This cabinet card is an image of a very pretty woman who is also quite fashionable. She is wearing a ruffled lace dress and appears very comfortable in front of the camera. She is wearing matching bracelets around each of her lower arms. Hopefully a visitor to the site can explain the reason she is wearing two matching bracelets and why they are worn higher than her wrists. The photographer is J.Garratt of Leeds, England.
PRETTY WOMAN IN RUFFLED LACE DRESS (LEEDS, ENGLAND)
BESPECTACLED SALVATION ARMY WORKER IN PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY
This Cabinet Card photograph is an image of a Salvation Army Worker. Note her uniform and the “S” on her collar. The photographic studio that produced this image is Fisher & Monfort of Plainfield, New Jersey. This photograph is one of a number of photographs of Salvation Army workers that can be found in the Cabinet Card Gallery. Take a look at them in the “Salvation Army” category. There is also a category for “Photographer: Fisher & Monfort” where other pictures by these photographers may be viewed. Their full names are Charles W. Fisher and George W. Monfort.
MOURNING IN PORTLAND, MAINE
This Cabinet Card may be a mourning card; a photograph of a woman in grief over the loss of a loved one. Sadness permeates this cabinet card and the woman’s expression. The photographer is Joseph Harrison Lamson (1840-1901) of Portland, Maine. The photographer’s father was a maker of daguerrotypes and his mother was an artist. He began his career in photography in Bangor, Maine and then worked in Cuba, the West Indies, and South America. He made a fortune and then bought a studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He then moved to Maine and operated a photographic studio in Portland. He photographed the poets Longfellow and Whittier. When he died, his two sons took over the studio.
WOMAN IN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA: DRESSED FOR AN OCCASION
This Cabinet Card is an image of a teenager or young woman posing in a special dress for what is apparently a special day. She is holding a small book and flowers. She is wearing dress gloves and a corsage. Perhaps this is a portrait of her confirmation day. The props in the photograph are quite elaborate and that should not be a surprise once one learns about the photographer. The photographer is F. Schanz of Ft Wayne, Indiana. Research reveals that Felix Schanz (1861-?) was born in France and educated in Germany. He came to the United States at age 18 and worked as a photographer for three years in New York City. He arrived in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1881. “The Pictorial History of Fort Wayne, Indiana” , published in 1917; states that Schanz was a well known and popular businessman who lived in Fort Wayne nearly 40 years. He had a number of successive studios but the one that he built in 1914 allowed drivers to drive into the building to obtain photographs of their car and the car’s occupants. Schanz also expanded his studio to work in the area of motion picture photography. He was an innovator and his studios were described as quite grand. to view other photographs by Schanz, click on the category “Photographer: Schanz”.
PRETTY WOMAN PHOTOGRAPHED IN ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
Emma sits for her portrait at the studio of T.M. Swem of St. Paul, Minnesota. Research from the Minnesota Historical Society reveals that the photographer is Thomas M. Swem who was born in Lima, Ohio in 1848 and began his photography business in Missouri in 1882. He moved to St. Paul, Minnesota and operated photography studios from various locations there from 1883 through 1899 when he moved out of state. Further research finds that he continued his photography business after leaving Minnesota. To view other photographs by Swem, click on the category “Photographer: Swem”.
CALIFORNIA DREAMING AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY (PRETTY WOMAN IN SANTA ANA)
An attractive and well dressed west coast woman poses for her cabinet card photograph at the studio of E. Bowman in Santa Ana, California. She is looking quite pensive as she sits for her photographic portrait. Note her lace collar and hair ornament. Little information can be found about the photographer except that a photography magazine from 1894 announced that Ed Bowman bought the photography studio of Harry Hamaker in Santa Ana.
ACCIDENTALLY RISQUE WOMAN IN MCMINNVILLE, OREGON
This Cabinet Card is an image of 18 year-old Mary Earhart. The reverse of the card has pencil writing with her identification as well as the information that she was 5 foot and 3 inches, and weighed 137 1/2 pounds. It is unusual to find these statistics on the reverse of a cabinet card.. This image is also unique because it appears that it shows the young woman’s ample bust in too much detail. Risque Cabinet Cards that emphasized a woman’s breasts or cleavage seems to have been typically reserved for women who were prostitutes or actresses; and of course many people did not believe there was a difference between the two occupations. Perhaps this image was saved rather than destroyed by Ms Earhart but kept in a private place. The photographer was Fritz of the Superior Gallery in McMinnville, Oregon.
A YOUNG WOMAN WEARING BIG JEWELRY IN CORNING, NEW YORK
This Cabinet Card is a portrait of a young woman wearing a large brooch that dominates the portrait. The jewelry detracts from her appearance as well as the portrait. The photographer will have to remain unknown unless a blog visitor can decipher the name on the bottom of the Cabinet Card. If you can identify the photographer, please leave a comment with his or her name.
PRETTY WOMAN IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSSETS
This Cabinet Card presents a pretty young woman posing for her portrait at the studio of Worden, in Boston, Massachusetts. No identifying information is available. To view other photographs by Worden, click on the category “Photographer: Worden”.
YOUNG WOMAN IN A ROWBOAT GOING NOWHERE
This Cabinet Card portrays a young woman rowing a boat. This photograph was made using props or perhaps employing “trick photography” techniques. The lily pads certainly appear to be an “after thought”. Perhaps a visitor to this site can explain how the photograph was technically produced. The photographer is J. F. Suddard of Fall River, Massachusetts. Suddard operated a studio in Fall River between 1890 and 1905. Earlier, he had a studio in Providence, Rhode Island. To view other photographs by Suddard, click on the category “Photographer: Suddard”.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 