PORTRAIT OF ENGLISH THEATER ACTOR MR KENDAL PLAYING THE ROLE OF PRINCE GENERAL KARATOFF IN “THE SILVER SHELL”

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William McKenzie Morrison produced this cabinet card portrait of actor William Hunter Kendal (1843-1917). Morrison’s studio was housed in the Haymarket Theatre building in Chicago, Illinois. Morrison was known for being a photographer who specialized in taking photographs of celebrities. To view other portraits by Morrison, click on the category of “Photographer: Morrison”. Kendal’s given name was William Hunter Grimston and he was an English actor and manager. He was born in London and had his theatrical debut in Glasgow at age eighteen. Four years later he appeared in London at the Haymarket Theatre.  In 1869 he married Madge Robertson (1848-1935) and they performed together for many years. Kendal was a co-partner in managing the St. James Theatre from 1879 through 1888.  Between 1889 and 1895, Kendal and his wife toured successfully in the United States and Canada. Their American debut was in “A Scrap of Paper” (1889). The couple retired from acting  in 1908.

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Published in: on February 28, 2013 at 12:00 am  Comments (1)  
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MADAME BUTTERFLY IN KLAGENFURT, AUSTRIA

MADAME BUTTERFLY_0008 This image features an attractive actress playing Madame Butterfly in a 1909 production. The preceding information comes from an inscription on the reverse of the photograph. The photographer is Hans Wanderer and his studio was located in Klagenfurt, Austria. Madam Butterfly is an opera by Giacomo Puccini. The story was originally written by James Long (1898). David Belasco dramatized the story for theater. The operatic version of Madame Butterfly premiered in Milan, Italy in 1904.

Published in: on February 26, 2013 at 12:02 am  Comments (1)  
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WOMAN IN A FRAME IN HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

LADY IN A FRAME_0002A young woman is featured in this cabinet card that appears to be a memorial photograph. The image has a musical theme. Note the pictured string instrument and the scrolled sheet music. Perhaps the young woman pictured  in the frame was a musician. The photographic studio responsible for this interesting image is the C. S. Roshon studio which was located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The cabinet card gallery has another Roshon photograph in its collection). This second photograph is one of the more controversial images in the gallery’s collection because it very well may be a counterfeit cabinet card. The image features a Native American man with a turkey vulture on his head.  Click on the category “Photographer: Roshon” to view this photograph.

Published in: on February 25, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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TWO DAPPER AFFECTIONATE GENTLEMEN IS NEWTON, KANSAS

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Two affectionate men pose for their portrait in Newton, Kansas. The men look quite dapper in their suits and with their straw hats. Note that the gentleman wearing the suit and vest has a pocket watch chain visible atop his vest. He is also holding a walking stick.The man standing, and the man sitting on the hammock are showing some shared affection. They could be friends, relatives, or even lovers. It is impossible to guess their relationship. One wonders if homophobia was much of a factor in the cabinet card era in regard to men showing affection to men in public or in photographs. Perhaps a visitor to the cabinet card gallery can competently comment on this issue. The photographer of this image is the Tripp studio in Newton, Kansas. According to print on the reverse of the photograph, the studio was located on the corner of Main Street and Broadway. The photographer, Frank D. Tripp is cited in Anthony’s Photographic Bulletin (1896) as the President of the Photographers Association of Kansas. Another source states that Tripp “flourished” as a photographer in Newton during the 1880’s. Tripp’s obituary appears in The Evening Kansan Republican (1947). He died in Denver, Colorado at age eighty. He was described in the article as a pioneer photographer in Newton. He was an officer in the Newton Masonic Lodge. At some point he moved to Pueblo, Colorado where he was a partner in the Tripp and York photography studio.

Published in: on February 24, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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AGNES EVANS: THEATRE ACTRESS DRESSED IN QUITE RISQUE FASHION

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Agnes Evans poses for this cabinet card (top) photographed by Newsboy of New York.  Agnes Evans was a theatre actress who performed in the Broadway production of the Pit (1904). The actress is wearing a very revealing risque dress.  Further research by myself or assistance from visitors to this site will hopefully further illuminate her life and career. Newsboy was a brand of plug tobacco and Newsboy photographs were given away as a premium by tobacconists and drug stores who sold the tobacco. The images were produced by the National Tobacco Works of New York. They were likely produced and issued in the early 1890’s. The bottom image features Miss Evans in another Newsboy cabinet card (number 8 in a series). She is wearing a risque costume that includes fingerless gloves.

Published in: on February 23, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (5)  
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WOMAN IN DEEP CONCENTRATION STUDIES A PHOTOGRAPH IN LINCOLN, ENGLAND

deep concentration_0001George Hadley of the Castle Studio produced this portrait of a woman in deep concentration. She is studying what appears to be a small framed photograph. One of her hands rests on a table. The table top holds an inkwell. Printing on the reverse of the cabinet card indicates that the studio had won prizes at exhibitions at Cornwall (1884), London (1884), and Northampton (1884). The studio was located in Lincoln. Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.

Published in: on February 22, 2013 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A LADY RIDER WITH HER HORSE AND INDIAN GROOMSMAN

RIDER IN INDIAA woman in her riding habit and holding a riding crop, poses with her horse and servant. The servant is wearing a turban and holding the bridle of the lady’s mount. It is likely that this photograph was taken in India. The subjects and the photographer are unidentified.

Published in: on February 21, 2013 at 10:19 pm  Leave a Comment  
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NOTED STAGE ACTOR: J. FORBES ROBERTSON

ROBERTSONJohnston Forbes-Robertson (1853-1937) was a celebrated English actor and theater manager. He was considered to be one of the finest actors of his time. He was particularly noted for his portrayal of Hamlet. He did not profess a passion for his acting profession. He was born in London. His father was a journalist and theater critic. He had ten siblings and four of them pursued acting. His original interest was to become an artist, but to support himself financially he entered acting. He worked with Sir Henry Irving for some time as a second lead actor. He then became a lead actor. His starring roles included Dan’l Druce, Blacksmith and The Parvenu (1882). George Bernard Shaw wrote the part of Caesar for him in Caesar and Cleopatra. Forbes Robertson acted in a number of Shakespeare plays and also appeared a number of times with actress Mary Anderson in the 1880’s. In 1900 he married the American actress, Gertrude Elliott (1874-1950). In 1930, Forbes Robertson was knighted. This cabinet card portrait was produced by photographer Benjamin Falk who’s studio was located in New York City. Forbes Robertson is captured in costume in this image. The reverse of the photo is stamped “J. M. Russell 126 Tremont Street, Boston”.

Published in: on February 16, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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TWO LITTLE GIRLS AND A BALE OF HAY

two kids and hay_0002The two young girls in this cabinet card portrait are probably sisters. They are posing with a bale of hay in front of a fake brick house. Both girls are wearing necklaces and the older girl is displaying some religiosity by wearing a cross. The photographer and the location of the photographer’s studio are unknown.

Published in: on February 15, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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MOM CRADLING HER LONG GOWNED BABY

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A young mother and her baby pose for an unknown photographer in an unknown studio. The baby is wearing a long gown and the baby’s proud mom dressed up for this portrait. An inscription on the reverse of the photograph indicates that the photograph was taken sometime between 1900 and 1909. The year is not definite because when someone trimmed the photograph they cut off the last digit of the year leaving “190” as the year.

Published in: on February 14, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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