PHOTOGRAPH 1 (SOLD)
PHOTOGRAPH 2
PHOTOGRAPH 3ACTRESS MARY ANDERSON: BEAUTIFUL STAR OF THE AMERICAN AND ENGLISH STAGE
Cabinet Card 1 (SOLD)
These cabinet cards feature American stage actress, Mary Anderson (1859-1940). Interestingly, Anderson’s father was an Oxford educated New Yorker who after Mary was born, moved his family to Kentucky. He then joined the Confederate army and was killed in action when Mary was just three years old. Mary was not much of a student but loved to read Shakespeare. Her step father sent her to New York at age 14 to take ten professional acting lessons. In 1875, at age 16, Mary Anderson began her stage acting career in a Kentucky production of Romeo and Juliet. She continued acting in Kentucky and then appeared in a number of other cities, including New York. Her critical reviews tended to be mixed but she was well loved by the public. She then worked the New York and touring company stages for twelve years until she spent the next six years on the English stage (appearing in a lot of Shakespeare productions). She then returned to the United States, and at age 30, collapsed on stage with a case of nervous exhaustion. This experience, likely coupled with less than favorable reviews, caused her to retire from acting.
Cabinet Card 1 features Anderson in the role of Galatea. A review of Mary Anderson’s performance in this role appeared in the New York Times in a September 1884 edition. She was appearing opposite British actor William Terriss, in the play “Pygmalion and Galatea”, at the Lyceum Theatre in London. Many notables were in attendance, including Oscar Wilde. The review states ” Miss Anderson surpassed herself and that the performance was throughly artistic and finished”. The cabinet card was photographed by The Vanderweyde Light of London, England (182 Regent Street W.). Henry Van Der Weyde (1838-1924) was an artist and photographer. In 1877, he became the first photographer to install and take photographs by electric light. (SOLD)
The second cabinet card was photographed by celebrity photographer, Sarony. The image reflects Mary Anderson’s great beauty. To view other photographs by Sarony, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Photographer: Sarony”.
The third cabinet card was photographed by “The Sparks Studio”. The studio was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the artist/manager was Elliott Houseworth. This cabinet card offers a profile portrait of the attractive Ms. Anderson. The 1880 census lists Elliott A. Houseworth as being born in 1855, residing in San Francisco, California, and working as a photographer. Houseworth also appears in the 1900 census as living in Norwood, Pennsylvania and working as a manager. These demographics fit the photographer of this image, since Houseworth managed Sparks Photography Studio and Norwood is only about eleven miles from Philadelphia. To view other photographs of actresses by Sparks, click on the category “Photographer: Sparks Photo Publishing Co.”.
The fourth cabinet card features a smartly dressed Mary Anderson and was photographed by George Rockwood, of New York City. To learn more about Rockwood and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Rockwood”. A sticker on the reverse of the photograph indicates that the image was once part of the Kean Archives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Kean Archives was a company that served as a source of illustrations and photographs for various modes of media. They eventually were purchased by Getty Images.
PORTRAIT OF A MAN WITH A NOTABLE MUSTACHE (BY SARONY OF NEW YORK)
Any aficionado of cabinet card photography knows that “they don’t make mustaches like they used to”. Men wore mustaches that were styled as if they were a work of art. The gentleman photographed in this cabinet card, has one of those terrific mustaches. His mustache is bushy in the middle and becomes radically bushy at its ends. To view other interesting mustaches, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category, “Mustaches (Only the Best). The gentleman in this image was photographed by Sarony, a highly respected celebrity photographer. Sarony’s studio was located at 680 Broadway in New York City, New York. To view more of Sarony’s photographs, click on Photographer: Sarony”.The subject of this photograph may have been an actor, or some other celebrated man of his time. There is no documentation available concerning the subject’s actual identity. SOLD
ANNIE ROBE: THEATRE ACTRESS KNOWN FOR HER BEAUTY
Annie Robe, stage actress, is the subject of this cabinet card portrait by celebrity photographer, Sarony. Sarony’s studio was located in New York City. Robe was known for her beauty, and this photograph confirms that she was quite attractive. Note her cape and matching handbag. It is possible that the “handbag” is actually a hat. Hopefully, one of Cabinet Card Gallery’s fashion experts will resolve the confusion with one of consistently informative comments. Annie Robe was the leading lady of Wallack’s Theatre for several seasons. Initial research yielded little biographical information. One article reports that she was English. The New York Times (1887) describes her work in “Harbor Lights” as commendable.
LESTER WALLACK: THEATRE ACTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT
This Cabinet Card was published by celebrity photographer, Napoleon Sarony. His studio was located in New York City. The subject of this portrait is actor, playwright, and theatre manager, John Lester Wallack (1820-1888). Wallack was born into a theatrical family. Wallack served in the British Army before appearing on the Dublin and London stage. His first stage appearance in New York was in 1847 in Boucicault’s adaptation of “Used Up.” Wallack became what many consider, the leading light comedian on the American stage. His autobiography, “Memories of Fifty Years”, was published in 1889. To view other photographs by Sarony, click on category “Photographers: Sarony”. To view other actors, click on category “Actor”. (SOLD)
MISS JANE COOMBS: EARLY AMERICAN THEATRE ACTRESS
Jane Coombs (1842-?) was an American actress who made a sensational debut during the 1855-1856 theatre season. She starred opposite Edwin Forrest at New York’s Broadway Theatre. In 1861 she starred in a production at the Haymarket Theatre in London, England. The New York Times (1864) describes a graceful tribute to “the charming actress”. The Nebraska State Journal (1894) published a very insulting article about the actress. The article reports that a man stole large packages with Miss Coombs name printed on them, from a hotel baggage room. Apparently, he was hoping to find diamonds in the packages. Upon opening the packages he found two thousand billboard portraits of Miss Coombs. The journal concludes that “Anybody who has had the doubtful pleasure of beholding Miss Coombs, will sympathize with the thief, and decide that in this case, his punishment was greater than his crime”. The author of this article, may be gifted with a sense of humor, but his description of Jane Coombs, at age 52, is certainly quite cruel. She certainly does not look unattractive in this cabinet card portrait by Napoleon Sarony. Sarony was a famed celebrity photographer in New York. Other images by Sarony can be viewed by clicking on the category “Photographers: Sarony”.
VERNONA JARBEAU: THEATRE ACTRESS
This cabinet card is a portrait of theatre actress, Vernona Jarbeau. Jarbeau often played comedienne roles. Performing Arts (1887) reported on the success of one of her performances. The writer states that 3,000 people crowded into Philadelphia’s Academy of Music to hear the Duff Opera Company perform Von Suppe’s “A Trip to Africa”. The cast was described as “strong” and included Lillian Russell (see her photographs in Cabinet Card Gallery), and Jarbeau. The article states that Jarbeau was the hit of opera when she performed a song in French. The audience applauded and laughed as loud as they possibly could, despite the fact that very few in the audience could understand what she was singing. This cabinet card image was photographed by celebrity photographer, Sarony. To view other photographs by Sarony, click on the category “Photographer: Sarony”.
KATE CLAXTON: STAGE ACTRESS ASSOCIATED WITH DEADLY THEATRE FIRE
CABINET CARD 1 (SOLD)
CABINET CARD 2Kate Claxton (1848-1924) is the subject of this cabinet card portrait. Claxton was an American stage actress who made her first appearance in Chicago with Lotta Crabtree in 1870. That same year she joined Augustin Daly’s Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York. In 1872, she became a member of A. M. Palmer’s Union Square Theatre in New York. She played mostly in comedic roles. She began starring in theatrical tours in 1876. In 1876 she was performing the play “The Two Orphans” at the Brooklyn Theatre (in New York City) when a fire broke out killing 278 people. Soon after the tragic fire, she was in a St. Louis hotel when it caught fire and she made a narrow escape. After the two fires, Claxton was viewed by some audiences and theater professionals, as bad luck and a performer to be avoided. There are some interesting asides about Claxton. First, the town of Claxton, Georgia was named after her in 1911, Second, her father was Colonel Spencer W. Cone, who was the commander of the 61st New York Regiment in the American Civil War. Cabinet Card 1 was photographed by Schloss, a famous New York celebrity photographer. To view other photographs by Schloss, click on this site’s category “Photographer: Schloss”. The reverse of this card has a hand written notation stating “Empire Theatre”. Perhaps this photograph captures Kate Claxton in costume for a role she played at the Empire. (SOLD)
Cabinet Card 2 captures Claxton sitting on the ground during a snow storm. The staged scene in this image is likely from one of Claxton’s performances. This photograph is by Sarony, famed New York City photographer. To view other images by Sarony, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Photographer: Sarony”.
PRETTY DANCER PHOTOGRAPHED BY SARONY IN NEW YORK
This cabinet card is a photograph of a young dancer/actress photographed by the famous celebrity photographer, Sarony of New York. She seems to be in a dancers pose and costume. The reverse of the card has a handwritten identification of the subject. The name listed is Sara Belle; and preliminary research has revealed nothing about her. In fact, the existence of an actress/dancer by that name has not yet been confirmed. Interestingly, Napoleon Sarony’s daughter was named Belle. In regard to the date of this photograph, Sarony opened his Broadway studio in 1866 and moved to 37 Union Square in New York City in 1871. Therefore this photograph was taken between 1866 and 1871. Perhaps a visitor to this site can shed some light on the identity of the woman in this photograph. Additional images by Sarony can be seen by clicking on the Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Photographer: Sarony”.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR IN NEW YORK (PHOTOGRAPH BY SARONY)
This cabinet card, by Sarony of New York City, presents a challenge to the research department of the Cabinet Card Gallery. The research department is composed of all the visitors to this site who bring with them a vast amount of knowledge which they generously share through their comments. So, what is the challenge? The challenge is; “Who is the subject of this photograph?”. This intense and interesting looking gentleman, is likely an actor. Although the evidence would not hold up in court, it does lean toward the hypothesis that this fur collared and mustachioed man, is a stage performer. The subject has the “look” of a performer and the photographer is Sarony, who was a noted photographer of theatre stars. If any visitors have some ideas as to the identity of this gentleman, please leave a comment. Other photographs by Sarony may be seen by clicking on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Photographer: Sarony”.
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