This vintage real photo postcard features a young boy playing his small violin. He appears to be quite serious about his musical endeavor. The table next to him is holding his violin case. The boy and the location of the studio that photographed him are not identified. The postcard’s AZO stamp box indicates that the postcard dates to sometime between 1904 and 1918.
A little girl, likely toddler age, sits on a chair, and looks at the photographer with an expression of dismay. Sitting below the child is a black dog in a protective position. The dog does not seem to be enjoying himself either. The dog has a similar appearance to a Labrador Retriever. Note the unusual and beautiful chair that is occupied by the toddler. Also note the rope on the floor which can be seen in the right side of the image. I wonder if the rope is holding the child in place or the dog in place. The photographer of this photograph is J. P. Eskildsen and his studio was located in Lawler, Iowa. An inscription on the reverse of the photo indicates that the child’s name is Mary Redman. J. Peter Eskildsen was born in Denmark in 1870. He married Emma Schlatter in Lawler (1891). The couple had at least one child. Arthur Eskildsen was born in 1893. J. P. found a path to citizenship in 1895. Research reveals that he may have had additional studios in Iowa besides the one in Lawler (Fredericksburg, Jerico, and Waucoma). Initial investigation found some information about young Mary Redman. She appears in the 1910 US census along with the rest of her family. They Redman’s were living in Stapleton, Iowa. Living in the residence was Mary’s parent’s John W. Redman (born 1860) and Trena M. Redman (born 1867). Also in the home were Mary’s (age 4) siblings; Hazel (age 19), Lee (age 18), Lowman (age 15), and Harold (age 13). The 1920 US census finds the family still living in Stapleton but the household has shrunk to include Mary’s father (worked as a carpenter), sister Hazel (worked as a teacher), and of course Mary (attended school). Mary’s mom likely had passed away and sister Hazel likely took up some parenting duties. (SOLD)
This vintage photograph features two beautiful children in a wedding portrait. The bride and groom in this image were likely participants in a “Tom Thumb Wedding”. Such wedding were not uncommon after the 1863 wedding of P. T. Barnum’s side show actor Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren (also a dwarf/little person). Ten thousand guests attended General Thumb’s wedding and the couple were received by President Lincoln. Now, back to the children in this image. A number of people held weddings between very young children. There were fake ceremonies but real receptions. Quite often these events were held as money-makers for charities. The bride and groom in this image are well dressed and coiffed. The bride is amazingly well poised.They truly look like a miniature wedding couple. To view other vintage “Tom Thumb” photographs, click on the category “Tom Thumb Wedding Portraits”.
This wonderful vintage photograph features an adorable little girl pushing her doll in a three wheel stroller. Her dog is sitting, on alert, right next to her. The child is adorably dressed, note her decorative hat. The girl and the photographer are unidentified. The young girl appears to be somewhat overwhelmed, or intimidated, by the process of having her portrait taken. This image is probably from the 1910’s and it measures about 3″ x 6″. (SOLD)
The little girl featured in this vintage photograph apparently is a “girly girl”. That phrase is not meant to be a slur; it just means that she enjoys the more feminine look. She is wearing a frilly dress, her hair is nicely braided and has a pretty bow, and she is wearing an elaborate hat. The front of the hat is nearly triangle shaped and it is adorned with flowers and a feather. The Himea & Elam studio of Lafayette, Indiana, is the creator of this vintage image. Chas Himea is listed in the 1910 US census. He was born in Maryland in 1872 and died in Indiana in 1944. His wife was named Estella but she was also known as Ella. At the time of the census the couple had a thirteen year old son (Leslie) and Chas was working as a photographer. His name appears in a number of Lafayette business directories between 1903 and 1915. Interestingly, the 1957 directory lists a photography store bearing the Himea name. Himea’s partner was Warren G. Elam. Elam was born in Indiana (1874) and married Alice Elam in 1899. He is listed in the 1900 US census as a photographer but, by at least 1920, he was out of the profession and living in California.
This cabinet card features a pretty young woman, probably a teenager, posing for her portrait at the Grunseth studio in either Waterford or Mukwonago, Wisconsin. The subject is well dressed with a fancy collar and choker. The Wiconsin Photographers Index, published by the Wisconsin Historical Society lists two photographers named Grundseth in the Waterford/Mukwonago area. One of these men is the photographer who took this photograph. Christ. Grundseth operated a studio in Mukwonago and Waukesha beginning 1895. G. Grundseth had a studio in Waterford between 1893 and 1898. Whichever Grundseth produced this photograph, he did an excellent job of capturing this young woman’s beauty and personality.
This vintage real photo postcard features a very pretty little girl posing for her studio portrait. She has beautiful long hair and is wearing a serious expression. She is holding a book. The postcard is likely of French origin and has great clarity.
This vintage real photo postcard features child actress, Miss Renee Mayer, posing in character for photographers Foulsham and Banfield. She is photographically captured in her role as Puck in the theatrical production of “The Sleeping Beauty Re-Awakened”. Note the cute little puppy that she is holding. Mayer was a child actress and dancer who made her stage debut in 1910 as the Pearl Fairy in “The Goldfish”. She is most noted for her performance as Puck in three revivals of “Sleeping Beauty” (1912, 1913, 1914). She acted in pantomimes throughout her teenage years and appeared in films in the early 1920’s including “A Bachelor Husband” (1920). Miss Mayer was born in 1900 which informs us that she was somewhere around thirteen years old when she posed for this photograph. The New York Times (1915) mentions Renee Mayer in an article about a play called “Masque of War and Peace”. Looking at the roster of cast members in this production, it becomes clear that the show had an all-star cast. Performers included Mme Rejane, Lily Elsie, Edna May, Viola Tree, Elsie Janie, Lily Langtry and of course Miss Mayer. The show was performed at the Drury Lane Theatre to raise money for “The American Women’s War Relief Fund”. Great Britain’s National Portrait Gallery has twenty real photo postcard portraits of Miss Mayer. Three of the images are photographs by Foulsham and Banfield and published by Rotary Photo (just like the image above). This postcard is part of the Rotary Photographic Series (no. 6924 B) and was printed in Britain.
The children featured in this vintage photograph are absolutely adorable. The oldest child is a frizzy haired little girl and her younger sibling’s gender is indeterminable. The baby’s outfit looks feminine but baby boys and girls wore similar gowns during the cabinet card and early post cabinet card era. The children are sitting on a fur draped chair.This wonderful portrait was taken by Samuel Mitchell John (1860-1935) who operated a photographic studio in Kenton, Ohio. John was born in Ohio. John is mentioned in the Photographers’ Association News (1916) and his address is listed as Detroit Street. The 1910 US census reveals that John was a photographer who operated his own studio. In addition, we learn that he was widowed (after a 21 year marriage to Florence Almeda Larue John 1867-1892) and lived with his son Gala (age 20) and his daughter Rhea (age 18). He was also listed as a widowed photographer in the 1900 US census. He appears in the Hardin Business Directory (1916) as a photographer in Kenton. At the time of his death, he was married to Lydia Matilda Lesher John. His obituary appeared in the Lima News (1935) and points out that his wife found him dead in his studio after he failed to come home for dinner. Clearly, he was still working as a photographer at age 75. He is buried in Grove Cemetery in Kenton, Ohio. SOLD
Meet Ruben Plummer, and adorable two and a half year-old boy. This portrait of young Ruben was taken by A. J. Richards of Medina, New York. The child is smiling at the photographer as he poses net to some of his toys. Note the building blocks and the toy cat. Preliminary research reveals that “Ruben” is a misspelling and that the child’s name was actually Reuben. He is listed in the 1910 US Census. He was two years old (born 1907) at the time and lived in Yates, New York, with his parents and baby sister (Geraldine). His parents were Leon (age 24) and Myrtle (age 23). His father worked as a salesman in the medicine industry. Unfortunately, little Reuben had a short life. He died on August 30th, 1920, at age twelve. I could not find his cause of death. He is buried in Lynhaven Cemetery in Lyndonville, New York. The photographer of this image is Adelbert Richards (1864-1949). I located his obituary which appeared in the Medina Daily Journal. The article reports that he was a photographer in Medina for 60 years. He entered the business in 1887 by working for photographer George Hedley. He must have been a fast learner because that same year he purchased the studio of C. A. Stacey and operated it for six decades.
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