Two trumpeters in band uniforms pose for their portrait at the Brown studio in Sterling, Illinois. This is one of those times that there is a need for consultation from one of the visitors to the Cabinet Card Gallery with band instrument expertise. Are these men holding trumpets, cornets, or bugles? One also wonders about the relationship between the two men in this photograph. Are they father and son?Unfortunately the subjects are not identified and their relationship, besides being bandmates, is unknown. In addition, the men’s uniforms lack patches or lettering to suggest their band affiliation. Research yielded no information about the photographer of this image.
TWO TRUMPETERS FROM STERLING, ILLINOIS
ARMED AND READY TO DEPLOY: SPANISH AMERICAN WAR SOLDIER IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
This Spanish American War era soldier is dressed, armed and ready to deploy. Note his long rifle and the bayonet he is wearing on his side. He is wearing two medals, one which the previous owner of the photograph identified as signifying that he was the son of a Union civil war veteran. This photograph was taken at Dempsie Portraits which was located at 316 Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. George M. Dempsie began operating in Minneapolis in about 1887 and worked until at least 1910. He was at the Nicollet Avenue address between 1889 and 1910. He operated under the names of Dempsie’s New Photographic Rooms, Dempsie Portraits, and Dempsie & Andrews. At various times he employed his sons George R. Dempsie and Guy C. Dempsie.
PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
A pretty young woman with her hair up, wears a scarf and necklace as she poses for her portrait at the Chillman studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. To learn more about P. E. Chillman and to view a collection of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Chillman”.
PRETTY AND AUSTERE: A YOUNG WOMAN IN NEW YORK CITY (PHOTOGRAPHED BY PACH, 1879)
This cabinet card portrait of a pretty and fashionable young woman is the work of G. W. Pach. The woman in the photograph appears quite austere but of course sometimes appearance can be deceptive. Pach, and the Pach Brothers, were celebrated photographers of their era. G. W. Pach’s studio at the time of this photograph was located at 841 Broadway at the corner of 13th Street in New York City. Pach also had branch studios at Harvard and Yale Universities as well as in Poughkeepsie and West Point, New York. In addition, there were branch studios in Long Branch and Ocean Grove, New Jersey. The aforementioned studios are all mentioned in print on the reverse of the cabinet card. Also on the back of the image is a pencilled date indicating that this photograph was taken in 1879. To learn more about the Pach Brothers and to view additional photographs taken by them , click on the category “Photographer: Pach Bros”.
STAGE ACTRESS NANETTE NIXON IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
This cabinet card features stage actress Nanette Nixon. She is wearing a flower pattern dress with a lace collar. Nixon’s photograph appeared in The Sunday Telegraph (1898) and the text describes her as “soulful and able as an actress”. The brief article reports that theatre goers in New York were looking forward to her upcoming appearances there. Interestingly, the photograph in the Telegraph was taken by the same photographer who produced the photograph appearing on this cabinet card. The photographer of this image is William Mckenzie Morrison whose studio was located in the Haymarket Theatre building in Chicago, Illinois. Morrison was a well known and successful celebrity photographer. The reverse of the photograph is illustrated with medals from the Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893), Photographers Association of America (1894), The Cotton States and International Exposition (1895), and various other competitions. To view other photographs by Morrison, click on the category “Photographer: Morrison”.
CHARLES EVAN JOHNSON JR.: ADORABLE AND INTERESTINGLY DRESSED TWO YEAR OLD
According to an inscription on the reverse of this photograph, the young boy in this image is named Charles Evan Johnson Jr.. At the time that this cabinet card was produced, Charles was two years old. The previous owner of this image stated that the young boy is wearing a Chinese style woolen dress and hat. I am not sure if that description is correct. The photographer of this photograph is Charles Bohm of Denver, Colorado. His studio was located at 284 Fifteenth Street. He is cited in a number of sources as the former employer of Frank Albert Rinehart (1861-1928) who became a famous American artist for his photography capturing Native American personalities and scenes. To view the work of Alfred Edward Rinehart, Frank’s brother, click on the category “Photographer: Rinehart”. Charles Bohm was an engraver, a jeweler and a real estate developer. He was born in Germany in 1846 and his family came to the United States to escape the democratic revolution of 1848. For many years the Bohm family lived in New Jersey where he became an apprentice in a design and engraving business. After a two year trip to Denver, he returned to New York where he designed copper plates, illustrated magazines, and organized the Palette Art Club. In 1872 he moved back to Denver and established a business offering design, engraving and photographic portraiture. He was active in Denver society and was a trustee for the water company and the library. Apparently, he loved speed and was involved in racing cars, horses and sleds. Research was not fruitful in learning about the subject of this photograph, Charles Evan Johnson Jr.. His name is too common to properly identify him in research materials.
THE KEMMER FAMILY POSES FOR THEIR PORTRAIT IN LINCOLN, ILLINOIS
This cabinet card features a family portrait of a mother and father with their two adult sons and their young daughter. The family is well dressed. The father has a terrific beard and mustache. All three men in the image display the chains from their pocket watches. The photograph was produced by the Tandy studio in Lincoln, Illinois. An inscription on the reverse of the image identifies one of the subjects as “Mr Fred Kemmer, 612 College Avenue, Lincoln, Illinois”. Research has provided some information about the family pictured in this cabinet card photograph.The father in this image is Mr.Fred Kemmer (1846-?). He was born in Germany. The mother in the photograph is Hannah Kemmer and she was six years the junior of her husband Fred. The 1880 US census finds Fred and Hannah living in Mount Pulaski, Illinois with two sons and a daughter. The children were named Fred (age 6), Ella (age 3) and Charles (age 2). The 1900 census notes that Fred and Hannah were living in Lincoln with a daughter named Lucy (age 14) and that Fred Sr.was listed as working as a “landlord”. The children seen in this photograph are likely Fred, Charles and Lucy. Research also revealed information about Fred W. Kemmer Jr. (1873-1944). He was born in Lincoln and died in Mt. Pulaski at age 71. He was educated through the fourth grade. He was married in 1899 to Carrie Backle (1877-1951), who was a Nebraska native. Fred was a farmer. The 1900 census revealed that he lived in Mt. Pulaski with his wife and 8 month old daughter, Beattrice. He still lived in Mt. Pulaski at the time of the 1940 census. The photographer of this image is Walter S. Tandy. A large collection of glass plate negatives taken between 1880 and the early 1900’s is curated by the Lincoln Heritage Museum at Lincoln College in Lincoln. Tandy’s death, at age 83, is announced in the Bulletin of Photography (1918). Most people would guess that Lincoln, Illinois was named after Abraham Lincoln but few would surmise that the town received it’s name before Lincoln became President. The town was named Lincoln in 1853. Abe Lincoln had practiced law in the town between 1847 and 1859.
PRETTY WOMAN WITH CURLS IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA (PORTRAIT OF AUSTRIAN THEATER ACTRESS JOSEPHINE WESSELY)
A pretty woman poses for her portrait in the studio of Dr Szekely in Vienna, Austria. The woman has an unusual hair style. Her hair seems to be straight on top of her head and she has beautiful curls on the side. The reverse of the photograph identifies the subject as Austrian theater actress Josephine Wessely (1860-1887). Wessely was born in Vienna and the daughter of a shoemaker. She began drama school at age fourteen and had her debut in “Intrigue and Love” in 1876 at the Leipzig City Theater. In 1879 she became a member of the Burgtheater ensemble. She was known for playing juvenile tragic roles and gained recognition for playing Gretchen in Goethe’s “Faust”. Wessely died at 27 years of age. The cause of her death is suspected to be leukemia. Printing on the reverse of the card reveals that Dr Szekely won medals for his photography in exhibitions in Vienna (1873) and Paris (1878). To learn more about Dr Szekely and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Szekely”.
FASHIONABLE YOUNG COUPLE IN PARKERSBURG, IOWA
A young fashionably dressed couple pose for their portrait at the Byerly studio in Parkersburg, Iowa. The young man is holding a rolled up magazine or newspaper. The young woman is wearing a large ribbon. It looks like a ribbon that one might be awarded as a prize. The photographer, Orison Byerly (1836-?), operated a studio in Parkersburg in the 1880’s and 1890’s. He was born in Ohio and learned photography as a young man in Dubuque, Iowa under the tutelage of Frank Pickerel.
ACTRESS HOLDS THEATER MASK ALOFT IN NICE, FRANCE
This cabinet card photograph captures a young woman holding a theater (carnival) mask. It is very likely that this smiling woman is an actress and that she is wearing a theater costume. Her dress is very unique and interesting. Hoperfully, some of the fashion informed visitors to the cabinet card gallery will leave commentary about the subject’s attire. The cabinet card gallery is fortunate to have so many visitors willing to leave interesting and educational comments. This photograph was produced by A. Regis who operated a gallery in Nice, France.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 