PORTRAIT OF A FASHIONABLE WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

johnson

A lovely couple pose for their portrait at the Johnson & Company studio in Chicago, Illinois. The most notable feature of this image is the fashionability of the young woman. Her dress is attractive and relatively unusual relative to dresses seen in most cabinet card images. She is also very well accessorized. Note her jewelry which includes a ring, necklace, and earrings. She is also wearing fingerless gloves. She is a Chicagoan and must have taken advantage of the good shopping there. She also appears to have had good clothes sense. Her husband is dressed formally but clearly not trying to draw attention to himself via his clothing. The photographer, Johnson & Company was operating in Chicago at least between 1886 and 1895. The proprietor was J. Scott Johnson who was born in Ohio in 1860 and moved to Chicago in 1882. Johnson placed an ad in “The Photographic Times (1908)” which listed his studio for sale due to his desire to retire. The ad noted that the studio was in the heart of Chicago’s business district and was “a gold mine for a hustler”. In listing the price of the studio, Johnson wrote that he would sell it as a “sacrifice at $1500.00”.  (SOLD)

Published in: on July 8, 2015 at 8:31 pm  Comments (2)  
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2 CommentsLeave a comment

  1. On July 9, 2015 at 8:58 am Benjamin S. said:

    Did anyone notice her left waistcoat pocket ? He has something tucked in her pocket attached to a cord around her neck. Perhaps her pince nez glasses ?

    Reply
  2. On July 10, 2015 at 3:36 pm Bill Patterson. said:

    I assumed it is a watch pocket she has added … a mite unusual at that time (for the ladies), but legal. He seems to have demurred from such accoutrements and looks very nice, save for the slicked down hair-do. A very nice family record of the time showing them as they wished to be seen. Thanks for showing these gems … always a treat.

    Reply

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