A boy dressed in jacket and tie, poses with his bicycle, in the studio of I. B. Klopfenstein, in Inman, Kansas. Note the castle in the background. The castle is an interesting choice for a backdrop, considering that the studio and the lad are located on the Great Plains of America. The pasty faced boy looks intently at the camera. His bicycle lacks the accessories often seen in images of people posing with bikes in cabinet card photography. This bike lacks a horn, basket, or repair kit. The photographer, Isaac B. Klopfenstein is listed in a number of state and federal censuses. In 1885 he lived in Lincoln, Kansas but by 1895, his residence was reported to be Inman, Kansas. He was of German heritage and was born in 1864, somewhere in Ohio. The reverse of the cabinet card has a pencilled name that identifies the boy in this photograph. The inscription reveals that he is “Master Charlie Williams”. Research efforts to gather further information about the lad were stymied because of the abundance of people in Kansas named “Charlie Williams” during that era. When was this photograph taken? It is safe to say that the image was produced 1889 or later. The town of Inman, Kansas was founded in 1887 but was originally named “Aiken”. The town was renamed in 1889. The new name was Inman, named after nearby Lake Inman. Who is Inman? Inman was the name of the Army Major who originally surveyed the area. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features a young woman and her bicycle. It is a studio photograph which explains why the woman and her bike are inside the house. (SOLD)
This vintage postcard features a adorable little boy, or possibly a girl, sitting on a wooden tricycle. The photograph was likely taken on the front porch of the child’s home. Note that there are two figures of a child on a trike either drawn on, or part of, the child’s shirt. The two figures seem to be similar to the stitching on the child’s sleeve cuffs and collar. The AZO stamp box on the reverse of this photo postcard indicates that it was printed between 1910 and 1930. This vintage postcard is in good condition (see scans). (SOLD)
This photograph features a uniformed soldier standing in a farmer’s field and posing behind his bicycle. This photo was found in a shop in the Texas Hill Country. It was part of a group of Foxco images from the mid 1940’s. This photograph was developed by Foxco of San Antonio. The company has an interesting history. The Fox Photo Studio was opened by Arthur C. Fox in 1906 in San Antonio, Texas. Fox sold the studio for seven hundred dollars to Carl D. Newton in 1909. Newton was a clever entrepreneur. One of his gimmicks was to offer a free camera to anyone buying three rolls of film and prepaying developing and printing fees. His successor to the business was Carl D Newton II. By the mid 1930’s Fox advertised itself as the world’s largest Kodak finishers. Their processing plant was in operation around the clock. The company expanded and opened facilities in Dallas, Houston, Louisiana and Oklahoma. The company grew and grew and ultimately reached 12,000 dealers nationwide. In 1986, the company was sold to Kodak. Carl D Newton III kept the retail division of the business, calling it Fox Photo. Later, the business changed hands a number of times until it faded into history. The photo measures about 3 1/4″ x 2 1/4″. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 