A friend of mine asked me to try this photograph and see if anybody knows the subjects. I know it is incredibly faded, but it was the best the camera could do. We tried to tone it, and no go.  It is likely a long-shot that anybody remembers or recognizes them. But worth trying, right? Right. The photographer is elusive at the moment as well, "J. H. Van, Photographer, Dover, Del." We tried to find quick information on him and no go, which means a trip to the Archives when we get a chance. Unless someone out there in cyberspace can fill us in?  Pat Earnest 17 June 2015

UPDATE: 24 August 2015. I was at the annual picnic of the Delaware Bibliophiles recently. It just so happens one of the members (A.M.) is writing a book about Delaware photographers. I mentioned the difficulty in finding the this particular photographer. A.M. knew immediately that this is actually Dover photographer J. H. Vane (not Van), which would explain my inability to trace the photographer via internet searches. A.M. also disclosed that Vane was a Civil War veteran. He also thinks Vane was blinded in a horrific accident later in life, but could not remember details off-hand. As it turns out, knowing Vane's name still does not help with internet searches.

    Interestingly, but not surprisingly, I found another post in which someone is trying to return an unidentified woman back to her family. This photograph was also taken by Vane. The same article shows a photograph of an advertisement by a druggist named Harry Vane. I will let everyone know when A.M's book is released. Pat Earnest 24 August 2015 Dover, DE