ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL WITH A TRIANGLE HAT IN LAFAYETTE, INDIANA (VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH)

minicab

The little girl featured in this vintage photograph apparently is a “girly girl”. That phrase is not meant to be a slur; it just means that she enjoys the more feminine look. She is wearing a frilly dress, her hair is nicely braided and has a pretty bow, and she is wearing an elaborate hat. The front of the hat is nearly triangle shaped and it is adorned with flowers and a feather. The Himea & Elam studio of Lafayette, Indiana, is the creator of this vintage image. Chas Himea is listed in the 1910 US census. He was born in Maryland in 1872 and died in Indiana in 1944. His wife was named Estella but she was also known as Ella. At the time of the census the couple had a thirteen year old son (Leslie) and Chas was working as a photographer. His name appears in a number of Lafayette business directories between 1903 and 1915. Interestingly, the 1957 directory lists a photography store bearing the Himea name. Himea’s partner was Warren G. Elam.  Elam was born in Indiana (1874) and married Alice Elam in 1899. He is listed in the 1900 US census as a photographer but, by at least 1920,  he was out of the profession and living in California.

 

 

 

Published in: on August 22, 2016 at 7:39 pm  Comments (3)  
Tags: , ,

MISS RENEE MAYER: CHILD ACTRESS AS PUCK IN “THE SLEEPING BEAUTY RE-AWAKENED” (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

mayer

This vintage real photo postcard features child actress, Miss Renee Mayer, posing in character for photographers Foulsham and Banfield. She is photographically captured in her role as Puck in the theatrical production of “The Sleeping Beauty Re-Awakened”. Note the cute little puppy that she is holding. Mayer was a child actress and dancer who made her stage debut in 1910 as the Pearl Fairy in “The Goldfish”. She is most noted for her performance as Puck in three revivals of “Sleeping Beauty” (1912, 1913, 1914). She acted in pantomimes throughout her teenage years and appeared in films in the early 1920’s including “A Bachelor Husband” (1920). Miss Mayer was born in 1900 which informs us that she was somewhere around thirteen years old when she posed for this photograph. The New York Times (1915) mentions Renee Mayer in an article about a play called “Masque of War and Peace”. Looking at the roster of cast members in this production, it becomes clear that the show had an all-star cast. Performers included Mme Rejane, Lily Elsie, Edna May, Viola Tree, Elsie Janie, Lily Langtry and of course Miss Mayer. The show was performed at the Drury Lane Theatre to raise money for “The American Women’s War Relief Fund”. Great Britain’s National Portrait Gallery has twenty real photo postcard portraits of Miss Mayer. Three of the images are photographs by Foulsham and Banfield and published by Rotary Photo (just like the image above). This postcard is part of the Rotary Photographic Series (no. 6924 B) and was printed in Britain.

mayer 1

Published in: on August 7, 2016 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

A FASHIONABLE WOMAN AND HER PARASOL IN ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO, CANADA

ontario

A fashionable woman holding a parasol poses for her photograph at the Poole studio in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. She is wearing a lot of jewelry; her earrings, collar pin, ring, and a chain on her jacket are quite evident. She is also wearing half gloves and holding a purse. The woman is exhibiting an “all business” expression. Printing on the reverse of the cabinet card notes that the studio was located on St. Paul Street and the studio had received an “Honorable Mention” award at the Paris exposition in 1878. Edwin Poole was born in Abington, England and educated in London. He emigrated to Canada in 1866 and moved to St. Catharines in 1876. In 1900 he opened a photography studio. His work was published in the Toronto Globe and he won many photographic awards during his career. He retired in 1921 and died in St. Catharines in 1931. I believe the image below is a portrait of Edwin Poole. To view other portraits by this photographer, click on the category “Photographer: Poole”.  (SOLD)

ontario 1

cropped Poole

Published in: on June 30, 2016 at 9:25 pm  Comments (2)  
Tags: ,

PORTRAIT OF A ROW OF FIVE ADORABLE CIRCUS DOGS (PHOTO BY FAMED ALBERT BERGERET OF FRANCE)

circus dogs

This vintage real photo postcard features five circus dogs posed as if they were begging. The dogs are adorable and the photographer did an excellent job of posing these “talented” canines. The caption is in French and roughly means “Doggies Right Alignment”. The photograph is by the famed Albert Bergeret (1859-1932), a leading French postcard producer. Printing on the front of the postcard lists the studio as being located in Nancy. A postmark on the card indicates that it was mailed in 1902. To view other examples of Bergeret’s work and to learn more about him, click on the category “Photographer: Bergeret”. SOLD

circus dogs 1

Published in: on April 11, 2016 at 2:18 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

THREE EXPRESSIVE WOMEN WITH HATS (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

three ladies

This vintage real photo postcard features three well dressed women wearing interesting hats and interesting expressions. The two women on the right have countenances like the “cat that ate the canary”. The ladies were photographed by an unknown studio at an unknown location. The “AZO” stamp box indicates that the postcard was published sometime between 1904 and 1918.

Published in: on March 2, 2016 at 4:45 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

PORTRAIT OF A GUITAR PLAYING WOMAN TAKEN ON A RAILROAD PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO CAR

guitar

A young woman plays the guitar as she poses for her portrait by a railroad photographer. The Fallman studio was actually located on a train car. Printing on the front of the cabinet card notes that the photographer utilized a Parlor Photo Car. Some photographers, like Mr. Fallman, would rent or purchase a railroad car and travel from town to town. Sometimes the car would be disconnected from the train and the photographer would operate his studio until business conditions dictated that he move on to another locale. Fallman’s parlor car obviously contained backdrops and props. The woman in this photograph is sitting on a hammock next to a box topped with a couple of books. Preliminary research failed to uncover details about Mr. Fallman. However, the Cabinet Card Gallery possesses a vintage photograph of a cute little girl by Harry Fallman (1853-1907). His studio was located in Eureka, South Dakota. During his lifetime, Harry also lived and worked as a photographer in North Newberg and Portland, Oregon. It is unknown if Harry is the same Fallman who operated the rail car studio that produced the photograph above. To view Harry Fallman’s photograph and to learn more about him (and his celebrity son), click on the category “Photographer: Fallman”.   SOLD

 

 

Published in: on January 22, 2016 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
Tags: , , , , , ,

A BEAUTIFUL TENNIS PLAYER PROPERLY DRESSED FOR A MATCH (1923 REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

TENNIS

This vintage postcard features a very beautiful woman dressed for tennis and holding a tennis racquet. Her tennis clothing may appear to be a bit impractical for the demands of a tennis match, but this is the attire that women actually wore at the time this postcard was published. The postcard is postmarked 1923 and was mailed from Portugal. The card was published by PFB (Paul Finkenrath) of Berlin, Germany. It is part of a series. (no. 3075/4). The Paul Finkenroth company made quality photo postcards and the company was heavily oriented toward export. They were known to be responsive to printing postcards that they’re customers desired over time. They were quite profitable but closed in 1911 when protective tariffs interfered with their business. The company was established by Paul Finkenrath and Paul Grasnick in 1897. The partnership lasted about a year and then Grasnick left to start his own lithography studio. (See comments below concerning information about the publishing house that produced this postcard).  SOLD

TENNIS 1

Published in: on January 19, 2016 at 12:00 pm  Comments (6)  
Tags: ,

MABELLE ADAMS: A PRETTY BROADWAY ACTRESS

mabelle

This vintage real photo postcard features actress Mabelle Adams (1880-1935). Mabelle Adams was her stage name but her real name was Mabelle Humberstone. She is known for her stage career but also for being the mother of director Bruce “Lucky” Humberstone whose work included Film noir “I Wake Up Screaming” (1941) as well as some “Charlie Chan” and “Tarzan” films. Interestingly, Mabelle was a niece of Edwin Booth. She was the understudy on Broadway for actress Maude Adams in “Peter Pan”. She was in a number of Broadway productions including occupying a starring role in “Two Orphans” (1933). Adams was an active member of the Stage Women’s War Relief which raised money for medical supplies for Allies wounded in World War I. A brief biography of Adams can be found in “The Stars of Hollywood Forever” (2014), This postcard was published pre 1907 by the Rotograph Company and part of a series (no. B1998). Rotograph was located in New York City.  (SOLD)

mabelle 1

Published in: on December 26, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  

PORTRAIT OF A WEDDING COUPLE IN CANELONES, URUGUAY

uruguay

This cabinet card features a wedding couple posing for their portrait at Bernardo Grolero’s Fotografia Oriental in Canelones, Uruguay. The groom is dressed in the gaucho style. Gauchos were cowboys of the South American Pampas. The city of Canelones is the capital of the Canelones department and is located about 31 miles north of Montevideo. The city was named after a species of cinnamon which is called “canelon”. To view other photographs from Uruguay, click on the category “Uruguay”.

 

Published in: on November 27, 2015 at 7:04 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

FORMALLY DRESSED YOUNG MAN IN LINCOLN, ILLINOIS

kerrThis vintage photograph features a handsome young man photographed by E. N. Kerr who operated a photographic studio in  Lincoln, Illinois. The young man’s hair is well styled and he is dressed in fine clothing. Ernest N. Kerr (1866-1954) appears as a photographer in the Bloomington, Illinois business directory issue of 1893. From at least 1905 through 1913 he is included in the Rock Island business directory as a photographer. He and his wife, Carrie Clute Kerr are buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in El Paso, Illinois. kerr grave

 

 

 

Published in: on November 22, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »