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Washington, D.C., circa 1917. "Training camp activities commission." More servicemen being entertained with food and female companions, their menu running the gamut from tube steaks to "Washington Crisps." View full size.
That watch fob could be IOOF, as below. Also, that lady on the right looks like she was developing a goiter.
I think the watch fob is in the form of a Masonic lodge emblem - a Maltese cross surmounted by a helmet. Like these:
The watch fob isn't from the Knights - it actually looks a lot like the Veterans of Foreign Wars' Cross of Malta. The VFW was established in 1899, so the wearer could be a veteran of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection.
An example compared to the Knights emblem:
[Does not look like a Cross of Malta. Some sort of fraternal order would be my guess. - Dave]
I'll hazard a guess and say that the watch fob is Knights of Columbus.
The expressions on the faces of the couple just in front of the tobacco showcase toward the left seem to indicate that the soldier is totally enchanted by the pretty lady in the striped cuffs and is profoundly interested in her while she coyly fluffs her hair and giggles ("oh, tee-hee") at his flattering compliments so as not to look too eager ("tell me more, tell me more"). I think this is serious infatuation we have here.
What's that thang hanging from the ceiling?
[Switch for the ceiling light(s). -tterrace]
P.S. Nice photobomb Granny!
Perhaps the manager's jacket is made from "watered silk". This would explain the appearance of his left sleeve. Different parts of a watered silk fabric reflect light in different ways. The reflections shift with the viewing angle.
I'm sure some Shorpyite will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this optical effect is called "chatoyance", a term also used in gemology.
This manager is a pretty sharp dresser; note his patterned silk vest.
He's got some sort of lodge, fraternal organization, or veteran's organization symbol hanging from his watch chain. That might be identifiable if we could enhance that part of the image....in 1917, he's not old enough to be in the GAR, as the Civil War ended 52 years before.
I thought for a moment it might have been mold on the photograph, but no - Mr. Mustache the Manager has what may be the shiniest suitcoat ever seen on Shorpy. Silk? Satin? Synthetic? Such sartorial shenanigans!
Hannah was told to attend to the dishes but heard that there was a photographer out front. "Methinks I’ve got a shot at posterity," she muttered to herself, coming around the doorframe at just the right moment.
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