A YOUNG WINTERIZED ETHNIC WOMAN AND HER GIANT MUFF

This vintage real photo postcard features a young woman posing in her winter jacket and her fur stole. Her winterized clothing also includes a cute hat and a giant muff. The fur muff will certainly keep her hands warm. In fact, these muffs are so large that they could probably keep three of her friends hands warm too. The woman in this photo, in my opinion, appears to be black or mulatto. This postcard was photographed by the USA studios which was located in London and the Provinces. USA Studios  was a firm established in England during the Edwardian period. It was established in around 1907. The firms focus was portrait photography. The company was also known as the American Photographic Company. The firm was started by either photographer John Harry Woolfe (1880-1942) or by his parents, Henry Wolfe (1852-1927)  and Mrs Fanny Wolfe (1854-?). John Harry Wolfe”s younger brother, William Swift Woolfe (1893-?), also became a photographer. John Harry became a photographer in the early 1900’s and bought an established London studio in 1907. The studios were very successful during World War I. The studios were all managed by Wolfe family members until World War II. John Harry’s mother, Mrs Fanny Woolfe, was listed as the proprietor of some of the USA studios. A list of the company’s studios indicates that there were at different times, fourteen studios in London and it’s nearby towns. These studios operated between 1907 and 1919. There were thirteen studios in the provinces and they were in operation cumulatively between 1907 and 1969.  SOLD

Published in: on April 5, 2026 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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SIX MEN IN HATS : BY PENTON & ANDRUSS : JAMESTOWN, NY : CABINET CARD c 1890

This striking original cabinet card photograph dates from the late 19th century, likely circa 1890, and captures a group portrait of six well-dressed men posing in a photographic studio in Jamestown, New York. The image was taken by Penton & Andruss, located at No. 4 Forest Ave., Jamestown, N.Y., as identified by the ornate imprint on the front mount. The men are dressed in typical late Victorian attire, wearing a variety of three-piece suits, waistcoats, high-collar shirts, and neckties or cravats. Each man wears a broad-brimmed hat, suggesting either a regional or occupational identity—possibly connected to rural life, ranching, or even a fraternal organization. The group is arranged in a formal pose: four men standing in the back and two seated in front on elegant studio furniture. The backdrop features painted columns and drapery, a common studio motif of the period meant to evoke elegance and sophistication. The seated men have a relaxed posture, one with legs crossed and hands folded in his lap, while the other leans slightly forward with a composed, confident expression. Each subject maintains a serious or neutral facial expression—typical for 19th-century portraiture due to long exposure times and social conventions around photographic solemnity. Penton & Andruss, the photographers, was a partnership based in Jamestown, New York during the late 19th century. While detailed biographical records on the firm are limited, they appear in regional business directories and period listings as active professional photographers. Jamestown was a thriving industrial and lumber town during this period, and it’s possible that these men were involved in local trades or belonged to a community club, union, or fraternal society.  (SOLD)

Published in: on February 26, 2026 at 11:30 am  Leave a Comment  
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LITTLE GIRL IN CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE (BUNDLED UP FOR WINTER)

This cabinet card features an adorable little girl bundled up in her winter clothing. She is wearing quite the interesting hat. The photograph is by S. A. Bowers of Concord, New Hampshire. The front of the card announces that the Aristotype printing method was used in producing this image. This method employs  collodion or gelatin chloride paper. SOLD

Published in: on January 15, 2026 at 11:30 am  Leave a Comment  
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MAN WITH AN ALLIGATOR : STUDIO NOVELTY : REAL PHOTO POSTCARD : AZO 1918-1930

This is a striking and unusual antique real photo postcard (RPPC) featuring a young man posed confidently beside a full-sized alligator, its jaws open to display its teeth. The sitter rests one hand casually on the alligator’s head while standing behind a simple railing, creating a dramatic and memorable image that blends portraiture, novelty, and spectacle. The man is well dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and straw boater-style hat, placing the image squarely in the late 1910s to early 1920s. The backdrop is a painted tropical scene with palm trees and water, clearly a studio setting rather than an outdoor photograph. The alligator—almost certainly a taxidermy or carefully staged prop—was a popular novelty element used by certain studios during this era, particularly in Florida and other southern or tourist-oriented locations. During the early 20th century, alligators were frequently employed as studio props to convey adventure, exoticism, and regional identity. Studios catering to tourists or novelty portrait seekers often featured taxidermied alligators, faux swamps, and painted tropical backdrops. These images were meant to be eye-catching souvenirs—proof of having “visited the wild” or participated in something daring. Alligator imagery was especially common in Florida-related studio work, sideshows, and amusement venues, where such props became iconic symbols of place and bravado. The postcard is printed on AZO photographic paper, with the stamp box showing four triangles pointing up, a configuration that dates production to approximately 1918–1930. The card is unused, with no writing or postal markings, allowing the image to remain the sole focus. (SOLD)

Published in: on December 20, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  

TWO DAPPER MEN IN HATS : MENS FASHION : SALEM, OHIO : CABINET CARD

Two dapper men, looking quite professional, pose for their portrait at the Leeper studio, in Salem, Ohio. These men look like their on business. Are they lawmen?  The gentleman who is standing is extremely handsome so perhaps the men are actors. The photographer is Burt Leeper. Leeper was born in Pennsylvania in 1865. He worked in Salem at the end of the nineteenth century. An article in a photographic journal (1900) cites Mr. Leeper as being part of a “Picture Trust”.  It seems that he was part of a “price fixing” combine that was formed to resist the lowering of photographic studio prices as a result of fierce competition between photographers. Leeper and three other photographers agreed to match each others prices for services and goods. In addition, Leeper and two of the other photographers agreed to take turns being open for business on Sundays. The fourth photographer declined, preferring to stay closed on all Sundays. This cabinet card photograph is in good condition (see scans).

This cabinet card is available for purchase at The History Peddler for $38.00 or Best Offer.   

Interested collectors may view the listing here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336097384157

Published in: on December 8, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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TWO WOMEN, TWO DAUGHTERS, AND THREE WILD HATS IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Two young woman and two children pose for their portrait at the studio of Nicklas & Co. in Chicago, Illinois. The women and oldest child are wearing very complicated decorative hats. One woman is holding a fan on her lap and the oldest child is holding a basket of flowers. Wild hats were clearly the rage during the time of this photograph.  SOLD

Published in: on November 20, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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VICTORIAN GIRL W/ LARGE HAT & BOWS : MORRISTOWN NEW JERSEY : VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH

This cabinet card features a full-length studio portrait of a young girl posed beside a chair. The photographer’s mark at the bottom reads “Ensminger, Morristown, New Jersey”. The girl appears to be around 5 to 7 years old. She is dressed in a dark, heavy dress or coat with prominent white lace trim at the collar and cuffs, characteristic of children’s fashion around the 1895–1905 period. Her long hair, possibly a wig or enhanced with hairpieces for the photo session, is styled to one side and adorned with two large ribbon bows, adding a touch of charm and formality. She wears a wide-brimmed hat tilted forward, which also features oversized decorative bows—this style was quite popular in Edwardian children’s portraiture. Her high-button black boots are visible under the hem of her dress, and she rests one hand on a wooden chair, adding a subtle compositional balance to the portrait. Her expression is solemn, yet alert—typical of long-exposure portrait photography of the era. The neutral studio backdrop and ornate rug on the floor enhance the formality and timelessness of the portrait. The reverse of the card is marked simply in ink with the handwritten notation: “Mrs. M. S.” This may be a clue to the identity of the child’s mother or the recipient of the photograph—perhaps a keepsake. Henry Ensminger was a notable photographer based in Morristown, New Jersey, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He operated a photography studio in Morristown from approximately 1894 to 1922, producing a variety of portrait photographs.  (SOLD)

Published in: on November 11, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A WELL DRESSED TEENAGE BOY IN CHENOA, ILLINOIS

This cabinet card features a teenage boy posing for his portrait at Smith’s Studio in Chenoa, Illinois. He is well dressed in his three piece suit. His derby hat is beside him, sitting on a faux wall. Note the backdrop. The artist who created it did not have an abundance of talent. SOLD

Published in: on October 25, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  

PRETTY WOMAN : WEARING TOP HAT : NOYER : REAL PHOTO POSTCARD

This French vintage real photo postcard features a pretty young woman, wearing a scarf and top hat. She has a beautiful smile that she is flashing at the camera. This postcard was published by Alfred Noyer. The card is part of a series (No.9538). SOLD

Published in: on October 8, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A BOSTON BEAUTY : WALTER CHICKERING : CABINET CARD

This cabinet card portrait features a portrait of a pretty woman dressed in black. Possibly, she is wearing a mourning dress. She is wearing smooth black leather gloves and holding her purse. The young lady appears to have had trouble looking at the camera. She seems unfocused and is staring blankly away from the camera. This posed portrait would not make great advertising for the photographer who took this photograph. The studio that produced this image was operated by  Walter E. Chickering, who was located in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Chickering was a well-known Boston photographer and some of his images can be viewed by clicking on the category “Photographer: Chickering, W.”. Please note that a second photographer, who shared the name Chickering, was also a well known Boston photographer. His full name was Elmer Chickering.  SOLD

Published in: on September 13, 2025 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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