PORTRAIT OF AN ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL IN MADISON SQUARE, NEW YORK CITY

This cabinet card portrait features an adorable little girl posing for the photographer while she is standing on wooden steps. She is holding a basket in her left hand. Note her high top shoes. The photographer of this photograph is W. Kurtz of Madison Square, New York City, New York. Madison Square is the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in Manhattan.  The reverse of this photograph has printed advertising for Kurtz’s studio. His self-promoting includes his declaring that he is a photographer with “good taste” and twelve first-class medals for his photographic work. His medals came from competitions in such cities as New York, Vienna, Philadelphia, and Paris. He photographed many celebrities of his time and his work is included in the archives of many University libraries, including Harvard University. To see additional photographs by Mr. Kurtz, place his name in this blog’s search box.

SOLD

Published in: on March 14, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF TWO AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN

This vintage real photo postcard captures two African American women sitting on the ground having their portrait taken. Both ladies are wearing flowers on their dresses and one is wearing a watch. The women have a closed umbrella lying next to them, suggesting they wanted to be prepared for threatening rain or intense sun. In the background, one can see a parked buggy. The AZO stamp box on the reverse of this postcard reveals that the photo was taken sometime between 1904 and 1918. This is a fabulous African American/African American History topical photo postcard and such images, in good condition, are relatively rare.  SOLD

Published in: on March 13, 2018 at 1:20 pm  Comments (2)  
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EXCEPTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN IN LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA

This cabinet card features a very beautiful and fashionably dressed young woman. Her name, Emma Arter, is listed on the reverse of the cabinet card. Miss Arter is wearing a stylish hat and a pretty fur collar. She appears very self assured.  When I first saw this photograph, I was convinced that Miss Arter was a theater actress. Preliminary research found no information about an actress with that name. More general research could not locate any confirmed biographical information about this lovely young lady. This cabinet card is from the studio of  C. S. Roshon of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. According to printing on the reverse of the photograph, the image was produced in 1891. The Roshon Galleries were located at 142 North 8th Street, and 22 South 9th street, in Lebanon. Roshon also had a studio in Harrisburg and another gallery in Morristown, New Jersey.  To view other photographs from Roshon’s studio, click on the category “Photographer: Roshon”. SOLD

Published in: on March 12, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Comments (3)  
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TWO YOUNG MEN ON A HORSE DRAWN WORK WAGON IN HOT SPRINGS ARKANSAS (PHOTO BY N. E. McLEOD)

This vintage real photo postcard features two young man sitting on the front bench of a horse drawn work wagon. The two horses are at rest and one of the young men is loosely holding the reigns. A caption on the postcard states “Working in Arkasaw (53156)”. The misspelling of the word “Arkansas” is likely an attempt at humor, poking fun of the accent of the residents of the state. It is interesting to note that “Arkansaw Territory” was the initial name of the “Arkansas Territory”. However, Arkansas became a state in 1836, long before this postcard was printed. The number printed on the card is probably there to assist in the photographers record keeping. This photograph is probably staged. An explanation for this hypothesis will become clearer as you read this entry. Printing on the reverse of the postcard indicates that the photographer of this image was N. E. McLeod. The internet’s Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture informs us that Happy Hollow was another name for McLeod’s Amusement Park. This site was one of Hot Spring’s most popular tourist attractions from the late 1800 until the 1940’s. It’s location was at the head of Fountain Street, just off of Central Avenue and north of Hot Springs Mountain. Happy Hollow was owned and operated by photographer Norman McLeod from the time of its founding (1888) through 1908. McLeod was born on a farm in Georgia . At the age of 19 he moved to Live Oak, Florida where he learned the photography business. He then attended college in Athens, Georgia. He started Happy Hollow as a photography studio and gradually developed it into an amusement park complex which included a zoo. In 1908 he sold the property. The park became known for taking humorous photos of it’s guests. Props included an old bathtub, a burro, and painted scenery which included a jailhouse and a gigantic angry bear. McLeod and Happy Hollow were nationally known. This postcard has an AZO stamp box indicating it was produced sometime between 1904 and 1918. To see more photographs by McLeod, click on category “Photographer: McLeod” or put the name “McLeod” in this blog’s search box.  SOLD

                                                                                                                                 Norman McLeod

Published in: on March 11, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MOTHER AND DAUGHTER PORTRAIT (CARDIFF, WALES)

This cabinet card portrait features a mother and her young daughter. The mother is wearing a dark dress while the daughter is dressed in white; creating a nice contrast in this family photograph. This photo was taken at Sargent Brothers studio in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff is a port city on the coast of South Wales. I found another cabinet card image at an internet site that reveals that the Sargent Brothers also had studios in the cities of Bristol, Newport, and Penarth.  SOLD

Published in: on March 10, 2018 at 12:00 am  Comments (1)  
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PORTRAIT OF MUSIC HALL ACTRESS HILDA HAMMERTON (PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEXANDER BASSANO)

This vintage real photo postcard features beautiful music hall actress Miss Hilda Hammerton. Hammerton was known for being one of the “Cozy Corner Girls”. She and Gertrude Thornton, and Clare Richards appeared as the Cozy girls in the musical comedy, “The Earl and the Girl” (1903) which was produced at the Adelphi Theater. “Weekly Magazine” (1904) article reports that Hammerton performed a very heroic act. She risked her life to save the life of a little child. While out walking, she heard people screaming about a little girl in danger who had strayed into the roadway and was in “imminent danger” of being run over by a fast approaching vehicle. The actress ran to the scene and scooped up the child, and barely avoided being hit by the speeding truck. It was reported that witnesses to the scene gave her an ovation for her quick actions. There are three portraits of Miss Hammerton in England’s National Portrait Gallery. The talented photographer responsible for this lovely portrait is Bassano. Two of the three portraits of Hammerton in the National Portrait Gallery are by Alexander Bassano. Bassano  (1829 –1913) was a leading royal and high society photographer in Victorian London. This postcard was published in England by the Davidson Brothers. Davidson Brothers was located in both London and New York City. The firm operated between 1901 and 1911. This postcard is part of the “Real Photographic Series” (no. 2253). The message on this postcard is written in French, but the sender mailed it from England. The postmark indicates that it was stamped in Edinburgh, England in 1907. The postcard was mailed to someone in Paris, France.   SOLD

Published in: on March 9, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A LOVELY AFRICAN AMERICAN COUPLE POSING ON THEIR FRONT PORCH

This vintage real photo postcard features a lovely African American couple posing on the porch of their house. Both the man and woman are well dressed and displaying a serious expression. An inscription on the reverse of the postcard indicates that the couple are “Mr. and Mrs. Johnson”. The “AZO” stamp box reveals that this photo was photographed sometime between 1904 and 1918. Finding vintage real photo postcard portraits of African Americans is an uncommon experience.

Published in: on March 7, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A PRETTY LITTLE GIRL IN OAKLAND, MARYLAND

A pretty little girl stands on a wicker chair while posing for her portrait at the Pritchard studio in Oakland, Maryland. The child is displaying a serious expression. Her curly hair on each side of her head is held in place by ribbons. She has a sash running across her midriff. I believe that it may signify that she is in mourning although that is just a hypothesis. An inscription on the reverse of the cabinet card identifies the girl as “Cousin Alice Salter”. Her name is too common to find biographical information about her. The photographer of this cabinet card image is Galusha H. Pritchard. The 1880 US census identifies him as being born in 1850 and as a working photographer. In 1889 he married Ella Pettit. The 1910 US census revealed that Pritchard was still working as a photographer. The Bulletin of Photography (1912) has an announcement stating that Pritchard’s photograph studio was taken over by James Bell.  SOLD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published in: on March 6, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Comments (5)  
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STUDIO PORTRAIT OF A LOVELY COUPLE IN TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA

This cabinet card portrait features a portrait of a lovely couple by the Biel studio in Terre Haute, Indiana. The woman in this image is sitting while the gentleman is standing behind her. Cabinet photographs of couples may have only the woman sitting, or only the man sitting. I wonder how it was decided who gets to sit in the chair in the typical couple’s photograph. It is my guess that the ultimate decision is made by the photographer and it is based on creating the pose that photographs best. I imagine that the height of the man and woman being photographed is an important factor in such decisions. The photographer who took this photograph is Henry T. Biel (1855-1929). Biel’s parents were Prussian immigrants. He was married to Francinea E.Fundy in 1879. Biel was listed as a photographer in both the 1880 and 1910 US census. Biel began his photography career at the ripe old age of fifteen. At that age, he became under the tutelage of G. H. Wright, a photographer in Terre Haute. He struck out on his own  in 1886 after purchasing the John Adams studio. In time, he became a fixture in the city of Terre Haute as a photographer. In researching Mr. Biel’s background, I began to wonder what the words “Terre Haute” mean. I found the answer to be that Terre Haute was derived from the French term for “Highland”. The name likely was created by early 18th century French explorers who were noting the area’s unusual location above the Wabash River.

Published in: on March 2, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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THE DOG SOLDIERS: SEVEN SOLDIERS AND THEIR MASCOT JACK RUSSELL TERRIER

This vintage real photo postcard features a portrait of seven young soldiers and their mascot Jack Russell Terrier. I do not know what army these men served in. Perhaps a visitor to the Cabinet Card Gallery will educate us via a comment. The stamp box on the reverse of this postcard indicates that the postcard was printed on “P M C” card stock. Therefore, this photo postcard was produced sometime between 1920 and 1935. The men served in the military between World War I and World War II.

Published in: on March 1, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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