A handsome groom and his pretty bride pose for their wedding photograph at the Bonell studio in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The bride is wearing a long veil and is adorned by many flowers and a necklace. The groom is wearing a corsage on his jacket and appears unhappy and angry on his wedding day. He looks as if he thinks his new wife spent too much money on the dress and the photographer. To view other photographs by Bonell and to learn more about him, click on category “Photographer: Bonell”.
A BRIDE WHO SAID “YES TO THE DRESS” POSING WITH HER GROOM IN EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN
PORTRAIT OF A BRIDE AND GROOM BY A FEMALE PHOTOGRAPHER IN ELROY, WISCONSIN
This cabinet card is a wedding portrait of a young unidentified couple. The bride is wearing a dark wedding dress and a long sheer veil. The groom is standing in the background behind the bench his bride is sitting on. The distance between the two removes the intimacy that we tend to see in modern day wedding portraits. The photographer of this image is Miss Carrie B. Clizbe whose studio was located in Elroy, Wisconsin. She is one of a small group of female photographers operating during the cabinet card era. Research revealed very little information about Carrie Clizbe’s career as a photographer. The 1880 US census found Carrie (age 21) living with her parents and four siblings in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Carrie was working as a “tailoress”. Her father had an interesting occupation. He sold patents. The 1900 and 1910 census does not list her as having an occupation. While investigating, I was able to locate a cabinet card produced by the Clizbe Sisters studio in Reedsburg. It is apparent that Carrie was once partners with her sister Martha. A directory of Early Western Photographers reports that Carrie’s studio operated in Elroy circa 1895. The web site for Reedsburg provides a short biography of the man that Carrie Clizbe married on 7/4/1900. Herbert H. Webb and two partners established a department store in Reedsburg called Webb and Schweke. It was known as ‘The Big Store”. Carrie died in 1921 in the city of Chicago. She is buried in Reedsburg.
WELL-TO-DO COUPLE IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
An elegantly dressed couple pose for their portrait at the Providence, Rhode Island studio of Theodore F. Chase. The gentleman in this photograph displays a common cabinet card facial expression. He looks intently serious. His wife, on the other hand, has quite the sour look on her face. She looks like there is a hundred other places she would rather be. Chase’s studio was located at 61 Westminister Street. He also operated his business from other addresses. City directories reveal that in 1883 and 1884 his studio was located at 249 1/2 Westminister. Theodore Chase was born in 1842 in Fall River, Massachusetts. He married Emma Horton in 1865 and the couple had four children.
A SERIOUS COUPLE IN KENTON, OHIO
A well dressed and intense looking couple pose for their portrait at the studio of I. N. Hays in Kenton, Ohio. They do not look like they are having fun. The woman his holding flowers, a hat, and a handkerchief. The gentleman is holding his straw hat. Magnify this photograph and you will see the gentleman has a very interesting mustache. The photographer who produced this photograph was Isaac Newton Hays. He was born in Ohio in 1835 and operated studios at various times in various towns in Ohio. He was active in Greenville from about 1865 until 1870. He left there for Kenton between 1875 and 1879. He later returned to Greenville and also did business in Wapakoneta. He returned to Kenton where he ran his studio from 1891 through at least 1898. At one time, his Kenton studio was located at the corner of Detroit and Columbus Streets. Isaac Hays left the photography studio and entered the recording studio to become a celebrated soul singer and song writer. He won two Grammy awards and wrote the “Theme from Shaft”. Just kidding! Obviously Isaac Hays, the photographer, and Isaac Hayes, the musician, are two different people from two different eras.
LOVELY COUPLE POSES FOR PORTRAIT IN HAWICK, SCOTLAND
A lovely well dressed couple pose for their portrait at the Evans Studio in Hawick, Scotland. The gentleman is elegantly dressed in jacket and tie. The woman is wearing a dark dress and is holding a book in one hand antd resting her other hand on her husband’s shoulder. The photographer of this image is likely T. A. Evans.
COUPLE SITS IN FRONT OF A FIREPLACE IN COMFORTABLE LIVING ROOM IN WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS (EXTRAORDINARY BACKDROP)
This cabinet card photograph captures a couple sitting in front of fireplace in a comfortable looking living room. The photograph is quite remarkable. First, the photograph features a setting that could easily be perceived as a real living room. It is as if the photographer went to this couples house to photograph them. The cabinet cards on the mantelpiece is a great touch of realism as is showing the woman with a crochet project on her lap and the end of the crochet hook in her mouth. She is either sucking or chewing on the hook, the way many people mouth a pencil or pen. There isn’t much to say about the man in this photograph. He seems oblivious to the photographer and intent upon staring at his wife. It looks as if he is admiring his wife and wondering how he found such a great woman. Back to the photograph’s setting. Upon close observation, it is apparent that this is a studio photograph that utilizes an extraordinary backdrop. This may be one of the best backdrops I have seen in cabinet card photography. The photographer of this wonderful image is William Alexander Webster (1857-?) and his studio was located in Waltham, Massachusetts. Webster was born in Ontario, Canada. He married Sheloa (also spelled Schola and Shelor on census) Slipp in 1879. Photographs he took in the early 1890’s of the American Waltham Watch Factory are considered important historic records of the company and the city of Waltham. At the time these images were taken, Webster operated his gallery from 111 Moody Street in Waltham. Mr. Webster was not only an able photographer, but he was also very politically involved in photography organizations. The Anthony Photographic Bulletin (1899) stated that Webster was on the “Committee on Nomination of Officers” for the Photographic Association of America. According to Wilson Photographic Magazine (1908), he was the Vice President of the Photographers Association of New England. A number of sources report that he was the organization’s President in 1909.
YOUNG COUPLE SHOWING SIGNS OF HAPPINESS IN PEORIA, ILLINOIS
A young couple poses for their portrait at the Sunbeam Gallery in Peoria, Illinois. The man and woman in this photograph are showing signs of happiness. Both of them are exhibiting a half smile rather than the typical intense expressions generally seen in cabinet card photography. The pair appear to be resting by a swinging wrought iron gate. The photographer of this image is Max Erler (about 1857-1936). He is listed in the US censuses of 1880 through 1920 as a photographer. He began his own photography business in 1881 and married his wife, Jennie Harris Erler (about 1861-1934). in 1883.
PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG COUPLE IN INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS
A young couple poses for their portrait at the Stone Front Gallery in Independence, Kansas. The photographer was Al Brown. The photographer created a nice scene for this portrait. The young woman, in a very fancy dress, is holding a posted envelope in one hand and a letter in the other. She is standing next to a small table which holds a book and a framed photograph of a child. The husband is dressed in a suit and is wearing a corsage. He has an appearance of being dazed by the process of being photographed. What is that item on the floor leaning on his chair. Is it a large envelope, magazine or newspaper? Whatever it is; it certainly does not enhance the photograph. The couple in this photograph are identified by an inscription on the reverse of the photograph. The woman’s name is Sue Singleton or Sue Singletore (last name not completely legible). The husbands first name is very difficult to decipher. The first letter of his name either begins with an “H” or an “A”.
PORTRAIT OF A BRIDE AND GROOM IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA
This wedding photograph features a beautifully dressed and handsome bride and groom at the Emory studio in Omaha, Nebraska. The couple are wearing large rose corsages as well as wedding bands. The photographer utilized a wonderful backdrop in posing the newly married couple. A photographer historical directory indicates that Horace S. Emory (1864-1922) operated as a photographer in the 1880’s and 1890’s. He also appears in the US Census in both 1900 and 1920. His occupation is listed as photographer in both censuses. His wife’s name was Mary Emory. The Bulletin of Photography (1922) reported that Emory was working for the Dean Studio in Omaha when he “dropped dead on January 11th. He had just completed taking a photograph”. He was 58 years old.
PORTRAIT OF A COUPLE IN CHATSWORTH, ILLINOIS (JOSEPH AND ELLA FRANCIS)
This cabinet card features a couple posing for their portrait at the studio of A. H. Hall in Chatsworth, Illinois. The gentleman has an interesting long and narrow beard, The woman has a dress with many buttons and is wearing a pin on her collar. Note the mans hat is on the floor directly in front of where the couple is sitting. It is not uncommon to see cabinet card portraits that include hats prominently displayed on the floor. Perhaps the hats were viewed as important enough to belong in the picture but it was considered inappropriate to wear hats indoors. The couple in this photograph are identified on the reverse as Joseph and Ella Francis. Investigation reveals that Joseph Francis served in the civil war. In 1864 he enlisted as a private in Company D of the Illinois 45th Infantry Regiment.He mustered out as a private in 1865. The 1880 US census identifies Joseph S. Francis (1846-1930) as a farmer of Irish descent living in Illinois. The 1910 census finds the Ohio born, Francis living in Forrest, Illinois and working as a railroad car inspector. He was 64 years old at the time and living with his wife Ella Svedaker Williamson Francis (1862-1938) and four of their children. The 1930 census that Joseph Francis, at age 84, was still employed. He was working as an assessor for his township. Research found death certificates for both Joseph (1930) and Ella (1938). The photographer of this image was Albert H. Hall. The History of Livingston County (1878) provides a brief biography of Hall. He was born in 1849 and at age 22 went to Chicago to learn the trade of photography. In 1872 he moved to Chartsworth and opened a photography and gem gallery. He married a woman named Dora Knapp.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 