This charming late-Victorian cabinet card captures a little girl with a wonderfully coy, precocious expression—eyes turned to the side as if she’s sharing a private thought with the photographer. Her softly curled hair, the oversized bow, and the gentle studio lighting create that classic 1890s “storybook” portrait look. The pose feels spontaneous and intimate; displaying this adorable girl’s personality. The photographer is George Gardner Rockwood, one of New York City’s best-known portrait men of the era. Rockwood’s studio became a major name in celebrity and society photography, and surviving cabinet cards with his imprint are widely collected today. The New York Public Library’s Photographers’ Identities Catalog documents Rockwood operating a New York City studio/business in the period 1894–1902, specifically at 1440 Broadway (the same address printed on this mount). Rockwood’s career is also well summarized in reference sources that note his long life (1832–1911) and his enormous output of portraits over decades in the business. Rockwood was born in Troy, New York and graduated from college with a PhD, reportedly either from the University of Chicago, or Columbia University. At 21 years of age, he was a newspaper reporter for the Troy Daily Times and at age 23, he was managing editor of the Troy Daily Post. He began working as a photographer in St. Louis and in 1857 opened a studio with his brother Elihu in New York City. He has been credited with bringing CDV’s to America. His obituary in the Washington Post reports that Rockwood photographed more than 350,000 people. This photograph was taken in 1896. That date appears in the lower right corner of the cabinet card, under the studio’s address. Overall, this cabinet card presents beautifully, with a soft tonal range and good facial clarity. There is age wear to the mount, including edge/corner wear and scuffing, and what appears to be a small wrinkle near the bottom corners (see scans).
This cabinet card is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $85.00 at auction.
Interested collectors may view the listing here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/336447589811
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
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