STAGE ACTRESS CHRISTINE BLESSING IN COSTUME PLAYING A RISQUE CUPID

CHRISTINE BLESSING_0004This cabinet card features a portrait of actress Christine Blessing. The cabinet card was produced by Newsboy (#124 of a series) as a tobacco product premium. For some unknown reason, a previous owner of the photograph apparently attempted to erase the Newsboy logo from the photograph. Miss Blessing is captured in this image playing the role of cupid. She is holding a bow and arrow. This cabinet card is risque for its era. The actress is wearing a dress so short that it looks like the dressmaker ran out of material just after beginning her work.  Miss Blessing is known for her theater work but also for her role in an early film titled “Dope” (1914). Her theatrical performances are the subject of a number of New York Times articles. These productions include “The Merry World” (1895), “The Maid in the Moon” (1899), “The County Chairman” (1904), and “The Bachelor” (1909), The New York Times (1893) was critical of her performance at Koster & Bials Music Hall. The newspaper stated that she had performed ballads and that Christine Blessing was “undoubtedly a blessing in disguise”. She was clearly part of a vaudeville performance that night as one of the other acts was a boxing kangaroo. The reviewer bemoaned that vaudeville performances had adverse effects on legitimate theater.

Published in: on January 14, 2014 at 11:38 am  Leave a Comment  
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WOMAN ON A PEDESTAL: LOTTIE GILSON (THE LITTLE MAGNET)

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This cabinet card portrait of actress Lottie Gilson was produced by celebrated New York City photographer, Aime Dupont. Gilson  is perched on a pedestal and this image is a bit risque for its era. Note Miss Gilson’s coy smile, her exposed neck, relativesly low cut dress, the straps on her arms, and the leggy view. Gilson’s nickname, “the little magnet” is written on the reverse of the photograph. Also on the back of the cabinet card is a stamp from “Culver Pictures” which was a company that supplied photographs to the media for a price. Lottie Gilson (1871-1912)  was a popular comedienne and vaudeville singer born in Basil, Switzerland. She was called “the little magnet” because of her popularity with audiences and her ability to propel the sales of sheet music. Her musical hits included “The Sunshine of Paradise Alley” and “The Little Lost Child”. The date of her theatrical debut is unknown but it is certain that she performed at the Bowery’s Old National Theatre in 1884. She later performed in many of New York’s theaters and was the top soubrette of her day. She is noted as the originator of the stunt of having a boy come out of the balcony singing along with one of her songs. This became a common vaudeville routine. The San Francisco Call (1900) reported Gilson’s third wedding (she was only twenty nine at the time). The article also mentioned that her first husband was sent to the penitentiary for setting her hat on fire. The New York Times (1912) printed an obituary for Gilson. They reported that she had been out of the public eye for five years prior to her sudden death. Another source states that she died after years of self destructive behavior, illness, and depression. To view other photographs by Dupont, click on the category “Photographer: Dupont”.

Published in: on September 18, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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ESTELLE CLAYTON: STAGE ACTRESS

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Estelle Clayton (1867-1917) is seen in the first and second Cabinet cards. She was a prominent actress as well as a librettist in the late 1800’s. In one of her roles, she starred in “Fayette” with E H Sothern. Clayton was the sister of actress Isabelle Evesson. In 1908, the two sister actresses filed suit against New York City for allegedly diverting land away from earlier generations of their family. In 1917 she died in New York City of heart failure. The photographer of both of these Cabinet cards is Sarony of New York City. The third cabinet card portrait of Clayton was produced by Newsboy as a premium for tobacco products. It is number 47 of a series. The barefoot Miss Clayton is in quite the risque pose in this image.

Published in: on July 5, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF AN ACTRESS NAMED JENNIE (PHOTOGRAPH BY MARC GAMBIER)

JENNIE ELHORN_0003This cabinet card was produced by New York City photographer Marc Gambier and features stage actress Miss Jennie Elhorn? (Elkorn?, Elborn?). Initial research revealed no information about actresses with any of these three names. It is only an assumption that the subject of this photograph is an actress. The notion that she is a theatrical performer was derived from the “look” of the image and the fact that Gambier was known for his stage actress photographs.  To view other photographs by Gambier, and to learn more about him, click on the category “Photographer: Gambier”.

Published in: on June 22, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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ALLURING YOUNG WOMAN LETS HER HAIR DOWN IN NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

VIXEN IN NY_0003The pretty and vivacious looking young woman in this photograph has been assigned a number of adjectives by observers. She has been described as exotic, lusty, beautiful, seductive and alluring. She is unidentified but is likely a performer (dancer, singer, actress). The photograph may be considered somewhat risque for its time. The image is a product of La Marseillaise Photo Studio which was located on Lexington Avenue in New York City, New York.

Published in: on May 6, 2013 at 12:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
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FRANCES EVERETT: THEATER ACTRESS PORTRAIT (NEWSBOY SERIES: 1891)

everett_0003This Newsboy cabinet card features a portrait of actress, Frances Everett. The photograph is number 329 of a series of images published by Newsboy to distribute as a premium with their tobacco products. The photograph was taken by B. J. Falk and has a copyright of 1891. The cabinet card has a stamp from the Theatral (Theatrical?) Photo. Company of New York City. Miss Everett holds a string instrument (mandolin?) and is dressed in a rather risque costume for her era. She is also wearing a great smile. Preliminary research found no biographical information about Miss Everett or the Theatral Photo Company.

Published in: on April 29, 2013 at 9:48 pm  Comments (3)  
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AGNES EVANS: THEATRE ACTRESS DRESSED IN QUITE RISQUE FASHION

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Agnes Evans poses for this cabinet card (top) photographed by Newsboy of New York.  Agnes Evans was a theatre actress who performed in the Broadway production of the Pit (1904). The actress is wearing a very revealing risque dress.  Further research by myself or assistance from visitors to this site will hopefully further illuminate her life and career. Newsboy was a brand of plug tobacco and Newsboy photographs were given away as a premium by tobacconists and drug stores who sold the tobacco. The images were produced by the National Tobacco Works of New York. They were likely produced and issued in the early 1890’s. The bottom image features Miss Evans in another Newsboy cabinet card (number 8 in a series). She is wearing a risque costume that includes fingerless gloves.

Published in: on February 23, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (5)  
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PORTRAIT OF A SULTRY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY

SULTRYLADY_0002This portrait of a sultry gorgeous young lady must speak for itself. The image has been trimmed and if there was any information on the photograph to help identify the woman or the studio, it is now gone. The woman’s bare shoulders and other exposed areas make this photograph somewhat risque for it’s time.   (SOLD)

Published in: on February 7, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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THEATRE ACTRESS: LIZZIE WEBSTER AT THE BEACH

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The top cabinet card features theatre actress Lizzie Webster posing at the beach. OK; its not the beach, but it is a fake beach, at the studio of celebrity photographer, Mora, in New York City, New York. Webster appeared on the American stage in the late 1870’s and early 1880’s. She appeared on tour in Edward Rice’s popular  show, “Evangeline”. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1878) described Miss Webster as a “shapely brunette”, and a “beautiful being”. However,  the article states that she did not possess a good voice. In 1893, Lizzie Webster died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To see other photographs by Mora, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Photographer: Mora”.

The second cabinet card features Miss Webster in costume, complete with a sword at her side. This image as well as the top image demonstrates that Lizzie Webster was not too modest to exhibit her legs. Both photographs are a bit risque because of this immodesty. The photographer of this image is unknown because the photograph has been trimmed and the reverse of the photo card has a large sticker covering much of the cards back. The sticker identifies the photograph as the property of Culver Pictures of New York City. The firm owned the rights to the image and would allow the media to use the image, if they paid for the privilege.

Published in: on January 23, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (6)  
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RISQUE PORTRAIT OF BURLESQUE ACTRESS KATE EVERLEIGH BY WARREN’S PORTRAITS IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

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This cabinet card captures the beauty of actress Kate Everleigh. The image is risque for the cabinet card era. Preliminary research reveals no personal details of the life of Miss Everleigh. However, there are many articles citing her theatrical appearances.  In fact, her portrait appears on the front page of  “The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News” in both 1885 and 1886 editions. She is also referenced in the book “A History of the New York Stage” (1903) for appearing in Reese and Farnie’s burlesque production of  “Oxygen” and Lydia Thompson’s Company’s production of “Bluebird”. Everleigh also appeared in the original London cast of  “Erminie” (1885). The magazine “The Theatre” (1885) cites her appearances in “Nemesis” and “Family Ties”. Miss Everleigh also performed in the United States. She is mentioned as a performer in a burlesque show in San Francisco called “The Mother, The Maiden, and The Musicianer” (1880). This is a high quality photograph and not surprisingly, comes from a well respected studio in Boston, Massachusetts. The studio is Warren’s Portraits and it was located at 465 Washington Street. The photographer was George K. Warren. Warren’s Studios photographed many celebrities and notable people in Boston. To view other photographs by Warren, click on the category “Photographer: Warren”.

Published in: on December 9, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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