Excerpt from Sara Pearce

t 10/31/2007 5:23 PM S. Pearce said...
Guess everybody's out trick or treating. The images were all photographed at Rensler's Portrait Studio and are now being shown at Carteaux & Leslie (921 Vine St., downtown).

The exhibit was curated by photographer Brad Smith who has a studio on Court Street, which is where Rensler's was from about 1914 until it closed in 1989. Before that, it was on Central Ave.

Brad used to drop in to chat with June Rensler, who ran the studio with her sister after their father died. And then by herself after her sister died.

When June put the contents up for sale, Brad bought 10,000 glass negatives dating from 1940-45. He paid a mere $150 for them.

He sold some and is now going through the ones left, cherry picking his favorites and reprinting them. Some also are being sold at C&L at $5 a pop. Not bad, given the hot market these days for vintage images.

The exhibit also includes other paraphernalia and a magnificent "sample" box of hand-colored wedding photos I'd kill to own.

Many of the images in the show were selected with Halloween in mind. But there are other fascinating ones that I could not shoot.

So, that's what they are. As for who they are? That's anyone's guess.

Brad doesn't know. June donated the tens of thousands of negatives that were identified to the Cincinnati Historical Society. Apparently, they turned down the unidentified ones, which is how Brad ended up with them.

Maybe someone who sees this will be able to shed light on the people.