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 ARCHIVED TOPIC: Civil War banjo


Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/397883

chuckv97 - Posted - 06/14/2024:  16:05:34


An old photo ,, difficult to see much detail on the banjo though



 

Dan Gellert - Posted - 06/14/2024:  17:02:31


The instruments and the clothing both look a bit later than 1865 to my eye, but I really don't know much about the style history, and can't make out enough detail in the instruments to point out any details to support that impression. I know there are re-enactors on the BHO who can tell for sure.

kwl - Posted - 06/14/2024:  17:44:06


I can't help, but I'm wondering if the band member sitting on left is playing bones. He has his arms raised and it seems logical to me to have percussion on both ends.

35planar - Posted - 06/15/2024:  04:07:26


Unless that photo's cropped, square format negatives were not an option in that time period, later yes. Kodak, George Eastman invented roll film, flexible celluloid plastic with a silver-gelatin coating, in 1888. Rollieflex, the German company, introduced their twin lens camera and the square format in 1929. Prior to that, the square format negative didn't exist. So, maybe this is a heavily cropped photo from a period wet plate collodion glass plate negative. Or this is AI? I wouldn't want to guess without knowing where the actual photo is, that it's a tangible object, and if anything is known about it's origin.


Edited by - 35planar on 06/15/2024 04:08:29

Dan Gellert - Posted - 06/15/2024:  07:44:36


quote:

Originally posted by kwl

I can't help, but I'm wondering if the band member sitting on left is playing bones. He has his arms raised and it seems logical to me to have percussion on both ends.






I'm sure he is.  You could hardly call it a minstrel show if you didn't have Mr. Tambo on one end of the line, and Mr. Bones at the other. 

kwl - Posted - 06/15/2024:  07:50:57


Thanks for the response Dan. I hadn't thought about that, but you are correct.


Edited by - kwl on 06/15/2024 07:51:16

wrench13 - Posted - 06/15/2024:  08:46:07


If AI generated that photo, its time for us all to dig graves and jump right in. I vote its a cropped photo and taken by a honest, real live person.

Alvin Conder - Posted - 06/15/2024:  10:53:38


Give AI about 6 months and AI can produce a multitude of similar images. With greater and greater accuracy to image and time. 



Hearing some of the samples of recent AI music and some other visuals kind of have me wondering if in a decade musical instruments , sculpture and painting may be regarded in the same way we currently regard magic lantern slides and buggy whips. 





Seeing how inherently lazy humanity is, I fear for the arts.


Edited by - Alvin Conder on 06/15/2024 10:55:21

Andy B - Posted - 06/15/2024:  11:27:15


My initial reaction to this image was that there are questions about it that are not answered by the brief accompanying text. The first question is why hasn’t it surfaced before now. The Civil War is one of the best documented episodes in American history, and music historians have extensively documented the banjo’s history in the 19th century as well. It would be helpful to know the circumstances of the discovery of this image, including who found it, where it was found, whether it was found among other similar Civil War era artifacts that could bolster its provenance, etc. More information about the image could help one make a better judgment about its authenticity.


Edited by - Andy B on 06/15/2024 11:32:24

chuckv97 - Posted - 06/15/2024:  13:13:32


quote:

Originally posted by Alvin Conder

Give AI about 6 months and AI can produce a multitude of similar images. With greater and greater accuracy to image and time. 



Hearing some of the samples of recent AI music and some other visuals kind of have me wondering if in a decade musical instruments , sculpture and painting may be regarded in the same way we currently regard magic lantern slides and buggy whips. 





Seeing how inherently lazy humanity is, I fear for the arts.






I agree that many folks are to lazy to struggle through the initial stages of instrument playing study... but I can't help think that as long as there are live musicians performing here and there, some youngster will be deeply inspired , as we were, to take up a musical instrument. I play banjo at a farmers market and always get a kick out of the little tykes listening to me with eyes wide open and mouths agape. 

Alvin Conder - Posted - 06/16/2024:  05:33:09


This picture kind of got stuck in my mind, so I did a quick Google search and turned up this:

gettyimages.com/detail/news-ph...opup=true

Not an AI image.

35planar - Posted - 06/16/2024:  06:40:19


Awesome news Alvin! The uncropped image format makes historical sense, though the clarity is baffling. That would point to it being taken later but perhaps not. It'd be great to know the timeline of how that image ended up at Getty Images.

Paul R - Posted - 06/16/2024:  20:51:18


quote:

Originally posted by Alvin Conder

This picture kind of got stuck in my mind, so I did a quick Google search and turned up this:



gettyimages.com/detail/news-ph...opup=true



Not an AI image.






So some guy took it circa 1863 and Getty charges $475 a pop.

chuckv97 - Posted - 06/16/2024:  21:12:12


quote:

Originally posted by Paul R

quote:

Originally posted by Alvin Conder

This picture kind of got stuck in my mind, so I did a quick Google search and turned up this:



gettyimages.com/detail/news-ph...opup=true



Not an AI image.






So some guy took it circa 1863 and Getty charges $475 a pop.






Ralph Peer made a few greenbacks off the Carters...

Andy B - Posted - 06/17/2024:  04:36:50


Questions answered-thanks.

Paul R - Posted - 06/17/2024:  08:24:14


quote:

Originally posted by chuckv97

quote:

Originally posted by Paul R

quote:

Originally posted by Alvin Conder

This picture kind of got stuck in my mind, so I did a quick Google search and turned up this:



gettyimages.com/detail/news-ph...opup=true



Not an AI image.






So some guy took it circa 1863 and Getty charges $475 a pop.






Ralph Peer made a few greenbacks off the Carters...






He sure did. And others. He told his record company that he wouldn't charge them anything for producing,, but took the publishing rights. He told his artists to write new lyrics. Stolen melodies. Big bucks. peermusic.

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