tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post2704871464469059126..comments2024-03-26T16:11:44.515-04:00Comments on All Things Ruffnerian, a Design Blog and More: On Safari With George Eastman: Part 1Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-60569874126309140862013-02-26T09:05:50.526-05:002013-02-26T09:05:50.526-05:00Indeed, I have inherited and acquired a few first ...Indeed, I have inherited and acquired a few first editions. My grandfather was a bit of an explorer in the late 1920's and early 30's in South America and Africa, as a petroleum engineer. He made maps, took geological samples and flew a Ford Trimotor airplane, which was somewhat disassembled and transported by ship to Africa. He flew it to South America. I have first editions of Osa's books which I inherited from my grandfather as well as George Eastman's book. Not Scarletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361765713051253969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-36881011629313781802013-02-24T20:40:03.410-05:002013-02-24T20:40:03.410-05:00Hello, Reggie - One wonders whether all those vege...Hello, Reggie - One wonders whether all those vegetables might even have been a joke, but according to George Eastman, "We used all we could and gave the balance to the purser and the steward, who live at Southampton and do not often get such superior stuff."<br /><br />But I doubt they got the caviar!Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-55529149146592793322013-02-24T16:39:30.238-05:002013-02-24T16:39:30.238-05:00Ah, this is a series that I shall be sure to follo...Ah, this is a series that I shall be sure to follow avidly. I am most amused as to what Mr. Pomeroy found waiting for him in his cabin. Particularly all those vegetables! I am rather surprised that someone such as he traveling first class (I assume) at the time across the Atlantic would be thought in need of such things as mushrooms. By all accounts first class diners on such ships at the time were fed extravagently well. On the other hand, a bon voyage gift of four pounds of caviar sounds divine!! ReggieReggie Darlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04044215790585354363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-9139831321619210872013-02-22T14:59:50.358-05:002013-02-22T14:59:50.358-05:00Dear Yvette (and Rosemary) - Thanks for the commen...Dear Yvette (and Rosemary) - Thanks for the comments on my Granddad's appearance — he would be flattered. I was very fortunate to inherit his head of hair (my other grandfather was very bald)!Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-51576694190093986222013-02-22T13:14:21.035-05:002013-02-22T13:14:21.035-05:00I'm with Rosemary, Mark - your grandfather was...I'm with Rosemary, Mark - your grandfather was indeed a handsome chap. :)<br /><br />I can hardly imagine all the traveling he was required to do for his job with Eastman. Now that's what I call a 'territory'. <br /><br />But I'll bet he had grand adventures and great stories to tell when he got home.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-4152181843782024482013-02-21T11:16:33.016-05:002013-02-21T11:16:33.016-05:00Since you learned to walk aboard ship, I'm thi...Since you learned to walk aboard ship, I'm thinking you could almost call yourself a salt. I'm always interested to see how the tourists of Eastman's day took so much baggage, and the piles of matching suitcases and trunks that belonged to the Duchess of Windsor come especially to mind. I took pride in going to Europe with one small suitcase and a backpack, and the suitcase was as much for purchases as anything else.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-21735520137013918322013-02-21T11:07:19.662-05:002013-02-21T11:07:19.662-05:00Dear NS - I will of course be mentioning the Johns...Dear NS - I will of course be mentioning the Johnsons, though I don't want to get ahead of myself in the narrative! And I was thinking that at the end of the series, I'd have an epilogue, in which I would include more about the Johnsons.<br /><br />It's interesting that you also have a copy of Eastman's book. I have no idea how many are in circulation, but I'm guessing that he had between 500-1000 printed, only a guess.<br /><br />As someone in the industry of museums and libraries, do you collect first editions?Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-13508479041471385932013-02-21T05:56:09.557-05:002013-02-21T05:56:09.557-05:00Seems an odd combination of goods to give to someo...Seems an odd combination of goods to give to someone on their voyage. Odd, but extravagant, and I dare say happily shared with others travelling, especially the perishables. Travelling light was not the order of the day. As very young children we always travelled by sea from Singapore to Liverpool. I don't remember much about it, but I have happy memories, (and good sea legs); I learned to walk on board ship.columnisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03764365428633038329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-27256365928172659162013-02-21T04:27:14.881-05:002013-02-21T04:27:14.881-05:00I have an original copy of George Eastman's bo...I have an original copy of George Eastman's book as well. It is interesting to note that he spent time in Africa with explorer/photographers Osa and Martin Johnson. Osa wrote several books which chronicle their adventures. Martin's photography and films dovetail's nicely with George's book. The Osa and Martin Johnson Safari Museum in Chanute, Kansas is worth a visit.Not Scarletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361765713051253969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-43289057045654597742013-02-21T01:11:04.648-05:002013-02-21T01:11:04.648-05:00Oh I like that image! I bet he had many exciting ...Oh I like that image! I bet he had many exciting stories to tell to his grandchildren.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642768891794895642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-56783726734735496892013-02-20T21:25:24.589-05:002013-02-20T21:25:24.589-05:00Dear Rosemary,
I can't imagine what Mr. Pomer...Dear Rosemary,<br /><br />I can't imagine what Mr. Pomeroy's friends were thinking! On one hand, certainly any ship named the "Majestic" would have ample food, but on the other hand, who would want to take half a barrel of oysters on a safari? <br /><br />My grandfather must have had a lot of stamina to make those rounds, and in fact he was in his twenties at the time (he was born in the 1870s). He didn't have a family when he was making that circuit, and the photograph was taken about 20 years later, when he was working back in Rochester.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-74243369548251601782013-02-20T19:21:45.920-05:002013-02-20T19:21:45.920-05:00Dear Mark - was the gifted food for eating on the ...Dear Mark - was the gifted food for eating on the voyage over to Southampton? If so, I presume that ships probably did not indulge their passengers to the extent that they do today. <br />The book is a wonderful family possession to have, and I look forward to hearing about the safari. <br />It must have been hard work for your Grandfather travelling all of those miles by train. He must have been away from the family for weeks on end. By the way he is a handsome looking chap.<br /> Rosemaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814070177137076757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-41777945065159438072013-02-20T17:16:27.950-05:002013-02-20T17:16:27.950-05:00Dear Gina,
I do believe that there will be a lot ...Dear Gina,<br /><br />I do believe that there will be a lot of drama for more than a few animals, as this was a time where anything and everything was fair game,so to speak!Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-32350042335347568782013-02-20T17:11:46.846-05:002013-02-20T17:11:46.846-05:00Dear Stefan, As you might imagine, not all of that...Dear Stefan, As you might imagine, not all of that food was consumed by a party of three, and much of it was eventually gifted to appropriate crew members.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-10484528391935344882013-02-20T17:09:23.994-05:002013-02-20T17:09:23.994-05:00Dear Erika,
It's been interesting to have be...Dear Erika, <br /><br />It's been interesting to have been plopped into this family of mine, with the pioneering American spirit on one side and the Old World influence on the other.<br /><br />George Eastman was a solitary man, without wife or family, and so his friends were all the more important to him. All those groceries didn't come from Mr. Eastman, though, and he was as surprised by them as Mr. Pomeroy was. Perhaps he even felt a little wistful that for all his wealth and stature, friends weren't showering him with mushrooms and oysters.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-65664823027847063522013-02-20T16:58:33.220-05:002013-02-20T16:58:33.220-05:00Dear Kirk,
My paternal grandfather saw much of th...Dear Kirk,<br /><br />My paternal grandfather saw much of this country as it was still being settled. On at least one occasion, after a train stopped because it had run into a gap in the tracks, he jumped onto what was called a "handcar," and wildly pumped a handle to get himself down the tracks to his next appointment.<br /><br />I hope you enjoy future installments!Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-70488524631476604152013-02-20T16:49:25.076-05:002013-02-20T16:49:25.076-05:00Hello, Jim,
I don't believe that my grandfath...Hello, Jim,<br /><br />I don't believe that my grandfather kept a diary, but he was a great story teller.<br /><br />As I look at this still image from The Black Pirate, I see a more sophisticated, though muted, color than early color TV. I'm sure even the hint of skin tone was amazing. On the other hand, the early TV color was incredibly over-saturated and skin tones were often bright magenta. But I'm comparing apples to oranges, I know.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-27116711101464287162013-02-20T15:27:04.211-05:002013-02-20T15:27:04.211-05:00I find it hard to believe that all of that 'lo...I find it hard to believe that all of that 'loot' even fit into the stateroom! amazing! can't wait for the follow up.ArchitectDesign™https://www.blogger.com/profile/01481754380363676771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-20315622215281570092013-02-20T15:03:32.388-05:002013-02-20T15:03:32.388-05:00Dear Mark,
Your family is such a fascinating lot! ...Dear Mark,<br />Your family is such a fascinating lot! It's amazing that the burden of representing Kodak through more than half of this huge country fell to your grandfather alone. I can hardly imagine that kind of stamina-- wow! It must have been a wonderfully interesting experience, though, and I'm sure he was able to savor the adventure. I'll be on the edge of my seat awaiting more news of the great safari... I like Mr. Eastman already, with his vegetable hi-jinks: Mr. Pomeroy must have felt as if he was making the crossing aboard a floating grocery store!<br />Thank you for another wonderful post.<br />Warm regards,<br />ErikaParvum Opushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15464815622667738686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-74907646067233142852013-02-20T14:07:32.590-05:002013-02-20T14:07:32.590-05:00Dear Mark,
I think I am going to enjoy these posts...Dear Mark,<br />I think I am going to enjoy these posts.<br />Your grandfather had an exciting life - and I am sure we can only imagine half the things he experienced back in those days travelling across what must have been fairly dangerous territory!<br />I really liked hearing how the book arrived in your hands too.<br />I feel as though I am back in the days when books were published in installments within a magazine. Now I am waiting for the next one to come out!<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642768891794895642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-15774703614307360142013-02-20T09:38:25.337-05:002013-02-20T09:38:25.337-05:00Hello Mark, What fascinating adventures your gran...Hello Mark, What fascinating adventures your grandfather had. Too bad he didn't keep a diary--or did he?<br /><br />I don't think I've seen The Black Pirate, but I do have a dvd of early silent color films, some hand-tinted, some early Technicolor processes, and they are fascinating, especially if you can imagine yourself back in time as part of the original audience.<br /><br />I am looking forward to more of the Eastman saga, and more about Grandfather Ruffner.<br />--Road to ParnassusParnassushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08958901307538141468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-38672026106304642752013-02-20T08:29:59.621-05:002013-02-20T08:29:59.621-05:00Dear Mark, Your upcoming series will be much more ...Dear Mark, Your upcoming series will be much more interesting than Downtown Abbey. No doubt more drama and definitely more exitement. Really looking forward to your next installments. Mr Pomeroy knew how to travel...maybe he had read a few scientific papers on scurvy. <br />You are so fortunate to have this rare book and the stories it contains. How generous of you that you will share with us. <br />Gina Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03429484235583035595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-72651148863471447992013-02-20T08:05:04.431-05:002013-02-20T08:05:04.431-05:00Hello, Jane and Lance:
My grandfather doubtlessly...Hello, Jane and Lance:<br /><br />My grandfather doubtlessly did some travel on horseback and he reported seeing scenes of the West now long gone, including wagons pulled by 20-mule teams. Once he stopped to wash his shirt in a borax spring and the shirt completely dissolved!Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-76104658344175295062013-02-20T07:42:07.480-05:002013-02-20T07:42:07.480-05:00Hello Mark:
It is absolutely marvellous that you h...Hello Mark:<br />It is absolutely marvellous that you have this book, handed down from your grandfather. What a delightful and important historical record in the field of photography.<br /><br />Your grandfather could certainly have given new meaning to the title 'travelling salesman'. Indeed, it is a wonder that he saw anything very much other than the inside of a railway carriage!!<br /><br />We toy of making the transatlantic voyage by sea and can say with some degree of certainty that if we were presented with such bounty to our cabin, the journey would be very agreeable. Especially the flowers and caviar...perhaps we would pass on the cauliflowers and cigars!!Jane and Lance Hattatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16831890261259302647noreply@blogger.com