith Dotson
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Looking at someone else’s memories found on early-1900s film negatives

I recently bought a sealed packet of old early-1900s film negatives with no idea what was on them. In this post (and video) we will take a look at someone else’s distant memories.

Who Were They?

There was no identifiable information about the family on the lab envelope or in the package. The only thing we have is the location of the lab in Oklahoma City, and some analysis from AI of the images to establish a wide range of dates.

Tattered old negative folder from Oklahoma Film Finishing Company, which was located at 311 1/2 N. Broadway in Oklahoma City.
Tattered old negative folder from Oklahoma Film Finishing Company, which was located at 311 1/2 N. Broadway in Oklahoma City.
The opposite side of the negative folder gives a date of 11-19, which probably indicates November 19. The entire order came to a total price of 66 cents.
The opposite side of the negative folder gives a date of 11-19, which probably indicates November 19. The entire order came to a total price of 66 cents.

Date Ranges

Some of the images were estimated by AI to be from around 1900, while others were dated into the1920s. This means the negatives must have been mixed together and stored together in the lab envelope.

High resolution scans of the negatives and their photographs

Below are the scans of all the negatives followed by their conversions to positive images

The Farm

A wide photograph of the farmhouse and farm buildings.
A wide photograph of the farmhouse and farm buildings.
A portrait of the farmer hard at work behind his large mule.
A portrait of the farmer hard at work behind his large mule.
The farmer's wife perhaps -- on her way to feed the mule?
The farmer’s wife perhaps — on her way to feed the mule?

Family Visit

Visitors at the farmhouse.
Visitors at the farmhouse.
Photograph of two men wearing straw boater hats and a woman seated inside an early 1900s automobile. In the background is visible of what appears to be a church steeple.
Photograph of two men wearing straw boater hats and a woman seated inside an early 1900s automobile. In the background is visible of what appears to be a church steeple.
Portrait of a middle-aged man and woman in their dress clothes standing outside the farmhouse, with the photographer's shadow visible in the frame. Their facial expressions appear to be stern.
Portrait of a middle-aged man and woman in their dress clothes standing outside the farmhouse, with the photographer’s shadow visible in the frame. Their facial expressions appear to be stern.
Portrait of an elderly man in his dress suit and stetson hat with a cemetery visible in the background.
Portrait of an elderly man in his dress suit and stetson hat with a cemetery visible in the background.
A group of men at the cemetery. Straw boater hats reached their "golden age" of peak popularity from the late 1890s until the 1920s. AI estimated the timeframe of this photograph to be the 1910s to 1920.
A group of men at the cemetery. Straw boater hats reached their “golden age” of peak popularity from the late 1890s until the 1920s. AI estimated the timeframe of this photograph to be the 1910s to 1920.
This random photograph shows a man in a shirt and tie with a flat cap standing beneath a gas station sign, photo probably made in the late 1920s

House in Town

Photograph of a large house that appears to be in a town or neighborhood.
Photograph of a large house that appears to be in a town or neighborhood.
A young couple standing in the side yard of the house in town.
A young couple standing in the side yard of the house in town.
Portrait of a young girl holding flowers outside her house. AI dated this photograph to about 1900.
Portrait of a young girl holding flowers outside her house. AI dated this photograph to about 1900.

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