ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL

Handmade sign dedicated to U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class (PFC) Charles Paul Ellis. The sign bears an affixed photocopy reproduction of PFC Ellis' high school yearbook photo, as well as handwritten inscriptions reading, "We miss you, We love you, we'll always remember. / Elaine & Jeff Harm / Your namesake is in college now." The artifact was left at The Wall by Elaine & Jeff Harm between October - November 1987.

HANDMADE SIGN DEDICATED TO U.S. MARINE CORPS PRIVATE FIRST CLASS (PFC) CHARLES PAUL ELLIS. THE OBJECT IS A SIGN COMPRISED OF A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED SEGMENT OF BLUE VINYL BEARING TWO (2) GREEN PAINTED WOODEN STAKES (CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER VIA A LENGTH OF NARROW GAUGE METAL WIRE) AFFIXED TO THE LOWER EDGE OF THE REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE VIA STRIPS OF CLEAR ADHESIVE PACKING TAPE. THE INSCRIPTIONS, "WE MISS YOU, WE LOVE YOU, WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER" AND, "ELAINE & JEFF HARM / YOUR NAMESAKE IS IN COLLEGE NOW" ARE HANDWRITTEN IN WHITE MARKER AND CURSIVE SCRIPT UPON THE UPPER AND LOWER EDGES, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE SIGN. AFFIXED TO THE VINYL SUBSTRATE AT THE CENTER OF THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF THE SIGN, AND POSITIONED BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTIONS, IS A BLACK & WHITE PHOTOCOPIED REPRODUCTION (PORTRAIT ORIENTATION) OF PFC ELLIS' HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK PHOTO. PFC ELLIS IS PICTURED WEARING A WHITE COLLARED SHIRT AND DARK SUIT/TIE WHILE TURNED SLIGHTLY TO FACE THE CAMERA. PHOTOCOPIED REPRODUCTIONS OF A HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTION UPON THE ORIGINAL YEARBOOK PHOTO ARE DISCERNIBLE IN THE IMAGE, BUT ARE INDECIPHERABLE. THE NAME, "CHARLES PAUL ELLIS" IS PRINTED IN BLACK INK AND BLOCK SCRIPT INSIDE A WHITE BANNER ALONG THE LOWER EDGE OF THE BLACK & WHITE PHOTOCOPY REPRODUCTION PORTRAIT. THE ENTIRE SIGN IS PRESENTLY LAMINATED VIA THE APPLICATION OF NUMEROUS STRIPS OF CLEAR ADHESIVE PACKING TAPE. ACCORDING TO VIVE CATALOG NOTES PREPARED BY MRCE COLLECTIONS STAFF, AN NPS RANGER'S TAG ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED WITH THE ARTIFACT READ, "10/56".

Text of the handwritten & printed inscriptions upon the obverse object surface is transcribed in full, as follows: [Obverse object surface, handwritten inscriptions] "We miss you, We love you, we'll always remember. / Elaine & Jeff Harm / Your namesake is in college now." / [Obverse object surface, printed inscription] "CHARLES PAUL ELLIS"

Item Weight: 13.3g
Item Length: 28cm
Item Width: 10.8cm