TWO GANGSTERS AND THEIR MOLLS ENJOY DINNER ON THE BEACH IN HAVANA, CUBA

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This photograph features a couple of gangsters and their molls enjoying their dinner on the beach in Havana, Cuba. In reality, these gangsters are probably just law abiding tourists, but I like the gangster story better. This is a souvenir photograph from “La Playa de Marianao” (The Beach of Marianao).  Marianao is one of 15 municipalities in the city of Havana. It is the home of the famous Tropicana Club which opened in 1939 and still operates today. However, it can be safely said that this photograph was not taken at the Tropicana. An inscription on the reverse of the photo asserts that the picture was taken in 1937 and one of the subjects is named Dagmar. Dagmar is generally a feminine name and originates from Scandanavia or Germany. This photograph has a number of interesting features. The image captures two couples eating a restaurant meal on the beach. If you magnify the photograph you can see their meal quite clearly. In fact, seeing the bread on the table made me hungry. Other diners and servers can be seen in the background. The appearance of the four individuals at the table spark speculation. The very pretty blonde woman is wearing shades and sitting in a manner in which she can show off her shapely legs (did I just say “shapely legs”?…..sort of creepy!). Her companion is informally dressed with an open shirt and jacket compared to the other man who is wearing a suit. The woman with the sun glasses and the informally dressed man are a cool looking couple. Maybe she’s Dagmar. The second woman is seated at the table with her handbag secured behind her on the chair she is sitting on. On the ground, under the table, is a large straw bag which likely contained beach supplies or the days haul from a day of shopping. To view other Cuban photographs, click on the category “Cuba”.

 

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Published in: on May 24, 2014 at 11:40 am  Comments (3)  
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AN ADORABLE LITTLE BOY IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

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A very cute little boy with ringlet curls is the subject of this portrait by the Tonkin studio in San Francisco, California. He is wearing an interesting dark sailor suit  and a collar pin. He seems comfortable on his perch atop a piece of furniture. A magnified close up image of this unidentified adorable child can be found below. Herbert Tonkin is the photographer who produced this image and to learn more about him and to view other photographs from his studio, click on the category “Photographer: Tonkin”. 
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Published in: on May 22, 2014 at 11:45 am  Comments (1)  

YOUNG MOTHER AND HER TWO CHILDREN IN PULLMAN, ILLINOIS (PORTRAIT BY PULLMAN COMPANY PHOTOGRAPHER)

FAMILY FRONT

A young mother and her two children pose for their portrait at the Johnson studio in Pullman, Illinois. It is interesting that the children are not in closer proximity to their mother. The distance may be due to the photographer’s direction or perhaps a more intimate pose was not part of this family’s makeup. Mom seems disconnected from her kids. The child furthest back in the image does have his hand lightly resting on his mom’s shoulder. Mom is wearing a pretty patterned dress and a wonderful hat. She is looking at the camera in an untrusting manner. One must also consider the possibility that the woman in this picture is actually the children’s older sister and not their mother. There is no information available to clarify this family’s constellation. The photographer of  this cabinet card, Thomas S. Johnson,  has an interesting biography which is very much connected to the history of the town of Pullman. Johnson was born in Chicago in 1850.He was raised on a farm in Thornton, Illinois. At the age of fifteen he attended Chicago University. He studied there until 1867. He then studied painting for a short time but in 1869 became a photographer. He married E. I. A. Fortier in 1874. She died in 1877 and he returned to farming. In 1879, while in Thornton, he reentered the field of photography. In 1880 he moved his business to Crete, Illinois and by 1882 established his business in Pullman. In 1881 he married Mary C. Whalen of Indiana. In Pullman, Johnson worked for George Pullman and he was tasked with using his photography skills to document Pullman’s factory, town and workers. Thomas Johnson was the first known photographer hired by Pullman to photograph his town and railcars. A number of photographers besides Johnson worked in the same capacity on a part time basis. Johnson published a book about Pullman; “Picturesque Pullman”. Obviously, Pullman, Illinois was named after George Pullman. The community was located in the south side of Chicago. It was built in the 1880’s by Pullman to provide housing for the employees of his company, “The Pullman Royal Palace Car Company”. The business manufactured railcars. Pullman created behavioral standards that residents of his houses had to meet in order to live in the houses that he rented to them.  (SOLD)

Published in: on May 21, 2014 at 12:03 pm  Comments (5)  
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PROFILE PORTRAIT OF A PRETTY WOMAN IN DERBY, CONNECTICUT

DERBY LADY_0006A lovely young woman poses for her profile portrait in Derby, Connecticut. It is clear from the image that the subject took some pains to prepare her hair for her day at the photography studio. The photograph has been trimmed so the photographer’s name is not identifiable.

Published in: on May 20, 2014 at 7:30 pm  Comments (1)  
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SERIOUS LOOKING BOY AND HIS INDIAN CLUBS

JUGGLING_0003A young boy, looking quite unhappy, poses for his portrait at the William Meyer studio in Chicago, Illinois. His arms are folded across his chest but it looks as if they won’t stay there long because standing in front of him are a pair of Indian Juggling Clubs. It is as if the boy is preparing to give a juggling exhibition or to exercise. Juggling these pins was a good workout as they were quite heavy.  some exercise. Clubs like these were very popular during the health mania of the late Victorian period. A picture of a pair of Indian clubs from the late nineteenth century can be seen below (Source: Wikipedia). William Meyer is listed in a number of the Chicago business directories including 1880,1885, and 1892. His address in 1892 was Clybourn Avenue which indicates that this image was produced before that date.

                                                                                                                  

 

 

Published in: on May 19, 2014 at 10:33 pm  Comments (1)  
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PORTRAIT OF A MAN FOLLOWING THE ADAGE “HOLD YOUR HORSES”

horse frontThis cabinet card features a bearded old man holding a chain in order to control his horse. There are two men and a dog in the background of this unusual outside photograph. Although the gentleman handling the horse and the photographer are unidentified, the style of the cabinet card indicates that it is likely of European origin. To view other cabinet card images of horses, click on the category “Horse”.

 

Published in: on May 18, 2014 at 12:21 pm  Comments (1)  
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MISS FLORENCE ST. JOHN: ENGLISH ACTRESS AND SINGER POSES FOR HER PORTRAIT IN LONDON, ENGLAND

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Miss Florence St. John (1855-1912) is the subject of this portrait by the London Stereoscopic Company. She was a very well known English singer and actress. She was famous for her roles in operetta, musical burlesque, music hall, opera and comic plays. She began her career in her teenage years and received much acclaim for her 1879 role in “Madame Favart”. Her light opera soprano roles included Ollivette (1880), Nel Gwynne (1884) and Erminie (1885). She joined the Gaiety Theater company in 1888. She toured a number of times in America. In 1900 she appeared in her last musical and thereafter appeared in straight theater. Florence St. John was a very busy actress, appearing in a large number of productions. Perhaps it was her busyness that interfered with her marriages. By the time she was 42 years of age, she was entering her fourth marriage. This portrait shows Miss St. John’s beauty and captures her lovely smile. The London Stereoscopic Company was located, not surprisingly, in London, England. The gallery billed itself as “Photographers’ to the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Royal Family”. The company won many prizes and international exhibitions. To view other photographs by this gallery (including photographs of other actresses), click on the cabinet card gallery’s category “Photographer: London Stereographic Company”.  SOLD

Published in: on May 17, 2014 at 4:38 pm  Comments (1)  
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JENNIE COSTELLO: FIRST STAGE ACTRESS IN THE FEDERAL WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM


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I couldn’t find any details about the life of actress, Jennie Costello. I was able to locate another cabinet card image of Miss Costello but nothing else. I guess she was in the witness protection program and all information pertaining to her life has been erased. The actual explanation is probably that she was not a major stage star and my search for information lacked enough depth to shed light on her career. This portrait was produced by the Hartley studio in Chicago, Illinois. Edward Hartley printed a drawing of his studio’s storefront on the reverse of this cabinet card (see the image below). He was a rabid self promoter which will be evident after you examine more of his photographs and read their descriptions. You can accomplish this feat by clicking the category “Photographer: Hartley”.

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Published in: on May 15, 2014 at 10:05 pm  Comments (3)  
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TWO TEENAGE SISTERS READING A LETTER IN LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA

ONTARIO FRONT An inscription on the reverse of this cabinet card indicates that one of the girls in this cabinet card photograph is named Lottie. Lottie and a second teenage girl are sharing a letter in this portrait by photographer Frank Cooper, whose studio was located in Canada (London, Ontario). The girls in this image are most likely sisters. Both are well dressed and wearing flowers.The photographer, Frank Cooper, was born in London in 1845 and was of Irish descent. He started his photography business at age 21. In 1878 he married Emily Riddle of St. Catherines, Ontario. Frank Cooper’s brother (John) was also operated a photography studio in London. Franks business operated from 1868 until 1909 while John ran his studio between 1857 and 1890. Frank Cooper died in San Diego, California but is buried in Woodland Cemetery in London. The photograph below is a portrait of Frank Cooper that was found online in the London Public Library Image Gallery. To view more photographs by Cooper, click on the category “Photographer: Cooper”. LonPL002405222-1

Published in: on May 14, 2014 at 6:13 pm  Comments (1)  
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PRETTY LONG HAIRED YOUNG WOMAN POSES FOR HER PORTRAIT IN KEOTA, IOWA

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This cabinet card photograph features a pretty young woman with long hair draped over her right shoulder. The image was produced by the Neal Brothers studio in Keota, Iowa. The Milwaukee Journal (1949) has an article about Edwin E. Neal who took over the Keota studio in 1888 and operated it until 1948. It is written that he only used one camera throughout his career. He did change lenses several times as advances were made in the field of photography. Neal’s wife assisted him with photo finishing, posing subjects, and running the business. At some point in his career, according to a different source, Edwin worked in partnership with his brother Charles. To view other photographs by Edwin Neal, click on the category “Photographer: Neal”.

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Published in: on May 12, 2014 at 5:10 pm  Comments (1)  
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