A Closer Look (Part 65)

Russia, between about 1870 and 1874. This is Nikolas, the maternal Grandfather of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana.

Here's the original post. Here's his wife.

A Closer Look (Part 46)

Russia, between about 1870 and 1874. Let's take another look at the oldest photo posted on the blog.

Native Places

These two photo are from the envelope called "Babos šeima Rusijoi"—Grandma's family in Russia.

Nina K., the mother of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, was born in this house in 1875.

Tatjana would have remembered it as the home in which her maternal Grandparents lived.

Tambov, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, August 1962. Natasha, one of Tatjana's two younger sisters, writes, "The house on Sadovaja Street, home of our dear Grandfather and Grandmother, and our Mama. I am sitting here with my husband. Tears are dimming my eyes, full of memories."

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Tambov, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, August 1962. Natasha writes, "Sadovaja Street in Tambov, our hometown. I always long for native places."

Thanks again to my dear friend, D, for translating the texts from Russian to English.

This is the oldest photo of the old photo blog.

This image—probably from the 1860s—is not a daguerreotype photo. It is printed on paper.

The photo is in rough shape because it spent over a century folded up in my paternal Grandmother Tatjana's locket.

Russia, about 1860. These are the maternal Grandparents of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana. On the left sits Nikolas, and on the right, his wife, for whom we don’t have a first name.

Nikolas has his right hand tucked into his jacket. He elegantly poises his pinky. His wife has the melancholy, gentle eyes characteristic of the paternal side of my family. She looks like she could have been out shopping with Mary Todd Lincoln.

UPDATE: A little digging revealed that this photo more likely dates from between 1870 and 1874. My Great-Grandmother, Nina K., was born in 1875. This is the wedding potrait of her parents.