THE CABINET CARD GALLERY

This striking late 19th-century cabinet card features a compelling double portrait of two well-dressed gentlemen, captured with clarity and quiet confidence by Hargrave of New York City. The image presents the men in formal attire—dark jackets, crisp white shirts, and bow ties—reflecting the refined fashion and dignified bearing of the era. One gentleman wears a full, neatly groomed beard, while the other sports a carefully styled mustache.  Their expressions are composed and thoughtful, suggesting a studio portrait intended to convey both character and respectability. This photograph was taken during the vibrant photographic culture of Manhattan in the late 1800s. Note the elegant backmark, featuring a cherubic figure and decorative typography.  Based on the style of dress, grooming, and mount design, this photograph likely dates to the late 1880s to early 1890s, a time when cabinet cards were at the height of their popularity. SOLD

This antique cabinet card photograph features a pretty young woman identified in pencil on the reverse as Mabel Graham, photographed by Washington Boyce of Danville, Illinois. Mabel is shown standing in an elegant studio setting beside a large decorative planter filled with leaves and flowers. To her left is a painted or constructed architectural column prop, adding a formal Victorian parlor atmosphere to the portrait. She wears a fitted late-19th-century dress with a high collar, dark pleated front panel, closely tailored sleeves, and a striking vertical row of light-colored decorative buttons down the bodice. Her hair is arranged high on her head in a fashionable Victorian style, and she faces the camera with a serious, composed expression. The photographer, Washington Boyce, is an interesting figure in the history of regional photography, having been referenced in connection with an 1894 Illinois breach-of-contract case involving the sale of a photographic studio and a non-compete clause. He was also noted in an 1886 photographic journal for holding a patent connected to an innovative photographic paper box. This cabinet card is a nice example of his Danville studio work. SOLD

This real photo postcard, produced by Cyko, features a striking studio portrait of a young couple, likely from the early 20th century. The woman stands confidently beside the seated man, her poised expression conveying warmth and quiet elegance. Her dark hair is styled neatly, framing a face with striking eyes and a delicate smile that suggests kindness and charm. She wears a long-sleeved satin dress with a high collar, adorned with a beautifully intricate lace sash draped across her torso, giving the impression of a special occasion, possibly a wedding. The man, seated with a composed and self-assured posture, has neatly combed hair and a gentle yet firm expression. His well-fitted suit, complete with a boutonnière of delicate flowers pinned to his lapel, adds to the formal nature of this portrait. His steady gaze and slight smile suggest a dependable and kind personality. Given the couple’s formal attire, the woman’s decorative sash, and the man’s floral embellishment, this could very well be a wedding portrait. The woman’s beauty is undeniable, with her graceful presence and confident stance adding to the timeless appeal of this image. The reverse side of the postcard contains a warm and somewhat wistful handwritten message from “Della Garlwait” to “Miss Martha Grossman” of South Wayne, Wisconsin. The message expresses anticipation for a visit and regret for not writing sooner, while also requesting an extra copy of a previously sent photograph. The casual yet heartfelt tone suggests close friendship or family ties.  SOLD

This is a WWII German “Sterbebild”, or death memorial card, honoring the life and sacrifice of Gefreiter (Corporal) Josef Thalhammer, who died on December 10, 1943, at the young age of 20, during combat in Russia. These cards were distributed to family, friends, and community members in memory of fallen soldiers. They are a poignant part of wartime German culture, often saved in family Bibles or photo albums. The front side features a portrait photograph of Thalhammer in his military uniform. His expression is youthful yet solemn, with a calm, determined look in his eyes. He wears the field cap and tunic of a Wehrmacht soldier, with visible insignia including the eagle-and-swastika emblem over the right breast pocket and collar tabs typical of an enlisted man in a Grenadier regiment. Below the photograph is a brief obituary: ” In Memory in Prayer of our dear son and brother Josef Thalhammer, son of a farmer from Westerskirchen, Gefreiter in a Grenadier Regiment, who on December 10, 1943, at the age of 20, met a hero’s death in Russia.” A poem follows, expressing grief and remembrance for a young hero buried in a distant field, ending with a reference to a brother who also died before him. The reverse side displays an illustration of a German soldier’s grave in the woods, marked with a cross and helmet. The inscription reads: “Gefreiter Josef Thalhammer killed on 10.12.1943 He was dear to us in life, we will not forget him even in death. The card is printed by Gebr. Geiselberger, Vilsbiburg (a Bavarian print house known for producing such cards), and bears the code HCoM 109. What are these cards? Known as “Sterbebilder” or “Totenbildchen”, these small memorial cards were traditionally printed in Germany, Austria, and Catholic regions of Europe. During WWII, they were commonly issued for fallen soldiers and distributed at memorial services or mailed to relatives. They typically feature a portrait of the deceased on one side and a prayer, obituary, or poem on the reverse. (SOLD)

This appealing real photo postcard captures a lively outdoor scene of two young women posed with their bicycles while standing on a small wooden footbridge in what appears to be a rural park or countryside setting. The photograph presents a relaxed moment of recreation from the early twentieth century and reflects the growing popularity of cycling as both sport and leisure during this period. The two women stand side by side on their bicycles facing the camera. Both wear light-colored cloche-style caps or bathing caps, a fashionable accessory of the 1920s that helped keep hair neatly in place during outdoor activities. The woman on the left smiles broadly, giving the image a cheerful and spontaneous feeling. She wears a cardigan-style jacket over a dress or skirt, her hands comfortably resting on the handlebars as she balances the bicycle on the bridge. Her companion on the right wears a loose striped dress with wide sleeves, a garment that reflects the relaxed silhouettes typical of the flapper era. Her expression is more reserved, though still friendly, as she looks directly toward the camera. Both women appear confident and self-assured, embodying the increasingly independent spirit of young women in the 1920s who embraced new freedoms in fashion, mobility, and recreation. The bicycles themselves are classic road bicycles of the era with upright handlebars and narrow tires, and the wooden bridge beneath them—constructed with simple railings and planked boards—adds a picturesque quality to the composition. Behind them a sloping grassy bank and dense trees frame the scene, suggesting a quiet country lane or park pathway. The reverse of the card shows the imprint “LEONAR 4365.” The Leonar name refers to photographic postcard paper manufactured by Leonar-Werke Arndt & Löwengard of Wandsbek near Hamburg, Germany, a company active from the early twentieth century until its later merger with Agfa. Leonar postcard papers were widely used throughout Europe and were particularly common from roughly the 1910s through the 1930s. The photographer of this photo could have been a local studio or even an amateur photographer. Based on the women’s clothing, their caps, and the casual outdoor sporting theme, this photograph was most likely taken in the 1920s, during the height of the cycling and outdoor recreation craze of the interwar period. SOLD

This is a wonderful 1890s theatrical cabinet card photograph by the Stein Studio of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The photo shows a costumed actress identified on the reverse as “The Widow.” This refers to the role of Mrs. Guyer, the fashionable widow character from Charles H. Hoyt’s smash-hit musical farce A Trip to Chinatown, one of the great Broadway successes of the Gilded Age. A Trip to Chinatown opened in New York in 1891 and became the biggest theatrical hit of its era, running for a record-breaking 657 performances. Its success led to multiple touring companies traveling throughout the United States, including major Midwestern theater cities such as Milwaukee. The character identified here as “The Widow” was one of the central figures in the play. Her full character name was Mrs. Guyer, a wealthy, stylish, independent widow from Chicago whose presence helps drive the comic plot. The role was originally created by Anna Boyd, a noted Gilded Age stage actress and comedian. While this photograph is not conclusively identified as Boyd, the connection is very intriguing: Boyd was the actress most closely associated with the role, and she is known to have performed with touring companies of the play during its period of national popularity. In comparing the appearance of the actress in this photo to confirmed photographs of Anna Boyd, I am unable to confirm or deny that it is Miss Boyd in this image. The photographer, Simon Leonard Stein,  further supports the theatrical connection. Stein Studio was a prominent Milwaukee photographic studio, and visiting actors, singers, and performers often sat for local studio portraits while appearing at major theaters such as the Davidson Theatre or Grand Opera House. Stein operated from the address on the mount from 1880 through 1895. This cabinet card likely dates from the period when A Trip to Chinatown was touring nationally, approximately circa 1892–1895. SOLD