This story started out as something completely different. Originally, I wanted to identify the framed photograph displayed on the wall near Agent Albert Rosenfield’s desk at the FBI Office in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. I must have been channeling Agent Sam Stanley as I ended up identifying several props used in this scene.
PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE FBI OFFICE IN TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME
To begin, let’s start with two framed images on the far wall.
The image on the right features J. Edgar Hoover in his formal FBI Office. This image was originally published in “Nation’s Business” from January 1972. I found the photo on the website for the National Law Enforcement Museum located in Washington, D.C. The Museum has more than 2,000 artifacts from former Director Hoover’s estate. The photo was taken by the second official U.S. Presidential photographer Yoichi Okamoto who served Lyndon Johnson.
The second image on the left appears to be an image of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. I found an image of this photo on The Inkwell Gallery website located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
A better look at the President Eisenhower portrait is seen in this publicity photo taken by Mary Evans. The American flag is probably the same one seen next to Gordon Cole’s desk. More on that later.
LIBERTY BELL PHOTO AND GORDON COLE’S DESK LAMP
After identifying the first two photos, I fell down the rabbit hole. Next up, the Liberty Bell photo. At first, I thought it was an image from 1940 of this American icon superimposed over the Declaration of Independence. But the artwork didn’t exactly match, especially the area that is supposed to represent the “crack.”
As it turns out, the image is actually a The Human Liberty Bell. This image, created in 1918 by John D. Thomas and Arthur S. Mole, was composed of officers and men in United States Army and Navy. It was presented to the Honorable Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Navy at the time.
The second red circle in the photo of Agent Dale Cooper’s arrival was helpful with identifying the lamp on Gordon Cole’s desk.
The back side of his desk lamp is seen in the image above.
Called a “Moe Light,” this desk lamp was manufactured between 1938 and 1945 by the Moe Brothers Manufacturing in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin (you can find it on Etsy which is where I found this image).
ITEMS AT GORDON COLE’S DESK IN THE FBI OFFICE
Other items in the image of Gordon checking his watch include a coffee mug and a framed photo on the wall behind Cole.
The cobalt blue mug appears to contain a logo for the Department of Justice / Federal Bureau of Investigation. It’s made my M Ware and I found a match on the BooglesBarn.com website (Note: this website is no longer available). I believe Agents Cooper and Rosenfield also have these mugs on their desks.
The top framed image is actually FBI Headquarters located at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW in Washington, D.C. Sadly, I’ve been unable to identify the second framed image on the wall.
You can get a better look at the image in additional scenes included in The Missing Pieces. I also found the clock on the wall behind Cole.
The Art Deco electric wall clock was manufactured Warren Telechron possibly somewhere between the 1920s – 1930s. Interestingly, the electric cord is missing in the film which probably explains why the time displayed doesn’t change.
GEORGE WASHINGTON AND HIS GENERALS
I attempted to identify Gordon Cole’s paperback novel on his desk (it doesn’t seem to be the “The Devil’s Guard” by Talbot Mundy). I will find it one day. I was also unable to locate the image on the far right side of the image above. I did, however, find a match for the image directly above Jeffries.
Drawn and engraved by A.H. Ritchie in 1870, this image features George Washington with his Revolutionary War generals in a large meeting. The framed image is probably a print of this famous image.
WILLIAM SESSIONS AND THE ASHTRAY
When Albert Rosenfield relays a report from the front desk, two more props are identified.
The first item is an image of William Sessions who served as Director of the FBI from November 2, 1987 to July 19, 1993. It would make sense that his photo was hanging in the office during this time since the scene took place in 1989.
The second item is a standing Art Deco ashtray manufactured by Kisco somewhere between the 1930-1940. I found several similar standing ashtrays, each with that iconic red button that collapses the chrome flaps to the ash collection tray beneath.
AGENT COOPER’S DESK AT THE FBI OFFICE
Later in the film, we return to the FBI Office where Cooper and Rosenfield discuss the next murder victim. You can see the A.H. Ritchie image and the Cobalt coffee mug to the right of the screen. Behind Cooper is an image of an American flag.
The image appears to be a print from 1940 by Fred Tripp titled “Our Flag.” The story goes:
“In 1940, when the world was in a turmoil, Fred Tripp of Beloit, Wisconsin, was 71 years of age. He looked out his hospital window at McCleary Hospital in Excelsior Springs, Missouri and was inspired by the flag flying atop the post office across the street. Mr. Tripp never in his life had a painting lesson, yet he produced a masterpiece, an inspiring, compelling expression on canvas of what he felt in his heart and soul about the Flag of his Country. He presented this six foot oil painting to the hospital.
Motivated by the spirit of patriotism that was sweeping the country in 1940, McCleary Memorial Hospital produced full color lithograph reproductions and presented one to each of their many former patients all over the United States. Its distribution had reached the 200,000 mark when World War II broke out.”
The image in the film appears to be cropped and framed. I have been unable to locate another image like it so I’m taking a leap of faith that it’s “Our Flag.” We never get a straight on view of this framed image in the scene.
Speaking of American flags, most likely the flag and FBI seal near Gordon Cole’s desk was repurposed when Phillip Jeffries is shown leaving the elevator.
The other FBI / Department of Justice Logo seen above also seems to be used near Albert’s desk.
I haven’t identified the intercom speaker thingy on Cole’s desk. It looks like Albert has one of the Cobalt mugs on his desk when speaking with Cooper.
There are a few more images and items I have left to identify. Unless there are closer images of the set available, it’s highly doubtful I will find them. Doesn’t mean I won’t try.
The unidentified photo under the FBI Building looks to me a lot like Mt St. Helens eruption.