The subjects of this photograph are two warmly dressed men. The seated man is wearing a fur coat and an interesting cap. Is it a buffalo coat? He is holding a walking stick or cane. Look at his hands. They seem to be the hands of a man who works outside in the elements. The standing man is well dressed and his wardrobe includes a long coat. One wonders what line of work these men pursued. The man in the fur looks like a trapper. The man in the long coat looks like a rancher. If only assessing occupations of people in photographs was so easy. This photograph was produced by Shepherd’s Automatic Studio. The location of the studio is listed as “On Route” which likely indicates that the photographer responsible for this image was a travelling photographer.
This unusually posed Cabinet Card was photographed by Wright, in Comanche, Texas. Two beautifully dressed woman wearing long white dresses, pose behind a frilly lace curtain. The dresses are embellished with lace, flowers, and possibly fur or feathers. The woman on the right is holding a fan and wearing a cape. Who would have thought that these Comanche, Texas women could make such a beautiful fashion statement. Comanche, Texas is located in Central Texas and is the site of the saloon where gunfighter John Wesley Hardin killed a deputy in 1874. The Comanche Chief, the local newspaper, wrote in 1880 that James L Wright was the best photographic artist in Texas outside of some photographers in Galveston and Dallas. This claim sounds like a compliment with reservations.
This Cabinet Card is a portrait of a very beautiful young woman photographed by Alfred Edward Rinehart in Denver, Colorado. She is wearing a necklace and earrings and her hair style is meticulously done and the style appears unusual for photographed women of this time period. Perhaps she is an actress or was part of Denver’s high society. Rinehart’s studio was located on one of Denver’s oldest and most historic blocks (Larimer Street). Rinehart was a pioneer photographer who came to Denver from Lafayette, Indiana in 1874. He was the city’s leading photographer during the mining boom and photographed many of the early Denver pioneers. His subjects included Kit Carson and Mountain Man Jim Baker. Rinehart died at age 63 in 1915.
Three well dressed men pose for their photograph in the mining town of Leadville, Colorado. The photographer is Luke. The men are wearing Western clothing and great hats. One man has a pocket watch and chain. Leadville is located at an altitude of 10,152 feet and in the late 1800’s was the second most populated city in Colorado. Denver was number one in population. Leadville was one of the worlds largest Silver camps and was the home of Doc Holliday shortly after the gunfight at the OK Corral.
This Cabinet card pictures, what appears to be, two Native American or possibly African American cowboys wearing their cow punching clothing. The cowboy on the left is wearing a western hat, a neckerchief, and wooly chaps. I do not know what he wearing over his lower arms and wrists. The cowboy on the right has his western hat, neckerchief, and is wearing spurs on his boots. The photographer is Elliott of Marion, Iowa. Marion was established in 1839 and named after popular figure General Marion. The courthouse in Marion was the location of the recruitment of nine full companies which fought for the Union in the Civil War. The area was known as the most patriotic part of Iowa.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 