Yolande Wallace is the subject of this Cabinet Card photographed by J. H. Melrose of New York City, New York. Wallace was a stage actress and singer whose early appearances included a period with actor Henry E. Dixey. Her appearances on Broadway included “Little Christopher Columbus” (1894), “The French Maid” (1897), and “The Show Girl” (1902). In 1894 the New York Times critic panned “Little Christopher Columbus” and stated that he wished Sherlock Holmes was still alive so he could find out who could have been clapping at the shows dreadful first performance. The critic also penned that Wallace, in her role of “Guinevere”, offered only one redeeming quality and that was her “good looks”.
YOLANDE WALLACE: THEATER ACTRESS WHOSE ONLY REDEEMING ACTING QUALITY WAS HER “GOOD LOOKS”
YOUNG WOMAN: SALVATION ARMY WORKER IN LEWISTON, MAINE
A young woman poses for this Cabinet Card photograph at the studio of I. L. Hammond in Lewiston, Maine. She is wearing the attire of the salvation army and is holding a tambourine. Note her bonnet and the structure of the dress which creates the appearance of a thin midriff. One of Hammond’s photographs appears in the autobiography of Marsden Hartley (1877-1943) who was an American modernist painter, poet, and essayist in the early 20th century.
A BEARD GROWS IN BROOKLYN (1890)
This Cabinet Card was taken in 1890 by the photographer, Kopke of Brooklyn, New York. Kopke’s studio was located on Fulton Street. The subject has a very interesting beard earning him the honor of entering the Cabinet Card Gallery’s category for Beards (Only the Best). The unidentified subject was 55 years of age when this photograph was taken. To view other photographs by Kopke, click on the category “Photographer: Kopke”.
BRITISH SOLDIER IN MUSSOORIE, INDIA
A British soldier poses for his Cabinet Card portrait in Mussoorie, India. The photographer is J. Bell Brothers. Mussoorie is a city 34 km from Dehradun in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The city is located in the foothills of the Himalaya Mountain ranges and the city is sometimes referred to as “Queen of the Hills”.
WELL ARMED SPANISH AMERICAN WAR SOLDIER IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
This Cabinet Card is a portrait of a Spanish American War era soldier posing in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio was a city where a number of troops were organized for participating in this war. Note that the soldier is well armed with both a rifle, bayonet, and knife. Check out his ammunition belt. Ironically, the cabinet card’s photographer, Lewison Brothers, headquarters their studio on South “Alamo” Street. This street is the location of the famous Alamo which was the location of a battle to the death which occurred in the war for Texas independence.
PRETTY GIRL POSES IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
A very pretty girl poses for the photographer at the studio of William Mills and Son in Providence, Rhode Island. This side-view pose is reminiscent of the typical pose assumed by famed actress, Sarah Bernhardt. The subject of this photograph has a very interesting and attractive profile making this particular posing position a good choice. There is no identifying information accompanying this Cabinet Card and it is not clear whether the subject is a teenager or adult woman. To view other photographs by the Mills Studio, click on the category “Photographer: Mills”.
ADORABLE BABY WITH CURLS IN DAYTON, OHIO
Photographers William Hollinger and Joseph M. Appleton (1848-?) produced this Cabinet Card photograph of a very cute baby in Dayton, Ohio. Both partners of the Appleton and Hollinger studio were photographers of note. Hollinger worked in Urbana in the mid 1870’s and in Dayton from 1883 until 1896. He partnered with Appleton in the 1880’s. In 1900 he was included in an article in Wilson’s Photographic magazine. Appleton trained in Akron, Ohio in the 1860’s and later worked in Millersburg and Columbus. In 1880 he moved to Dayton, first working with Hollinger and by 1887 he had his own studio and owned a company that manufactured photographic plates. Appleton’s work was exhibited at the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893 and at the National Academy of Design in 1898. He was an officer in the Photographic Association of America and a founder of the Photographic Salon of Ohio. To view other photographs by Appleton & Hollinger, click on the category “Photographer: Appleton & Hollinger”.
MARCUS AINEY AND HIS TRICYLCE CAPTURED BY A TRAVELING PHOTOGRAPHER
A young lad, Marcus Ainey poses for his Cabinet Card photograph for the Hawkins Brothers who were traveling photographers. Marcus is looking quite serious as he rests his arm on the handlebars of his prized tricycle. He is dressed up for the occasion wearing an interesting cap and outfit. He has his handkerchief neatly tucked into his pocket ready for any nasal emergencies.
JEWISH COUPLE, REPORTEDLY BRODER SINGERS (YIDDISH) IN BRODY, UKRAINE
This Cabinet card featuring a well dressed couple, offers a bit of mystery. The last owner of this card states that this couple are “Brody Yiddish Singers”. So what does that mean? First of all, Brody is a city in Lviv Oblast (province) of western Ukraine. The city was a crossroads and jewish trade center in the 19th century. Brody is considered to be Shtetls, Brodersanger, Purim, Jewish theater, CzarAlexander III, Berl Margulis, Berl Broder, one of the “shtetls”. The city was famous for the Brodersanger or Broder singers who were among the first Jews to publicly perform Yiddish songs outside of Purim (a holiday) and wedding celebrations. These performers were the precursors of jewish theater. Due to anti Jewish regulation enacted in 1882 by Czar Alexander III of Russia and the resulting exodus of Russian Jews; throughout 1881 hundreds of Jewish immigrants arrived in Brody daily. The most famous Broder singer was Berl Margulis also known as Berl Broder (1815 -1868). It is not certain that this cabinet card really depicts Broder singers and no evidence is available to support the claim , but it is not unusual for families to pass down such information over generations and there is a reasonable chance that the history is correct and the story is worth telling. The photographer of this cabinet card is Buscdorf.
EMILY AND HER BABY DOLL IN SIOUX CITY, IOWA
Emily Hardy and her baby doll pose for their portrait at the Genelli Gallery in Sioux City, Iowa. Her name is inked on the reverse of the card and she is wearing a pin with her name displayed beneath the center of her collar. Young Emily is proudly posing with her doll and holding some flowers. Interestingly, the Genelli photographic studio still exists in Sioux City, Iowa. To view other photographs by Genellli and to learn more about the studio, click on the category “Photographer: Genelli”.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 