ADORABLE AFRICAN AMERICAN BABY IN SEATTLE WASHINGTON

afr-amer-baby

 

afr-amer-baby-1

This vintage photograph features an adorable African American baby posing for her portrait at an unidentified studio. The baby is so cute and appears uncertain but inquisitive about her visit to the photographer. The child is wearing a necklace and holding a rattle. The reverse of the image has an inscription. It appears that the baby lived at “182 Yale Avenue N.” in Seattle, Washington. It also appears that the baby’s name was “W. G. S——“. I can not decipher the name and would welcome any help that anyone can provide.  This photograph was purchased in Austin, Texas and was part of a collection of African American images that were originally found in San Antonio, Texas.  (SOLD)

afr-amer-baby-2

Published in: on October 30, 2016 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

A PHOTO BOOTH PHOTOGRAPH OF A MIDDLE AGED AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN

ocie-photobooth

This photo booth photograph features a middle age African American man. He is wearing a white knit sweater and a driving cap. He is flashing what appears to be a pained smile at the camera. This photograph was part of a collection of African American images from San Antonio, Texas. Here is some history about photo booths. The first automated photo booth was patented by William Pope and Edward Poole of Baltim0re, Maryland. The first working model was exhibited at the World’s Fair in Paris in 1889. The first commercially successful photo machine was called the “Bosco” and it was patented in 1890. The modern concept of the photo booth was introduced by Anatol Josepho, a Russian immigrant who entered the US in 1923. The first photo booth was introduced on Broadway in New York City in 1925. Twenty-five cents would buy eight photos and the process took ten minutes. After six months time, the booth was used by 280,000 people. In 1927 a company paid Josepho one million dollars plus royalties for use of his invention nationwide.

 

 

 

Published in: on October 22, 2016 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  

VINTAGE THREE PANEL PHOTOGRAPH OF A YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

three-panel

three-panel-1

This three panel vintage photograph features a young African American man. He appears to be in his late teens and is nicely dressed in a suit and tie. Note his derby hat. Subject and photographer are not identified. The image was purchased in Austin, Texas and was part of a group of photographs described as the “San Antonio Collection”. The reverse of the photograph has residue that indicates it once resided in a scrap book or photo album.  SOLD

three-panel-2

Published in: on October 20, 2016 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

PORTRAIT OF A NICELY DRESSED AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

black-manThis vintage real photo postcard features a well dressed African American man. He is wearing a ring and a nice hat. He is looking directly at the photographer. The reverse of the postcard has an inscription which includes his name as well as his wife’s name. The gentleman’s name is John Anderson and he inscribed the card to his wife, Inez Anderson. He humorously wrote that she knew that he was the “pretty man” in the photo. The postcard has an AZO stamp box which indicates that it was produced between 1904 and 1918. The lower portion of the postcard has eight tack holes which indicates that the postcard may have traveled a bit and been tacked to a number of walls. There is also residue evidence that the postcard once resided in a photo album.  SOLD

black-man-2

Published in: on October 16, 2016 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

richmond

A young African American woman poses for her portrait at the Richmond Photographic Company studio in Richmond, Virginia. She is wearing a white dress with a collar pin and is holding a fan in her left hand. Her lips are pursed and she displays a serious expression as she stares at the cabinet card photographer. I wish I knew more about this lovely woman. (SOLD)

Published in: on May 4, 2016 at 11:58 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

PORTRAIT OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN POTTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA

african american man

This cabinet card portrait features a handsome middle aged African American man. He displays an intense expression and is wearing formal clothing for his visit to the photographer’s studio. The photographer of this cabinet card is Newton Mossheim Wonders. He was born in Ohio in 1862. He learned the photography business from his brother and worked in Cleveland (Ohio), Chicago (Illinois), and Lebanon (Pennsylvania) before opening his photography business in Pottsville (Pennsylvania) in 1891. His studio was originally located at 105 East Market Street (1893-1909). He moved the gallery to North Centre Street where it was located between 1910 and 1941. A review of US census data reveals that he was married to his wife Annie Wonders (1863-1963) in 1889. The couple had three children. Newton Wonders died in 1945 and is buried in the Charles Baber Cemetery in Pottsville.  SOLD

Published in: on October 18, 2015 at 12:04 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,

PORTRAIT OF A PRETTY YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

s-l1600

This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of a pretty young African American woman. She projects an aura of sweetness. This image was created by an unknown photography studio. The AZO stamp box indicates that the photograph was taken between 1904 and 1918.  SOLD

Published in: on October 15, 2015 at 12:45 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

INTRIGUING IMAGE OF SIMPLY DRESSED BLACK WOMAN SITTING ON STEPS WITH TWO WHITE MEN (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

steps

This vintage real photo postcard is one of the most intriguing postcards that I have come across. What is the story behind this photograph? The image captures a simply dressed black woman flanked by two white men dressed in jacket and tie. Who are these men in relation to this woman? Why do the subjects of this photograph want their meeting photographed? One can imagine some interesting scenarios. Unfortunately the circumstances related to this image are lost to history. This AZO postcard was published between 1904 and 1918.   SOLD

steps 1

Published in: on October 11, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
Tags: ,

PORTRAIT OF TWO BRIGHT EYED AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN IN DENVER, COLORADO

two kids denver

This cabinet card portrait features two young African American children sharing a large chair while posing at a photography studio in Denver, Colorado. The Beebe studio was located on Arapahoe Street within the mile high city. The children are adorable. They are looking at the photographer with bright and wide open eyes. One wonders how the youngest child is being held into the chair. Perhaps there is a brace attached to seat so that the baby doesn’t get injured due to falling or sliding onto the floor. In many cabinet card photographs of children this youngster’s age, there is a hidden parent under some fabric holding the child in place. Good quality photographs of African American subjects are not easy to find. Discrimination and economic factors are among the principal causes of their relative rarity. The photographer of this cabinet card portrait is John E. Beebe. Denver city directories indicate that he operated his studio between 1887 and at least 1894. Langdonroad.com, a historical photographer directory, reports that before his arrival in Denver, Beebe was a photographer in Chicago, Illinois.

Published in: on June 15, 2015 at 12:09 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN WITH THE MOST SOULFUL EYES

soulfulThis vintage photograph found it’s way into the Cabinet Card Gallery on merit. The image features a beautiful African American woman with incredibly soulful eyes. She is well dressed in her winter coat and hat. The photograph measures about 3″ x 4.75″. The photo is likely trimmed but does not appear so.

Published in: on May 13, 2015 at 12:03 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,