This cabinet card photograph features a handsome and distinguished looking older gentleman. He has a bushy beard but no mustache. This image comes from the studio of Thompson & Son in Toronto, Canada. Canada. Note the surface wear above the subject’s head and the corner wear on the reverse of the photo. Overall, this cabinet card portrait is in good condition (see scans).
This cabinet card is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $19.85
This vintage real photo postcard captures five siblings posed on a front porch. They are likely in front of their own home. The oldest child is sitting on a rocking chair and has the baby of the family on her lap. The writer of this postcard addressed it to “Uncle Joe” and introduces him to each child by their first name. The stamp box indicates that this postcard was produced by Cyko. SOLD
This is a beautiful hand-colored Art Nouveau postcard portrait of the performer Speranza, photographed by the Paris photographer Lucien Walery. The image presents the actress in elegant profile, her gaze directed thoughtfully into the distance, creating a refined and almost classical composition typical of theatrical portrait photography of the Belle Époque era. Speranza is shown wearing an elaborate lace headdress or veil adorned with decorative ornaments, including jeweled elements and a suspended pendant ornament that drapes alongside her hair. The delicate lace veil falls gracefully over the back of her head and shoulders. Her hair is styled in a softly arranged early 20th-century coiffure, swept upward and back in a fashion typical of the period. The portrait emphasizes her refined features—her straight nose, softly defined lips, and thoughtful expression—giving the image a strikingly sculptural quality. The photograph has been tastefully hand-colored, particularly visible in the floral decoration on her garment and the ornamental headpiece, adding warmth and visual richness to the otherwise monochrome studio photograph. This type of subtle color enhancement was common in theatrical postcards produced during the early 1900s. Walery (Paris) was active during the early decades of the twentieth century and produced numerous portrait postcards of actresses, performers, and fashionable women. He was one of the most celebrated society and theatrical photographers of the Belle Époque. SOLD
This cabinet card portrait (sorry for the poor quality of the scans) features a flamboyant looking, but handsome, young man. He is well dressed and well poised in front of the camera. Note his pouffey hair. This gentleman was photographed at the Williams studio in New Athens, Ohio. Joseph E. Williams (1856-1946) career as a New Athens photographer spanned decades. SOLD
This image is a striking antique cabinet card photograph of a wrestler posed in a ready stance, photographed in Vienna, Austria by the noted photographer Rudolf Franzl. The athlete stands in a classic grappling pose with knees slightly bent and hands raised, suggesting a wrestling or physical culture demonstration portrait. His expression is serious and focused. The wrestler wears a dark one-piece singlet, typical of the era’s wrestling attire, along with long socks secured with garters and lace-up athletic boots. The physique and stance strongly evoke the European wrestling and physical culture movement that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The photograph was taken in a studio with a painted theatrical backdrop and patterned floor covering, typical of European portrait studios of the period. The lighting highlights the athlete’s build and musculature. The reverse of the cabinet card provides a reference to 1913, strongly suggesting that this cabinet card dates to that period, just before the First World War. Rudolf Franzl, a photographer whose studio operated in Vienna, was born in 1875 and died in 1955. Vienna at the turn of the century was a major center for photography and visual culture, and studios such as Franzl’s catered to a wide clientele ranging from families to performers, athletes, and members of the growing physical culture movement. In regard to condition, this cabinet card remains in good antique condition overall. The photograph itself displays strong contrast and good clarity. The mount shows corner wear, with slightly softened edges consistent with age. There is a light surface marks visible in the image area (below the athlete’s right foot, but there is nothing that detracts from the strong presentation of the photograph. The reverse shows typical age toning but remains clean and fully legible. This is an attractive and uncommon early 20th-century athletic cabinet photograph (see scans).
This vintage postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $78.00 at auction.
This vintage postcard features the Jewish synagogue located in Gloversville, New York. Note the Star of David window. Gloversville is a community located in upstate New York. German Jews settled in the area in th 1850’s. This turn of the century (c.1900’s) postcard was published by V. & Sons (New York and Boston) and printed in the United States. SOLD
This elegant cabinet card photograph depicts a poised young gentleman holding a violin (sometimes called a fiddle in folk traditions), along with the bow in his right hand. The instrument’s distinctive shape, tuning pegs, and chin rest clearly identify it as a violin rather than a viola or other bowed instrument. The young man holds the violin resting against his shoulder in a theatrical pose, suggesting that he was likely either a trained musician or wished to present himself in the fashionable image of a cultured performer. The subject appears to be a young adult man dressed in formal evening attire typical of the 1890s. He wears a dark tuxedo-style coat with satin lapels, a waistcoat fastened with buttons, and a white shirt with a prominent bow tie. His carefully combed hair and composed expression give him a refined and somewhat introspective look, while his sideways gaze adds a touch of drama to the portrait. Such poses were often used in studio photography to emphasize talent, social status, or artistic identity. The violin, a long-established symbol of classical music and culture, reinforces the impression that the sitter was a musician. The photograph was produced by A. D. Vanderbilt, whose studio operated in the village historically known as Sing Sing, New York. The town, located along the Hudson River in Westchester County, later changed its name to Ossining to avoid the notoriety associated with the famous prison located there. The name “Sing Sing” originally derived from the Sintsink Native American tribe, from whom the land was purchased in the seventeenth century. During the late nineteenth century the village was a bustling Hudson River community. The reverse of this cabinet card has a logo which provides additional details about the studio. It was located on the Barlow Block of Sing Sing. The ornate design incorporates a decorative emblem containing a classical column and photographic camera—symbols often used by photographers of the period to convey artistic skill and technical mastery. The Barlow Block referenced on the card was a commercial building on Main Street rebuilt after a major fire in 1872 and became an important center of retail activity in the village.The studio imprint also advertises that the photographs were “made by the new instantaneous process,” a marketing phrase commonly used by photographers in the late nineteenth century to highlight improved photographic technology that allowed shorter exposure times and sharper portraits. This cabinet card was most likely produced circa 1887-1893. The condition of this cabinet card appears good overall for its age of well over a century. The photograph retains strong contrast and detail with only light surface wear. The mount shows some minor corner wear. The overall presentation remains clean and attractive (see scans).
This cabinet card is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $36.00 at auction.
This vintage press photo features an African American clergyman named Reverend Elton Cox (1931-2011). He was photographed while joking with some neighborhood children who appear to be going to, or returning from school. Reverend Cox is in the neighborhood for a reason. The community is segregated. There is a wire fence dividing the white area from the black area. The caption on the reverse of the photograph points out that the houses on each side of the fence are basically the same. The fence is an unnatural boundary. Reverend Cox is determined to find a way for the Black and White residents in the community to integrate. He had a tough battle ahead of him to reach that goal. Racism, unrealistic fear, and unfair discriminatory laws all stood in the way. It is now nearly 60 years after this photograph was taken. I wonder whether the neighborhood is integrated today. Most would hope so. This photograph was taken in 1964 by a United Press International (UPI) photographer. Elton Cox was a civil rights movement activist and preacher. He was part of the Freedom Riders protest in 1961 and interviewed in the documentary about it. He was nicknamed “Beltin” Elton”. He grew up in Kankakee, Illinois. He had to take a break from high school to work to help support his family. He graduated high school at age 20 and went on to Livingston College in Salisbury, North Carolina. Next he studied for a Divinity degree at Howard University. He was ordained in 1958. He became a pastor at the Pilgrim Congregational Church in High Point. He quickly went to work to support the civil rights movement. His work included starting desegregation efforts at local schools. Cox had strong beliefs in non-violence. James Farmer, then of the NAACP, hired Cox to help push for civil rights in the south. He worked with students and organized non-violent sit-ins. Despite his non-violent approach, Cox was arrested seventeen times over the decades. One arrest, in Louisiana for “disturbing the peace” resulted in a conviction that was appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court where his conviction was overturned. Later in life, Cox returned to High Point to work as a Minister. Next, he worked as a chaplain at a VA hospital in Illinois. His final position was working as a school counselor in Jackson, Tennessee. Elton Cox is one of many unsung heroes of the civil rights movement. SOLD
This beautiful hand-colored theatrical postcard features American stage actress Maude Fealy portrayed in a romantic and highly artistic studio portrait. The image captures Fealy seated among flowering branches in a softly staged garden-like setting, creating an ethereal atmosphere characteristic of early twentieth-century theatrical photography. In this portrait Fealy appears in the role of Fair Rosamund in the play Becket, the celebrated historical drama centered on the conflict between King Henry II and Archbishop Thomas Becket. Fair Rosamund—traditionally portrayed as the king’s beloved—is often depicted in literature and theater as a figure associated with beauty, innocence, and romantic tragedy. The floral setting and delicate costuming in this image reflect that idealized interpretation of the character. Fealy gazes slightly upward toward the camera with a calm and reflective expression, giving the portrait a dreamy, contemplative quality. Her long, softly curling hair frames her face and enhances the romantic tone of the composition. She wears a flowing, gauzy gown that has been carefully hand-tinted in a striking turquoise-green color, a technique commonly used on high-quality theatrical postcards of the Edwardian era. Subtle gold accents outline the garment, and the loose fabric drapes gracefully across her lap while blossoms appear to rest lightly in her hands, reinforcing the floral and poetic mood of the scene. The lower margin of the postcard identifies the publisher as the Philco Publishing Company (London).The card is number 3106A in a series. Maude Fealy (1883–1971) was a successful stage actress who later appeared in silent films and early talking pictures. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, she was the daughter of actress Margaret Fealy and began performing at a young age. Fealy developed a strong reputation on the American stage and toured widely before transitioning into motion pictures beginning in the 1910s. This postcard was mailed and postmarked June 19, 1906. The original green Edward VII one-half penny stamp remains affixed at the upper right. The postcard remains in good overall antique condition. The hand-colored image retains strong visual appeal with attractive color. There is minor corner wear consistent with age and handling. The reverse displays the original stamp, clear postmark, and handwritten message. Overall, this is a very appealing example of an early theatrical postcard depicting Maude Fealy in one of her noted stage roles (see scans).
This postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $32.00 at auction.
This vintage photograph features a pretty young dancer wearing a magnificent costume. I believe her hat and skirt are made of feathers. Her lithe body is accompanied by a winsome smile. This beautiful photograph comes from the Paris studio of Pierre Apers. He was a talented French photographer active in the 1920’s and 1930’s. His studio was in Paris and he specialized in portraiture. He is known for his photographs of French theatre and film stars. Some of his work is in the collection of the Bibliotech Francais in Paris. The reverse of the photograph has an ink stamp providing the address of Aper’s studio. SOLD
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