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Subject:
From:
Steve Courtney <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 26 Aug 2016 14:20:07 +0000
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (163 lines)
Carl, thanks for sharing that in a way that all can see and Mallory, thanks for confirming that the photo was in the Onteora Park series. I agree with Mallory that Susy is clearly on the right and Clara on the left -- and that I could have made this clearer in the caption!

As you have my book, compare the pictures of the girls (somewhat younger) on page 47 and their respective facial features seem clear. 

You asked  how long our exhibit on the daughters -- "In Their Father's Image" -- will be up. In fact it's through January 24, so there's lots of time to see this thoughtful and popular exhibit. The New York Times wrote it up:

http://tinyurl.com/jppy9fd

Knowing what happens to text on the Forum when I post (whether in plain text or not) this URL may be impossible to read, even as a "tiny" URL. If it is, search "new york times," "mark twain" and "in their father's image" and you'll find the story.

Best,
Steve


Steve Courtney
Special Projects
The Mark Twain House & Museum
351 Farmington Avenue
Hartford, Connecticut 06105
860-302-8969


________________________________________
From: Mark Twain Forum [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Mallory Howard [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2016 9:26 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Photo of Susie and Clara

We have the original photograph in an Onteora album in our collection. I ju=
st looked at it and it is simply labeled "Miss Susie and Clara Clemens 1890=
"
with no obvious indication of what order was meant (it was written vertical=
ly in the margin). Here is the image along with two close ups of Susy and C=
lara.=20
I have also attached an additional image of Clara. I work with these images=
 quite often and I believe that Clara is the one in the white dress closest=
 to the camera while Susy is farther away.=20


Mallory Howard
Assistant Curator
The Mark Twain House & Museum
[log in to unmask]



-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kevin Mac Don=
nell
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2016 9:05 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Photo of Susie and Clara

You may not be wrong. I tried magnifying that photo in Steve's book and I'm=
 still not certain. If I have time later today I'll compare it to other Cla=
ra and Susy images from about that same time (some are on loan to the Hartf=
ord exhibit, so I may not even have the ones on hand that I think I do). Th=
e published location of that larger image would be helpful. If I recall, it=
 shows their faces close up and not the entire wagon.

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: Carl J. Chimi
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2016 5:08 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Photo of Susie and Clara

In fairness, your book's caption for the picture does not actually =3D spec=
ify which girl is which.  It only identifies them as Susy and Clara, =3D in=
 that order.  But, given the composition of the photograph, it would =3D no=
t be a farfetched inference to draw that Suzy is the foreground girl =3D on=
 the left, and Clara in the background on the right.  The other book =3D th=
at published that picture (the title of which escapes me) does =3D identify=
 them in that way, if I recall correctly.

And that's exactly what I suspect they ain't.  It bothered me from the =3D =
first time I saw the picture in the other book.

But I'm willing to admit I'm wrong.  I'm more curious as to how (short =3D =
of there being verifiable contemporaneous written identifications of =3D re=
asonable provenance) any modern person could authoritatively identify =3D t=
hose two girls as Clara and Susy, and which is which.

I guess it's these really, really small insignificant mysteries that =3D ma=
ke scholars, eh?  =3DF0=3D9F=3D98=3D80=3D20

Regards,

Carl

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve =3D Cou=
rtney
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2016 9:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Photo of Susie and Clara

Carl, that's in the Mark Twain House collection but I won't be there to =3D=
 che=3D3D ck till next Wednesday -- I've labeled it as being one of the =3D
1890 Onteora =3D3D Park pix, and must (I hope) have had some solid basis =
=3D for doing that. Stay =3D3D tuned.=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D From the wor=
k Tracy =3D Brindle (MT House Chief Curator), Mallory Howard (her p=3D3D ar=
tner in =3D
crime) and I did early this year in preparation for the "In His F=3D3D =3D =
ather's Image" exhibition at the MT House that's running currently -- an =
=3D ex=3D3D ploration of the three daughters and their lives -- I'd say alm=
ost =3D certainl=3D3D y that Clara is in the front, with the expression you=
 =3D describe, and Susy --=3D3D  likewise -- is in the back.=3D3D0A=3D3D =
=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D Best,=3D3D0A=3D3D Steve=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D =3D3D0A=
=3D3D Steve Courtney=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D Special Projects=3D3D0A=3D3D The Mark =
Twain House & Museum=3D3D0A=3D3D
351 Farmington Avenue=3D3D0A=3D3D
Hartford, Connecticut 06105=3D3D0A=3D3D
860-302-8969=3D3D0A=3D3D
=3D3D0A=3D3D
=3D3D0A=3D3D
________________________________________=3D3D0A=3D3D
From: Mark Twain Forum [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Carl J. Chimi =3D [c=
chim=3D3D [log in to unmask]]=3D3D0A=3D3D
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2016 5:29 PM=3D3D0A=3D3D
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Photo of Susie and Clara=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D You're certa=
inly =3D right, Barbara. I've seen many photos reproduced in=3D3D0A=3D3D re=
verse, or =3D misidentified.  I didn't have this before me when I wrote the=
=3D3D =3D =3D3D0A=3D3D original post, but the picture can be found in Steve=
 Courtney's =3D delightful=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D book "'The Loveliest House Tha=
t Ever Was'" on =3D page 119.  I've also seen it=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D in one o=
ther book I've read =3D within the last decade, but I can't remember=3D3D0A=
=3D3D which book.=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D =3D3D0A=3D3D The girl I think is Clara ha=
s a slightly mischievous look about =3D her that I=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D associ=
ate with young Clara's personality.  The =3D other girl has a sadness in=3D=
3D =3D3D0A=3D3D her eyes that I associate with =3D Susie, especially around=
 the time of her Bry=3D3D n=3D3D0A=3D3D Mawr days; she =3D also bears a res=
emblance to pictures of the young Sam=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D Clemens.=3D3D0A=3D3D =
=3D3D0A=3D3D Carl=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D -----Original =3D Message-----=
=3D3D0A=3D3D
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of =3D Barbara=
=3D3D0A=3D3D Schmidt=3D3D0A=3D3D
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2016 4:55 PM=3D3D0A=3D3D
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Photo of Susie and Clara=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D Carl,=3D3D0A=
=3D3D =3D =3D3D0A=3D3D I do not  have that photo in front of me at the mome=
nt, but =3D from your=3D3D0A=3D3D description, I seem to recall it was take=
n at Quarry =3D Farm.  I think=3D3D0A=3D3D sometimes part of the confusion =
in photo =3D identification comes when photos=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D are reprint=
ed from =3D negatives/plates and are unintentionally "reversed" or=3D3D =3D=
3D0A=3D3D =3D "flipped."  Without knowing who holds the original print or n=
egative of =3D thi=3D3D s=3D3D0A=3D3D photo, it may be difficult to correct=
ly pin down the =3D person on the left or=3D3D =3D3D0A=3D3D right in the fr=
ame and then determine =3D if subsequent reprintings are=3D3D0A=3D3D identi=
fied correctly.=3D3D0A=3D3D =3D =3D3D0A=3D3D Barb=3D3D0A=3D3D=20

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