Soviet Some early pictures, RCW-era

[Ed_Haynes]

I have just received a large bundle of mixed early Soviet photos. They give a marvelous sense of the period. Right now, they a pretty mixed (read: jumbled), but as interesting ones float to the surface I'll post them here.

Most are "Red", but a few are "White". I'll focus on the "Red" ones (not only is that the focus of this forum but it is my interest). I will throw in a couple of the "White" photos as examples (at some stage, I'll probably want to move the "White" photos to hands that appreciate them more).

Most have legends on the reverse and I shall be begging (once again) for translations.

[Ed_Haynes]

Just to start off . . .

Do any of you recall the old television show "The Flying Nun"?

[Ed_Haynes]

Three friends.

A candidate for some PhotoShop photo repair.

[Ed_Haynes]

Collar insigniae detail (chap on the right).

[Ed_Haynes]

The inscription.

[Ed_Haynes]

A happy family. Think of the experiences of those generations.

[Ed_Haynes]

Focusing in on the individuals of most interest to us . . .

Rank obscured by child.

Edited August 21, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

And . . .

[Ed_Haynes]

His rank? Kombat?

[Ed_Haynes]

What is her uniform?

[Ed_Haynes]

Another.

While there is more of uniform interest than of phaleristic interest here, still nice, I think.

[Ed_Haynes]

Collar closeup.

[Ed_Haynes]

One more.

[Ed_Haynes]

And, since this one has an inscription, his identity may not be lost.

[Ed_Haynes]

And, the last for now, one from the "Whites".

Somewhat photo-tweaked, as faded.

[Ed_Haynes]

But, see, they weren't all bad. They liked cats. (Unless, of course, Puss is on the way to the cooking pot or to becoming a pair of gloves?)

Edited August 21, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[Christian Zulus]

Dear Ed,

great pics - thanks for sharing

Not only comrade Lenin loved cats ....

Best regards

Christian

[Ed_Haynes]

One more, in hopes of enciting interest.

Happy family.

[Ed_Haynes]

Named on reverse.

Much tweaking.

[Lapa]

Named on reverse.

Much tweaking.

Komarov, N. P.

Marc

[Guest Rick Research]

These are far earlier than anything I know about, and the handwriting is worse than usual.

The trio of privates in the second photo are from a Motor Transport unit "1."

It's something about "in memory of Ivan I..... D....." dated 1925 23rd Novemnber, city of Moscow.

The family group fellow with very 1850s sideburns (!) has a screwback Order of the Red banner "2!" The device on his collar is M1922 infantry, but I dopn't now what Roman numeralss "VI" indicate.

The Kombat on the other side of that group is wearing collar patches for (? staff of) 26th Rifles Division.

All I get out of the second inscription is that it was dated 31/VIII 1919 in Moscow.

One eye and (again) gathering darkness aren't a good combination for faeds and scribblies! :(

[Chuck In Oregon]

Ed, I really love your pictures. I've been working quite a bit at restoring my own photo collection. I couldn't resist the temptation to play with one of yours and work on my own meager skills.

Here's what I think the photo of your three friends in post 3 might have looked like back in the day. I hope you aren't offended. Should you be, I apologize in advance and promise not to do it again.

Chuck

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, Chuck. I -- and more importantly, THEY -- appreciate this.

[Chuck In Oregon]

You're quite welcome. It's something that I enjoy doing and that one was a good candidate for repair.

If you're really going to part with some of your photos, I would be interested in buying pretty much all you want to sell.

Chuck

[Guest Rick Research]

That's great work, Chuck! So many of that vintage are deteriorating so rapidly that the images will be GONE soon. The Commissariat babe in Ed's other thread, for instance, is cracking the surface emulsion off in flakes. I doubt she'll "outlive" us.

Bad paper, bad chemicals, decades of bad storage...

at the very least, persons with computer skills can restore and SAVE an image without altering the original. :cheers: