Three neatly dressed siblings pose on an elaborate studio set meant to evoke a grand front porch. The children stand on faux stone steps framed by a carved balustrade and an ornate painted backdrop that suggests a Victorian doorway with decorative leaded glass. A scatter of dried “grass” on the floor and a tasseled straw bonnet draped over a brocade armchair complete the illusion of an outdoor scene brought indoors. The eldest girl (seated, about 8 yrs of age) wears a practical, mid-brown day dress gathered at the high waist, with inset smocking and a crisp self-fabric bow on the bodice. Her lace-edged collar and tightly laced, mid-calf button boots attest to middle-class respectability. She looks straight into the camera with a composed, almost adult seriousness, hands folded demurely. The youngest child (standing left of steps, is about 5 yrs old) sports a darker pinafore-style dress over a lighter blouse with a deep lace collar. Tousled blond hair and the small doll clutched in her right hand hint at a restless energy; her wide-eyed expression is inquisitive rather than shy. The middle child (standing right, about 6 yrs of age) is dressed in a pleated black wool dress with bishop sleeves and another lace collar. One hand rests confidently on the carved railing; her level gaze and slightly pursed lips convey the earnest formality children often adopted for long photographic exposures. The dog is a small terrier-type dog and it sits statue-still on the middle step. Close inspection shows a glossy coat, natural posture, and slight blur at the muzzle—signs it is a live pet briefly held in position rather than a taxidermy studio prop. Including a real dog was a mark of photographic bravado, as animals could easily ruin an exposure. The probable date that this photograph was taken, judging by hemlines and hair styles point to between the late 1880’s and early 1990’s. Very little survives about this short-lived partnership beyond the faint back-stamp on the reverse of the card. The best-documented local photographer is P. Andersen, listed as operating in Shelby in 1891 and again in nearby Kimballton. No information about photographer, Miller, was discovered in preliminary research. Shelby sprang up along the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific line in 1868, was platted in 1870, and incorporated in 1877. By the 1890 census the town counted roughly 650 residents (Shelby County total 17,611), serving as a grain-shipping point for surrounding farms. Main-street businesses—including at least two photo galleries—catered to a growing, rail-connected farm community. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
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