Wind mill on the home farm, Sept. 1897 (photograph with visible Aermotor Co., Chicago sign)

Inscribed on the verso, "Wind mill on the home farm, Sept. 1897," and signed George Montgomery. Just shy of 7 x 5 inches, mounted on 9 x 7 card. Very Good with light soil and discoloration to left edge, faint corner creases. The Aermotor was introduced in 1888, ridiculed by competitors as an over-complicated "mathematical windmill" because of the extensive scientific testing that informed its design. But, by the early 1900s it became a fixture of the rural American landscape--the description of the location as "home farm" is a testament to its wide use outside commercial operations. This photo neatly replicates the profile silhouette used in the company's early print ads. Stark in contrast and beautifully composed (move over, Hilla and Bernd Becher).