THE CABINET CARD GALLERY

This vintage real photo postcard features a handsome and well dressed gentleman. He looks wise and distinguished. The card’s AZO stamp box indicates that it was produced by a private studio sometime between 1910 and 1930.  SOLD

This undivided back real photo postcard (RPPC) captures three distinguished gentlemen in a posed studio portrait, dated in 1905, in Brussels, Belgium. The men are elegantly dressed in early 20th-century formal attire, exuding an air of confidence and sophistication. The man seated on the left wears a well-tailored three-piece suit with a tie, a crisp collared shirt, and a straw boater hat tilted slightly. He holds a walking cane, adding a touch of refinement to his appearance. His facial expression is serious but composed, with a focused gaze. The gentleman standing in the center wears a dark suit, waistcoat, and bow tie, topped with a classic fedora. He places one hand on the small ornate table before him, where a fine china tea set is displayed, suggesting a moment of leisure. His expression is confident and assertive, with a slight hint of a smile. The man seated to the right leans back in his chair in a relaxed but distinguished posture. His light-colored suit, waistcoat, and patterned tie complement his thick mustache and neatly groomed hair. His straw boater hat, similar to the first seated gentleman’s, rests on his head at a slight angle. He crosses one leg over the other, exhibiting an air of ease and self-assurance. The backdrop consists of a painted clouded sky, a common setting in professional photography studios of the era. The overall composition reflects a well-balanced arrangement of figures, clothing, and props. At the bottom of the image, the inscription reads “Brussels, Belgium, Aug 12 – 1905,” elegantly handwritten, confirming both the location and date of this striking portrait.  (SOLD)

This beautiful vintage lithograph postcard features an elegant oval portrait of Mary Pickford (1892–1979), the beloved silent-film actress who became internationally famous as “America’s Sweetheart,” her softly curled hair framing her face as she gazes pensively toward the camera. The portrait bears the credit of the Otto Sarony Company, the celebrated New York theatrical photography studio associated with Otto Sarony, son of renowned photographer Napoleon Sarony, although Otto’s death in 1903 means the actual photographer was likely one of his studio’s successors. The caption advertises Pickford’s exclusive appearances in productions of the Famous Players Film Company, established by Adolph Zukor in 1912 to bring celebrated performers to the motion-picture screen and a predecessor of Paramount Pictures. The postcard was published by Kraus Manufacturing Company of New York, a firm known for producing lithographic view cards and theatrical postcards, with its publisher’s imprint appearing on the divided reverse. According to the Mary Pickford Foundation, this postcard was published in 1913, making it an early souvenir from the emerging golden age of silent cinema and Pickford’s rise to international stardom. SOLD

This unusually engaging cabinet photograph shows two fashionably dressed young men posed astride their bicycles in the studio of Olivia Bergsten of Ramsele, Sweden, probably around 1900–1904. Rather than merely standing beside the bicycles, both men are seated as though ready to ride, their hands placed firmly on the handlebars and their gazes directed beyond the camera. The painted woodland background, artificial grass, and carefully arranged bicycles turn the portrait into a lively celebration of cycling at a time when the modern safety bicycle had become an important symbol of mobility, recreation, and modern life. The two young men may have been brothers, friends, or cycling companions, although their identities are not recorded. Both wear dark, well-tailored suits with high white collars and polished shoes. The man at left wears a narrow necktie and a close-fitting peaked cap resembling the practical caps commonly associated with cyclists and working men, while his companion wears a bow tie, waistcoat, white pocket square, and broad-brimmed felt hat. Their contrasting hats and slightly different degrees of formality give each young man an individual appearance while preserving the sense that they deliberately dressed for the portrait. The bicycles are early diamond-frame safety bicycles, with similarly sized front and rear wheels, chain-driven rear wheels, narrow tires, and curved handlebars. This design largely replaced the dangerous high-wheel bicycle during the late 1880s and 1890s. Because bicycles were large, expensive, and difficult to position inside a studio, photographs showing two complete bicycles and their riders are substantially less common and more desirable than ordinary standing portraits. The photographer’s name is Olivia Bergsten. She was a woman photographer, making the studio imprint particularly noteworthy. Olivia Bergstén was born in Sånga, Sweden, in 1881, and died in 1972. Swedish photographic records identify her professionally as a photographer and document her studio activity in Ramsele during the early twentieth century. She married in 1904 and thereafter used the married surname Bågenholm, so a mount bearing only “Olivia Bergsten” very likely dates from the brief period before or around her marriage. Women played a significant role in Sweden’s early commercial photographic trade, and Bergsten appears to have entered the profession while still a very young woman. She was only about 19 to 23 years old during the probable period in which this photograph was made. Although detailed information about her training and the exact dates of her studio operation remains limited, surviving portraits bearing her Ramsele imprint establish that she operated there.  Ramsele is a small community in northern Sweden. The photograph is mounted on heavy charcoal-gray card stock with a narrow black border.  SOLD

This charming Victorian cabinet card features two adorable young girls posed together in matching-style dresses, each holding a doll, creating an especially appealing late-19th-century childhood portrait. The handwritten inscription on the reverse identifies them as Ellen Joyce C., age 4½, and Janet Evelyn Chevallier, age 3½, and dates the photograph to 1894. The portrait was produced by Wayland & Co. Studios, Rembrandt House, Blackheath, with another studio at Streatham, and the reverse proudly advertises “Children A Specialty,” making the subject of this photograph particularly fitting. The Blackheath studio is associated with photographer Henry Abraham Booth Wayland (1859–1922), whom the National Portrait Gallery identifies as a London photographer working at Rembrandt House, Blackheath. Examples of Wayland’s cabinet-card portraiture are held in the National Portrait Gallery collection. He is a photographer held in high esteem. SOLD

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)

These vintage real photo postcards (RPPC) feature the actress Miss Florence Lloyd. Postcard 1 features Miss Lloyd elegantly posed in a full-length studio portrait. The photograph was taken by Dover Street Studios and published by Rotary Photo, one of the leading postcard publishers of the Edwardian era. The card is part of the Rotary Photographic Series and is numbered 1719 F. Florence Lloyd is shown in a lavish gown decorated with beaded embellishments, floral embroidery, and flowing panels of satin and chiffon. Her elaborate dress is paired with a sparkling jeweled choker and necklace, giving her the refined look of an Edwardian stage star. Her dark hair is styled in the fashionable upswept manner of the period, adding to her striking appearance. What makes this portrait especially fascinating is her unexpected pose: Lloyd holds a cigarette delicately in her right hand while exhaling smoke rings that are faintly visible in the studio air. At the time this postcard was produced (circa 1905–1910), public smoking by women was still considered improper and even scandalous in polite society. Smoking was associated with rebellion and the changing roles of women in modern life, and it did not become broadly acceptable for women to smoke in public until the 1920s and 1930s, as social norms shifted during and after World War I. This photograph captures not just an actress, but a provocative image challenging Edwardian conventions. Her expression is one of poise and slight detachment, with her gaze turned upward as if lost in thought. The combination of elegance, theatricality, and a hint of defiance makes this an unusually compelling postcard. Lloyd was English and the daughter of actor Samuel Lloyd. She often acted as a boy impersonator. In 1905 she acted in New Zealand as part of a theatrical tour. Lloyd was a Gaiety Girl for George Edwardes & Co. in 1894. The reverse of this postcard reveals that it is a divided back card. This postcard is in very good condition for its age. There is only light corner and edge wear with no creases or tears. The photographic clarity remains sharp, with strong tones and detail (see scans). 

Postcard 2 is a striking Edwardian-era Rotary Photographic Series real photo postcard (RPPC) featuring Miss Florence Lloyd elegantly posed, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand, with her other resting gracefully. Her gaze is poised yet enigmatic, her dark eyes conveying a quiet confidence and charm. She is dressed in a sumptuous dark gown with lace-trimmed sleeves and a square neckline, which hints at late Victorian influences transitioning into Edwardian fashion. The gown’s sheer, puffed sleeves add an element of romance and drama. She wears a delicate, simple necklace, complementing her refined look. Her wide-brimmed hat is adorned with dark feathers, a popular Edwardian fashion statement emphasizing sophistication and status. Her wavy dark hair peeks out from beneath, framing her face beautifully. Her lips are subtly parted, adding to the sense of mystery and allure. She appears graceful and self assured. This postcard was produced by Rotary Photo E.C., a well-known publisher specializing in high-quality photographic postcards of stage performers and celebrities during the early 20th century. The series number is 1719 B, indicating that this is part of a larger set featuring theatrical personalities. The postcard was mailed from Ilfracombe, England, in 1905, as evidenced by the postmark. A green half-penny King Edward VII stamp affixed to the upper right corner reflects the standard postage rate of the time for inland mail. The handwritten message reads: “Very wet this afternoon. Going to tea with Mrs. Goodwyn. Hope your cold is better. Love to all. M.G.T.”  This personal message gives a glimpse into everyday Edwardian life—where the weather, social visits, and well-wishing were common topics of correspondence.

This vintage Postcard 1 is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $14.00 or best offer.

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/236387956086

POSTCARD 1

POSTCARD 2

This is a charming Victorian cabinet card photograph of a young girl posed in a studio setting. She wears a long white dress trimmed with lace and embroidery, accented by a small floral corsage. Her curly hair is neatly styled, and she leans gracefully against a carved wooden chair, gazing directly at the camera with an innocent expression. The card mount features beveled gold scalloped edges, a design detail popular in the 1890s that adds decorative flair. The photographer’s imprint reads: Rayburn, 500 Main St., Little Rock, Ark. The photographer, T. B. Rayburn, was one of the leading photographers in Little Rock during the late 19th century. Born in Clark County, Arkansas, he trained under B. S. Alford before opening his own gallery in 1889. Rayburn was recognized as an innovator—he was the first photographer in Arkansas to make celluloid portraits, to use electric and magnesium light photography, and to photograph the well-known caves near Batesville. His studio was especially popular with theatrical performers and prominent citizens of the region. This cabinet card is a lovely example of Rayburn’s portraiture, capturing both the innocence of childhood and the technical skill of a pioneering Southern photographer. (SOLD)

Offered here is an outstanding original 1908 press photograph documenting an African American baptism by immersion in the Ohio River, with period editorial markings from Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly and copyright stamps of the Judge Company. The photograph captures a remarkable community scene. In the foreground, an African American minister stands waist-deep in the Ohio River beside a convert, raising one hand as he prepares to perform the baptism. Along the riverbank, a large crowd of men, women and children has gathered to witness the ceremony, filling the shoreline and a substantial stone retaining wall. The image conveys the public and communal character of early African American river baptisms, an important part of Black Baptist and Protestant religious life during the early twentieth century. Adding considerable transportation and river-history interest is the sternwheel steamer visible in the background. The vessel is clearly identified on its stern as the BLANCHE CUTTER – PITTSBURG. Contemporary records confirm that the Blanche Cutter was an Ohio River steamer; a 1910 Cincinnati directory identifies George Graves as master of the steamer Blanche Cutter. The vessel is shown alongside a large flat barge, with a small rowboat floating nearby, giving the photograph additional appeal to collectors of Ohio River, steamboat and inland-waterway history. The reverse contains an original handwritten editorial caption reading, in period terminology, “Negro Baptism in the Ohio river — The minister in sight of a fervent crowd on shore, about to immerse one of a group of converts.” Also present is the purple stamp of the Leslie’s Weekly Editorial Department, Brunswick Building, 225 Fifth Avenue, New York, together with a Copyright Judge Company, 1908 marking. Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly was one of America’s major illustrated news publications, and the Judge Company was its publisher during this period. This is an especially evocative piece of African American religious history, Ohio River history, steamboat history and early American photojournalism, all brought together in a single image. The photograph is particularly desirable because the baptism itself, the watching congregation, the identified steamer and the original editorial provenance are all clearly documented. Of the thousands of photographs that have passed through my collection over the years, this image remains one of my absolute favorites.” SOLD

This striking vintage real photo postcard, captioned “A young Egyptian Woman,” features a carefully posed portrait of a young woman wearing a dark draped head covering and translucent face veil, with a distinctive cylindrical ornament positioned at the bridge of her nose. The portrait is series number 192, printed at the lower right, and an exact example of this image has been attributed to noted photographer Rudolf Franz Lehnert (1878–1948). Lehnert was the principal photographer in the celebrated Lehnert & Landrock partnership, known for extensively photographing Egypt and North Africa, while Ernst Landrock handled much of the business and publishing side of their enterprise. The reverse reads “Copyright by Lehnert & Landrock Succ. Ernst Landrock, Cairo,” and comparable material places this photograph in Lehnert’s Egyptian period of approximately 1924–1930. This unused postcard presents a particularly compelling early photographic portrait. SOLD