Vermont woman tries to track down family featured in old photos – WCAX
WINDSOR, Vt. (WCAX) – A Windsor woman is looking for a family featured in some old photos.
It all started after Krystle Wells purchased an antique camera in Quechee.
She became a professional photographer six years ago and says her mom always carried a camera around with her.
This year, Wells started going around to antique stores looking to collect old film cameras. In July, she bought a camera at the Vermont Antique Mall in Quechee. When she brought it home, she realized there was still film inside. She sent it to Old School Photo Lab in Dover, New Hampshire, to have the film developed.
The result: several black and white photos featuring what appears to be three generations of a family. The photos were taken outdoors.
“I’ve read stories of people finding film in there before and I never thought I’d be lucky enough to find it and have the pictures come out as good as they did,” Wells said. “My family is really big and we’ve always been close, so seeing the pictures with the family, you can tell that they’re close in the photos and I know I would love to get the photos back if they were mine.”
The only information Wells has about the twin-lens receiver that says Carlton Reflex on it is that it was made in New York during the 1940s.
The folks at the Vermont Antique Mall don’t have any records on when they acquired the camera. However, they do know the dealer who sold it to them. I reached out to that dealer. He can’t remember when or where he bought it but says he likely got it in Orange, Massachusetts.
Suzanne Rogers has been working at the Vermont Antique Mall for nearly 18 years and can’t ever recall someone reporting old film found in one of the cameras.
“It’s pretty fascinating, it really is. I hope that they can find the family that they belong to,” Rogers said. “We’ve had a lot of jewelry. We’ve had people say they have found the families. A lot of people now are doing the family history thing, so I think we’re seeing more of the younger people coming in and looking for stuff like this.”
Rogers says they don’t check for any items, like film, before displaying or selling them, because it is the dealer’s responsibility.
If you recognize the family in the photos, you can email us here at News@wcax.com or contact Krystle Wells through Facebook.
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