Some time ago I just wondered what I would have done when I would be on leave as a soldier during the Second World War. I sure would have taken pictures of places I had visit or taken pictures of army buddies as I have done in the beginning of the 90’s. And when my film role would be full, I would had it developed in a Photo store or drugstore or chemist’s just the same. And then showed them in small pocket Photo albums.
Soldiers during the Second World War did just the same. They took pictures with their cameras and had those films developed at the nearest drugstore or photo store. A bit different as nowadays with our digital cameras.
Relaxed: Rather than appear invaders, these German soldiers in Paris fiddle with a camera like tourists and appear to be have a guidebook lying nearby.
Anyway, the next question came in mind was, would I get those pictures back in a paper cover with the negatives or was it different in those days then in the early 90’s?
Small pocket Photo albums made of paper
Well yes, to answer that question, there were those paper covers where you got your photos and negatives in, but there were also small pocket photo albums. And these small pocket albums got my attention. So I started to look on the internet and found a couple of those small pocket photo albums and started to collect them.
You received these small pocket Photo albums with your developed photos and negatives. They varied in sizes, from 11 x 8 cm to ca. 15 x 10 cm. And on the cover you would find the name of the Photo store or drugstore where the photos were developed.
These albums contained 8 to 24 pages with pre-cuts to place your photos in between (as seen on the photo above). Mostly the pages were made from grey/black photo paper, but some had also off white pages. And these albums were in land-scape. The sizes of photos did vary from 6 x 8 cm, 6 x 9 cm to 11,5 x 7,5 in these albums.
More luxurious small pocket Photo albums
There were more luxurious pocket Photo albums available too, of course, but those you had to buy and were slightly bigger as the paper ones. And those albums came in different sizes too. The cover was mostly made with a piece of cloth or linnen and the album was bound with a piece of string. And the grey/black pages either came with of without the “Spider web” Paper.
These albums had a size around 20 x 14,5 cm and you could put photos to the size of a postcard in them. Well a bit to big for your pocket, but it would sure fit into your small pack or tornister with your personal items.
Wouldn’t it be nice to possess one of those small pocket Photo albums in your pockets with photos from previous events, or such a luxurious pocket Photo album? This way you can add some more accuracy to your act. Ie. as a German re-enactor you can choose between the German, French or Belgium version. Or as a British, Canadian or American re-enactor you could have a French or Belgium one in your pockets. Just remember your First-Person Impression. I am already reproducing several albums for the shop.
Not Available in the Shop?
Custom Orders
If you want something that is not available in the webshop, or if you have original piece of paperwork that you would like to have reproduced, or you want some paper props made for your next movie production, please get in touch me. Then I can see if I can make it for you.