Mary Magdalene Rosamond: Archetype

The photograph of my grandmother, Mary Magdalene Rosamond, was made into a postcard, as were the photo of she and my grandfather, Royal Rosamond, camping on Anacapa Island. The photo overlooking Ventura by the Sea was also a postcard, and appears to be my grandmother, and perhaps the photographer who took these photos. Was he a friend of my grandparents, or, was this strictly business?

One possibility, is that Out West magazine was promoting the Rosamonds as THE ideal California family. Is it possible that George Wharton James took the photographs of Royal and Mary, and their four daughters, included my mother, Rosemary. What makes me wonder this is the Native American baskets in the photo of June and Bertha. Like Charles Lummis, James collected these baskets. Were postcards made of the Rosamond girls, later to become the Rosamond Women?

Above we see the beautiful women Philip Boileau rendered. His…