This cabinet card features a well dressed young boy with attitude. His expression and hand on his hip gives him a sassy appearance. Note his jumbo bow tie. This photograph was taken by Lewis W. Zuver (1854-1927). Zuver was a member of a family of photographers. His brother Leander L. Zuver (1861-1924) had a studio in Tionesta, Pennsylvania. His sister Mary M. Zuver was married to Jacob West and had a studio in Bradford, Pennsylvania. She was known for her portraits of women and children. Lewis, the photographer of this image was a guy who got around. He had studios in New York (Olean, Ellicottville, Salamonca), Ohio (Cleveland), and Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh). One source reports that he was in Pittsburgh at least from 1893-1900. He is listed in the Pittsburgh Directory (1895). At one point in his career he operated a studio on a steamboat that ran up and down the Alleghany between Olean, New York and Pittsburgh. A portrait of Henry J. Heinz (ketchup king) by Lewis Zuver can be found in “The Successful Americans” (1899). Zuver was clearly quite an entrepreneur and deducing from this image, he was a talented photographer. To view other photographs by this photographer, click on the category “Photographer: Zuver”.
YOUNG GIRL WEARING PEARL EARRINGS IN SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK
This cabinet card portrait features a pretty young girl who appears to be in her early teenage years. Her hair is pulled back and she is wearing a ruffled collar and earrings. The photographer of this image is W. H. Baker of Saratoga Springs, New York. Research reveals that Baker was partners for a number of years with a Saratoga Springs photographer E. A. Record. A number of Record’s photographs can be found in the Cabinet Card Gallery. Baker and Record’s studio appears in the Saratoga County Business Directory (1871). An ad for their gallery can be found in the Saratoga Battleground Visitors Guide (1877).
PORTRAIT OF AN ADORABLE FIVE YEAR OLD GIRL IN TOKYO JAPAN
This vintage photograph compensates for its less than stellar condition by featuring a very cute five year-old girl. She looks adorable in her nice outfit as she displays her long hair under a pretty hat. The previous owner of this image stated that it dates to the Taisho period (1912-1926). It was also reported that the young girl in this photograph was five years of age at the time the image was taken. The photographer of this photographic portrait is M. Matsuda of Tokyo, Japan.
CLASS PICTURE FROM THE AVONDALE SCHOOL IN NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA (1898)
This vintage photograph is a class portrait of children from the Avondale School in Nova Scotia, Canada. The image has unusually great clarity. I suggest that the viewer magnifies the image and carefully look at the children’s expressions, their hairstyles, and at their attire. This photograph really gives the observer an up close look at turn of the century school children. Note the two boys at the end of the first row. They are holding up signs identifying their school and the date (1898). The teacher sits in a chair, hands on his lap, and looking relaxed. I wonder how common male school teachers were during this era. Two of the girls are wearing identical dresses (same pattern). My guess is that they are sisters and their mother made the dresses. This is an exceptional example of a more than a century old class picture.
THREE ADORABLE YOUNG SISTERS AND THEIR DOG IN MITTWEIDA, GERMANY
This cabinet card features a portrait of three adorable young sisters and their cute little dog. The girls may have been posing for this photograph for awhile and at least two of the siblings seem to have lost their patience. The youngest child, appears to be near tears or actually in tears. The oldest girl is rolling her eyes at the photographer while the middle child appears relatively nonplussed. The children are wearing cute identical dresses. The photographer of this image is Richard Brand and he operated a studio in Mittweida, Germany. To view other images by this photographer, click on the category “Photographer: Brand”.
CUTE LITTLE GIRL WAITS FOR HER SHIP TO COME IN AT STUDIO IN WOLGAST, GERMANY
This cabinet card portrait features a little girl, dressed in traditional costume, waiting at a faux dock for a ship to arrive. It will be a long wait because she is standing inside the studio of Hermann Sontag (Art Publisher) which had two location inside of Germany. He had galleries in the towns of Wolgast and Zinnowitz. I understand why the words “Kunst-Verlag” (Art Publishing) is beside Mr. Sontag’s name. The backdrop in this portrait is masterful as is Sontag’s use of props (trunks and fishing nets). The child in this portrait is adorable. Note her interesting shoes and that she is holding a bouquet of flowers.
A LITTLE BOY AND A BIG SWING IN CORSICANA, TEXAS
This cabinet card portrait captures a well-dressed handsome little boy holding a large swing in a studio portrait by the Harper studio in Corsicana, Texas. The lad is unsuccessfully holding back a smile as he looks at the photographer. He apparently was enjoying posing for the cameraman. Using swings as props in cabinet card images is not extremely rare but this is one of the finer “swing images” that I’ve seen. To view other cabinet card photographs that employ swings, click on the cabinet card gallery category “Swings”. According to advertising on the front of this cabinet card, Harper had other branches of his studio located in Texas. Besides Corsicana, he operated in Tyler, Mexia, and Waxahachie. Further research that Harper also operated other studios in Texas (Bryan, Temple, Ennis, and Calvert). Apparently, Mr. Harper was quite an entrepreneur. (SOLD)
PORTRAIT OF THE PRETTIEST YOUNG GIRL IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA
This cabinet card features a portrait of a very pretty young girl dressed in fine clothing and holding a bouquet of flowers. Her hair is styled for her day at the photographer and she is wearing a hair bow. This exceptional portrait comes from the studio of Heinrich Albrecht which was located in Vienna, Austria.
PRETTY YOUNG GIRL FINDS RELIGION IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
This cabinet card portrait features a young girl participating in a religious ceremony. She is dressed formally and holding a bouquet and prayer book. The photographer of this image is the Toenges Studio in Chicago, Illinois. (SOLD)
A VERY BEAUTIFUL BABY IN ELWOOD, INDIANA (MAY BE A POST MORTEM PHOTOGRAPH
This cabinet card features a very beautiful baby wearing a long gown. Her hair is styled beautifully and her eyes are wide open. This sweet baby looks like a doll. She is either wearing flowers on her gown or else someone has placed flowers on her. At first I thought this was a lovely portrait of a baby girl. However, the longer I have owned this image, the more I think that this is a post mortem portrait. The little girl’s expression and the size and placement of the flowers has led me to believe that her poor soul had departed before the photographer took this photograph. This photograph really tugs at my emotions. The image was taken by the Rodgers & Manson studio (Gem Gallery) in Elwood, Indiana.







