The top cabinet card features theatre actress Lizzie Webster posing at the beach. OK; its not the beach, but it is a fake beach, at the studio of celebrity photographer, Mora, in New York City, New York. Webster appeared on the American stage in the late 1870’s and early 1880’s. She appeared on tour in Edward Rice’s popular show, “Evangeline”. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1878) described Miss Webster as a “shapely brunette”, and a “beautiful being”. However, the article states that she did not possess a good voice. In 1893, Lizzie Webster died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To see other photographs by Mora, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Photographer: Mora”.
The second cabinet card features Miss Webster in costume, complete with a sword at her side. This image as well as the top image demonstrates that Lizzie Webster was not too modest to exhibit her legs. Both photographs are a bit risque because of this immodesty. The photographer of this image is unknown because the photograph has been trimmed and the reverse of the photo card has a large sticker covering much of the cards back. The sticker identifies the photograph as the property of Culver Pictures of New York City. The firm owned the rights to the image and would allow the media to use the image, if they paid for the privilege.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
I love it!
Now that costume was considered terrible “risque” at the time even though just about every inch of her was covered.
SJR
The Pink Flamingo
Exceptional photo! Do you know the tragic story of Mora; one of the leading theatrical photographers of New York, he probably developed schizophrenia and died in a boarding house surrounded by rubbish and crates of photographs that were no doubt thrown out at a dump somewhere.
Thanks so much for your interesting and informative comments. I checked out your site and thoroughly enjoyed my visit there. It is a terrific quality site and your passion for the photographs is very evident. In regard to Mora, I am familiar with the sad story of his physical and mental demise. As much as I enjoy the cabinet card images, the stories of the photographers are often equally fascinating. Thanks again for your visit and comments.
i love this picture. what a difference in what was acceptable in their day, (not acceptable) and what they wear today at the beach. i love your site. so many pictures from the past century. Thanks for posting them.
Lizzie Webster was a contemporary of Lizzie May Ulmer, the young actress whom I blog about. How fun to see these costumes. The details on the stockings are beautiful!
Re: Lizzie Webster … I have three nice cabinets of her, one of which is the cropped one shown. The photographer was Houseworth of San Francisco (ID below her name and also blind-stamped into the LR corner of the picture. The other two are by Mora, one a beautiful close-up and the other seated and wearing a stunning burlesque costume.