EVERYONE IS TENSE IN THIS SMALL FAMILY EXCEPT THE DOG

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This cabinet card features a family portrait of what appears to be a very tense family. Dad’s facial expression indicates that he is quite angry. At the very least he seems very stern and is the type of guy you don’t want to provoke. Perhaps he is steamed about having to get dressed up and spend money for a photograph that he views as frivolous. Mom is not dealing with the situation. She is looking down toward the floor but she has closed her eyes. It is as if she wants the whole situation to go away. The couple’s son is adorable and smartly dressed in a sailor style outfit. He is displaying some of his dad’s intensity and looks as if he wishes the photographic session would come to a quick end. The only one in this portrait that seems happy is the family dog. This cute canine is bright eyed and flashing a doggy smile. The individuals in this photograph as well as the photographer are unidentified. This particular photograph is one of those images that tells an interesting story but it is up to the observer to hypothesize the details of the story. Perhaps some Cabinet Card Gallery visitors will comment about their perceptions concerning this emotionally provocative photograph.   SOLD

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Published in: on April 30, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (7)  
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MYSTERY ACTRESS AT THE HAYMARKET THEATRE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (MYSTERY SOLVED)

A pretty and nicely dressed woman poses for her portrait from celebrity photographer, William McKenzie Morrison, at the Haymarket Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The subject of this photograph looks very much like actress, Lily Hanbury (1874-1908). An inscription on the reverse of this image states
“to my darling brother Mike, from Lily”. The card is dated “Aug   8, 1894”. There were many actresses in 1894 named Lily; Lily Langtry was likely the most famous of them all. Research failed to provide evidence that this cabinet card photograph features Ms. Hanbury. It is not certain that she ever appeared at the Haymarket, nor is there data to confirm that she had a brother named Mike. To view a confirmed photograph of Lily Hanbury, type her name in Cabinet Card Gallery’s Search Box and click the search button. To view other photographs by Morrison, click on the category “Photographer: Morrison”. ADDENDUM: I am grateful to a cabinet card gallery visitor who left a comment (click comment below) identifying the actress who is the subject of this photograph. Her name is Hattie Williams (1870-1947) and another photo of her can be seen in the form of the photograph found below. Miss Williams was an American stage actress, comedienne, and singer. She was born in Boston. She began her career in the farcical plays of Charles Hoyt. She was a popular actress in vaudeville and with the Charles Frohman Theater Company. At one point in her career she was considered an arch rival to Ethel Barrymore. A photograph of Miss Barrymore is posted in the cabinet card gallery and can be viewed by putting her name in the search box. Williams appeared in one motion picture (1915).

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Published in: on April 29, 2015 at 5:27 pm  Comments (2)  
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TRAVELERS FROM INDIA VISIT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

INDIANTEMPLE_0003This cabinet card portrait features four Indian men posing for their portrait at the Holland studio in Boston, Massachusetts. These visitors are wearing their traditional clothing, including turbans. At least one of the men is barefoot. One of the men is holding a paper while another is holding a book. Could it be a prayer book? These men may be Sikhs. The previous owner of this photograph suggested that the seated men are Sikhs and the other two men are Burmese attendants. Hopefully, someone from the cabinet card gallery’s vast unpaid research department will be able to specify the ethnicity of the subjects of this photograph. It is is interesting to note that the photographer’s studio is located on Temple Place. Could there be a Hindu temple nearby? The photographer of this terrific image is Henry F. Holland (1853?-1911?). He entered the world of Boston photography when he became a partner with George P. Roberts in 1886. Their studio was located at 10 Temple Place (the same address as this image). The partners designed their own back drops and their studio was a great success; at one time employing 25 people. The gallery was advertised as “the finest studio in New England” and Holland’s business motto was “Realism in Photography”. Apparently Holland should have practiced realism in business because the gallery eventually went bankrupt. Speculation is that a poor investment in a printing business led to the collapse of Holland’s studio. His partner, Mr. Roberts, left the firm in 1888, two years before the bankruptcy. Holland was buoyant and by 1891 had established a new photography studio called “Ye Holland Studio” which he opened on Washington Street in Boston. He soon left the studio for his son’s Tom and C. E. to manage. Holland than entered business in another field for which he had much passion. He formed the Freeman-Holland Company and became involved in the electricity business. He became the local general manager of the National Electrical Manufacturing Company. He also combined his interest photography and technology by becoming a photographer of industrial equipment.

Published in: on April 27, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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ATTRACTIVE WEDDING COUPLE IN BERLIN, GERMANY

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The young wedding couple pictured in this portrait are well dressed and quite attractive. The pretty bride looks terrific in her wedding gown and bridal veil. She is holding a bouquet of flowers in her white gloved hand. The handsome groom is holding a pair of white gloves. One suspects that this couple is well-to-do judging by their appearance. This cabinet card portrait was taken by the studio of Otto Witte who operated his photography business in Berlin, Germany.

Published in: on April 26, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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JAPANESE TEENAGER WEARING A KIMONO IN FUKUI, JAPAN

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This vintage photograph features a pretty teenage girl wearing a striped kimono and an obi (sash).  She also is wearing a bow in her hair. This photograph was taken by the K. Matsuda studio in Fukui, Japan. This portrait measures 3″ x 4 1/2″.  (SOLD)

Published in: on April 25, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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SCHOLARLY YOUNG MAN IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

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A well dressed scholarly looking young man poses for his portrait at the Siegel Cooper studio in Chicago, Illinois. The man is wearing a thin bow tie and a surplus of pins. He has a pin on the lapel of his jacket and a larger pin on the lapel of his vest. He is also sporting a pocket watch. Also take note of his wire rim glasses. The studio that produced this photograph was located in the Siegel Cooper department store. The cabinet card gallery has developed a nice collection of images from this studio. To view these images, click on the category “Photographer: Siegel Cooper”.

Published in: on April 24, 2015 at 2:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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A DANDY WITH BIG HAIR IN MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT

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The handsome man in this cabinet card portrait is well dressed and well groomed. He has a terrific mustache and big hair. His striped tie is quite lovely but quite loud and he may be in danger of being ticketed by the fashion police for wearing a striped tie with a plaid jacket. Gideon H. Appelquest (1859-1902) immigrated from Sweden in 1876 and settled in Middletown. He was a photographer in the town from the 1880’s until about the time of his death. His wife Emily, took over the studio after Gideon’s death and operated it for another two years. The couple had two children; Jerome (born 1888) and Alva or Olga (born 1891). To view more photographs from this studio, click on the category “Photographer: Appelquest”.

Published in: on April 23, 2015 at 8:18 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PRETTY WOMAN WEARING A FEATHERED HAT IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

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A pretty well dressed young woman poses for her portrait at the Anderson studio in San Francisco, California. She is wearing a beautiful dress with a large bow and a feathered hat sits atop her head. She is also wearing what appears to be diamond earrings and a collar pin. I would guess, and it’s only a guess,  that the woman in this photograph is an actress. The woman’s beauty, attire, and poise leads me to hypothesize her theatrical background. Perhaps a visitor to the cabinet card gallery will recognize her and be able to provide the rest of us with her identity. The photographer of this image is Hugh S. Anderson. He was born in Scotland sometime between 1820 and 1828.  Anderson was a California photographer who operated studios in Eureka (1858-1865), Hydesville (1859-1860), San Francisco (1866-c1895), and Petaluma (1875). The Valencia Street studio that produced this photograph operated between 1879 and 1884.   SOLD

Published in: on April 19, 2015 at 9:48 am  Comments (6)  
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MAGGIE MITCHELL: CELEBRATED THEATRE ACTRESS WHO PERFORMED IN FRONT OF PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN

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Maggie Mitchell (1832-1918) was a famous American actress, born in New York. Her first regular stage appearance was in “The Soldier’s Daughter” at the Chambers Street Theatre in 1851. Her first major success was as star of  “Oliver Twist”. She has been described as small, agile and energetic, with a special talent for comedy. In 1860, she appeared in “Fanchon, The Cricket” which was adapted for her from a George Sand novel. She performed in this and other plays in front of  President Abraham Lincoln. The photographer of the top image was celebrity photographer, Mora, of New York City. To view other photographs by Mora, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category, “Photographer: Mora”. The second portrait of Miss Mitchell was taken by the esteemed Philadelphia photographic studio, Gilbert & Bacon. This cabinet card image shows Maggie displaying a “come hither” expression. To view more photographs by this studio, click on the category “Photographer: Gilbert & Bacon”. ADDENDUM: A knowledgeable visitor to Cabinet Card pointed out that the second photo of Miss Mitchell is actually actress Lotta Crabtree (see comment below). A bit of research confirmed his astute observation. Lotta Crabtree, a woman who led a very interesting life, will receive her own entry in the cabinet card gallery in the next few days.

Published in: on April 15, 2015 at 12:01 pm  Comments (2)  
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PORTRAIT OF AN ADORABLE YOUNG GIRL IN GATESHEAD, ENGLAND

 

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The young girl in this cabinet card photograph looks absolutely adorable in her lace dress and cute hat. She is holding a fan and wearing a paper garland of flowers. This sweet child was photographed by George Frank who’s studio was located in Gateshead, England. An image of the reverse of this cabinet card can be found below. This is an excellent example of some of the better advertising employed by photographers to symbolize their artistry.   (SOLD)

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Published in: on April 14, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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