LITTLE BOY FOUND IN SEASHELL IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLANIA

This cabinet card is a portrait of a little boy sitting quite comfortably in a sea shell chair. He appears disinterested in his surroundings at the Lies’s Studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He looks cute in his polka dot bow tie and fancy clothing. The seashell chair prop in this photograph is very unusual; in fact, such a chair has not come to the attention of the Cabinet Card Gallery ever before. The photographer, George Lies, deserves credit for his creativity.

SOLD

Published in: on June 16, 2010 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

GEORGIE COOPER: CHILD ACTRESS PLAYING “LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY”

Georgie Cooper (1882-1968) appears in this cabinet card by Rose & Company of Denver, Colorado.  Georgie Cooper was born in Battle Creek, Michigan. Her mother was an actress, Georgie Woodthorpe (1860-1927). Cooper started as a child actress and appeared as “Little Lord Fauntleroy” with her mother at the Burbank Theatre in Los Angeles, California. She later married actor, Landers Stevens and both were active appearing in films. She appeared in 47 films from 1928 through 1944. The photographer of this cabinet card is John K. Rose. He later took on a partner and started a studio named Rose & Hopkins. This partnership was dissolved in 1901. It is interesting to note that  “Little Lord Fauntleroy” had much impact in cabinet card photography. In addition to the existence of a number of portraits of child actors portraying the character; many children’s attire and hairstyle in cabinet card images were based on the clothing and appearance of the “Little Lord Fauntleroy” character. “Little Lord Fauntleroy” was the first children’s novel written by English-American author Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was published in 1885. In regard to fashion, the classic Fauntleroy Suit was a velvet cut-away jacket and matching knee pants worn with a fancy blouse with large lace or ruffled collar. It became a major fad in formal fashion for American middle class children. Most commonly, boy between 3 and 8 years of age wore these suits and a minority of these children also wore ringlet curls. ADDENDUM : I have been informed that that this photograph was taken at a performance in Denver that occurred in November, 1889. The source reports that this information comes from an article appearing in the New York Clipper on 12/7/1889.    (SOLD)

TODDLER WITH PRETTY WHITE LACE GOWN IN UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO

This cabinet card is a portrait of a toddler in a very pretty white lace gown. The child is also wearing black boots. The photographic studio is McCannon’s Art Gallery of Upper Sandusky, Ohio.

Published in: on May 28, 2010 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
Tags: , , ,

SIX YOUNG GIRLS BEHIND A WALL WITH TAMS

This cabinet card photograph presents Dolly, Mable, Francis, Nellie, Lottie?, and Daisy standing behind a brick wall. Their names are pencilled on the reverse of the card, The girls are all wearing tams. Tams are of Scottish origin and are woolen caps with a round flat top that projects all around the head. Girls tuck their hair under the cap and the cap has pom pom on its center top. The image was photographed by Griffin and Colburn of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Research reveals that Griffin is George T. Griffin (1858-?), who was a native of Pennsylvania.

Published in: on May 19, 2010 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

ELMER: A BEAUTIFUL BOY IN MANKATO, MINNESOTA

Elmer poses for his portrait at the studio of William Nerold in Mankato, Minnesota. Nerold was a photographer in Minnesota during the 1890’s and according to the Minnesota Historical Society, he had a studio in Mankato in 1895. This cabinet card effectively presents an image of young Elmer that  captures his remarkable facial features.

Published in: on May 18, 2010 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

A BOY AND A SHOVEL (1886)

A young boy poses in the studio of Brown, Barnes and Bell for a portrait. He is wearing a knit sailor outfit and holding a toy shovel. The tool is most likely a studio prop and not revealing any information about the child. The photograph was taken in 1886 as determined by the logo on the reverse of the card. Richard Brown, Robert William Barnes and Joseph Bell built a dynasty of photographic studios that reached around the world. At the time of this photograph, the studio had locations in London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and New Castle. All of these studios were located in England so the international expansion had not begun yet. The studio advertised themselves as photographers to “Her Majesty The Queen” and the Prince of Wales, and several members of the Royal Family.

YOUNG BOY IN SAILOR SUIT AND HIS LITTLE SISTER POSE FOR THEIR PORTRAIT

This photograph features a young boy, dressed in a sailor suit, posing for a portrait with his little sister. The children are very cute. The lad’s sailor suit is very detailed. There is no identifying information concerning the children, the photographic studio, or the photographer.

Published in: on May 16, 2010 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
Tags: , ,

LITTLE GIRL ON A SWING IN EUREKA, CALIFORNIA

This cabinet card photograph features an adorable little girl sitting on a swing. She is fashionably dressed wearing a frilly dress, buttoned boots, and a large bonnet. The photographer is Vansant of Eureka, California.  Research reveals that there were two photographers named Vansant in Eureka. Joshua Vansant Jr worked there as a photographer between 1885 and 1908 while William Prescott Vansant was a photographer in Eureka between 1891 and 1896.

Published in: on May 14, 2010 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,

BABY RIDER POSES ON A ROCKING HORSE: KENTUCKY DERBY CONTENDER?

This cabinet card is a portrait of Edwin Jacobs, son of Edwin and Lilla Jacobs, posing on a rocking horse. Note the detailed rocking horse which features reins, harness, stirup, mane and long tail. Young Edwin doesn’t appear to be excited about his opportunity to ride the horse. The photographer is Johns and Faught of Lexington, Kentucky.  To view other photographs by this studio, click on the category “Photographer: Johns & Faught”. Kentucky is horse country and of course, the home of the Kentucky Derby since 1875.

BABY ON A BEARSKIN RUG IN COLUMBIA, PENNSYLVANIA

This photographic is a terrific portrait of an adorable baby photographed by Wm. Bailey of Columbia, Pennsylvania. The baby is wearing a long gown and appears to be lying on a bear skin rug. The infant’s hair is worn in an interesting style; it seems to be gathered at the top of her head. To view other photographs by William Bailey, click on the category “Photogapher: Bailey”.

Published in: on May 6, 2010 at 8:08 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,