A YOUNG WOMAN AND HER TENNIS RACQUET IN LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK

tennis

A thin waisted young woman poses for her portrait at the Abbott Photographic Art studio in Little Falls, New York. She is flashing a sweet smile and holds a tennis racquet behind her back. I wonder if she is wearing her tennis outfit. She seems to be wearing a corset and I am guessing that running around a tennis court in a corset can’t be exactly comfortable. I don’t think it would help her game either. I’ve never seen Venus or Serena Williams wearing such a contraption while competing for a major title. William H. Abbott operated his studio at 545, 547, and 549 Main Street in Little Falls. The copyright on the reverse of the cabinet card is 1889.  SOLD

Published in: on February 5, 2015 at 12:01 pm  Comments (2)  
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“PITTSBURG PETE”… THE TOUGHEST TRAMP IN THE COUNTRY (1912 PHOTOGRAPH)

pittsburg pete

According the caption in this image, this photograph is a portrait of “Pittsburg Pete”. He is noted as being “The toughest Tramp in the Country”. The caption also notes that this photograph was taken in 1912. Preliminary research found references to a “Pittsburg Pete” in some articles about “hobos” and “tramps”. In addition, the Urbana Daily Courier (Illinois) has some articles about criminal activities of a man known as “Pittsburg Pete”. A 1914 article reports the arrest and jailing of a man with that moniker. The man is described as a “familiar street character in this city” and his crime was vagrancy. The article states that the man’s actual name was John Reed. It is unknown whether the tough looking guy in this image is the same “Pittsburg Pete” as the “street character” in Urbana.  (SOLD)

Published in: on February 4, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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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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