There’s a certain feel in some industrial-era photos that transmit a sense of calm. An eerie kind of serenity; and it appears rather clearly in this shot from 1938, with a number of Dodges being loaded in Buffalo, NY.
Serenity, or melancholy? The severe and austere surroundings, the uncluttered streets, the crisp profiles of machinery and edifices. And finally, the workers with poses frozen in time. Something about such images is rather moving. It is the magic of photography; to be moved by such hard industrial realities from a distance.
As for that distant reality, 1938 was a recession year; that in the already long-going Great Depression. After an uptick in sales in the mid-’30s, 1938 was another year of shrinking sales, with Dodge’s sales falling 59%. Melancholic, indeed.
I love these vintage hand-colorized black and white photos.
Whoever colorized this photo made some interesting artistic choices. Most of the workers and the foreground are left in black and white (or only lightly tinted), while the colors get bolder and brighter the farther back you go.
Great picture and superb description of photos like this. I totally agree and never really put a finger on it, but that’s exactly how it makes me feel when I look at them. I guess the way I’ve thought of it in my mind is that I see a more simple time when those photos were taken.
I’d say these were quite handsome sedans for the time.
My grand father had a blACK ’39 version of this car. About 1950-51 I was in the back seat when my grandfather stopped for gas. As it was Summer it got a wee bit warm inside the car, therefore I opened the same rear side window………it opened ALL the way, to the concrete below where it shattered! My dear grandaddy was NOT PLEASED. OOPZ! One of my earliest car related memories… 🙂 DFO
My wife’s grandmother made a living hand coloring photographs. She was very good at it. Whoever colored this photo was very talented.
The buildings in the background and the overall scene reminds me of the nostalgic look model railroaders try to emulate.
Here’s some beautiful artwork advertising Dodge for 1938. These cars are almost totally forgotten today.
Not exactly a dodge, but Bogie drove a ’38 Plymouth in The Big Sleep (1946)
https://www.imcdb.org/v009700.html
Just saw that “flick”, early this week. What was that “big hulking, ride”that “Lauren B” rolled up in?
A nice picture but all sedans .
I love the coupes better .
Long ago I had a 1939 Dodge sedan, had to give it away to get rid of it .
-Nate
This is a bit of a stretch, but there’s a sculpture from 1966 that was banned as pornographic titled, ‘Back Seat Dodge ’38’.
Also, inspired quite a good surf song by a little known group called ‘Opus 1’ with a similar title (‘Backseat ’38 Dodge).
My, how times have changed. Today you have people walking around with everything hanging out and nothing left to the imagination. From what I can see, that pic would be seen in a kids film of today.
I guess I’m just getting old!!
Rudiger ;
Not a stretch by any means .
You had to have been there in the late 50’s early 60’s to understand things really were *very* different and now always in a good way .
-Nate
Am I missing something, or is the sculpture basically a hoarder’s paradise with a couple of mannequin parts thrown in? I almost feel like I should get my tetanus shot updated just from seeing the picture. 😉
Having said that, I grew up during the 60s & 70s and totally get how the sculpture was considered “pornographic.”