This Cabinet Card is a portrait of theatre actress, Hope Booth. This actress seems to have had a propensity for trouble. The New York Times (1896) reported that at age 23, after appearing at the “Casino Roof Gardens” in a sketch entitled “Ten Minutes in the Latin Quartier; or A Study in the Nude”, she was arrested along with the manager of the theatre. She was charged with violating public decency because of her scant costume and daring poses. Five years later, her husband, actor, James E. B. Earll was arrested after his opening appearance in a vaudeville act at Koster and Bials. Before her arrest, she appeared in George Bernard Shaw’s first play, “Widowers Houses” in 1892. A review described her as a “fetching but hopeless” actress. Shaw had seen her in an earlier show and had described her as a “young lady who can not sing, dance, or speak, but whose appearance suggests that she might profitably spend 3 or 4 years in learning the arts which are useful on stage”. Other news stories and books report that she was born in Canada, was once married to a Canadian member of Parliament, she was a distant relative of the theatrical Booth family, and that she went bankrupt bringing a play to England. She clearly led an interesting life. The Cabinet Card is part of the Newsboy Series and was used as a premium for the sale of Newsboy Plug Tobacco.
HOPE BOOTH: “FETCHING BUT HOPELESS THEATRE ACTRESS”
THREE CUTE SIBLINGS IN RED OAK IOWA
Three attractive children, presumably siblings, pose for their portrait at the studio of Hollopeter in Red Oak, Iowa. The children are very nicely dressed and beautifully posed.
MOTHER AND THREE YOUNG CHILDREN POSE IN WLOCLAWKU, POLAND
A proud mother and her three children pose for their family portrait in Wloclawku, Poland. The photographer is B. Sztejner.
BRITISH ARMY OFFICER AND HIS TWO CHINESE SERVANTS
This Cabinet Card is a portrait of what appears to be a British Army officer flanked by his two Chinese servants. The likely location of this photograph is China, but there is no geographic or photographic studio identifying information to be found on this Cabinet Card.
KATE STOKES: THEATRE ACTRESS WEARING SNAKE SKINS
Kate Stokes poses for this cabinet card photograph for Newsboy of New York. She is wearing snake skins on her arms and has quite an interesting veil. It would be interesting to discover what play her costume is from. The costume appears to be very middle eastern or Indian. More research or comments from visitors to this site will hopefully provide further biographical information about Kate Stokes. Newsboy cabinet cards were used as a premium to help tobacco sales for Newsboy plug tobacco.
DECORATED NAVY SAILOR AND ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD; OR, PERHAPS A BOY IN COSTUME
A young boy, wearing what appears to be a naval uniform with a cap and large medals, poses for this cabinet card portrait. Perhaps his father was a sailor. The medal on the left has two crossed rifles. Hopefully a visitor to this site can identify the medals and branch of service. The photographer is Gardner of New York City.
A BOY AND HIS BICYCLE IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
A serious looking boy poses for his cabinet card photograph with his bicycle. He is wearing a straw hat, colorful bow tie and appears to have a handkerchief in his shirt pocket. The youth is holding up his bicycle as photographer George J Schaefer of the Sunbeam Gallery takes his portrait.
SYLVESTER HOAG LOOKS COOL IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
This Cabinet Card features Sylvester Hoag posing for his portrait. Sylvester is looking quite cool in his overcoat and derby hat. Note the chain from his pocket watch. He has the appearance of a man waiting for something or someone. He has a nice moustache. If he lived today, I bet he would be called Sly Hoag. This photograph comes from his sister’s Hoag family album. His sister lived in Palmyra, New York. The photographer of the cabinet card is Pomeroy of Rochester, New York.
A LONG HAIRED BOY AND HIS WOODEN SPOKED TRICYCLE IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
This Cabinet card is an image of a cute long and curly haired boy posing with his tricycle. The tricycle is very clear in this image. The boy is posing in front of a backdrop of a rural farm scene. The young lad is well dressed and is holding an interesting hat. The hat has a style that is similar to a modern day horseback riding helmet. The photographer is Shane of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
WOMAN WITH A BANJO ON HER KNEE IN BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND
This Cabinet Card portrait captures a woman posing with a banjo on her knee at a photographers studio in Sparkbrook, England. Ok, so the banjo is not quite on her knee. Is this woman a musician or entertainer of note? Unfortunately, there is no identifying information on the reverse of this photograph, so her identity remains a mystery. Sparkbrook is an inner city area of Birmingham, England. The photographer is Woodcock.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 