This vintage real photo postcard features a Black Woman in her dance costume. She is an unusual costume and she is lifting her skirt in a risque manner. The woman has a pretty smile. SOLD
TWO AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN STANDING ON A BRICK WALL : WELL DRESSED: RPPC 1904-1918
This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of two young African American men posed standing on a brick wall. The dapper men are well dressed, wearing a suit and tie. Note the men’s hats. It is presumed that these men are African American because this postcard was found in the US. However, it is possible that the men are actually from somewhere other than America. It would certainly be interesting to know why these men seem to be in the middle of nowhere standing on a wall. There are bricks behind them which may indicates that the men are at a construction site or perhaps, at the location of a destroyed building. The AZO stamp box on this card indicates that the postcard dates back to between 1918 and 1930. (SOLD)
DOROTHY DANDRIDGE : AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESS & SINGER & ACTIVIST : TAMANGO : RPPC
This vintage real photo postcard features African American actress and singer, Dorothy Dandridge (1922-1965). She was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Her mother was an entertainer and her father was a cabinet maker and Baptist minister. Before Dorothy was born, her parents separated. Ruby’s mom built a song and dance act for Dorothy and her sister. Her mom’s lover managed the act and it is written that the children were given abusive discipline. They toured continuously for five years and they barely attended school. When the depression hit, Ruby moved her girls to Hollywood, California. Before long, the sisters teamed up with school mate Etta Jones to do a dance act called “The Dandridge Sisters”. The act did well for several years and played in venues such as the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater. Dorothy’s first screen appearance occurred when she was 13 in an episode of “Our Gang”. This was followed by a number of other screen roles including an appearance in “A Day at the Races” (1937) with the Marx Brothers. Her firs credited film role was in 1940. Her film roles were limited because she rejected many stereotypical black roles. In the 1940’s she appeared in both film and on the stage. She also performed as a singer in films with Count Basie and Louis Armstrong. Her first starring role was in “Bright Road” (1952) where she played opposite Harry Belafonte. In 1954, she starred in “Carmen Jones”. She received great reviews and the movie made her one of Hollywood’s first African American sex symbols and she was featured on a number of national magazine covers. In addition, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. In 1957, she appeared in the film “Island in the Sun” in which she was involved in an interracial love affair with a white man. The script had to be revised a number of times because of the Motion Picture Production Code. The movie was controversial but received positive reviews and was successful. The IMDb credits Dandridge with 39 films between 1935 and 1962. She was politically active and was involved with the National Urban League and the NAACP. Dandridge was married and divorced twice and had a four year affair with director, Otto Preminger. Toward the end of her career, she discovered that her financial advisors had stolen much of her money and she owed over 100,00 dollars in back taxes. Her finances were in shambles and she had to move into a small apartment. In 1965, she had a phone conversation with a friend in which she made cryptic remarks intimating that her time left on earth might be short lived. The next day she was found dead in her apartment. There were two investigation into the cause of her death. One concluded she died of an accidental overdose of an anti-depressant. The other investigation determined she died of an embolism. This postcard features Dorothy Dandridge in the film “Tamango” (1959). The film tells the story of a rebellion on a Dutch slave ship. The actor standing behind Dandridge is Alex Cressan, who played the leader of the rebellion. Cressan only appeared in this one film. When he was cast in the film, he was a medical student in Martinique. Cressan received good reviews for his acting in this film. How he lived his life after this film is unknown. This real photo postcard was published by Progress Starfoto. (SOLD)
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN : SLAVE OR FORMER SLAVE OR FREE WOMAN : CARTE DE VISITE
This carte de visite portrait features an African American woman. The woman is either a slave, former slave, or a free woman at the time of this photograph. The cdv image was taken sometime between the pre civil war period and shortly after the conclusion of the civil war. Her hat indicates that she is wearing her Sunday best but she is also wearing an apron. Was she “kitchen help”? This photograph is an excellent remnant of American and African American history. The image brings up thoughts about one of America’s most shameful periods in it’s history. (SOLD)
HANDSOME AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI
A handsome young African American man poses for his portrait at the Wadell & Moody Studio in Warrensburg, Missouri. The gentleman is very well dressed and has an appearance of confidence. His identity is unknown. SOLD
YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN GIRL IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY
This young African American woman is posing for her photographic portrait at the studio of J. Henry Smith in Newark, New Jersey. Smith is listed in Newark business directories as early as 1870 and as late as 1897. The young lady in this photograph appears to be in her teenage years. Cabinet card photos of African Americans are not very common. (SOLD)
AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN HIS SUNDAY BEST IN WEST PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
This cabinet card features an African American man posing for his portrait at the Prentzel & McCollin studio in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is likely dressed in his Sunday’s best for this photograph. Cabinet card portraits of African Americans are not commonplace. To view a collection of such images, click on cabinet card gallery’s category “African Americans”. One source identifies the photographers as Frank Prentzel and Carl J. McCollin. No confirmation could be located. In fact, research found several sources mentioning a cabinet card era photographer in Philadelphia named Thomas McCollin.
LOVING AFRICAN AMERICAN GRANDMOTHER AND HER TWO ADORABLE GRAND DAUGHTERS
This photograph is emotionally moving and it elicits a story that we tell ourselves. Most people will likely see it as a story about a grandmother and her grandchildren. Grandma has a tight loving grasp around the waist of her youngest granddaughter while the older granddaughter clings to grandma’s shoulder for security. This is a portrait of a tight knit family. The little girls are adorable. They are wearing bows in their hair; and both girls are wearing necklaces. It is difficult to tell for sure, but grandma seems to be containing a smile. The girls however, seem a bit bewildered by their experience of being photographed. Grandma was not living in easy times. At the time of this photograph, slavery had already ended but prejudice and discrimination was prevalent. There is dearth of early photographs of African American individuals and families. This image certainly serves a role in representing African American history. Unfortunately, the photographer and subjects of this image are unidentified.
YOUNG WELL DRESSED AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
A well dressed African American man poses for his portrait at the J. A. Pfeifer & Company gallery. He is wearing a dress jacket, a pin striped vest, winged collar and bow tie. This handsome young man is unidentified. The reverse of the cabinet card lists Pfeifer’s name but also the names Smith and Mulligan Brothers. Presumably these three names belong to photographers who were employed the the Pfeifer studio. The address of the gallery is also printed on the reverse of the card. The business was located at 262, 264, and 266 South High Street in Columbus, Ohio. According to the book “Artists in Ohio” (2000), the photographer of this image, John A. Pfeifer (1859-1932), was active in the Columbus area from 1882 to at least 1913. During much of that time, he was partners with George C. Urlin of the “Mammoth Art Palace” on High Street. To view images by Urlin, click on the category “Photographer: Urlin”. The Oberlin Review (1888) noted that the Urlin & Pfeifer studio won the contract to be the class of 1888’s photographer. A competitor in the bidding was the Cleveland firm of Urlin & Becker. Urlin’s participation in the bidding under two different studios, caused the students to raise some ethical questions about the bidding process. Pfeifer proved to the students that he had the legal right to use Urlin’s name and the class “was convinced of his honesty and integrity” and retained him as class photographer. In 1891 Pfeifer and George D. Saas (1854-1924) founded Pfeifer & Saas Printers. In 1905 Pfeifer became the sole owner of the firm and renamed it the Pfeifer Show Print Company.
OLDER BLACK MAN IN YORK, PENNSYLVANIA
This photograph features an older African American gentleman. He is nicely dressed in fancy clothing. Note his long coat. The gentleman appears to be displaying a friendly half smile. He has one hand on his hip; surely, he was told to pose in that manner. The reason for such instruction is not clear. The photographic studio that produced this image is Shadle & Busser of York, Pennsylvania. James Monroe Shadle was born in 1861 in Freeport, Pennsylvania. Oscar W. Busser died of Brights Disease at age 61, in 1921. The studio that bared their names was located at 20 South George Street (1887-1902), 44 South George Street (1903-1925), and 58 South Beaver Street (1925-1936). All of these locations were in York. To view other early photographs of African Americans, click on the category of “African Americans”. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 