Prop Project: Picture of the Mustachioed Man

[Lydia]

The prop in question is a picture of a dark-haired man with a fine mustache.  Frame and subject both look 19th century to me.  Subject looks constipated, frame does not.  Here's a capture in which the picture appears, from episode 621:


I've seen the picture in 1968 in both Professor Stokes's living room and Nicholas Blair's living room, suggesting that the subject was a man of local prominence. The picture next appears in Ezra Braithwaite’s shop in episode 684, and Ezra identifies the subject as his father, Ezra Braithwaite Jr.   Like our Ezra, Ezra Jr. was a silversmith, as was Paul Revere.  I am imagining Ezra Jr. becoming a local hero by riding and spreading the alarm to every Hancock County village and farm: “The Revenuers are coming! Hide your moonshine!”  Just one thing puzzles me: the matting on the picture is gold-colored.  I'm surprised to see such a thing around a picture of a silversmith.

I suppose this is a picture of a real man.  If the picture was done in the Dark Shadows studio, by dressing up one of the crew, we could conceivably find out who the subject was in real life, but if the picture was bought and brought in, he will probably remain forever a mystery.

Collectibles?  I can't imagine this picture selling for the $13,000 that the portrait of Barnabas fetched in the charity auction at the 2006 Dark Shadows Fest.  I can imagine a set of Dark Shadows portrait trading cards being produced, with this guy included, but I can also imagine the producer losing money on them.

[Lydia]

Today's slide show shows this picture in episode 1190, in the real time 1840 storyline.  It's hanging crookedly in a secret passageway, with cobwebs sticking to it.  Clearly it's no spring chicken in 1840, even though it looks to me as though it would have been in a later era.  Very strange.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Today's slide show shows this picture in episode 1190, in the real time 1840 storyline.

Thanks for pointing that out (I haven't been checking out the Robs slideshows lately):

1971: Ep #1190 - Having freed herself, Daphne searches
through a secret passageway for a way to escape.

Clearly it's no spring chicken in 1840, even though it looks to me as though it would have been in a later era.  Very strange.

That seems to be par for the course with most of the portraits. Isaac looks like he's dressed in Victorian garb, yet he was alive in the 17th century. Apparently many of the Collinses were VERY fashion forward. 

[Lydia]

Thanks, MB!

Something else that bothers me is that in episode 1190, the picture looks smaller to me than it did in the capture from episode 621.  I guess Nicholas is closer to the wall than he appears to be.

[Lydia]

I noticed this picture in episode 148, in Frank Garner's Collinsport office.  This is the same set that is used for Roger's office at the cannery, but the last time I saw Roger's office, I wasn't keeping an eye out for Mr. Mustache, so I don't know if he's there for Roger.

[Midnite]

The picture hangs in the hallway outside of Jamison's room in 1897.  It can be seen in #726 from inside the room when the door is opened.

[MagnusTrask]

With all the paintings and severed-hand-boxes and staircases and afghans flying about I have to wonder if perhaps the bulk of Collinsport's supernatural activity just might be going on in the background, undetected by any of the characters...

[Lydia]

Nice catch, Midnite.  The picture appeared for only a second or two in #726, and I'm not even sure that all of it is in view.

Magnus, that's a lovely idea.  I'm thinking about the Dark Shadows audio plays that have been done recently, and imagining a new Dark Shadows TV series about the thrilling adventures of the Collinwood furniture, while in the background we occasionally hear snippets of conversation along the lines of, “Oh, look, there's a supernatural something-or-other.  Save me, Barnabas!”  “Mrs. Johnson forgot to refill the decanters again.  What does she think we're paying her for?”  “Hey, Maggie, how about you and me, we go to the movies together tonight?  ‘Cause face it, Maggie, Joe's been at Windcliff for 40 years.  He's not gonna get out anytime soon.  I'm bettin’ he's got somethin’ goin’ with Dr. Hoffman.”

[MagnusTrask]

I like that, and I want to write it now, and would but for the prohibition against fanfic here.   There are always those fanfic sites Nancy spoke of....

[Midnite]

Actually, about that made-up dialogue, [I'm just going to quote what was mentioned to Lydia before]...

The what if? dialogue is the same as fiction writing, and with it getting progressively longer, well, you know...

From the Forum Guidelines:  These forums also do not accept fan fiction and such works are subject to removal.

[Midnite]

It hangs outside Quentin's room in #832.

[Lydia]

Yes, I noticed that, but before I got around to posting on it here, I noticed the picture again in episode 838, and that perplexed me, because it was inside Quentin's room rather than outside, so I've spent the past few days wondering if I got mixed up.

Incidentally, apologies for my transgression of six months ago, and also for any I've committed before and since that time.

[Midnite]

Lydia, we might be talking about the same room but calling it something else.  In both eps, the picture hangs in the anteroom outside Quentin's bedroom, though not in the same spot.  That outer room has furnishings and a fireplace and stained glass window (it underwent a drastic change by 1969), but to get into the room with the gramophone and the other fireplace-- the one I call Quentin's room-- you have to go through another door.

And thanks.

[MagnusTrask]

I think Bushy Moustache Man is a time traveller.   Or maybe his portrait artist is.  Or maybe the artist's sales agent is.

 

[Lydia]

Ah, thanks Midnite, I really wasn't sure.  I just remembered that in 832 the wall looked pretty blank and hall-like, whereas in 838 there was a bookshelf.