MISS FLORENCE ST. JOHN: ENGLISH ACTRESS AND SINGER POSES FOR HER PORTRAIT IN LONDON, ENGLAND

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Miss Florence St. John (1855-1912) is the subject of this portrait by the London Stereoscopic Company. She was a very well known English singer and actress. She was famous for her roles in operetta, musical burlesque, music hall, opera and comic plays. She began her career in her teenage years and received much acclaim for her 1879 role in “Madame Favart”. Her light opera soprano roles included Ollivette (1880), Nel Gwynne (1884) and Erminie (1885). She joined the Gaiety Theater company in 1888. She toured a number of times in America. In 1900 she appeared in her last musical and thereafter appeared in straight theater. Florence St. John was a very busy actress, appearing in a large number of productions. Perhaps it was her busyness that interfered with her marriages. By the time she was 42 years of age, she was entering her fourth marriage. This portrait shows Miss St. John’s beauty and captures her lovely smile. The London Stereoscopic Company was located, not surprisingly, in London, England. The gallery billed itself as “Photographers’ to the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Royal Family”. The company won many prizes and international exhibitions. To view other photographs by this gallery (including photographs of other actresses), click on the cabinet card gallery’s category “Photographer: London Stereographic Company”.  SOLD

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Published in: on May 17, 2014 at 4:38 pm  Comments (1)  
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JENNIE COSTELLO: FIRST STAGE ACTRESS IN THE FEDERAL WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM


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I couldn’t find any details about the life of actress, Jennie Costello. I was able to locate another cabinet card image of Miss Costello but nothing else. I guess she was in the witness protection program and all information pertaining to her life has been erased. The actual explanation is probably that she was not a major stage star and my search for information lacked enough depth to shed light on her career. This portrait was produced by the Hartley studio in Chicago, Illinois. Edward Hartley printed a drawing of his studio’s storefront on the reverse of this cabinet card (see the image below). He was a rabid self promoter which will be evident after you examine more of his photographs and read their descriptions. You can accomplish this feat by clicking the category “Photographer: Hartley”.

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Published in: on May 15, 2014 at 10:05 pm  Comments (3)  
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TWO TEENAGE SISTERS READING A LETTER IN LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA

ONTARIO FRONT An inscription on the reverse of this cabinet card indicates that one of the girls in this cabinet card photograph is named Lottie. Lottie and a second teenage girl are sharing a letter in this portrait by photographer Frank Cooper, whose studio was located in Canada (London, Ontario). The girls in this image are most likely sisters. Both are well dressed and wearing flowers.The photographer, Frank Cooper, was born in London in 1845 and was of Irish descent. He started his photography business at age 21. In 1878 he married Emily Riddle of St. Catherines, Ontario. Frank Cooper’s brother (John) was also operated a photography studio in London. Franks business operated from 1868 until 1909 while John ran his studio between 1857 and 1890. Frank Cooper died in San Diego, California but is buried in Woodland Cemetery in London. The photograph below is a portrait of Frank Cooper that was found online in the London Public Library Image Gallery. To view more photographs by Cooper, click on the category “Photographer: Cooper”. LonPL002405222-1

Published in: on May 14, 2014 at 6:13 pm  Comments (1)  
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PRETTY LONG HAIRED YOUNG WOMAN POSES FOR HER PORTRAIT IN KEOTA, IOWA

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This cabinet card photograph features a pretty young woman with long hair draped over her right shoulder. The image was produced by the Neal Brothers studio in Keota, Iowa. The Milwaukee Journal (1949) has an article about Edwin E. Neal who took over the Keota studio in 1888 and operated it until 1948. It is written that he only used one camera throughout his career. He did change lenses several times as advances were made in the field of photography. Neal’s wife assisted him with photo finishing, posing subjects, and running the business. At some point in his career, according to a different source, Edwin worked in partnership with his brother Charles. To view other photographs by Edwin Neal, click on the category “Photographer: Neal”.

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Published in: on May 12, 2014 at 5:10 pm  Comments (1)  
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ACTRESS ON A SWING IN PARIS, FRANCE (PORTRAIT BY SAZERAC)

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This cabinet card portrait features an unknown actress in a provocative pose sitting on a swing. An exposed leg and lacy undergarments propel this photograph into risque territory. The curly haired young woman flashes a terrific smile at the camera. The photographer of this image is the Sazerac studio which was located at the “Hotel Prive” in Paris, France. No information could be located about Mr. Sazerac but one can easily find real photo postcard portraits of French show girls that were produced by his studio. Sazerac cabinet cards are less common.

 

 

 

Published in: on May 8, 2014 at 12:01 pm  Comments (2)  
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WINTERIZED LITTLE GIRL IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN

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The young girl featured in this cabinet card portrait seems to be very prepared for a cold Michigan winter. She looks adorable in her fur trimmed coat and matching fur hand warmers. The photograph is a product of the Abbey studio in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Lewis Clark Abbey (1838-1904) was a photographer from 1876 through at least 1900. He was located at 303 East Main Street between 1887 and 1889 which therefore this photograph was taken between those years.

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Published in: on May 7, 2014 at 12:04 pm  Leave a Comment  
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WELL DRESSED COUPLE IN MONROE, WISCONSIN

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A well dressed couple pose for their portrait at the White studio in Monroe, Wisconsin. Both individuals are wearing corsages creating a question as to whether this image is a wedding portrait. The couple are posed with the gentleman sitting and the lady standing.It is understandable why the lady isn’t sitting. It is unimaginable that she could fit in a chair while wearing such a bulky dress. I wonder if women in such dresses ever got a chance to sit down at social occasions or if they were compelled to stand for long periods of time. The reverse of this cabinet card photograph has an inscription stating “Mamie’s mother and father (Milton Schreckengost)”. Mr. Schreckengost is extremely likely to be the gentleman pictured in this photograph. Interestingly, the German translation of “Schrecken” is “something scary”. However, research found nothing scary about Milton S. Schreckengost. He was born in 1861 in Winslow, Illinois. The 1900 US census finds Milton to be living with his wife Susan and their four year old daughter, Gladys. He and Susan had been married in 1894 and Milton was working as a farmer. The family was living in Buckeye, Illinois. The couple remained in Buckeye during the 1920 and 1930 census. Milton’s occupation was listed as laborer in both surveys but he was likely a farm laborer. On 8/5/1940, Milton died in Buckeye and was buried in Cedarville, Illinois. Susan died around three years earlier. Milton’s death certificate lists his occupation as “farmer”. Further research found that Milton’s marriage to Susan was actually his second marriage. His first marriage was to Mary Musser of Orangeville, Illinois. The couple had one daughter. Mary died in 1890. In 1894 he married a second time (to Susan Kahly). The union with Susan produced Milton’s second daughter. It is not clear whether the woman in this cabinet card is Mary Musser or Susan Kahly.  If your wondering why so much of  Milton’s life took place in Illinois yet this photograph was taken by a Wisconsin photography studio, I have a rational answer. Buckeye, Illinois and Monroe, Wisconsin, are only 15.1 miles apart. The photographer of this image is Horatio G. White who was born in Oldtown, Maine in 1834. He was listed in a Wisconsin business directory (1875) as a photographer.   SOLD

 

Published in: on May 6, 2014 at 11:22 am  Comments (3)  
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