[VERNACULAR PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM OF A FAMILY, LIKELY FROM TEXAS, IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY]

[Texas, ca. 1917].. 136 original photographs of varying shapes and sizes, mostly about 3 x 3½ inches. Oblong photo album of black paper between brown velvet covers, bound with string. Covers a bit scuffed and soiled, glue remnants on a number of pages, photos in varying conditions. Numerous manuscript captions. Good. A very personal vernacular photo album of an apparently well-to-do family in the American West during World War I. Most of the photographs are posed photographs of friends and family, sometimes captioned by a first name, date, or comment on the image, such as "sweethearts." In fact, several of the images appear to be of couples courting. The captions in general provide precious little information, although the manuscript next to a group of men loading a mule reads "Good Ol' Texas." Many photos are taken on the family's front porch or in front of their car, but a few depict men on horseback or in uniform, and several are dated 1917 in the captions. One of the photographs shows an outdoor basketball hoop and backboard (likely at a schoolhouse) and another shows two men standing in front of "Kelley & Sons Furniture and Hardware." An intimate look into the year of a western American family in the early 20th century.