A pretty young woman poses for her portrait at the Pearlstien studio in Brooklyn, N.Y.. She is sitting in a bench styled chair and wearing a checkered dress. Julius Bernhardt Pearlstien is listed in Trows Business Directory of the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens (1899) as operating a photography studio at 39 Greenpoint Avenue in Brooklyn. He was born sometime between 1877 and 1879. Pearlstien became a US citizen in 1900 while living in Brooklyn. He registered for the draft (World War I) in Brooklyn in 1917.
PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN SITTING ON A BENCH CHAIR IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID IN ROCKMART, GEORGIA
If you doubt that these two gentlemen are really the infamous outlaws, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, then you are correct. This is not a portrait of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid but these guys do give the appearance of a pair of scoundrels. In reality, this photograph features Joseph C. White and a friend, as someone so kindly informed us in pencilled writing beneath the subjects image. The photographer is J. A. Morris of Rockmart, Georgia. Research yielded no information about either Joseph C. White or J. A. Morris. Both names are common and preliminary research for biographical information was unproductive.
TWO WISCONSIN DANDIES VISIT THE PHOTOGRAPHER IN RICE LAKE, WISCONSIN
Two well dressed men pose for their portrait at T. H. Webster’s studio in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. The fellow with the walking stick is wearing striped pants and a top hat. The other gentleman is wearing a rather odd hat. Perhaps one of the Cabinet Card Gallery’s visitors will be able to inform the rest of us about the unusual hat. These Wisconsin dandies appear to be enjoying themselves while having their image taken. T. H. Webster is listed by internet photographer directory Langdon Road as operating in Rice Lake during the 1880’s. However, another source reports that he sold his studio to photographer Homer C. Reed in 1893.
THEATER ACTRESS: MABEL POTTER PHOTOGRAPHED BY SCHLOSS IN NEW YORK CITY
Celebrity photographer Jacob Schloss captures actress Mabel Potter in this cabinet card portrait. For the time period, Miss Potter is assuming a rather risque position. Schloss operated his studio in New York City. This cabinet card holds a copyright from 1894. To view other photographs by Schloss, click on the category “Photographer: Schloss”. The New York Times (1892) has a brief article with the theatrical news that Miss Potter was about to appear in “The Vice Admiral” which was a “nautical comedy” scheduled to run at the Casino Theater. A photograph of Potter, very similar to the one above (likely taken at the same sitting), appears in Munsey’s Magazine (1895). Schloss is given credit as the photographer. It is announced that she was appearing in “Little Christopher Columbus” as one of Captain Slammer’s daughters. The article adds that she first appeared on the stage four years earlier with the McCaull Company in “Boccaccio” at Palmer’s Theater.
YOUNG AND ATTRACTIVE BRIDAL COUPLE IN NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS
This photograph has significant damage but it finds it’s way to the cabinet card gallery because it features an attractive and very young looking bride and groom as well as an interesting photographer. Both of the subjects are holding formal gloves. The photographer of this image is M Goulart of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Manuel Goulart is a noted historical figure in American photography. In fact, he and his brother Jose Goulart were the subject of a book, “Two Brothers Goulart: Photography in New Bedford and the Azores” (1996). The Azorean brothers became interested in photography in the 1870’s. They were from the Portuguese island of Faial in the Azores and came to New Bedford in 1889. Between 1892 and at least 1899, Manuel Goulart’s studio was located at 109 South Sixth Street in New Bedford. New Bedford had a significant population of people of Portuguese ethnicity. It is likely that the bride and groom in this portrait were part of that Portuguese community. The brothers are noted for their late 19th century and early 20th century photographs from the Azores, Madeira, and Portugal. The New Bedford Whaling Museum has a large collection of Goulard photographs.
AN ADORABLE CHILD IN BURLINGTON, IOWA
A REAL CUTIE PIE, BOY OR GIRL IS UNCERTAIN BUT I VOTE FOR GIRL NICE HAT AND BUTTON UP BOOTS J H REYNOLDS IS PHOTOGRAPHER JH REYNOLDS PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO IS WAY ITS WRITTEN BANGS LACE COLLAR STRAW HAT?
A MOTHER’S LOVE IN WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA
A mother’s love is an invisible phenomenon. However, a mothers love is visible to a camera as the Dean studio of Williamsport, Pennsylvania demonstrates in this image. This portrait captures a loving mother holding her precious young child. The baby is wearing a long gown and the mother is wearing a ring and earrings. This mother’s commitment and affection toward her child radiates from this image. The baby’s expression seems to be one of displeasure at going through the ordeal of having his/her portrait taken. If Williamsport, Pennsylvania sounds like a familiar name to you, its likely because the town hosts the Little League World Series. The baseball tournament has been held there since 1947. William F. Dean was born in Canadaigua, New York in 1856.He and his family moved to Williamsport in 1867. He started his work life in his father’s mercantile business but in 1883 he and a partner opened a photography studio. The studio was called Dean & Cornwall and in 1887 Cornwall retired.. Dean’s photography business grew to the point that he had six assistants and a contract to be the exclusive photographer for 13 furniture factories. Dean died in 1899.
PRETTY GERMAN WOMAN DRESSED IN WHITE AND CLUTCHING A ROSE
A pretty German woman is the subject of this photograph by Martin Herzfeld. The photographer operated studios in Dresden and Leipzig, Germany. The well dressed woman is wearing a long white dress, fingerless gloves, and a straw hat that appears to be floating atop her head. She is clutching a rose and adorned with jewelry, including a necklace and earrings.
OUT OF THE DARKNESS: A PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN IN BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK
A young woman poses for her portrait at the Cobb studio in Binghamton, New York. The photographer uses the familiar (seen elsewhere in the Cabinet Card Gallery) technique of capturing the subject in a focused light surrounded by darkness. The pretty young woman is wearing a collar pin and a hair accessory. George N. Cobb was in 1847 in upstate New York. In 1850 he moved with his family to New Milford, Pennsylvania. At age nineteen he took over a photographic gallery owned by J. B. Hazleton in Montrose, Pennsylvania. It is likely that he was trained by Hazleton before he bought him out of the business. Cobb moved to Binghamton in 1870 and bought the gallery belonging to Ambrose Hickcox. He operated the studio until 1903. To view other photographs by Cobb, click on the category “Photographer: Cobb”.
STAGE ACTOR: JOHN HARE LACKS “THE LEADING MAN LOOK” IN A PORTRAIT BY THE PACH BROTHERS
This unusual looking gentleman is an English actor and theatre manager named John Hare. John Hare (1844-1921) was born in a town called “Giggleswick”. This is an appropriate name for the birthplace for a man who began his acting career in comic roles. Giggleswick was located in Yorkshire, England. Hare began his acting career in Liverpool in 1864. He is often associated with the plays of T. W. Robertson. Hare managed the Court Theatre (1875-1879), the St. James Theatre (1879-1888), and the Garrick Theatre (1889-1895). His greatest success as an actor was in the play A Pair of Spectacles (1890). This portrait of John Hare likely captures the actor in wardrobe and makeup for one of his productions. However, it is possible that he aged poorly which can be hypothesized because photographs taken of the actor in earlier years show a man with a significantly more pleasing appearance.






