YOU CAN TRUST YOUR CAR TO THE MAN THAT WEARS THE STAR: INCREDIBLE PORTRAIT OF THE INTERIOR OF A WORKING TEXACO GAS STATION

This fantastic photograph provides a look into the interior of a gas station from days gone by. The Texaco Motor Oil cans reveal that we are seeing the inside of a Texaco gas station. A few of the items in the sales showcase can be identified. One can readily see Rustone Cans (rust preventative), flares, and glass cleaner. Is that a cash register on the counter? Next to the register, a cardboard advertising sign promotes a brand of glass cleaner. An advertising calendar hangs on the wall and it provides some interesting information. First, the calendar reveals that this photo was taken in 1942. Secondly, print on the bottom of the calendar reveals that the calendar is advertising a Minnesota company. Therefore, this gas station’s location was probably Minnesota. The people in this photo include the uniformed gas station attendant/mechanic/owner and two woman. One can posit that the older woman may be the pictured gentleman’s wife and the younger woman, his daughter. Note the tire pressure gauge in the man’s shirt pocket. This photograph was taken during difficult times. The United States was involved in World War II and gas rationing began in 1942, the year that this photograph was taken. (SOLD)

Published in: on March 9, 2017 at 3:31 pm  Comments (3)  
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ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

I do not think it is an exaggeration to state that the young woman seen in this cabinet card portrait, is exquisitely beautiful. She is well dressed and well coiffed. She has lace at her collar and at the bottom of her sleeves. Her hair was meticulously prepared for this portrait. She is wearing star earrings and a ring. She is holding a folded fan decorated with feathers. John L. McCormick and his partner Sumner B. Heald (1835-1900) operated the Boston studio that produced this excellent portrait. Both McCormick and Heald are no strangers to the Cabinet Card Gallery. The two photographers have a number of photographs in the gallery that can be accessed by placing their last name in the site’s search box. Take a look at their work and learn a little bit more about McCormick and Heald. Interestingly, Heald supervised the portrait studio operated by famed Boston photographer, George K. Warren (1824-1884). Warren also has a large presence in the Cabinet Card Gallery. Heald oversaw the celebrity and theatrical portraits produced by the Warren Studio.   SOLD

Published in: on March 8, 2017 at 7:12 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF THREE OLD TIME BASEBALL PLAYERS (VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD)

Welcome to Mudville. This vintage real photo postcard features three uniformed baseball players. The young men are wearing the uniform of St. Joseph school. Two of the players are wearing fielding gloves and the player in the middle is equipped with a catcher’s glove. The ball players appear to be standing on a ball field in front of empty bleachers. The AZO stamp box on the reverse of this photo postcard indicates that the postcard was published sometime between 1926 and the 1940’s.  SOLD

Published in: on March 7, 2017 at 9:02 pm  Leave a Comment  
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THE FAMOUS HANNA TRIPLETS IN BOONTON, NEW JERSEY (PHOTO BY WENDT)

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This cabinet card portrait features “The Famous Hanna Triplets”. The girl’s names were Ida, Iva, and Eva. The sisters were involved in show business from the age of ten months. A 1967 interview with Iva during her retirement revealed her perspective on the triplet’s popularity. She stated “there weren’t too many triplets in those days who survived…so I guess you could call them freaks who weren’t freaks”. The girls worked for Ringling Brothers and the A. B. Marcus Musical Comedy Company. They performed as dancers. At age 20 they retired as they began to marry. Eva married a noted clown. “Bumpsy” Anthony (1900-1989) was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame. In 1956, at age 50, the triplets had a reunion dance performance. Triplets are quite rare and it is not surprising that these beautiful performing girls became well known. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that triplets are born in about one of one thousand births. Only about 10% of these births are identical triplets. In 2015 only four sets of identical triplets were born in the US. It appears that the Hanna girls were identical triplets. The photographer of this historic image is Frank Wendt (1859-1930). In 1893 Wendt became the successor to his mentor, Charles Eisenmann (1855-197). Eisenmann was a famous New York City photographer known for his images concerning “human oddities” and circus perfomers. A collection of his work can be seen at the web site of the “International Center of Photography”. Wendt continued Eisenmann’s work photographing “human oddities” but he also photographed many “normal” celebrities.Wendt moved the studio to New Jersey in 1898. Author Jim Linderman maintains that Wendt has been unfairly placed in the shadow of Eisenmann.

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Published in: on March 3, 2017 at 11:09 am  Comments (5)  
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PORTRAIT OF BEAUTIFUL FILM ACTRESS: MILDRED DAVIS

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This vintage real photo postcard features film actress Mildred Davis (1901-1969). Mildred Hillary Davis appeared in many of Harold Lloyd’s (1893-1971) classic silent comedy films. She eventually became Lloyd’s wife. Davis was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She wanted to be an actress and when old enough, she went to California seeking film roles. She was blonde and petite, measuring just 5 feet tall. She has been described as sweet and perky, with a flair for comedy. She was able to secure several small parts and was noticed by film director/producer Hal Roach. Roach brought her to the attention of comedian Harold Lloyd who was seeking a replacement for his leading lady, Bebe Daniels (an image of Miss Daniels can be found in the Cabinet Card Gallery). Lloyd casted Davis in his short comedy “From Hand to Mouth” (1919). This began a partnership that resulted in them starring together in fifteen films. Mildred Davis’s filmography includes approximately 36 films between 1916 and 1949. A few of her popular films include “An Eastern Westerner” (1920), “Get Out and Get Under” (1920), and “Safety Last” (1923), The film couple developed a “real life” partnership when they married in 1923. Davis only appeared in one film after the couple tied the knot. The couple had three children. Biographical information reveals they had a relatively strong marriage. In later life she struggled with depression, and drinking problems. Davis was close friends with actresses Marion Davies and Colleen Moore. Mildred Davis died in 1969 . This real photo portrait postcard was published by Ross Verlag of Berlin, Germany. The postcard is part of a series (no. 1254/1). Paramount Film is credited on the front of the postcard. The “You Tube” link below will take you to a tribute to Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis. The video was created by Diana Calado in 2013.  (SOLD)

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Published in: on March 2, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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AN ADORABLE CHILD AND A PHOTO BOOK IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

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This vintage photograph captures a most adorable child sitting on a stool/table, resting one foot on a nearby chair. I am uncertain as to whether the child is a boy or a girl but for the purpose of this entry, I will refer to the child as a boy. From his perch, the child looks toward the camera with very engaging eyes and expression. He is wearing an outfit that is part nautical and part “Little Lord Fauntleroy”. He is holding an open book or magazine. There appear to be copies of photo postcards on the book/magazine pages. This photographic portrait was taken by the Schneidt Studio in St. Louis, Missouri. George Gustav Schneidt (1887-1965) and his son operated the studio until 1965.

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Published in: on March 1, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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TWO YOUNG GIRLS AND A PIANO IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

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Two young girls pose in front of a piano in a nicely decorated parlor. Both girls are wearing light dresses. The standing girl has long hair and is wearing a hair bow. She is also holding flowers. The second girl is sitting on the piano bench and is also wearing a hair bow. She is adorned in an unusual necklace as well as a bracelet. The piano room is decorated in an interesting fashion. There is open sheet music on the piano and above the piano there are some framed photographs. The photographer did an excellent job of creating a warm image that is truly pleasing to the eye. A stamp on the reverse of the photograph reveals that the photographer’s name was Higgins and that his studio was located in Kansas City, Missouri. The photograph is mounted on very hard stock paper and is trimmed. It’s measurements are 3 3/4″x 5 1/2″.

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Published in: on February 28, 2017 at 11:15 am  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A LITTLE GIRL AND HER THREE BISQUE DOLLS IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

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This cabinet card portrait features a sweet little girl posing as she sits of an animal skin rug with her three bisque dolls. Interestingly, the dolls have similar faces but are three different sizes. The little girl has ribbons in her curly hair and flashes a wry grin at the camera. The child’s first name appears to be “Carol” as that is the name written on the cabinet card below the image. The photograph was taken by the Cunningham Studio in Boston, Massachusetts. Edward L. Cunningham appears in the 1900 US census. The data indicates that he was born in 1864 in the state of Maine. He married Ella B. Cunningham in 1885. The couple had at least one child, Edward L Cunningham born in 1889. At the time of the census the Cunningham family was living in Boston and Edward Sr. was working as a photographer. A number of business directories from the Boston area list the Cunningham studio. The directories were issued between 1883 and 1905. This cabinet card portrait is especially nice as it offers a close up view of both little Carol, and her collection of dolls.

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Published in: on February 24, 2017 at 11:04 am  Comments (1)  
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PORTRAIT OF ADORABLE SIBILINGS ESTER, OLGA, AND HAROLD MONSON IN SALEM, OREGON

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This vintage photograph features three adorable siblings. Their names, “Esther, Olga,and Harold Monson” are written on the reverse of the photo. The children are well dressed and are wearing wonderful smiles. The girls are clothed in identical white dresses with lace, and are wearing identical hair bows. Master Harold is dressed in a nautical themed outfit. The Monson siblings are listed in the 1910 US census. The family was living in Jefferson, Oregon. Esther C. Monson (1894-?), Olga Christine Monson (1896-1991), and Harold G. Monson (1898-1991) were living with their parents Olof and Anna Monson. The family had added a fourth child, Agnes D. Monson. When he wasn’t fathering children, Olof worked as a farmer. Olof and Anna were born in Sweden while the three children seen in the photograph were born in Iowa. The photographer of this lovely portrait is the Cronise Photo Studio which was located in Salem, Oregon. Thomas Jefferson Cronise (?-1927) was a very talented photographer. His work is recognized by the Oregon Historical Society, which possesses a large collection of his work. He is described as a man who was able to develop a great rapport with his subjects enabling him to capture their image after he helped them relax for the picture taking. Historians note that he was excellent at photographing peoples “fleeting expressions”. The material was donated in 1974 by Harry Wilmot Cronise, the final owner of Salem’s Cronise Studio, and Thomas’s son. Tom’s sister, Anna Louise worked for photographer Francis J. Catterlin in 1892 and purchased the studio less than a year later. Tom was a successful book and job printer and he began to assist his sister in operating the studio. By 1893, he had become his sister’s partner. After deciding to pursue a full time career as a photographer, Tom bought the Elite Studio in 1902 from Hart and McLennon and renamed the studio “The Tom Cronise Photo Studio”. Upon Tom’s death in 1927, his widow, Nellie, continued the business until 1930. She was succeeded by her and Tom’s son, Harry Cronise. A portrait of Tom Cronise can be seen below.      (SOLD)

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Published in: on February 20, 2017 at 8:58 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A WELL DRESSED SERIOUS OLDER WOMAN IN CAMDEN, MAINE

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This vintage photograph features a portrait of a striking well dressed older woman. She is wearing a fancy dress, a boa, and leather gloves. She is also wearing jewelry including a necklace, watch, and earrings. Note her pretty, but very busy, hat. The woman is also wearing a very serious expression. She does not seem to be having a lot of fun having her portrait taken The photographer of this image is William V. Lane (1849-1903). He operated a studio in Camden, Maine.  He came to Camden and opened his gallery in 1883. He also had a branch gallery in Vinalhaven, Maine.  He resided in Camden for 15 years; and then moved to Boston, Massachusetts. While in Camden, Lane was the Chairman of the Board of Assessors and in that capacity, he promoted a new opera house in town.  He also served as the President of the Business Men’s Association and had a one year stint as Road Commissioner. To view other images by William Lane, click on the category “Photographer: Lane”.  This vintage photograph measures 5″ x 7″.

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Published in: on February 18, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Comments (2)  
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