from a hundred years ago...

A bit of an update -- see bottom of post!

I've long had a policy of not buying portraits at flea markets. But that doesn't mean I can't browse, and if there is a stack, I always flip through it. 

Yesterday at Les Puces, this group photo made me violate my own policy. I know I'm transfering the blame... think whatever you want to think... but I asked the people in this photo if they would feel bad if I took them out of France (eventually, I mean. We're not moving just yet), and I heard them saying, "No, no, go ahead and take us with you. We're glad you found us."

I swear.

I think it's how these people are standing, some of them looking almost relaxed, instead of standing stiff looking scared (or scary!) and uncomfortable. It didn't feel like a crime to "buy them" and make them mine.

At the bottom is a line of captions that says:

Ecole de Medicine Paris 1910
Mr le Docteur André Castex (The first word looks like "Mr", but the second letter is so tiny I'm not 100% sure it's an "r")
Lucien Wormser Phot 45 Rue du Cardinal-Lemoine

This address is in Paris 5eme arrondissement, not too far from Île de la Cité, just one block from Cardinal Lemoine metro station. I'll keep a few images of this photo on my iPhone, so I can look this place up next time we're in Paris.

Update 18-01-2011: I forgot to note that, between "Ecole de Medicine Paris 1910" and "Mr le Docteur André Castex", the caption also says "Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie." Sure enough, I got a quick note from a friend today telling me that Dr. Castex was a famous ear-nose-and-throat doctor at the time, and that he wrote many books as well. The man in the center in the white lab coat, who looks older than other people in the photo, must be him.