PORTRAIT OF HARLEY PLACE: FARMER AND WEARY RESIDENT OF GLOCESTER, RHODE ISLAND

harley place

This vintage photograph features a portrait of a fine looking elderly man named Harley Place (1825-1913). His name appears in a number of state and federal census reports. The 1870 US census indicates that he and his wife Amanda E. Place were living with ten of their children in Glocester, Rhode Island. The 1880 US census indicates that Harley was a farmer. It appears that he lived all or most of his life in Glocester. He is also buried there. His grave is located in Acotes Hill Cemetery in Glocester. The photographer of this image is unidentified. An inscription on the reverse of the image states “Harley Place. Dad’s grandfather. This is the one big picture was made from.”. In this image Harley has the appearance of a wise but weary man. His clasped hands may indicate some tension or impatience. He is wearing work clothing with terrific looking suspenders. Visitors to the cabinet card gallery will notice that this image also appears in the previous blog entry. The previous blog entry was actually blogged in May of 2014 but I moved it so it would follow this entry. I believe that the biographical information in that entry actually belongs to Harley Place’s son who was also named Harley Place. The image is likely not Harley Place, the son; but Harley Place, the father. I am leaving the incorrect information as an illustration of how difficult this type of research can be and to remind me and others to be very careful in our investigative work.

Published in: on February 3, 2015 at 11:36 am  Comments (3)  
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HARLEY S. PLACE: PORTRAIT OF AN ELDERLY FARMER IN KILLINGLY, CONNECTICUT

harley front

An unidentified photographer produced this wonderful photograph of a stern looking elderly man. Fortunately, the subject of this portrait is identified.  The reverse of the photograph has an inscription (see image below) indicating that the subject’s name is “Harley Place”. Harley Place is wearing clothing that indicates that he was a working man. He is wearing overalls and what appears to be a work shirt. Note his large hands. Those big mitts must have come in handy in his work as a farmer. Harley Smith Place was born in Rhode Island in 1856. He was married to Adreanna Place (1866-1933). She was eleven years his junior. The couple had five children; Walter, Cora, Everett, Reuben, and Jennie. The 1910 US census listed him as a farmer in Killingly, Connecticut. The 1920 census found he and his wife living with a niece and nephew in Killingly and still listing his occupation as farmer. The 1930 census reported Harley and Adreanna continuing to reside with their niece and nephew in Killingly. Harley Place died in 1940 and is buried in Glocester, Rhode Island. His gravestone can be seen below.

harley close

harley inscription

Published in: on February 3, 2015 at 11:34 am  Comments (2)  
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YOUNG GIRL WEARING PEARL EARRINGS IN SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK

baker

This cabinet card portrait features a pretty young girl who appears to be in her early teenage years. Her hair is pulled back and she is wearing a ruffled collar and earrings. The photographer of this image is W. H. Baker of Saratoga Springs, New York. Research reveals that Baker was partners for a number of years with a Saratoga Springs photographer E. A. Record. A number of Record’s photographs can be found in the Cabinet Card Gallery. Baker and Record’s studio appears in the Saratoga County Business Directory (1871). An ad for their gallery can be found in the Saratoga Battleground Visitors Guide (1877).

Published in: on February 2, 2015 at 11:33 am  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN HOLLAND, MICHIGAN

holland

This vintage photograph features a handsome young man posing for his portrait at the Hopkins studio in Holland, Michigan. The young man is well dressed and his hair is carefully brushed. He has a look of confidence. The photographer of this image is William D. Hopkins. A 1902 Holland business directory lists his studio as being located at 46 West 8th Street. Hopkins was born in 1869 in Michigan. He is listed in the 1900 US census as being widowed and living with his 5 year-old daughter Lillian, his father, and a 27 year-old housekeeper. His marital status was listed as widowed and his occupation as photographer.

Published in: on February 1, 2015 at 11:47 am  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF AN ADORABLE FIVE YEAR OLD GIRL IN TOKYO JAPAN

taishoThis vintage photograph compensates for its less than stellar condition by featuring a very cute five year-old girl. She looks adorable in her nice outfit as she displays her long hair under a pretty hat. The previous owner of this image stated that it dates to the Taisho period (1912-1926). It was also reported that the young girl in this photograph was five years of age at the time the image was taken. The photographer of this photographic portrait is M. Matsuda of Tokyo, Japan.

 

Published in: on January 31, 2015 at 11:49 am  Comments (2)  
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A MUSTACHIOED YOUNG MAN AND HIS BICYCLE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

bike

This cabinet card features a mustachioed young man dressed in his sport clothing and standing beside his bicycle. At the time of this photograph, bike riding was a popular sport and many riders were members of bicycle clubs. Note that this gentleman is wearing knickers. This photograph was taken at the Lawrence studio in Chicago, Illinois. The photographer of this image was Adolph P. Lawrence who operated a studio in Chicago between 1887 and 1900.  SOLD

Published in: on January 30, 2015 at 12:23 pm  Comments (2)  
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MEET THE WINKLERS…..PORTRAIT OF AN ATTRACTIVE COUPLE IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA

winkler

Meet the Winkler’s. The reverse of this cabinet card has an inscription that introduces us to this lovely couple. Their names are  Gregor and Maria (Mitzi) Winkler. The couple are very well dressed. Each has a spray of flowers pinned to their lapel. He is holding his gloves while she is wearing her gloves. They appear to be dressed to attend an important formal event. The couple are posed at the August Kuhnel studio in Vienna, Austria. The photograph, according to the inscription was taken in 1920.

Published in: on January 29, 2015 at 12:18 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PRETTY YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN IN BRUNSWICK, MISSOURI

afr am

This vintage photograph features a pretty young African American woman posing for her portrait at the Kuhn studio in Brunswick, Missouri. The woman is wearing a couple of pieces of jewelry. She has a collar pin which has a photograph of a young white woman. One wonders if the photo is of someone that the subject knows or if it is just a beautiful model. The woman in this photograph is also wearing what appears to be a pocket watch. The timepiece is hanging from her blouse exposed between the lapels of her jacket. The woman has a nice smile and expressive eyes. An inscription on the reverse of this image indicates that the subject’s name is Nora.

Published in: on January 28, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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CLASS PICTURE FROM THE AVONDALE SCHOOL IN NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA (1898)

class

This vintage photograph is a class portrait of children from the Avondale School in Nova Scotia, Canada. The image has unusually great clarity. I suggest that the viewer magnifies the image and carefully look at the children’s expressions, their hairstyles,  and at their attire. This photograph really gives the observer an up close look at turn of the century school children. Note the two boys at the end of the first row. They are holding up signs identifying their school and the date (1898). The teacher sits in a chair, hands on his lap, and looking relaxed. I wonder how common male school teachers were during this era. Two of the girls are wearing identical dresses (same pattern). My guess is that they are sisters and their mother made the dresses. This is an exceptional example of a more than a century old class picture.

Published in: on January 24, 2015 at 11:41 am  Comments (4)  
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DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY SITS ON THE FRONT STEPS OF A HOUSE IN LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK (1887)

stoop

A family therapist might find it interesting to analyze this portrait of three women and a man sitting on the front porch of a house in Lake Placid, New York. The therapist might note that three of the subjects are looking off in one direction while the young woman (sitting the closest to the bottom) is staring in the opposite direction. What is going on with this young lady? Not only is she oppositional but she is displaying horrible posture (slouching), and a “bored out of her mind” expression. The gentleman in this image is also exhibiting an interesting expression. He looks like the cat that ate the canary as he flashes a mischievous grin. He is holding a book/magazine. Perhaps the reading material is humorous. The four individuals in this photograph seem totally disconnected from each other. If the four subjects comprise a family, than they seem to be lacking warmth and a sense of being a cohesive unit. This photograph has an inscription on the reverse side. The inscription states “The Westside, Lake Placid, 1887”. The name of the photographer can be found embossed on the lower left hand corner of the image. His name is listed as “H. T. Hull, Amateur”. The word amateur appears so that viewers of the image would know that the photograph was not taken by a professional photographer. When photography became available to non professionals, there would be competitions held for amateurs so they could have places to exhibit their best photographs. This photograph measures 8 1/4″ x 6 1/4″.

Published in: on January 23, 2015 at 12:03 pm  Comments (8)  
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