This somewhat ordinary everyday story is worth telling.
I find Kristoffersson's pictures in the classic picture magazine Se no. 23 1943. At this time during the Second World War, Se had established itself as the major picture magazine and sold large editions.
Kristoffersson frequently had his photos published in Se and there was a reason for that. That he was good enough. Editor-in-chief Carl-Adam Nycop made high demands on the photographers and only the best had their photos published.
Charming pictures of 25-year-old Bibi Holmström adorn a page in the magazine. Very typical. See, there are so many pictures on the page that there is barely room for the text.
By this time in 1943, she had left her life as a war nurse behind and returned to civilian life.
On Gåsgränd in the Old Town of Stockholm and in a historic building mentioned as early as 1540 as a well-known tavern, she has opened her own antiques shop; Kopparbunken Antikbod.
The text speculates that she is Sweden's youngest antiques expert, and that may be true.
The old-fashioned ornate sign fits well where it hangs from the wall. Here she has collected antiques that she found herself at auctions, among other things. She seems to have been good at making the old worn and dull copper objects shine. She can be seen in some pictures polishing and cleaning. It is actually an art. And there is almost nothing more beautiful than shiny, shiny copper objects.
At Gåsgränd she is also seen working on cleaning an old chair and in that environment that work fits in well.
When she stands on Västerlånggatan with Gåsgränd visible behind her, it's a really nice picture. She, who is called Bi, is on the lookout for the flow of customers. It was perhaps not as easy to attract customers to the store as one might think.
You also learn that she doesn't like the back side of business, accounting is so much fun. She rests her head in her hand and it's clear that she really wants to do something completely different.
Finally, when the day is over, she closes the shop, locks the old shutters on the windows, and goes home.
Nice old negatives that are still in good shape and that tell a little about the life of a young girl. You wonder what became of her.
Glad I found where the pictures were published. Kristoffersson was probably like everyone else, a bit stressed and everything had to happen quickly. There was no time to write on the negatives what they depicted or where they were published. That job I get to do now, about 80+ years later.
