MYSTERY SOLVED: The Mystery of Karl Priebe, Dudley Huppler, and unidentified woman, circa 1945

Two black and white photographs side by side of two men and a woman gathering around a statue
Karl Priebe, Dudley Huppler, and unidentified woman, circa 1945. Photographer unknown. Gertrude Abercrombie papers.

The Mystery:

These two photographs are of the same three people taken on the same day. The same statue is featured in both images and is likely one of Karl Priebe’s antique finds. The trio appear to have dressed it up somewhat. The woman is holding a painting by Karl Priebe, and Dudley Huppler is holding one of his own paintings.

Where: Likely Kalamazoo, MI, where Priebe worked at the Kalamazoo Art Institute

When: Circa 1945

Who: Karl Priebe, Dudley Huppler, and an unidentified woman

Help us solve the mystery: Who is this woman? (Not Sylvia Fein or Gertrude Abercombie, could be Carol Blanchard?)

The Solution:

Karl Priebe, Dudley Huppler, and Eileen Barber, circa 1944

These two photographs are of the same group taken on the same day. The same statue is featured in both images and is likely one of Karl Priebe’s antique finds. The trio appear to have dressed it up somewhat. Eileen Barber is holding a painting by Karl Priebe, and Dudley Huppler is holding one of his own paintings.

Where: Karl Priebe’s apartment in Kalamazoo, MI

When: late winter/early spring of 1944

Who: Karl Priebe, Dudley Huppler, and Eileen Barber

How to Get In Touch:

If you have leads, clues, or ideas of who the unknown individuals may be, email us at AAAMysteries@si.edu. Your email should include:

  1. Your first and last name
  2. Your organization, if applicable
  3. Your preferred mode of contact, should we need to reach you (e.g. email address or phone number)
  4. The photo name (for which you are identifying the unknown individual)
  5. The name of the individual you believe is the unidentifiable figure in the photo or any information you may have that could help us identify the individual
  6. Your level of certainty in the information you provided

Also Available on Social Media:

Follow us on social media—Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram—to view newly released Mysteries of the Archives of American Art photos.  We welcome you to share our posts and photos with your network using the hashtag, #MysteriesOfTheArchivesOfAmericanArt.