DELLA FOX: AMERICAN STAGE ACTRESS (IMAGES FROM 1893 and 1894)

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These cabinet cards feature American stage actress, Della Fox (1870-1913). In the top photograph, she is wearing a military costume  for a play that she was appearing in. The photograph is copyrighted in 1893. She began her acting career as a child and became a well known musical comedy actress. Her popularity peaked in the 1890’s when she appeared in several musical with De Wolf Hopper. She also toured with her own theatre company. Her life was plagued with personal problems including alcohol and drug abuse, and mental breakdowns requiring institutionalization. This cabinet card portrait was photographed by Morrison who is known for his portraits of theatre stars and other celebrities. Morrison operated out of the Haymarket Theatre builiding in Chicago, Illinois. Please click on the category “Photographer: Morrison” for more information about Morrison and to view other photographs by his studio.  The second photograph captures Della Fox in costume for the play “The Little Trooper”. The play was by William Furst (1852-1917) and appeared at the Empire Theatre in New York City. The photograph is the work of Napoleon Sarony, famed celebrity photographer of New York City. The reverse of the cabinet card indicates that the photograph was taken on December 25th, 1894. To view other photographs by Sarony, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Photographer: Sarony”. The third photograph of Miss Fox was produced by Newsboy as a premium to be given away with their tobacco products. It is number 509 of a series. To view other Newsboy photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Newsboy”.

Published in: on July 6, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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ESTELLE CLAYTON: STAGE ACTRESS

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Estelle Clayton (1867-1917) is seen in the first and second Cabinet cards. She was a prominent actress as well as a librettist in the late 1800’s. In one of her roles, she starred in “Fayette” with E H Sothern. Clayton was the sister of actress Isabelle Evesson. In 1908, the two sister actresses filed suit against New York City for allegedly diverting land away from earlier generations of their family. In 1917 she died in New York City of heart failure. The photographer of both of these Cabinet cards is Sarony of New York City. The third cabinet card portrait of Clayton was produced by Newsboy as a premium for tobacco products. It is number 47 of a series. The barefoot Miss Clayton is in quite the risque pose in this image.

Published in: on July 5, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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“AMERICA FOREVER”: PATRIOTIC TEN YEAR OLD IN DAYTON, OHIO SUPPORTS AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND SAILORS DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR

SAILOR BOY_0006A ten year-old boy named Horace H. Justice Jr. poses proudly in a sailor suit at the studio of Anderson &  Hartshorn in Dayton, Ohio. Horace’s naval cap displays the name “Dewey” rather than the more typical ship name. Admiral George Dewey (1837-1917) was a US naval officer best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish American War. He came home to the United States and was received as a conquering war hero. Young Horace is clearly paying tribute to Admiral Dewey. The Spanish American War era was a time marked by a escalation of patriotism in the United States and this image provides an illustration of this nationalistic fervor. It is also possible that Horace’s father may have served with Admiral Dewey and that Horace Jr. is emulating Horace Sr.. Initial research found a  Horace J. Justice living in Dayton. The 1900 US census reveals that Justice was married to Mattie Justice 1885) and at the time of the census, they had a twelve year old son also named Horace.  Horace Justice Sr. is mentioned in many Dayton city directories from 1871 through 1909. He worked many years as a travelling salesman.  It could not be established that Horace Sr. was in the armed forces. It appears that Horace Jr was born in 1888 and died in 1948. Information was also found about the photographers. Photographer James Otto Hartshorn was a leading Dayton photographer. He was born in Ohio in 1869. A Dayton history book reveals that he was “deprived” of his parents when he was thirteen years-old and forced to live with various friends. He worked on a farm until he turned eighteen and and then moved to Dayton and for a short time worked in a cotton batting factory. In 1888 he became employed in a photography studio where he learned to become a very skilled photographer. In 1891 he married Ella M. Huesman of Dayton.  In 1894  Hartshorn partnered with Charles F. Anderson and opened up the studio that produced the portrait of  Horace Justice Jr..

Published in: on July 4, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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FAMILY PORTRAIT OF MOTHER, FATHER, AND FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN IN GOTEBORG, SWEDEN

swedish family_0001This cabinet card features a family portrait of a handsome couple and their four children. The two oldest children are boys who are wearing sailor type outfits. The two youngest children are each being held by a parent. This attractive family was photographed by Tallroth & Co. which was located in Goteborg, Sweden. Goteborg (Gothenburg) is presently the second largest city in Sweden and at the time of this photograph, it was considered an industrial city.

Published in: on July 2, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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THREE PRETTY SISTERS POSE FOR THEIR PORTRAIT IN SISTOV, BULGARIA

BULGARIA SISTERSThree pretty young women, likely sisters, pose for their portrait at the studio belonging to Doctor Mark in Sistov, Bulgaria. The women are wearing modern clothing rather than traditional ethnic fashion. This photograph is sized somewhere between a cdv and a cabinet card. The photograph measures 3.15″ x 5.12″.

 

Published in: on July 1, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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FROWNING SISTERS WITH MUSSED HAIR

MESSY HAIR GIRLSTwo sisters with identical lacy white dresses and identical frowns pose for an unknown photographer in an unknown location. The bottom of this cabinet card has been trimmed creating a mystery about the origin  of this photograph. Both girls have mussed hair. The photographer and the girls parent(s) appear to have not given a thought to combing the girl’s hair before taking this portrait.

 

Published in: on June 30, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  

ADORABLE YOUNG GIRL IN CALUMET, MICHIGAN

calumet girlThis photograph captures a beautiful young girl wearing a big hat. Her adorable outfit includes a white dress, plaid jacket,white tights and white shoes. She is also wearing a ring and necklace. The image was produced by the Herman gallery in Calumet, Michigan. The photographer, Victor Herman, did an excellent job of posing the child. An advertisement for Herman’s studio can be seen in the Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory (1897) and he is listed in other directories from about 1886 through 1910.

Published in: on June 29, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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THEATER ACTRESS L. MAUDE DURBIN IN MOBERLY, MISSOURI

ACTRESS DURBIN_0001This cabinet card features actress Maude Durbin. Isaacc Marcosson in his book Adventures in Interviewing (1919) described Durbin as “a lovely and gracious actress representing in character and purpose the highest type of her profession”. Durbin was also known as an author. She was from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and made her debut with Helen Modjeska’s theater company. She married actor Otis Skinner and and was the mother of actress Cornelia Otis Skinner. This image comes from the B. F. Devinney studio in Moberly, Missouri.

Published in: on June 28, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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THEATER ACTOR H. J. MONTAGUE AND HIS CHECKERED TIE AND JACKET

MONTAGUE_0003One wouldn’t think that a man could wear a checkered tie with a checkered jacket and still look dashing, but theater actor H. J. Montague is able to accomplish this feat. The photographer of this cabinet card portrait is theater specialist, Jose Mora. To view more of his celebrity photographs, click on category “Photographer: Mora”. The reverse of this image has an address and a return address as if it had been mailed. However, there is no stamp or postmark. The photograph is addressed to a “Jane Mure” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The script is written in very ornate calligraphy. Surprisingly, both the return and sending addresses have Philadelphia zip codes. Since zip codes are from the twentieth century (1963), it appears that someone may have added the ornate script to give the card more character but wasn’t aware, or not thinking about, the relative recent introduction of the zip code system. Henry James Montague (1844-1878) was the stage name of Henry James Mann. He was an American actor born in England. He appeared in T W Robertson’s comedies in London and in 1870 was a founder of London’s Vaudeville Theater. He came to the United States in 1874 and made quite a splash. He became a matinee idol. George Odell wrote that Montague was “a perfect specimen of refined English Manhood”. He was said to have “made other leading men seem boorish, ill dressed and possibly a bit vulgar”. Montague died quite young, about 34 years old. According to the New York Times (1878) while playing a role in a San Francisco production, he fell extremely ill from a “hemorrhage of the lungs”. He required medical attention from some theater goers and was taken to a hotel to recuperate. He rallied only briefly. During a visit from friends he became acutely ill and his last words as he was dying were reported to be,  “It’s no use, I am going boys; God bless you”. The New York Times covered his funeral. Attendees of his funeral include the “A” list of that era’s theater world. Mourners included Lester Wallack, Kate Claxton, Rose Coghlan, and Maud Granger. The afore mentioned three actresses all have portraits that can be viewed in the Cabinet Card Gallery by utilizing the search box.

Published in: on June 25, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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CUTE SIBLINGS IN BROWNSVILLE, OREGON

OREGON KIDS_0001Two adorable young children pose for their photographic portrait at the Winter studio in Brownsville, Oregon. The little boy is wearing knickers and the little girl wears curls. The photographer of this image is John A. Winter (1831-?). He was born in Ohio of Ohioan parents. He was active as a photographer in a number of Oregon cities including Eugene, Albany, and Jefferson. He was in business in Brownsville during the 1890’s. Winter owned a sheep ranch near Brownsville that totaled over 900 acres of land. From 1888 until 1900, he was the official photographer of Oregon State University. To learn more about John Winter, click on the category “Photographer: Winter”.

Published in: on June 24, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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