Studio Portrait of Eagan, with a Special Note

This well-dressed young man, known only to us as Eagan, sits for a technically perfect portrait. On the reverse side of the mounted print he has scribbled:

Yours very truly,— Eagan.    If you don't want to be troubled with rats and mice, just place this (photograph) in the room and you won't be bothered.

The Mystery of Case 57

There's writing on the back of this print that says,  "F. Copeland Shelden, Kansas City, Missouri."  A bit of Googling produces several clues about the name.  Dr. Sheldon was an accomplished orthodontist, speaker and author for many decades until his death at 70 years old in 1977.

The question remains: are these photographs of one of Dr. Shelden's patients?  The boy does not seem to be a candidate for orthodontia. Or is "Case 057" actually Dr. Shelden himself, being photographed as a young boy long before embarking on his career in medicine?

Two Photographs for Olive

These portraits are likely from the Spring or early Summer of 1945, after World War II had ended in Europe but was still raging in the Pacific. Without any dates except Mary's instruction to "Remember June 1945,"  these matching folios contain  brief sentiments of two young women who both have a friend named Olive.

I can only assume that these wonderful portraits were given as a gift or exchanged upon graduation, and I am left with a feeling of disappointment that I'll never see a portrait of Olive herself.

Studio Portrait of Leane

Signed in ink on face of photograph: "Lovingly, Leane."  No other markings or information about this woman, except for "Johnson," the photographer's name. After this many years I suspect he's no longer in business, but it's likely he made a living for much longer than this woman's hairdresser. 

Young Girl, White Dress, White Background

This portrait is unusual.  It has the finishing and mounting typical of a turn of the century print, but it lacks the typical toning (or fading) of a print of that age. The image is almost completely white (intentionally white, not from fading), containing mostly bright tones, and is mounted on an equally white card stock with serrated edges.  I can't help but wonder if the same scissors were used to trim the girl's bangs.

Location: Cresco, Iowa
Photographer: W. Brown