This one took some advance thought...
Rob
Photo and link not working.
Photo link fixed.
What a ugly tree!!
It was worth the wait! That's pretty amazing! It's a good example of how our "under tree layouts" evolved from the old world tradition of "Christmas villages" built around the family creche (not that I see one). I love the park on the left with the little bridge and the greek statuary and the croquet players by the #2 gauge! Also appears to have real water on the O gauge level. Looks like Ives up top and possibly Knapp, Howard or Voltamp below. I'm not familiar with a steeplecab with "B97" on the cab sides. Maybe there's an expert out there who can identify it? At any rate it reminds me of one Ward Kimball showed off in the TM video.
Where did you find this? And clue as to the builder? Appears to be from the WW1 era to the early 20's based on the tree ornaments.
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Probably a lot more impressive in color, I can see a lot of work went into that Christmas layout and the black and white photography just doesn't do it justice.
The more I study this photo the more amazed I am! I just noticed that there are what look like bulbs above the little staircases and on several of the large fence posts. I wonder if they lit up?
Penny Trains Where did you find this?
Where did you find this?
I check the Shorpy images HERE once in a while. There are some more since I started watching the archive.
I just blew that Christmas layout waaaay up, as far as it could go, and on closer inspection the craftmanship is stunning.
I had Lady Firestorm looking over my shoulder at the architechtural details in the room, pocket doors, "Arts and Crafts" style lamp on the ceiling, bare wood floors, the wallpaper, and we agree, Becky you nailed it, it's from sometime between 1915 and the 1920's.
ADCX Rob Penny Trains Where did you find this? I check the Shorpy images HERE once in a while. There are some more since I started watching the archive.
I'm going to have to explore that in detail, looks like some fascinating stuff!
Firelock76 I just blew that Christmas layout waaaay up, as far as it could go, and on closer inspection the craftmanship is stunning. I had Lady Firestorm looking over my shoulder at the architechtural details in the room, pocket doors, "Arts and Crafts" style lamp on the ceiling, bare wood floors, the wallpaper, and we agree, Becky you nailed it, it's from sometime between 1915 and the 1920's.
I'm using it as my background pic! I may take a stab at hand tinting this one just for fun. By the way, did you notice the tree topper is on one of the lower branches?
I think this might be the locomotive; but it's "897," not "B97": http://www.tcawestern.org/howard.htm
Bob Nelson
No, we didn't notice the tree-topper. That photo's amazing, the more you look the more you see. Did you notice the pattern on the ceiling illuminated by the light from the window? Wallpaper? I've never heard of anyone papering a ceiling.
Anyway, gotta run. "Antiques Roadshow" is on!
lionelsoni I think this might be the locomotive; but it's "897," not "B97": http://www.tcawestern.org/howard.htm
I was just exploring that page too and came to the same conclusion. Now I'm poking some more to see if I can identify the O gauge set on the second level.
I think it's this type loco, or I should say one very similar as this one doesn't have a headlight. No matter what, these people had some cash to throw around. At least enough to paper their ceilings!
The more I look at that photo the more fascinated I am by it. Anyone looked at the bookcase off to the right? I can't tell for certain as the resolution on max blow-up isn't good enough, but I think those are Edison cylinder boxes in there, and it's stuffed with them
No doubt, whoever these folks were they were well-heeled.
They look like player piano roll boxes.
You could very well be right, I never thought of piano rolls. I took a close look at the bookcase itself, it looks like it had burlwood doors, but I'm not sure if those are individual leaded glass panes or an overlaid grid. I've seen both types in my travels. It a beautiful piece of work at any rate.
Those folks had money all right. I wonder who they were?
ADCX RobThey look like player piano roll boxes.
I think that's right. A quick Google search for "player piano rolls" led me to a lot of photos and a company called QRS music that has been making them since 1900. They even have one called "Amtrak Boogie Woogie"! I wonder more and more about these people and now I'm wondering if one of them may have been involved with piano manufacturing. Certainly would explain where their cash came from considering we're talking about "the gilded age".
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