This image is a post cabinet card era portrait of a sweet adorable little girl holding her doll. The child is well dressed and flashing a wonderful smile. This photograph was taken at the Hafer studio in Reading, Pennsylvania. The photo joins one of many images from Reading that can be found in the Cabinet Card Gallery. Edward Egleman Hafer (1843-1925) was a portrait painter in addition to being a photographer. He was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania and settled in Reading in his mid teens. He began his photographic career in Reading at the studio of Captain F. M. Yeager for whom he worked between 1872 and 1874. He then bought Yeager’s business and remained at the same address (433 1/2 Penn Street) until 1900. Hafer was married to Amanda Nagle Hafer (1853-1920). The 1920 US census indicates that he was still working as a photographer at a very advanced age. He eventually retired in 1920 and died in Mount Penn, Pa in the year 1925 at the age of 82. He is buried in Reading’s Charles Evans Cemetery. This photograph measures approximately 7″ x 5″.
This vintage real photo postcard features a scantily clad sexy young woman wearing a “come hither” expression. There is little doubt that this postcard portrait was meant to be sexually inviting. This image supports the principle that “sex sells”. Sex sold products in the early 1900’s just as it does today. This postcard is of German origin. It was published by “NPG” (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft). The company was a leading bromide photo printing company for many years. The stamp box of this particular postcard has an interesting story. “NBC” (Neue Bromsilber Convention) was price cartel established in 1909 that continued until the 1930’s. The purpose of the cartel was to ensure that the minimum price charged for postcards was kept at a sufficiently profitable level. A number of postcard publishing companies joined the cartel in an effort to stave off the effect of competition on the pricing of postcards. (SOLD)
