Emma sits for her portrait at the studio of T.M. Swem of St. Paul, Minnesota. Research from the Minnesota Historical Society reveals that the photographer is Thomas M. Swem who was born in Lima, Ohio in 1848 and began his photography business in Missouri in 1882. He moved to St. Paul, Minnesota and operated photography studios from various locations there from 1883 through 1899 when he moved out of state. Further research finds that he continued his photography business after leaving Minnesota. To view other photographs by Swem, click on the category “Photographer: Swem”.
PRETTY WOMAN PHOTOGRAPHED IN ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
LORD WILLIAM CAVENDISH-BENTINCK, 6TH DUKE OF PORTLAND (1857-1943)
Lord William Cavendish-Bentinck was the 6th Duke of Portland and was a conservative British politician. He held office as Master of the Horse under Lord Salisbury (1886-1892 and 1895-1902) and under Arthur Balfour (1902-1905). From 1898 until 1939 he served as Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire. At the coronation of King George VI he carried the crown of Queen Elizabeth. He was also known for owing a stable of Thoroughbred race horses which included some well known and successful horses. The photographic studio that produced this Cabinet Card is Elliott & Fry of London, England. This Victorian photographic studio and photographic film manufacturer was founded in 1863 by Joseph John Elliott and Clarence Edmund Fry. For an entire century the studio took and published images of leading Victorian luminaries from the fields of science, public service, art, politics as well as celebrities of the day. Famous Edwardian photographer working for the studio included Francis Henry Hart and Alfred James Philpott. Most of the early negatives from this studio were destroyed in the bombing of London during World War II. The surviving negatives are held by Great Britain’s National Portrait Gallery.
CALIFORNIA DREAMING AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY (PRETTY WOMAN IN SANTA ANA)
An attractive and well dressed west coast woman poses for her cabinet card photograph at the studio of E. Bowman in Santa Ana, California. She is looking quite pensive as she sits for her photographic portrait. Note her lace collar and hair ornament. Little information can be found about the photographer except that a photography magazine from 1894 announced that Ed Bowman bought the photography studio of Harry Hamaker in Santa Ana.
MABEL EATON: STAGE ACTRESS AT THE HAYMARKET THEATRE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
This Cabinet Card is an image of stage actress Mabel Eaton. Eaton’s appearances on Broadway in New York City included the productions of “Diplomacy” (1892) and “Woman and Wine” (1900). She appeared in many stage productions in Chicago and New York City. She appeared in Shakespeare productions. She was married to prominent stage and film star, William Farnum (1876-1953). An 1893 edition of the New York Times reported that her hotel room (Ashland House) was robbed while she was appearing in “Diplomacy” at the Fifth Avenue Theater. Eaton also appeared in a short silent film (1914). In 1916, Eaton died in Chicago, Illinois. The photographer of this Cabinet Card is celebrity photographer Morrison, located in the Haymarket Theatre. The Haymarket Theatre opened in 1887 as a legitimate playhouse with seating for an audience of 2,475. By 1896, it became a vaudeville house and between 1916 and 1932 the theatre was one of Chicago’s best known burlesque houses. Between 1932 and 1948, the Haymarket became a second-run movie theater and it was condemned in 1949. William Morrison began his photography business in 1889 at the Haymarket. He was born in Detroit in 1857 and educated in Chicago’s public schools and at the Metropolitan Business College. The New York Times reported in 1892 that there was a fire at the Haymarket that badly damaged offices, saloons and stores in the building. The article states that Morrison’s business had the worst damage of all the businesses, while the theatre itself only suffered water damage. Morrison’s studio lost 37,000 negatives. In 1899 he moved his business to the Champlain Building.
POINTY BEARD IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (1885)
Mr A. W. Sibley poses for his portrait at the studio of E. S. Dunshee in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr Sibley is well dressed and his hair and beard are very styled. His beard comes to a point and is eligible for the Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Beard (Only the Best)”. Please visit this beard hall of fame. Interestingly, unlike most hall of fame inductees, Mr Sibley lacks a mustache. Photographer Edward Sidney Dunshee was born 1823 in Bristol, Vermont and died in 1907 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1857 he and Cornelius Dunshee (his father) were photographers in Falls River, MA. He produced ambrotypes and daguerrotypes there. He next operated out of New Bedford, MA. One of his New Bedford clients was Henry David Thoreau, who sat for a portrait in 1861.By 1873 he and Thomas Rice Burnham operated as Dunshee and Burnham in Boston, MA. Between 1873 and 1876 he and Edward Byron Dunshee were in business as E. S. Dunshee and Son and located on Tremont Row in Boston, MA. By 1880, Edward Sidney Dunshee had moved to Philadelphia and apparently, after some time, his son took over the business. It appears that E. S. Dunshee had his last studio in Trenton, New Jersey (1894-1901). This Cabinet Card is dated 1885 and appears to be a product of the studio when it was operated by the son in the business, Edward Byron Dunshee. To view other photographs by E. S. Dunshee, click on the category, “Photographer: Dunshee”. Dunshee’s photography resume is confusing because different sources offer slightly different histories. In addition, the fact that his father and son were photographers, further clouds the accuracy of his biographical material. Clearly some writers have confused and entangled each of the Dunshee’s life story.
ACCIDENTALLY RISQUE WOMAN IN MCMINNVILLE, OREGON
This Cabinet Card is an image of 18 year-old Mary Earhart. The reverse of the card has pencil writing with her identification as well as the information that she was 5 foot and 3 inches, and weighed 137 1/2 pounds. It is unusual to find these statistics on the reverse of a cabinet card.. This image is also unique because it appears that it shows the young woman’s ample bust in too much detail. Risque Cabinet Cards that emphasized a woman’s breasts or cleavage seems to have been typically reserved for women who were prostitutes or actresses; and of course many people did not believe there was a difference between the two occupations. Perhaps this image was saved rather than destroyed by Ms Earhart but kept in a private place. The photographer was Fritz of the Superior Gallery in McMinnville, Oregon.
FORMALLY DRESSED COUPLE IN PORTSMOUTH, OHIO (WEDDING PICTURE?)
This Cabinet Card photograph captures a very well dressed couple at the studio of Lutz, in Portsmouth, Ohio. The couple may be posing for a wedding portrait, or perhaps, they’re dressed for another special occasion. It is interesting to note that the man, rather than the woman, is sitting for this photograph. This is typical of many photographs of this time period. In modern day times it would be more common to see poses where the woman is seated and the man is standing. Research reveals that L. B. Lutz was a photographer in Portsmouth between 1896 and 1897. It was also discovered that John N Lutz was a photographer in Portsmouth between 1873 and 1879. John Lutz was born in Germany in 1842 and arrived in America in 1855. He studied photography with W. S. Porter in Cincinnati, Ohio for five years; before opening his own studio.
LILY HANBURY: ENGLISH THEATRE ACTRESS
Lily Hanbury (1874-1908) appears on this Cabinet Card by Sarony of New York City. Sarony was one of the celebrated photographers of Theater Stars of the day. Hanbury was an English Stage Performer. She was born and educated in London. Her theatrical debut was in 1888 when she appeared in W. S. Gilbert’s “Pygmalion and Galatea” at the Savoy Theatre. She played on most major English stages and in such productions as “The Three Musketeers”, “The Stranger”, “Lights O London”, and Ibsen’s “Enemy of the People”. She became very popular with her performances in Shakespeare, acting in plays under the management of both Wilson Barrett and Beerbohm Tree. Tragicially, Hanbury lost her life at a young age when she died of complications after delivering a still-born baby. She was cremated and buried in the Jewish Cemetery at Willieden, England.
SWASHBUCKLING THEATRE ACTOR AND MURDER VICTIM: WILLIAM TERRISS
William Terriss (1847-1897) was an English theatre actor known for his swashbuckling roles. He played Robin Hood and a number of Shakespeare roles. He was also known for his early demise; the victim of a murder. His killer was a disgruntled and deranged actor who held a grudge against Terriss for getting him dismissed from a role he played in one of Terriss’s productions. Interestingly, Terriss still helped him financially and theatrically after his dismissal. Terriss was murdered outside of the Adelphi Theatre where he had arrived to prepare for that evenings performance of “Secret Service”. Terriss’s daughter, Ellaline Terriss was a star of Edwardian Musical Comedy and his son, Tom, was a well known film director,writer and actor. William Terriss was an adventurer and an outdoorsman in real life, not just in theatrical roles. Before entering acting in 1867 he pursued merchant service, medicine, sheep farming in the Falklands, and Tea Planting in Bengal. The photographer of this Cabinet Card was Falk, a well known celebrity photographer in New York City.
A YOUNG WOMAN WEARING BIG JEWELRY IN CORNING, NEW YORK
This Cabinet Card is a portrait of a young woman wearing a large brooch that dominates the portrait. The jewelry detracts from her appearance as well as the portrait. The photographer will have to remain unknown unless a blog visitor can decipher the name on the bottom of the Cabinet Card. If you can identify the photographer, please leave a comment with his or her name.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 