Can you read it for me?

Question

I've posted that question in Language and Genealogy section, they said that it could be old French script, so could you please help to decipher the words:

http://imajr.com/pic0600_188501

http://imajr.com/pic0601_188502

Those are the words written on the bottom of very old photos (you can see date 13/6/99 or 13/7/99). I cannot find what letters are there exactly and is it name of place or person?

Can you help? Thanks a lot!

Answer 1

I read, Sakba le 13/6/99, perhaps it's the name of saqba (in french sakba) a town in Syria...

Sakbale: don't know this city, perhaps a family name ?

don't read the second word: S**bartro**** ??!!!

Answer 2

Excuse me Paul but I think the reference is to 13th of June 1899.

It seems to me that its just a name of something or some place (we need to see the entire picture) followed by the date and then perhaps the name of the person who took the picture. That is to say, a typical notation on a photo.

I read it as "Saleba" which  sounds like a Lebanese name.

EDIT: Do you know the ethnic or national origins of your family? I'm still thinking that this is a proper name of some sort.

Answer 3

I'm french but unfortunately, I can't tell you more than the previous answer.

I agree with Rililian, probably it's 1899, according to the old ink, and also to the form of letters.

I read Sakba, but for the other word, I suppose it's the name of a town beginning by Ste, which means Sainte.

Many names of towns in France begin by Saint or Sainte.

But not enough informations to tell you if it comes really from France and where, sorry.

Answer 4

I'm french............And I'm not sure that it is french.

The first sentence seems to be "sakba le 13/6/99. It can't be old because le 13/6/99 means june the 13th, 1999.

I don't know where u found that............but it's just a pure jock !!

Answer 5

The way I read it:

Sakba le 13/6/99 means that the photo was taken in a place called Sakba on the 13th June 1899.  

When the French take photographs and write letters the way they mark the place and time of the letter or photo is in the form 'Paris le 13/6/99' with le meaning 'the'  - so a shorthand for 'photo taken in Paris on the 13th June 1899'

The other words are hard to decipher.  Because the first appears to have a capital letter followed by superscript, it is likely an abbreviation.  The French would write both Gde and Ste this way.  Gde is short for Grande (meaning big or large) and Ste is the abbreviation for Sainte, the feminine form of the English word saint.  Either would suggest a further placename being given on the photo.  Second word hard to read but could be Bartholème or a similar French saint's name.  

I'm pretty sure that what you have is French.  Sorry can't be more precise about the the last two words