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Subject:
From:
Kevin Mac Donnell <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 9 Mar 2014 11:47:37 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (106 lines)
Coburn printed two of his three autochromes (he may have taken more, but 
three turned out OK) in Archibald Henderson's book MARK TWAIN, which was 
published by Stokes in NY late in 1910 from English sheets, and in England 
on March 9, 1911.

The frontispiece photo of Twain is probably a reversed image with Twain's 
pipe in his right hand and a book in his left hand. But the evidence is 
unclear. Twain's hairline and his smoking jacket provides clues --the lapel 
is laid right over left instead of left over right, and his hairline appears 
to be his right side rather than his left but this is not certain. Coburn 
reproduced it this way in the Henderson book (unless the publisher flipped 
his image --however, autochromes are not quite like glass plate negatives, 
so this is unlikely). The other autochrome in that book is not reversed and 
shows Twain's vest correctly buttoned and a cigar in his left hand where it 
nearly always appears in many many photographs. In the third Coburn 
autochrome (now at Hartford) Twain is standing at a window with a cigar in 
his left hand, and his vest correctly buttoned.

The problem with colorized photos is that when they get copied and spread 
around after a few years, they are easily mistaken for autochromes or other 
genuine color photographs.

Kevin
@
Mac Donnell Rare Books
9307 Glenlake Drive
Austin TX 78730
512-345-4139
Member: ABAA, ILAB
*************************
You may browse our books at
www.macdonnellrarebooks.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "C.J. Peiffer" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2014 2:09 AM
Subject: Other photos of Twain in color


>I found another colorized photo of Twain and used it in a blog post (July 
>2=
> 012) which can be found 
> here:http://proartz.blogspot.com/2012/07/connection=
> s-non-fiction.html
> It was taken by art photographer Alvin Langdon Coburn (1882-1966) at 
> Stormf=
> ield. Coburn's autochromes where among the first colored photos.=20
> When I searched today (in an attempt to remember where I originally found 
> t=
> hat image) I found other colored Twain photos with a google search: 
> https:/=
> /www.google.com/search?q=3Dalvin+langdon+coburn+photograph+of+Mark+Twain&cl=
> ient=3Dsafari&rls=3Den&tbm=3Disch&tbo=3Du&source=3Duniv&sa=3DX&ei=3DW_0bU-r=
> YM8T50AG6nYGoBg&ved=3D0CCgQsAQ&biw=3D1345&bih=3D975
> Not all the photos at that last link were by Coburn=2C but the ones of 
> Twai=
> n in bed and the ones by the window seem to look similar in photographic 
> st=
> yle.=20
> I noticed that there are images there for the exact same photo in a mirror 
> =
> image of the one on my blog=2C so I'm not sure which one is the correct 
> one=
> . I am thinking=2C however=2C that Twain might have smoked his cigars 
> left-=
> handed so he could write with his right hand=2C so the orientation on the 
> o=
> ne I posted may be correct.  (I saw a couple of photos at that link with 
> Tw=
> ain holding a pipe in his left hand.)
> I also found a book "Mark Twain with photographs by Alvin Langdon Coburn" 
> b=
> y Archibald Henderson for $19.10 (Barnes and Noble) in paperback: 
> http://ww=
> w.barnesandnoble.com/w/mark-twain-with-photographs-by-alvin-langdon-coburn-=
> archibald-henderson/1026603531?ean=3D9781290953719
> or for $22.49 
> (Amazon):http://www.amazon.com/Twain-photographs-Alvin-Langdo=
> n-Coburn/dp/B00AU6MVQA/ref=3Dsr_1_2?ie=3DUTF8&qid=3D1394344080&sr=3D8-2&key=
> words=3DMark+Twain+with+photographs+by+Alvin+Langdon+Coburn
> (You cannot view the photos at either site.)
> Apparently this is a reproduction of a book published some time before 
> 1923=
> .
> Carol
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =93Life should not be a journey to the 
> grave=
> with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved 
> =
> body=2C but rather to skid in sideways=2C chocolate in one hand=2C wine in 
> =
> the other=2C body thoroughly used up=2C totally worn out=2C and screaming 
> '=
> Woo Hoo! What a ride!'" -Unknown
>
>       =
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2014.0.4335 / Virus Database: 3722/7170 - Release Date: 03/09/14
> 

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