This vintage real photo postcard captures a mother and her two young children posing for their portrait at an unidentified photo studio. The whole family appears quite apprehensive about having their photograph taken. The trio are dressed for winter. All three are wearing winter coats and hats. The older child is wearing gloves and the youngest child is wearing a muff. This image features a truly attractive family.
This cabinet card portrait captures three British soldier posing for their portrait at a photo gallery in Cawnpore, India. The three men are in uniform and the standing soldier is wearing a medal on his chest. The two seated soldiers are holding batons. Note the sun helmets on the floor in front of the trio of soldiers. The photograph was taken at “The Portraiture Coy” located in Cawnpore (now Kanpur), a historic city in the relationship between India and Britain. An important battle in the Indian Rebellion (First War of Independence) of 1857 was the Siege of Cawnpore. Cawnpore was the site of a major garrison of the East India Company forces. There were 900 British (including civilians) in Cawnpore as well as a large number of Sepoy troops (Indian infantry). Tensions mounted between the British and the Sepoy troopers until the Sepoys joined the war against the East India Company. The British came under siege for three weeks until the British surrendered in return for safe passage to safety. The evacuation was fraught with problems and in the end, the Sepoys fired upon the departing British. The result was a massacre which included the killing of 120 captured British women and children. East India Company forces from Allahabad marched to Cawnpore and recaptured the city. Company troops retaliated for the massacre by massacring captured local civilians and Sepoys. The soldiers in this photograph arrived in India more than twenty years after the massacres occurred in Cawnpore. However, they were likely very aware of the historic events that happened in Cawnpore. SOLD
This image is special because it features a baby with a wonderful smile and happy demeanor. It is a rare occurrence to find a portrait of a baby with such a great smile. The photograph was taken at a studio and was used to produce this vintage real photo postcard. The baby is dressed in white and looks so adorable wearing a white sweater and little booties. The baby is sitting on a chair that is covered by a lace light blanket. I am unsure how the baby is safely held in the chair. There is no evidence of a hidden mother’s hands or a device to hold the baby safely in place. A studio backdrop can be seen in the background. The AZO stamp box on the reverse of the image indicates that the postcard was produced sometime between 1924 and 1949
This cartes de visite portrait features a pretty young girl wearing her confirmation gown and holding a cross on a chain and bible. She is wearing white gloves and a necklace with a pendant. It appears that she has a small purse hanging from the front of her dress. This cdv photograph was taken by L. Bertrand at his studio in Dijon, France. Dijon is the capital city of the Burgundy region in eastern France. This area is one of the leading wine producing regions in France. (SOLD)
This cabinet card portrait features a bust portrait of an attractive woman taken at the Langley studio in Manchester, New Hampshire. The photographer used a dark background effectively to produce a beautiful image. The subject is wearing a pretty dress and a collar pin. The photographer of this image is Josiah T. Langley (1856-1916). Langley was married to Kate Langley (1869-?) in 1891 and the couple had two female children. The girls are listed in the 1910 census as being twelve years old. The siblings, Florence and Grace, were probably twins. A published interview with his daughter reveals that Langley was a pioneer in photographing snowflakes. Langley’s daughter also asserts that her father died due to his long term exposure to photographic chemicals. To view other images by Langley, click on the category “Photographer: Langley”.
POSTCARD 1
POSTCARD 2 (SOLD)
Top Postcard
Bottom Postcard (SOLD)
This vintage photograph was found in a Long Island, New York, antique store. The image traveled a long way to get to New York and there is probably a very interesting story attached to this photograph. The young man in the photo is impeccably dressed. He looks very cool in his light colored suit, vest, high collared shirt, and bow tie. His hat is strategically tilted and he is posing with an open jacket and with his hand in his pants pocket. He looks like he is ready to model for Gentlemen’s Quarterly. This good looking young man appears to be in his late teen years or his early twenties. The web site for the Afrika Tropen Museum (the actual museum is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands) provides helpful information in ascertaining the origin of this photograph. If one looks under the image on this photograph one finds the words “NV Charls & Van Es & Co”. Also printed below the image are the words “Ned. Indie”. The museum site reveals that Charls & Van Es & Co. was a photography studio located on Rijswijk Street in Batavia (Jakarta). The studio was founded in 1884 by Messrs F. Charls and JC van Es. and was in business for more than fifty years. Batavia was the de facto capital of the Dutch East Indies. Today Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia which gained it’s independence in 1945. “Ned Indie” or Netherlands Indies is a term that was used to describe the many islands that eventually combined to become Indonesia. I wish I knew the story behind this intriguing image. (SOLD)
This wonderful cabinet card portrait captures an adorable young girl sitting at a table with an open book in front of her. She is looking toward the camera and displaying a serious gaze. She is wearing a dress that has lace at the end of her sleeves and around her collar. This photograph was taken at the Urlin and Pfeifer studio which was located in Columbus, Ohio. The cabinet card gallery has photographs by each of these photographers that were taken when they were working independently. John A. Pfeifer (1859-1932) was active in the Columbus area from 1882 to at least 1913. For much of that time, he was partners with George C. Urlin (1854-1942). Their firm was the class photographer of Oberlin College in 1888. Urlin was active in Columbus between 1873 and 1887. The reverse of this cabinet card offers an interesting back stamp. Note the etching of the Urlin & Pfeifer storefront. Behind the gallery’s windows there is a display of framed photographs. Also on the reverse of the photograph is advertising boasting that the studio had won 47 “Medals and Highest Awards”. One of these medals was issued in 1885 which is about the time that this cabinet card was produced. SOLD
Marte Harell (1907-1996) was an Austrian film actress. She was married to Karl Hartl (1899-1978), an Austrian film director. Harell’s filmography includes “Women Are No Angels” (1943), “After The Storm” (1948), and “The Congress Dances” (1955). She was active in film and television between 1939 and 1981. Early and late in her career she also did theater. She made her film debut at age 32. She was in a number of films by Wien-Film. Hartl was the production manager of the company. This photo postcard was made for Wien-Film. The postcard is part of a series (no. A 3645/1). It is likely that this is a photograph of Miss Harell in costume for one of her film roles
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THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 