This charming late-Victorian cabinet card captures a little girl with a wonderfully coy, precocious expression—eyes turned to the side as if she’s sharing a private thought with the photographer. Her softly curled hair, the oversized bow, and the gentle studio lighting create that classic 1890s “storybook” portrait look. The pose feels spontaneous and intimate; displaying this adorable girl’s personality. The photographer is George Gardner Rockwood, one of New York City’s best-known portrait men of the era. Rockwood’s studio became a major name in celebrity and society photography, and surviving cabinet cards with his imprint are widely collected today. The New York Public Library’s Photographers’ Identities Catalog documents Rockwood operating a New York City studio/business in the period 1894–1902, specifically at 1440 Broadway (the same address printed on this mount). Rockwood’s career is also well summarized in reference sources that note his long life (1832–1911) and his enormous output of portraits over decades in the business. Rockwood was born in Troy, New York and graduated from college with a PhD, reportedly either from the University of Chicago, or Columbia University. At 21 years of age, he was a newspaper reporter for the Troy Daily Times and at age 23, he was managing editor of the Troy Daily Post. He began working as a photographer in St. Louis and in 1857 opened a studio with his brother Elihu in New York City. He has been credited with bringing CDV’s to America. His obituary in the Washington Post reports that Rockwood photographed more than 350,000 people. This photograph was taken in 1896. That date appears in the lower right corner of the cabinet card, under the studio’s address. Overall, this cabinet card presents beautifully, with a soft tonal range and good facial clarity. There is age wear to the mount, including edge/corner wear and scuffing, and what appears to be a small wrinkle near the bottom corners (see scans).
This cabinet card is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $85.00 or best offer.
This vintage real photo postcard features a pretty teenage girl who is sitting on a window sill in front of an open window. A painted back drop can be seen in the background. The young lady is dressed in white and is wearing a very large hair bow. This photograph was taken by Pleschner’s Photo Studio located in Chicago, Illinois. SOLD
Mary Pickford (1892-1979) was a Canadian-American actress and one of the most influential figures in early Hollywood. She was often referred to as “America’s Sweetheart”. She was a pioneer of silent film and a co-founder of the film industry as we know it today. Pickford’s career began in childhood when she performed in theater productions in Canada and the United States. By the early 1900s, she transitioned to film, working with director D.W. Griffith at Biograph Studios. Her delicate beauty and expressive acting quickly made her a fan favorite, setting her apart in an era when exaggerated stage-style performances dominated silent films. During the 1910s and 1920s, Pickford became one of the highest-paid and most beloved actresses in the world. Starring in films such as Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917), Daddy-Long-Legs (1919), and Pollyanna (1920), she was known for playing wholesome, spirited young women. Her curly hair and signature on-screen innocence became iconic, but she was also a savvy businesswoman who understood the power of her brand. Pickford was not only a star but also a trailblazer in the film industry. In 1919, she co-founded United Artists alongside Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks (her then-husband), and director D.W. Griffith. This revolutionary move allowed filmmakers to control their own productions rather than rely on major studios, changing the industry forever. As the film industry transitioned to “talkies,” Pickford retired from acting in the early 1930s, though she continued to produce films. Her contributions earned her an honorary Academy Award in 1976 for her lasting impact on cinema. Mary Pickford’s influence extends beyond her films. She helped shape the star system, paved the way for women in Hollywood, and co-founded the Motion Picture Relief Fund to support struggling actors. She remains an enduring symbol of early Hollywood glamour and innovation. Mary Pickford was born into a working-class family in Toronto, Canada. Her father, John Charles Smith, was an alcoholic who struggled to provide for the family and died from a workplace accident when Mary was just six years old. Her mother, Charlotte Hennessey Smith, was left to raise Mary and her two younger siblings, Lottie and Jack, on her own. To support the family, Charlotte encouraged her children to enter acting, and Mary began performing in theater at a young age. She soon became the family’s primary breadwinner, and her siblings, Lottie Pickford and Jack Pickford, also pursued film careers. Pickford transitioned from theater to film in the early 1900s, quickly rising to fame with her expressive acting and wholesome on-screen persona. By the 1910s and 1920s, she was one of the most recognizable stars in the world, earning the nickname “Queen of the Movies.” She also helped establish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Mary Pickford was married three times. Pickford’s first marriage was to silent film actor Owen Moore (1911-1920). Her second and most famous marriage was to fellow silent film actor, Douglas Fairbanks (1920-1936). Her third marriage was to actor Charles “Buddy” Rogers (1937-1979). After retiring from acting in the early 1930s, Pickford focused on producing films and philanthropy. She became more reclusive in her later years, struggling with alcoholism and health issues. Today, she is remembered as a pioneering force in cinema history. This original real photo postcard (RPPC) features the legendary Pickford in her role as Pollyanna from the 1920 United Artists film Pollyanna. The image is hand tinted. The postcard was published in the United Kingdom by Beagles & Company. The card was meant to promote the film. “Pollyanna” was a silent film released in 1920 and Pickford was it’s star. The film was based on the 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter, the story follows an optimistic young orphan named Pollyanna who is sent to live with her stern, crotchety Aunt Polly in a dour New England town. Pollyanna transforms the lives of the cynical townspeople by teaching them the “glad game”—a challenge to find something to be glad about in every situation, no matter how difficult. This was the first film released by United Artists, the independent studio Pickford co-founded with Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith, and Douglas Fairbanks. Despite being 27 years old at the time, Pickford played the role of the 12-ye The film was a massive commercial hit, grossing over $1.1 million, which was an astronomical sum for the era. Her success in the role was so immense that she continued to play “little girl” characters for several more years. This postcard has an ornate border and is in excellent condition (see scans).
This cabinet card is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $38.00 or best offer.
This vintage photograph features an attractive wedding couple. They are beautifully dressed.The bride is wearing a lovely hat and is holding a bouquet of flowers. The gentleman has a flower on his lapel. This wedding pair looks like they just walked off the set of Boardwalk Empire. The couple are identified as Ernest and Julia Grace. SOLD
This image is a striking late 19th-century cabinet card portrait of an elegantly dressed woman, photographed by George Frank E. Pearsall of Brooklyn, New York. The sitter wears a high-collared lace bodice with decorative brooch, puffed sleeves, and her hair styled in a neatly coiled Victorian updo — a classic example of refined 1880s–1890s portraiture. This cabinet card has ornate typography and a decorative backmark. Note the gold beveled edges of the mount. George Frank E. Pearsall was born in New York City. Orphaned at a young age, he and his brothers were raised by an aunt in Saratoga, New York. In 1852 he began learning photography under an uncle who operated a gallery. After his uncle departed for Australia and the business failed, Pearsall embarked on an eight-year adventure throughout Cuba, the West Indies, Venezuela, and other locations before returning to New York in 1862. Upon his return, Pearsall worked as a positionist for the celebrated New York photographer Benjamin Gurney, refining his skills in one of the leading studios of the era. By 1870 Pearsall opened his own Brooklyn studio, eventually relocating to 298 Fulton Street, where an 1880 advertisement claimed his establishment was the largest photographic studio in Brooklyn. He was also an innovator. In 1883 he developed “Pearsall’s Compact Camera,” a design housed within its own carrying case — a concept later imitated by major camera manufacturers through the 1920s. Pearsall gained national attention in the legal case Pearsall vs. Schenck (1876), widely discussed in the British Journal of Photography and reported by The New York Times. The case involved clients who refused to pay for portraits they claimed not to like. The photography community largely supported Pearsall, asserting that a photographer reproduces the subject as they are — and cannot “correct” nature as a painter might. Pearsall prevailed in court, establishing an important precedent for photographers’ rights. Here are additional historical notes: He was President of the Brooklyn Archery Club, Secretary and Treasurer of the National Archery Association (1881). His brother Alva Pearsall worked as a camera operator for Matthew Brady in 1871. Based on mount style, typography, and fashion, this cabinet card likely dates to the mid-to-late 1880s. In regard to condition. This photograph remains clear and well-contrasted with strong detail in the sitter’s features and attire. Light age toning is present, consistent with albumen prints of the period. The mount shows minor edge wear and minor corner wear. The reverse gilt design remains bright and legible. There are no creases or tears (see scans).
This real photo postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $14.00 or best offer.
This charming hand-colored postcard captures a bustling Main Street in Huntington, Long Island, New York, as it appeared in 1906. The scene showcases a well-kept dirt road lined with turn-of-the-century storefronts, businesses, and utility poles stretching into the distance. Awnings shade the sidewalks, inviting pedestrians to browse the shops. The street is relatively quiet, with a few early automobiles and horse-drawn carriages, indicating a transition between old and new modes of transportation. One of the most notable features is the storefront signage. Among the visible signs, a general store, possibly a pharmacy or dry goods shop, prominently displays its name, though some letters may be difficult to make out due to age and hand-coloring. One of the signs includes the word “Horseshoe”. Due to the appearance of the building where the sign is hanging, it probably is the name of a restaurant or saloon. The sky is tinted with soft blues and whites, while the buildings are carefully colored to highlight their architectural details. The postcard artist has added warm earth tones to the road and sidewalks, making the scene feel vibrant and lifelike. The back of this undivided postcard (which means it predates the March 1, 1907, regulation that allowed messages on the back) has a classic early 20th-century layout, with space reserved solely for the address. The card bears a clear Huntington, N.Y. postmark dated 1906, with an additional receiving postmark from the destination city (Flushing, Long Island, N. Y.). Affixed is a green 1-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp, commonly used in this era. The publisher’s information printed in small text on the reverse. The publisher is the Rotograph Company (New York City). (SOLD)
Offered here is a charming and rather uncommon early 20th-century Belgian postcard featuring two young girls engaged in a delightful outdoor scene with their dog. The composition shows the girls seated together on one end of a rustic seesaw fashioned from a plank balanced atop a large cut tree trunk, while a curly-coated dog sits attentively on the opposite end. Both girls point toward the dog, which appears to be participating obediently in their playful balancing act. The dog strongly resembles a Standard Poodle. .The setting appears to be a painted studio backdrop of a pond with lily pads and pastoral greenery. In the lower left corner of the front is a triangular publisher’s logo reading B.N.K.. The card is numbered 32894/2. This publisher is not commonly encountered. B.N.K. is the initials for “Berlin-Neuroder Kunstanstalten”, a German publishing firm. This postcard originates from Belgium, as confirmed by the stamp and postmark. Along the center dividing line, two handwritten names appear, one clearly reading Emma. The second name Drukwerk” is not a personal name — it’s a Dutch (Flemish) word that means “printed matter.” That designation allows for a cheaper postal rate than required for regular correspondence. Based on the divided back format and the style of the Belgian stamp, this postcard likely dates to approximately 1905–1915. SOLD
This is a terrific and historically important early view of the Patchogue Manufacturing Works, better known locally as the Patchogue Lace Mill, Patchogue, Long Island, New York. the postcard was published by the Illustrated Post Card Co., New York and this is number 4493 in the series. The image captures the massive brick mill complex along West Main Street, dominated by its tall smokestack and long rows of factory windows. Particularly wonderful is the foreground activity: a steady stream of men riding bicycles past the mill — likely workers either arriving for or leaving their shifts. It is a vivid slice of early 20th century industrial Long Island life. The postcard is postmarked 1908 and features an undivided back, placing its production firmly in the early postcard era. The crisp industrial composition combined with the human movement in the street gives this card strong visual appeal beyond its historical importance. Officially known as the Patchogue Manufacturing Company, and later the Patchogue-Plymouth Lace Mill, this was a sprawling 12-acre industrial complex that served as the economic heart of Patchogue for more than half a century. The site began as a small water-powered cotton mill in the 1700s. Over time it hosted paper, twine, and woolen operations before its transformation into a major lace producer. In 1880, Scottish manufacturers leased the site and began producing crinoline. By 1890, it was sold to the Patchogue Lace Manufacturing Company, which famously imported looms and skilled weavers from Nottingham, England — then the lace capital of the world. The mill became known for its high-quality lace curtains and tablecloths. At its height, the mill employed between 800 and nearly 3,000 workers, making it one of the largest employers in Suffolk County. So central was the mill to community life that locals nicknamed it “The College,” since many high school graduates went directly to work there. During the war years, production shifted to military needs including parachutes, mosquito netting, camouflage materials, and fabric for G.I. uniforms. Post-war labor challenges and falling demand for lace led the company to relocate operations to Georgia in 1954, leaving the Patchogue site vacant. After years of light industrial reuse, including storage of flammable materials, a devastating fire on January 17, 1972, destroyed much of the complex. The remaining charred structures — including the iconic 150-foot smokestack — were finally demolished between 1996 and 1998. Today the site is remembered as one of the most important industrial landmarks in Suffolk County history. Salvaged bricks from the mill were later incorporated into redevelopment on the property. SOLD
Offered here is a vivid mid-century color postcard featuring the La Court Hotel and Motor Lodge in Grand Junction, Colorado. This attractive roadside property is shown in bright Western sunlight, with its red-tiled roof and prominent vertical roadside sign reading “La Court Hotel Tavern.” A second sign at left reads “La Court Motor Lodge.” The scene captures a classic American highway-era moment: a line of 1950s automobiles parked neatly along the curb, wide open streets, and the dramatic mesa landscape rising in the distance. The postcard beautifully reflects the optimism and automobile culture of postwar Colorado, when motor lodges and neon signage defined travel in the American West. This postcard was printed as a “Spectra-Color” Postcard, with color photo credited to Transmountain Views, Glenwood Springs, Colo. Spectra-Color production was common in the 1950s–1960s and is known for its rich, saturated tones. Based on the automobiles and printing style, this card likely dates to the mid-to-late 1950s or early 1960s. The postcard is in very good vintage condition. Colors remain bright and strong. Corners show light wear consistent with storage. Minor edge wear is also present. There are no creases or tears (see scans).
This real photo postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $4.85 .
This striking early 20th-century real photo postcard (RPPC) depicts an unusual and memorable studio portrait of a young girl seated on a horse, accompanied by an older man standing beside her. The older man could very well be her grandfather. The photograph was clearly taken indoors, with a painted pastoral backdrop behind them and a patterned studio floor beneath the horse—an arrangement that would have required careful staging and speaks to the novelty appeal of the image. The girl is dressed in a winter coat with a fur-trimmed collar and gloves, suggesting the photograph was taken during colder months. The man wears a long overcoat, vest, bow tie, and brimmed hat. The horse appears calm and well-trained, further reinforcing the idea that this was a planned studio portrait rather than an outdoor candid. I could easily be mistaken about the horse’s calmness. The animals tranquility may be the work of a talented taxidermist. Photographs of horses brought into studios—especially with children as riders—are not all that common. This photo postcard was likely produced in the circa 1920’s based on clothing styles, studio backdrop, and postcard format. The AZO stamp box indicates that the postcard was produced between 1924 and 1949. SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 