YOUNG MOM READS HER CHILD A BOOK IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

This vintage photograph features a young mother reading a book to her child. The youngster is sitting on her lap and holding the book. A second book lies on the chair, in reserve, behind the mother.  The photograph was taken by the Koehne & Bretzman studio in Chicago, Illinois. William L. Koehne  (1869-1965) was a prominent portrait photographer in the windy city. One source reports that he was a photographer for the Chicago Tribune. Charles F. Bretzman was born in Germany in 1866 and emigrated to the United States at age 19. He settled in New York and found a photo studio job. He came to Chicago in 1894 and worked there six years until he moved to Indianapolis where he opened his own studio and worked as a staff photographer for three newspapers. Bretzman appears in the Indianapolis, Indiana city directory as a photographer in 1902. In 1911 he was at the first Indianapolis 500 auto race shooting the action. He was the first official photographer for the Indy.  The Indiana Historical Society displays some of his racing photographs online. His son, Charles Noble Bretzman joined him in the business in around 1925. Charles Bretzman’s portrait can be seen below.   (SOLD)

Published in: on December 16, 2017 at 3:39 pm  Comments (1)  
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PORTRAIT OF A WEALTHY FAMILY: MOM IS QUITE BEJEWELED

This family portrait was taken at an unidentified studio. The family members are very well dressed and appear to be well-to-do. The mother in this photograph is very pretty. She is also quite bejeweled. Note her two necklaces (one with a locket), her collar pin, her watch (pinned to her dress), and her four rings. The little girl in this image is adorable. Be sure to notice her hair treatment. Are those wide ribbons in her hair? The child is wearing an interesting dress that resembles a Queen’s robe.  She is also wearing two bracelets, a necklace with a locket, and at least two rings. Perhaps the gentleman in this photograph is a jeweler. Lets hope so, for the sake of his finances.   (SOLD)

Published in: on December 13, 2017 at 8:26 pm  Comments (3)  
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FRENCH FAMILY GATHERS AROUND THE PIANO

This vintage photograph is very effective at capturing a warm family moment. They appear to be in the family’s living room. Note the assorted photographs in the room as well as the flowers in a couple of vases. Mom stands by her elder daughter while the daughter is playing the piano. The mother is touching the sheet music which may indicate that she is turning the pages for her. The adorable younger daughter is sitting on her father’s lap and she is reading a book. Magnification reveals that she is reading a book called “Becassine”. Becassine is a comic strip character, in fact, the first female protagonist in the history of comics. The comic was first released in 1905.  Between 1913 and 1950, 27 volumes of the adventures of Bécassine were published. This photograph and board measures approximately  8 1/2″ x 10″. The actual image itself measures about 6 1/2″ x 4 3/4″.   SOLD

Published in: on October 3, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MOTHER AND HER TWO CHILDREN IN DRESDEN, GERMANY

This carte de visite portrait features a pretty mother and her two adorable children. The older child, a boy, is wearing a nautical style outfit. The younger child, likely a girl, is wearing a necklace. The mother in this image is wearing a most interesting dress. The flower and large polka dot pattern is more “busy” than usually seen in photographs from this era. The photographer of this image is James Buchanan Aurig (1857-1935). He operated studios in Dresden, Germany. Aurig’s self portrait can be seen below. Aurig began working as a photographer at the age of 15 in Chemnitz. In 1878 he workied for photographer Johannes Schumacher in Dresden. He next worked with various Dresden photographers. He opened his first photographic studio in 1887. He photographed portraits, wedding photos, and current events. At the turn of the century he began to travel with his photographic equipment to the homes of famous Dresden residents to produce home portraits. He also was known for his architectural photographs. He was one of the most prominent photographers in Dresden at the turn of the century. One wonders if James Buchanon Aurig was named after the 15th US President, James Buchanan (1791-1868). Buchanan was the US President between 1857 and 1861. Aurig was born in 1857, the first year of Buchanan’s presidency. Based on the dates I just cited, it’s very likely the photographer was named after the President.   (SOLD)

Self Portrait of Photographer James B. Aurig

Published in: on September 1, 2017 at 12:45 pm  Comments (2)  
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A SALVATION ARMY FAMILY PORTRAIT: INCLUDES SQUEEZE BOX, TRUMPET AND THE “WAR CRY” (BRAINERD, MINNESOTA)

This cabinet card portrait features a young couple and their baby. Mom and dad are wearing Salvation Army uniforms. Note the “S” pin on dad’s collar. Alongside the couple are instruments of their trade, a trumpet and a squeeze box. A newspaper is displayed on the floor. The newspaper is entitled the “War Cry” and was the Salvation Army’s official newspaper which they began publishing in the US in the year 1881. It is clear that this couple strongly identified themselves with their Salvation Army service. This cabinet card photograph was taken by J. G. Wagner of Brainerd, Minnesota.   (SOLD)

Published in: on August 11, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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PORTRAIT OF A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER IN HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK (1903)

 

This vintage photograph portrait captures a mother and her young daughter. The little girl stands on her mother’s lap and appears interested, but a bit dubious, about the process of being photographed. The reverse of the photograph has an inscription indicating that the subjects seen in this image are Cora and Jo (baby) Sinezey (?) and the photo was taken in 1903. This photograph originates from the studio of Benjamin Conklin in Huntington, New York. The town of Huntington is located on Long Island and the Conklin family are noted early settlers in the area. In 1902 Ben Conklin bought the photography business of Frederick H. Lockwood upon the proprietor’s retirement. Retirement didn’t stick and Lockwood opened up a new photo shop in 1903. Later, Conklin left the field of photography and joined the Bank of Huntington. This photograph measures 4 1/2″ x 6″.

Published in: on July 31, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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“IF LOOKS COULD KILL”: PORTRAIT OF A FAMILY AND THEIR DOG

I wish I knew what was going on in the photograph on this vintage real photo postcard. Mom, Dad and their child all are displaying very intense expressions. The man and woman are staring at each other. It is as if their eyes are throwing darts at each other. The child, wearing a nautical outfit, looks like he just saw a ghost. The child is standing on a wagon. The family dog is standing on it’s hind legs with one paw on the wagon. This postcard’s AZO stamp box indicates that it was produced sometime between 1904 and 1918. (SOLD)

Published in: on June 3, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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POTRAIT OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY STANDING IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY

This vintage photograph offers a glimpse into Texas history and African American history in the Lone Star state. The image features an African American family posing for the camera while standing in front of their house. I found this photograph in Fredericksburg, Texas. The town is located in the Texas hill country and is very close to Johnson City, Texas, the boyhood home of former President Lyndon Baines Johnson. A tour of the area reveals similar houses still standing today. This photograph was very likely taken in that locale. The family seen in this image is composed of a father and mother, and their two sons. All four family members are dressed in their sunday best clothing and wearing hats. The family’s dog is included in the picture and even their cat makes a cameo appearance as it walks away from the front porch. This is truly an interesting and historic photograph.   (SOLD)

Published in: on March 11, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A SEDATE FAMILY IN ELMIRA, NEW YORK

whitley 2This cabinet card portrait shows three, or possibly four generations of one family. The lone standing woman is wearing a winter coat with a fur collar as well as an unusual hat. The older women are wearing dark colored dresses. The young boy is attired in what can be described as a “Little Lord Fauntleroy” style. This family appears to be quite staid. The reverse of the photograph has an inscription “To beloved Nephew and Niece, Olin and May Davenport”. The inscription is signed by Aunt “?” (the name in undecipherable) and Seth (?). Perhaps a visitor to this Cabinet Card Gallery entry will have better luck interpreting the signers names and will leave a comment with their findings. The photographer of this image is John H. Whitley. The technical quality of this photograph is excellent but this family’s lack of enthusiasm detracts from the overall quality of the portrait. During Whitley’s career as a photographer, he worked in Oswego, New York and then in Elmira, New York. To learn more about him and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Whitley”.   SOLD

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Published in: on January 7, 2017 at 9:01 pm  Comments (3)  
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A FATHER AND HIS YOUNG SON OUT FOR A BICYCLE RIDE

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This vintage real photo postcard features a father and his young son outside for a bicyclc ride. The pair are posed in front of a large tree. Father is well dressed and wearing a cap. The little boy is also well dressed and he is wearing a straw hat. The postcard appears to be of French origin and is a rare find.

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Published in: on November 23, 2016 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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