« World Famous Skate Quartet »

The seller described this image as Four Men With Musical Instruments. 

Of course I was not about to miss having permanent proof that anyone, much less a quartet, could make music with ice skates! Who knew – and these characters don’t even look like your typical musicians. Don’t ask me how they do it or what it sounds like. I am pretty sure none of the major composers wrote for ice skate, but perhaps someone has. 

Anyway, you heard it first here at Timebinder and you will be a hit at the next cocktail or dinner party when you pipe up with, “Did you know that ice skates are musical instruments?”; the silence will be deafening until someone screws up the courage to ask you to elaborate, so be prepared! 

This is a small, poor quality tintype – which is really a shame considering the sensational subject matter. I have never understood why a fair percentage of tintypes are almost completely out of focus, and it is usually not due to motion blur. Maybe the photographer was in a hurry because these guys had to leave for their next concert.