The teenage girl featured in this cabinet card photograph appears to be deep in thought. She looks quite delicate. The contemplative teenager is well dressed and very poised. The photographer, G. W. Pach, has done an excellent job of posing his subject and produced an admirable artistic photograph. Pach, whose studio was located at 841 Broadway in New York City, is a celebrated photographer of his time. This cabinet card is likely from the earlier part of the cabinet card era. To learn more about the photographer and to view more of his images by, click on the category “Photographer: Pach Brothers”.
PORTRAIT OF A CONTEMPLATIVE TEENAGE GIRL IN NEW YORK CITY (PHOTOGRAPH BY PACH)
DELLA FOX: AMERICAN STAGE ACTRESS (IMAGES FROM 1893 and 1894)
These cabinet cards feature American stage actress, Della Fox (1870-1913). In the top photograph, she is wearing a military costume for a play that she was appearing in. The photograph is copyrighted in 1893. She began her acting career as a child and became a well known musical comedy actress. Her popularity peaked in the 1890’s when she appeared in several musical with De Wolf Hopper. She also toured with her own theatre company. Her life was plagued with personal problems including alcohol and drug abuse, and mental breakdowns requiring institutionalization. This cabinet card portrait was photographed by Morrison who is known for his portraits of theatre stars and other celebrities. Morrison operated out of the Haymarket Theatre builiding in Chicago, Illinois. Please click on the category “Photographer: Morrison” for more information about Morrison and to view other photographs by his studio. The second photograph captures Della Fox in costume for the play “The Little Trooper”. The play was by William Furst (1852-1917) and appeared at the Empire Theatre in New York City. The photograph is the work of Napoleon Sarony, famed celebrity photographer of New York City. The reverse of the cabinet card indicates that the photograph was taken on December 25th, 1894. To view other photographs by Sarony, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Photographer: Sarony”. The third photograph of Miss Fox was produced by Newsboy as a premium to be given away with their tobacco products. It is number 509 of a series. To view other Newsboy photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Newsboy”.
ESTELLE CLAYTON: STAGE ACTRESS
Estelle Clayton (1867-1917) is seen in the first and second Cabinet cards. She was a prominent actress as well as a librettist in the late 1800’s. In one of her roles, she starred in “Fayette” with E H Sothern. Clayton was the sister of actress Isabelle Evesson. In 1908, the two sister actresses filed suit against New York City for allegedly diverting land away from earlier generations of their family. In 1917 she died in New York City of heart failure. The photographer of both of these Cabinet cards is Sarony of New York City. The third cabinet card portrait of Clayton was produced by Newsboy as a premium for tobacco products. It is number 47 of a series. The barefoot Miss Clayton is in quite the risque pose in this image.
“AMERICA FOREVER”: PATRIOTIC TEN YEAR OLD IN DAYTON, OHIO SUPPORTS AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND SAILORS DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
A ten year-old boy named Horace H. Justice Jr. poses proudly in a sailor suit at the studio of Anderson & Hartshorn in Dayton, Ohio. Horace’s naval cap displays the name “Dewey” rather than the more typical ship name. Admiral George Dewey (1837-1917) was a US naval officer best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish American War. He came home to the United States and was received as a conquering war hero. Young Horace is clearly paying tribute to Admiral Dewey. The Spanish American War era was a time marked by a escalation of patriotism in the United States and this image provides an illustration of this nationalistic fervor. It is also possible that Horace’s father may have served with Admiral Dewey and that Horace Jr. is emulating Horace Sr.. Initial research found a Horace J. Justice living in Dayton. The 1900 US census reveals that Justice was married to Mattie Justice 1885) and at the time of the census, they had a twelve year old son also named Horace. Horace Justice Sr. is mentioned in many Dayton city directories from 1871 through 1909. He worked many years as a travelling salesman. It could not be established that Horace Sr. was in the armed forces. It appears that Horace Jr was born in 1888 and died in 1948. Information was also found about the photographers. Photographer James Otto Hartshorn was a leading Dayton photographer. He was born in Ohio in 1869. A Dayton history book reveals that he was “deprived” of his parents when he was thirteen years-old and forced to live with various friends. He worked on a farm until he turned eighteen and and then moved to Dayton and for a short time worked in a cotton batting factory. In 1888 he became employed in a photography studio where he learned to become a very skilled photographer. In 1891 he married Ella M. Huesman of Dayton. In 1894 Hartshorn partnered with Charles F. Anderson and opened up the studio that produced the portrait of Horace Justice Jr..
FAMILY PORTRAIT OF MOTHER, FATHER, AND FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN IN GOTEBORG, SWEDEN
This cabinet card features a family portrait of a handsome couple and their four children. The two oldest children are boys who are wearing sailor type outfits. The two youngest children are each being held by a parent. This attractive family was photographed by Tallroth & Co. which was located in Goteborg, Sweden. Goteborg (Gothenburg) is presently the second largest city in Sweden and at the time of this photograph, it was considered an industrial city.
THREE PRETTY SISTERS POSE FOR THEIR PORTRAIT IN SISTOV, BULGARIA
Three pretty young women, likely sisters, pose for their portrait at the studio belonging to Doctor Mark in Sistov, Bulgaria. The women are wearing modern clothing rather than traditional ethnic fashion. This photograph is sized somewhere between a cdv and a cabinet card. The photograph measures 3.15″ x 5.12″.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 