Let me introduce you to Nellie Ewing. She was five years old when she was photographed at Miller’s Art Studio in Sidney, Ohio. The photograph was taken in 1896. Nellie was a cute child and she had very long hair which the photographer has placed in the forefront of this image. Nellie appears to be a thoughtful little girl. The 1900 US census reveals that Nellie was born in 1881 in Ohio. At the time of the census she was living in Sidney with her grandmother Margaret Brown (age 70) and presumably her mother, Sara Ewing (age 41). All three women were employed. Nellie worked as a saleswomen; her mother was a seamstress and her grandmother was a nurse. A Sidney city directory (1902) shows that Nellie had switched careers and had become a stenographer. Little could be found about Miller’s Art Studio. However, it was discovered that the proprietor was Reinhard Miller who was born in Switzerland around 1865. He was active in Sidney in the late 1880’s and part of the 1890’s. In 1900 he moved to North Baltimore, Ohio; where he continued his profession.
LITTLE GIRL WITH VERY LONG HAIR IN SIDNEY, OHIO
COSTUMED CHILD ACROBAT/CIRCUS PERFORMER
This cabinet card features a young boy who is likely a professional acrobat. The lad’s costume certainly is strongly suggestive that he is a circus performer. The child, as well as the photographer and the location of the studio, are all unidentified.
SMILING AND BAREFOOT CHILD IN ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
A barefoot smiling child appears in this portrait by Thomas M. Swem whose studio was located in St. Paul, Minnesota. The wide smiling child, sitting in a fur draped chair, is pictured with a toy and a doll. The reverse of the photo advertises that Swem won a medal from the Minnesota State Agricultural Society in the “Best Photograph” category. He received the award in 1888. Thomas Swem was born in Lima, Ohio in 1848. His wife was named Cassandra and the couple married around 1877. The pair had four children. He operated a studio in St. Paul for eighteen years and then moved to Fargo, North Dakota in 1900. After 1913 he moved to Medford, Oregon where he operated a gallery until1921. Swem died in Medford in about 1931. To view other photographs by Thomas Swem, click on category “Photographer: Swem”.
YOUNG WOMAN UNDER AN UMBRELLA AND EVEN YOUNGER BOY DRESSED IN “LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY” STYLE IN LITTLE FALLS, MINNESOTA
A young woman and an even younger boy pose for their portrait at Moe’s Studio in Little Falls, Minnesota. One can only guess about their relationship. Are they mother and son? Could they be brother and sister? The answer to these questions will likely remain unknown. The woman under the umbrella appears pensive. She is wearing a hat and holding gloves. The boy is dressed in the popular “Little Lord Fauntleroy” style that was in fashion at the time of the photograph. No information could be found about Moe or Moe’s Studio. The last name “Moe” appears to have been a popular name in Little Falls around the turn of the century. The name was of Norwegian origin.
ANGELIC LITTLE GIRL IN ARTISTIC POSE IN DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
An angelic looking young girl dressed in white, poses in an artistic portrait at the Drew Studio in Dover, New Hampshire. The little girl does not appear very happy about the process of being photographed. She has corkscrew curls and is wearing hair ribbons. She is sitting cross legged in a white wicker chair. The photographer of this large format image is A. P. Drew. The Dover Enquirer (1896) has an article which mentions Alfred Palmer Drew. In 1896 a “deluge” and subsequent fire destroyed a business block and three bridges in Dover. The flooding sent the stores on the block down the Cocheco River. The photography studio Drew and Boomer was among the stores washed away. The Bulletin of Photography (1917) contains the obituary of A. P. Drew. He died at the age of 81. He had been born in Dover and had worked as a photographer there for more than 50 years. He retired in about 1914. During the civil war he had been a member of the Strafford Guards. The regiment was originally established in 1822 and a year later became part of the New Hampshire State Militia. In 1864 the Strafford Guards were mustered into service of the Union Army for a period of sixty days. They relieved a New Hampshire artillery unit that had been sent to the front. A. P. Drew served as a corporal.
CUTE GIRL HOLDING A BEAUTIFUL DOLL IN HAMBURG, GERMANY
A cute little girl holds her doll as she stands on an ornate chair in the studio of photographer Gustav Habel in Hamburg, Germany. Note the wonderful detail in the doll’s appearance. In addition, examine the carved animal heads at the end of the arm rests of the chair.The girl is wearing a great hat and dressy high boots. No biographical information could be found about Gustav Habel and the girl in the image is unidentified.
A BOY AND HIS TRICYCLE IN BEAVER DAM, WISCONSIN
Photographer P. Veling & Bro produced this portrait of a boy and his tricycle. Note the clarity of the trike in this image. The child is dressed adorably and is wearing a wonderful hat. This studio photograph was taken in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. The photographer, Peter Veling was born in Germany in 1855. He immigrated to the United States as a baby. He married his wife, Theresa, in 1881. He is listed as a photographer in the 1880, 1900, and 1910 US censuses. However, the 1920 census indicates that Veling had became the postmaster of Beaver Dam.
A BOY AND A WHIP: FIFTY SHADES OF GREY IN ROME, NEW YORK
This cabinet card features a boy and a whip. The expression on this boy’s face is a bit worrisome and scary. He seems to be having some fantasies about ways he wants to use the whip. He looks intensely angry, sadistic and vengeful. The boy’s neighbors in Rome, New York likely hid their children, and their dogs and cats when he was around. The school system in Rome probably developed America’s first school based anti-bullying program when this troubled youngster entered elementary school. Perhaps I’m being a bit too judgmental. This little boy in a sailor suit may just be having a bad day. Unfortunately, the subject of this photographic portrait is unidentified so we can’t find out about his journey through life. Did he become a saintly good citizen, or did he become an incarcerated sadistic sociopath? The answer eludes us but it is important to remember that things are seldom so black and white. Keep in mind, there are fifty shades of grey. Hopefully this child’s mood improved over the years. There are some details available about the photographer. One source states that Bacon operated his studio in the 1870’s from above 60 Dominick Street in Rome, New York. His studio was called Bacon’s Photo Rooms. In addition, G. E. Bacon is listed as a photographer in the Rome business directory (1908). His address in the directory was 138 West Dominick.
CUTE LITTLE GIRL STANDING ON A CHAIR IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
This cabinet card features an adorable little girl standing on a chair in front of an unusual backdrop. She is wearing a lace bib, a necklace and a wonderful hat. The photographers name is not quite legible. His last name appears to be “Vitaliny”. His studio was located at 233 Montgomery Avenue in San Francisco, California. No biographical information about the photographer could be located. The photographic card has gold beveled edges and is larger than the standard cabinet card. This photographic is 8.5″ x 6.25″. It can best be desribed as a “Boudoir Card”. An article on types of cabinet cards asserts that boudoir cards are usually 8.5″ x 5.5″.
“LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE” IN MUNICH, GERMANY
The young girl in this photograph looks like the American little girls who get all “dolled up” for beauty contests and the results of those efforts are that the girls look much older than their years. Writing on the reverse of this image indicates that the girl in the photograph is ten years old and is named Traudi. Fortunately, Traudi isn’t made up (cosmetically) to look inappropriately provocative like many of the contestants in the aforementioned beauty pageants. However, our “Little Miss Sunshine” looks well beyond her years in this photograph. According to the previous owner of this image, the subject is wearing a fancy “Rokoko” costume. She is also holding a fan. This cabinet card may or may not be an example of “Rokoko” fashion. I’m in way over my head. Fortunately, a number of visitors to the Cabinet Card Gallery are very knowledgeable about the history of fashion and hopefully they will leave a comment confirming or dispelling the Rokoko theory. By matter of explanation, (thank you Wikipedia), Rokoko refers to the late baroque periods artistic movement and style that had impact on fine arts architecture, decoration, interior design, and fashion. The movement developed in Paris, France, and was “more jocular, florid, and graceful” than the baroque influence. The photographer of this image is J. B. Hiebl and his studio was located in Munich, Germany.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 