EARLY CABINET CARD PORTRAIT OF A PRETTY WOMAN IN CANANDAIGUA, NEW YORK

This cabinet card captures the image of a pretty young woman dressed in a fur trimmed winter coat and wearing a fancy hat. She is also wearing a necklace. The photographer who produced this image is Finley & Sons. The studio was located in Canandaigua, New York. This cabinet card likely dates back to the 1870’s. The Finley & Sons studio was established by Marshall Finley as a daguerreotype gallery. His son, Horace M. Finley (1839- ?) joined his father in business in the early 1860’s. The 1870 Ontario County Directory has an advertisement for the gallery. The ad reveals that in addition to “photographic work”,  Finley & Sons (172 Main Streeet) was “Canandaigua’s Music Store”. The Finley’s sold pianos (including Steinway and Chickering brands) as well as other instruments and music supplies.  In 1888, Horace Finley took on a partner named William N. Freeman. There are many stereoview cards, cdvs, and cabinet cards produced by this studio that can be found today as the Finleys were known to run a prolific studio. To view other photographs by Finley, click on category “Photographer: Finley”.

Published in: on August 7, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

EVERYTHING’S COMING UP ROSES FOR PRETTY WOMAN IN GROTON, NEW YORK

A pretty woman wearing pinned roses on her dress poses for her portrait at a photographic studio in Groton, New York. The photographer’s name is M. W. Cooper. One source reports that he operated as a photographer in Groton in the 1890’s through 1900. Cooper is listed in the Ithaca (NY) city directory of 1890 under the category of Photographers. The directory confirms that his business was located in Groton.

Published in: on August 2, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
Tags: , , ,

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DRESS IN PHILADELPHIA: LAURA DEXTER TELLS COUSIN GUSSIE ABOUT HER ADVENTURES IN FASHION

“Dear Gussie,

Here is a Photo of my self in full dress if you would rather have me in my black lace dress I will exchange this for it. Everyone thinks this is the best I have ever had taken. Recd (received) your letter will answer it tomorrow. I tinted this for you.

With love, Your devoted Cousin,   Laura Decker.”

The above is the inscription found on the reverse of this cabinet card. Laura Decker was definitely fashion conscious and also very excited about her appearance in this photograph. She was also eager to share her joy with her cousin Gussie. Although this is not a particularly flattering image of Laura, the dress certainly photographed well. Laura’s message to her cousin is interesting though while reading it, I felt almost guilty as if I was reading someone else’s mail. That feeling shouldn’t be too surprising because that’s exactly what I was doing. The photographer of this cabinet card was a studio belonging to George F. Chandler & Samuel Scheetz. They operated their business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One source indicates that the studio was located on Arch Street in Philadelphia between  1880 and 1893. Another source reveals that the two men had a gallery in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1885. The business was located on the Boardwalk at the corner of South Carolina Avenue. To view additional photographs by Chandler & Scheetz, click on the category “Chandler & Scheetz”. Further information about Laura Decker could not be located because there were a number of women in Philadelphia who shared that name.

Published in: on July 31, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

A pretty young woman poses for photographer George W. Bew in his studio. The studio was located at 1725 Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  She is wearing a fashionable hat and an interesting necklace with a locket. She is also wearing earrings. A story about photographer George W. Bew (1835-1913) appears in the “Historical Journal ” (2012) of the Lititz Historical Foundation. Lititz is a town in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Apparently, after working as a photographer in Philadelphia (he is listed in the 1881 city directory), Bew moved his business to Lititz. Between 1890 and 1896 his business in Lititiz was known as the “Broad Street Gallery”. Between 1900 and 1913 his gallery was located at 162 Locust Street in Lititz. The Bulletin of Photography (1913) announced Bew’s death. The brief article mentioned that he was still working as a photographer at the time of his death, even though he was 80 years old. Another source listed his death age as seventy-eight.

Published in: on July 29, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , ,

YOUNG WOMAN AND HER INTERESTING NECKLACE IN BROADHEAD, WISCONSIN

A young woman poses for her portrait at the studio of C. W. Lucas in Brodhead, Wisconsin. She has long dark hair and is dressed nicely but not fancy. She is wearing an interesting necklace. The necklace is a string of small cubes. Hanging from the necklace is a small cameo. Photographer, Charles W. Lucas located to Brodhead in 1869, He was born in 1841 and was a native of Maine. He entered the field of photography in 1866 and moved to Wisconsin in 1868. He partnered with others in photography studios until 1871 when he began to operate independently. He was married to Bashie Springstead of Brodhead. It is interesting to note that there is an error  on the front of this cabinet card. The name of the town of “Broadhead” is misspelled. The name should be spelled “Brodhead”.   One wonders why Charles Lucas kept the card stock even though part of his address was spelled incorrectly.

Published in: on July 27, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
Tags: , , ,

NATURAL BEAUTY IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

A young woman poses for her portrait at the studio of Bellin  & Murphy in Brooklyn, New York. As part of the advertising on the reverse of this cabinet card, the photographers state that “none but strictly first class work allowed to leave the studio”. Although this image is not an exceptional portrait, the photographer did do a “first class” job of capturing the subjects “girl-next-door” natural beauty.

Published in: on July 21, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

PRETTY WOMAN IN ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Photographer I. A. Collins of Rochester, New Hampshie, produced this cabinet card portrait of a lovely woman. She is wearing a pretty dress and an abundance of jewelry. Note her bracelet, ring, pin and chains. Her dress has two very large buttons and hopefully one of the fashion experts who visit the Cabinet Card Gallery can explain the purpose of the buttons. It appears as if the buttons are held together by a clasp and serve to keep the skirt portion in position.Very little information could be uncovered about photographer I. Collins. He was listed in the Dover, New Hampshire business directory (1889 and 1891) as a photographer. The directories  report that the gallery was located on a street named Hanson.

Published in: on July 20, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,

PERPLEXED YOUNG WOMAN POSES IN A CHAIR IN GLAUCHAU OR WALDENBURG, GERMANY

A photographer named Alvin Dietrich photographed this perplexed looking young woman sitting in a chair. Dietrich had photography studios in Glauchau and Waldenburg, Germany. The woman is wearing a hair band and a bow. She is not wearing jewelry. Note the flowers pinned near the top of her dress. A newspaper sits on a table behind her.

Published in: on June 29, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
Tags: , ,

A WOMAN AND HER BOOK IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

A thinnish young woman poses for her portrait at the studio of H. Huebner in Chicago, Illinois. She is dressed nicely and hopefully a visitor to the Cabinet Card Gallery can tell us more about her dress. The design of the dress seems unusual and I am particularly interested in what material the dress is made from. The young woman is holding an open book.The previous owner of this image hypothesized that the subject of this photograph was a school teacher.

 

Published in: on June 27, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
Tags: , ,

VEILED WOMAN IN LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA

A veiled woman poses for her portrait at the studio of Otto E. Weber’s New York Gallery. Contrary to common sense, the New York Gallery was not located in New York. Weber operated his studio out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The veil, or head scarf, is beautifully knitted. It looks very soft. Note the white bow on top of the unidentified woman’s head. The Biographical Annals of Lancaster County (1903) reports that Weber (1857-1913) was one of the finest photographers in Pennsylvania. He was of German extraction and came to the United States with his parents in 1878. He opened his photography studio in Lancaster in about 1888. Weber served four years in the National Guard of Pennsylvania. The Annals state that Weber was a great lover of “manly sports” and expert with both shotgun and rifle. Another reference asserts that Weber operated his Lancaster studio between 1890 and 1906.

Published in: on June 26, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »