This cabinet card portrait features a smiling young woman wearing unusual attire. Is she wearing a uniform? If her clothing is a uniform, is she wearing it for work or is she part of a sports team? Note that her cap matches her jacket and that the style of her blouse is atypical for the cabinet card era. Hopefully, some cabinet card gallery’s visitors will leave a comment speculating or informing the rest of us about the fashion worn in this photograph. The Hawkins studio, located in Montpelier, Ohio, produced this image. Research reveals that there was a photographer in Montpelier named George B. Hawkins. At some point, there was a studio in Montpelier called Hawkins & Marsh. It is likely that George Hawkins once partnered with Mr. Marsh. The reverse of the cabinet card has an inscription which states “Cousin to Marian” and “Kelly-girl”. Clearly, the subject of this portrait is a cousin to Marian and it is likely that the subject’s last name is “Kelly”. The term “Kelly-girl” took a different meaning many years after this photograph was taken. In 1946, Russell Kelly started a business providing temporary employees to local Detroit businesses. His employees called themselves “Kelly Girls” to distinguish themselves from their temporary office coworkers. Russell Kelly’s novel business idea gave birth to the modern staffing business. SOLD
YOUNG WOMAN WEARING UNUSUAL ATTIRE IN MONTPELIER, OHIO
PROFILE OF A PRETTY WOMAN IN CLEVELAND, OHIO
A pretty woman poses for her portrait at the studio of John H. Ryder in Cleveland, Ohio. The subject is wearing a collar pin, earrings, and a interesting patterned dress. John H. Ryder (aka Jack) was a daguerreotype artist and photographer active on and off in Cleveland from the late 1850’s until his death in 1898. He was born in New York around 1832. After working with his older brother James F Ryder (1826-1904) for many years, he opened his own studio in 1884. John Ryder found a diversion from his photography career during his days of working for his brother. Some time around 1864 he went on a series of tours with humorist Charles F. Browne who was known on the lecture series as Artemus Ward”. Ryder served as Browne’s agent and manager. A photograph of Browne can be found below.
SOLEMN MAMA BROWN POSES FOR HER PORTRAIT IN WASHINGTON D.C.
The inscription on the reverse of this cabinet card identifies the subject of this portrait. She is “Mama Brown, friend and neighbor of Annie S. Peters”. The photographer of this photograph is G. W. Dahi… and his studio was located at 925 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D. C.. Dahi… had a second studio located at 821 Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia. If you are wondering why his name is spelled “Dahi…”, let me tell you the answer. The first four letters of the photographers name are “Dahi” and the rest of the letters are unknown because they were removed when the image was taken from the frame or album that used to house it. Note the subjects, ruffles, lace, flowers, and hair ornament. Research did not identify the photographer. There were a number of photographers that operated businesses from the 925 Pennsylvania Avenue address. They included Henry Whitefield Samson (1878), J. D. Merritt, G. W. Davis, and Tassert or Fassett. Research also failed to identify Mama Brown. There are a number of Mamie Browns that lived in the Washington D. C. area and it is possible that one of them is the subject of this portrait. Annie S. Peters, Mama Brown’s friend and neighbor, was easy to track down. She appears in a number of US Censuses. Annie was born around 1849 and was married to David W. Peters in 1871.
PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN LOVES LIFE IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
The young woman in this cabinet card photograph is very pretty. However, what makes this portrait very special is this woman’s wonderful expression. She has a beautiful smile and a gleam in her eyes. She looks like she loves life. She also appears to love jewelry as she is wearing two bracelets and a ring. The photographer who produced this image is Benoit Bloch. He operated a studio at 179 Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, New York and according to city directories and newspaper advertisements, he conducted business in the 1870’s, 1880’s, and 1890’s.
PORTRAIT OF A PRETTY WOMAN IN DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
A pretty and nicely dressed woman poses for her portrait at the Drew studio in Dover, New Hampshire. The subject of this image enjoys her jewelry as can be seen by her ring and the bracelets on both of her wrists. To learn more about A. P. Drew and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Drew”.
SISTERLY LOVE: PORTRAIT OF EMMA AND CLARA HOLST IN AVOCA, IOWA
The Brandt Brothers studio in Avoca, Iowa, produced this family portrait. Emma and Clara Holst are identified in an inscription on the reverse of the photograph. The two young women are wearing nice dresses with flowers pinned to just below their shoulders. Research reveals that Emma Holst was born in 1878 and Clara was born in 1881. Growing up, the sisters lived together in both Pleasant and Shelby, Iowa. Emma married Henry Sick in 1898. Sick was six years older than Emma. They had at least three children and in 1925 lived in Valley, Iowa.
A WOMAN WITH INTENSE EYES AND AN INTENSE HAT IN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA
The woman in this cabinet card photograph is identified as “Hattie Sugle”. Her name appears in an inscription on the reverse of the photograph. Hattie has intense eyes and is wearing an interesting large hat. Research could not garner any further information about this individual. The photographer of this image is John A. Shoaff (1836-1921) who operated a photography studio in Fort Bend, Indiana. To learn more about this photographer and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Shoaff”. SOLD
PORTRAIT OF A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN IN NEW YORK CITY (circa 1904)
This item features a portrait of a pretty young woman posing at Newman’s Studio of Art Photography at 1029 – 1031 Lexington Avenue in New York City. The young lady is posed in a lovely dress and is also wearing a lovely smile. In fact, even her eyes seem to be smiling. Note the rolled curls over her left shoulder. Samuel J. Newman originally had a partner, Edward Leaming, when he started his photography business. Between 1902 and 1906, Newman operated independently out of the Lexington address. (U/A)
PORTRAIT OF A PRETTY YOUNG PARISIAN WOMAN
Franqois Emile Graffe & Solon Vathis are the photographers of this portrait of a pretty young Parisian woman. Vathis was originally from greece but held French citizenship when he received a US patent in 1906 for inventing an “improved process for producing multicolor proofs”.
TWO LADIES HOLDING HANDS IN VAIL, IOWA
J. F. Barton documents the resolution of the conflict between the Hatfields and the McCoys. Mrs. Irma Hatfield and Miss Henrietta McCoy met at the Barton studio to resolve the decades old dispute that decimated their families. Sorry! I couldn’t resist making up a story to accompany this cabinet card portrait. The image begs for explanation, but unfortunately, the reason for the pictured handshake is lost in history. The ladies are wearing plain dresses but nice hats. Both women are wearing fingerless gloves. The woman on the right is wearing a belt that may have been the prototype of the automobile seat belts of today. J. F. Barton is humorously mentioned in the Denison Review (1902) as a first class photographer who is “kept busy printing smiles” on his customers.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
