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.

Published in: on July 15, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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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″.

Published in: on July 12, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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“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.

Published in: on July 11, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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ADORABLE SIBLINGS AND THEIR TOYS IN CANELONES, URUGUAY

The previous owner of this cabinet card asserts that the photographer, Pablo Paladino, operated a photographic studio in Canelones, Uruguay. I have been unable to find confirmation of that claim. The nationality of the cabinet card may be a mystery but it is very clear that this is a wonderful portrait of two young children. They are likely siblings. The boy is siting on a wooden toy horse. The horse is nicely detailed. Note the mane and bridle. The little girl has a doll posed next to her. The girl has a fancy hair band and is wearing a bracelet. The little boy is wearing a cap that has what looks like an anchor design. He, like many little boys of his time, is dressed in the style of a sailor. Hopefully, a visitor to the cabinet card gallery may have some information about photographer Pablo Paladino and will leave a comment with some of his biographical information.

Published in: on July 6, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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LITTLE GIRL PUSHING DOLL IN CARRIAGE POSES IN FRONT OF AMATEURISH BACKDROP

The little girl featured in this cabinet card is absolutely adorable in her pose pushing her doll in a baby carriage. The backdrop in this photograph is absolutely not adorable. The screen is so amateurish that it looks like it was painted by a group of the subject’s classmates. The photographer of this image has the last name of Mead. Unfortunately, the location of his studio is unknown. It is an unusual occurrence that the name of the photographer is listed on the cabinet card without an address of the studio. After all, photographers used cabinet cards as free advertising by listing their location and special talents. The reverse of the cabinet card has an inscription that indicates that the subject of this portrait is named “Mamie Cole (Griffis)”. There were many Mamie Coles, Mamie Griffiths, and photographers named Mead living in the United States during the cabinet card era. It is impossible, with available information, to truly identify both subject and photographer. It is interesting to note that there was a photographer in the Dakota Territories name Josiah J. Mead and a woman named Mamie Cole who was born in South Dakota in 1894.

Published in: on June 28, 2012 at 12:43 am  Comments (3)  
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ADORABLE BROTHER AND SISTER PORTRAIT IN HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT

This photograph features a portrait of two siblings posing in Hartford, Connecticut. The studio that produced this image was Wise, Smith, and Company. The printing on the bottom of the image list L. E. Taylor as the studio artist. This photograph is a striking portrait. The children are adorable and beautifully dressed. The image is amazingly clear. The previous owner of the photograph suggested that the children appear to be of Latin origin, though that is certainly an impression and not to be taken factually. Research online (in the Hog River Journal) found a 1914 photograph of the Hartford Theatre which was formerly the Wise Smith Building. One may conjecture that the building was the home of the Wise Smith Gallery. The article reports that the building was originally the Hartford Opera House where, among other productions,  Yiddish plays were performed. The building was also a stage theatre prior to and during the silent film era. The Wise and Smith gallery was listed in Hartford’s 1903 business directory.

Published in: on June 15, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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SWEET LITTLE GIRL AND HER FANCY DOLL IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

This cabinet card features a nicely dressed cute little girl posing with her large fancy doll. The curly haired girl is wearing plenty of lace and a necklace. Note how fashionably the doll is dressed. The photographer of this image is Henry Levin of Chicago, Illinois. The child’s last name  is identified as Werner on the reverse of the photograph. Her first name is illegible. The inscription states that the girl was two and half years old at the time of the photograph.

Published in: on June 13, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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A KID, A GOAT, AND A GOAT CART

This photograph was taken outside and features a kid, a goat, and a goat cart. The child is dressed for cold weather as he sits in the cart holding a whip. The cart is more of a wagon than a cart. Note the large thin wheels. The goat is wearing a harness. The identity of the child and photographer are unknown. The location where the photograph was taken is also unknown. To view other images of goats, click on the category “Goats”.

Published in: on April 18, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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THE LITTTLE ADMIRAL IN NEW YORK CITY: A BOY AND HIS BOAT

A young boy poses proudly wearing a very realistic looking naval uniform. He is standing next to his very detailed toy boat. The ship appears to be a war vessel and appears to be flying a flag similar to the flag of Great Britain. The little admiral was photographed by a New York City photographer named Acker.  Perhaps a visitor to the cabinet card gallery can identify the navy represented by the lads uniform and the vessel’s flag.   (SOLD)

Published in: on April 15, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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LITTLE EDDIE : WEARING A TOP COAT AND TOP HAT : BUFFALO, NEW YORK : CABINET CARD

Who is Little Eddie? “Little Eddie” is the subject of this cabinet card photograph but research yielded no information about him. In this image, long haired Little Eddie is wearing a top coat and top hat. He is also wearing a lace collar with a triangular bib. He has a flower pinned to his lapel and a white handkerchief in his breast pocket. He is holding a wand type stick. The object has a small handle. The boy in this picture has a look of a showman. Perhaps he wasn’t even a boy but instead an adult midget (the term “little person” was not yet used).  The photographer of this image was Edward A. Remington who was a native of Greenfield, Massachusetts and came to Buffalo, New York from Chicago, Illinois. Remington’s obituary appears in The Professional and Amateur Photographer (1909). The article states that he was a “widely known” photographer in Buffalo for 15 years. He left behind a widow, Mrs. Mamie Remington.   (SOLD)

Published in: on April 12, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (6)  
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