This cabinet card offers a joy ride for the viewers imagination. The mind trip leads to a small town in the old west. Six men are gathered in the photography studio of E W. Beard. The men are members of a posse that has recently captured a notorious outlaw. They have come together for a group portrait, so that they can have a memento of their accomplishment. It would be terrific to know the real reason why these men are gathered together; but there is no explanatory evidence available. Further frustration and lack of success was encountered when trying to identify the location of the photography studio that produced this photograph.
PORTRAIT OF A POSSE
“A TEACHER OF MINE”: A PORTRAIT OF MR HENRY LUTSCH
This cabinet card photograph is a portrait of Mr. Henry Lutsch. The reverse of the photograph has an inscription stating “Henry Lutsch, a teacher of mine”. There is no other identifying information. The photographer and the studio location are unknown. Perhaps one of Cabinet Card Gallery’s visitors, will be able to provide additional information. They have demonstrated amazing genealogical detective skills in the past illustrated by their informative comments. The only information that I was able to recover, comes from the 1880 U.S. census. Henry Lutsch was born 1n 1869, in the state of Wisconsin. The head of household, at the time of the census was Jacob Lutsch, who was born in Switzerland. Jacob Lutsch was probably Henry”s father. The “Census Place” was Great Bend, Barton, Kansas. The town of Great Bend was settled in the early 1870’s and located in Barton County, Kansas. Interestingly, this cabinet card was originally purchased from a collector in Kansas. Mr Lutsch is a handsome man and he has an admirable mustache which places him in Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Mustaches (Only the Best). Click on the category to view some amazing displays of facial hair. Thinking about this cabinet card prompts the question as to why a student would want a photograph of his, or her, teacher. Is the answer to the question as simple as that the student wanted a keepsake from their education experience; like modern day students often want a yearbook upon graduation. Another possible explanation is that the student had a crush on the handsome Mr Lutsch, and wanted a portrait of him in order to hang on to their fantasy, just a little longer.
DAPPER MAN WEARING A DERBY IN LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA
A dapper man poses for his portrait at the studio of Lewis C. Fowler, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This gentleman is nicely dressed. He is wearing a long outer coat with what appears to be a velvet collar and satin lapels. He is holding a pair of gloves and has a derby hat on his head. The subject of this photograph’s image possesses an aura of success and importance. Fowler’s photographic studio was located at 12 West King Street, in the town of Lancaster. An advertisement in the Lancaster Board of Trade directory appeared in 1887. A directory of businesses in Philadelphia, indicates that Fowler operated a studio there in 1890. It is unknown whether he conducted businesses in both cities simultaneously. To view other photographs by Fowler, click on the category “Photographer: Fowler (Lewis)”.
A STUDIOUS LOOKING MAN WEARING PINCE-NEZ SPECTACLES IN NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
The gentleman pictured in this cabinet card has the appearance of a scholarly man. The man’s pince nez eyeglasses, and his beard contribute to his studious look. Pince-nez glasses are a style of spectacle that is supported without earpieces, by pinching the bridge of the wearer’s nose. The name has French origin and this type of eyewear reached peak popularity between 1880 and 1900. The photographer of this cabinet card is H. T. See & H. (I. or J.) Epler. The middle initial of Epler is unclear in the reference where it was found. An advertisement for the See & Epler studio appeared in the Columbia Spectator (1899). The advertisement stated the studio was the “Photographer to Columbia University” and that the firm offered special rates to students. The studio was located in New York City and Saratoga, New York.
MAN WITH A BILLY GOAT BEARD
This cabinet card presents a portrait of a middle aged man with a beard that is reminiscent of a beard that is normally found on a billy goat. The gentleman manages to maintain a distinguished appearance despite his unusual facial hair. The name and location of the photographer responsible for this image, is unknown. To view other notable beards, click on the category “Beards (Only the Best)”.
DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN WITH MUTTONCHOPS IN UTICA, NEW YORK
This cabinet card features a handsome and distinguished gentleman posing for his portrait at the Mundy studio in Utica, New York. The gentleman is well dressed and has a neat mustache and muttonchops. The Photographic Times (1887) has a tribute to L. C. Mundy. “Mr Mundy was a self-made man, and a striking example of what aim, firmness of will, and a steady purpose can accomplish.” The writer continues to state that at age eighy, Mundy was left alone in the world, and from that time on, he provided for himself. As an apprentice, he never needed to be told what to do. Instead, “he saw, and he did”. Mundy went from an apprenticeship to eventually become one of the most respected photographers in central New York. Mundy is also known for having employed journalist and author, Harold Frederic (1856-1898).
A HANDSOME MAN IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
A very handsome man poses for his portrait at the Dana studio in Brooklyn, New York. Information written on the reverse of the photograph indicates that this good looking gentleman was named Ferdinand Clauburg. The inscription also indicates that the date of this photograph was July 2nd, 1897. Mr. Clauburg is well dressed and is wearing a pin on his lapel. The Dana studio was located at 565 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, New York. Edward Cary Dana (1853-1897) was born in Boston, Massachusetts, developed an interest in photography, and moved to Brooklyn, where he opened a studio. In time he had a great reputation as a skilled photographer and had established three galleries in New York City. He died at age 44 of kidney problems and left a widow, Miss Ada Sherman, of Staten Island, New York.
TURN OF THE CENTURY BAD BOYS: CAUGHT IN THE ACT BY TRAVELING PHOTOGRAPHER
The “bad boys” are in town and they are gathered to play a mean game of cards and enjoy their smokes. Traveling photographer, C. A. Johnson has posed the five men in front of a painted river scene. The guys seem quite natural in this gambling milieu. My guess is, that “they’ve been there, and done that”. Its a bit unusual to see cigarettes in cabinet card photography, but they fit this scene perfectly.
MARVELOUS MUSTACHE IN MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT
This cabinet card is a portrait of an older bespectacled gentleman with a significant mustache. He is well dressed and is wearing a pin on his lapel. The top of the pin seems to have a figure that looks like a buffalo or bucking bull. The print on the bottom of the pin is illegible. Hopefully, a visitor to this site will be able to provide more details about the lapel pin. The photographer of this image was H. C. Voorhees of Meriden, Connecticut. Voorhees liked to write instructional articles appearing in the era’s photographic journals. Among his articles were publications in Wilson’s Photographic Magazine (1891) and Photographic Mosaics (1896). To view other interesting photographs of remarkable mustaches, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Mustaches (Only the Best).
DAPPER MAN WITH BIG MUSTACHE AND SMALL BEARD IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
A well dressed man with a large mustache and a clump of chin whiskers, poses for his portrait at the studio of Eggan, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. To see other interesting exhibitions of facial hair, visit the Cabinet Card Gallery’s categories of Beards (Only the Best) and Mustaches (Only the Best). It is difficult to identify the photographer of this photograph. The city of Minneapolis hosted a number of photographers that shared the name “Eggan”, each of them sharing the same studio address. Apparently the Eggan family, which was of Norwegian descent, had a passion for photography. Photographers included Ole P., Halvor P., S. A., Sevor P., Stephen, and James Eggan.
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