LOVING AFRICAN AMERICAN GRANDMOTHER AND HER TWO ADORABLE GRAND DAUGHTERS

AFR AM FAMILY_0003

This photograph is emotionally moving and it elicits a story that we tell ourselves. Most people will likely see it as a story about a grandmother and her grandchildren. Grandma has a tight loving grasp around the waist of  her youngest granddaughter while the older granddaughter clings to grandma’s shoulder for security. This is a portrait of a tight knit family. The little girls are adorable. They are wearing bows in their hair; and both girls are wearing necklaces. It is difficult to tell for sure, but grandma seems to be containing a smile. The girls however, seem a bit bewildered by their experience of being photographed. Grandma was not living in easy times. At the time of this photograph, slavery had already ended but prejudice and discrimination was prevalent. There is dearth of early photographs of African American individuals and families. This image certainly serves a role in representing African American history. Unfortunately, the photographer and subjects of this image are unidentified. 

Published in: on December 16, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (4)  
Tags: , ,

BEAUTY FROM THE PLAINS: LENA BRINGS HIGH FASHION TO GRAFTON, NORTH DAKOTA

dakotalady_0001

A pretty young woman wearing an unusual dress poses for her portrait at the Rindahl studio in Grafton, North Dakota. This plains beauty is anything but plain in her dress which features giant buttons and a high collar. She is wearing a collar pin. The reverse of the photograph lists the name of this fashionable lady as “Lena Larson”.  Lena B. Larson appears in the 1920 and 1930 United States census. Lena was born in 1884 and was married to Olaf Larson who was a farmer and two years her junior. In 1920 and 1930 she was living in Kensington, North Dakota. The 1930 census indicates that Lena had six children aged three to seventeen. Records indicate that she died in 1967 at the age of 83 and was buried in Park River, North Dakota. The photographer of this image is J. O. Rindahl. According to the book, “North Dakota of Today” (1919), Rindahl (1862-?) was born on a farm in Wisconsin. He had a childhood interest in painting but because of strains caused by being a member of a family of twelve, he had limited art instruction. He “drifted” into photography, a field in which he was quite successful. In 1895 he went abroad and visited a number of  “renowned art galleries”. This experience caused his passion for painting to reemerge and when he returned to Grafton he used his spare time to pursue painting. The book features some of his paintings and several North Dakota churches displayed his paintings. In addition to religious paintings, he was known as a landscape painter. Rindahl had a partner in his photography business for fifteen years. Henry Ball and Rindahl occupied a studio on Main Street for at least some of those years. The St. Louis & Canadian Photographer (1902) announced that Ball sold the studio to Rindahl. The Bulletin of Photography (1922) reported that Rindahl sold the studio in Grafton, after operating it there for thirty-three years. The buyer was Arvid Rydholm of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

,

Published in: on December 15, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
Tags: , , , , , , ,

YOUNG WELL DRESSED AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN COLUMBUS, OHIO

blackmanohio

A well dressed African American man poses for his portrait at the J. A. Pfeifer & Company gallery. He is wearing a dress jacket, a pin striped vest, winged collar and bow tie. This handsome young man is unidentified. The reverse of the cabinet card lists Pfeifer’s name but also the names Smith and Mulligan Brothers. Presumably these three names belong to photographers who were employed the the Pfeifer studio. The address of the gallery is also printed on the reverse of the card. The business was located at 262, 264, and 266 South High Street in Columbus, Ohio. According to the book “Artists in Ohio” (2000), the photographer of this image, John A. Pfeifer (1859-1932), was active in the Columbus area from 1882 to at least 1913. During much of that time, he was partners with George C. Urlin of  the “Mammoth Art Palace” on High Street. To view images by Urlin, click on the category “Photographer: Urlin”. The Oberlin Review (1888) noted that the Urlin & Pfeifer studio won the contract to be the class of 1888’s photographer. A competitor in the bidding was the Cleveland firm of Urlin & Becker. Urlin’s participation in the bidding under two different studios, caused the students to raise some ethical questions about the bidding process. Pfeifer proved to the students that he had the legal right to use Urlin’s name and the class “was convinced of his honesty and integrity” and retained him as class photographer. In 1891 Pfeifer and George D. Saas (1854-1924) founded Pfeifer & Saas Printers. In 1905 Pfeifer became the sole owner of the firm and renamed it the Pfeifer Show Print Company.

Published in: on December 13, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN IN GARDINER, MAINE (FEMALE PHOTOGRAPHER)

 

FEMALE PHOTOG_0002This cabinet card features a bust portrait of a young woman. This is likely an early image from the cabinet card era. The photographer of this image is “Mrs. Barker” of Gardiner, Maine. Research found very little information about this pioneer female photographer. The 1880 United Startes census reveals that Julia R. Barker lived in Gardiner, Maine and worked as a photographer. Her husband, Eugene Barker, was employed as a railroad engineer. Both were 35 years old at the time of the census.

Published in: on December 12, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
Tags: , ,

FASHIONABLE AUSTRIAN MAN IN VIENNA

COOL DUDE_0001

A well dressed Austrian gentleman poses for this cabinet card portrait by photographer Karl Dubell. Dubell’s studio was located in Vienna, Austria. The subject in this image is accessorized with a cane, vest, bow tie and what appears to be a straw hat. What is this fine gentleman holding in the fingers of his right hand. Is that an extra long cigarette? To view other photographs by Dubell, click on the category “Photographer: Dubell”.

Published in: on December 11, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
Tags: , , , , ,

MAN WITH SPIKED HAIR IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

GRAND RAPIDS MANA young man with a “spiked” hairstyle poses for his portrait at the Schellhous studio in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The gentleman is wearing a checkered jacket with a pocket handkerchief, and  his watch chain shows under his jacket. The photograph is dated 1886. The photographer of this image, Loran Webster Schellhous is listed in the Grand Rapids business directory between at least 1884 through 1893. He also operated photography businesses at various times in Colon, Coldwater, and Coopersville, Michigan. The Ada Historical Society (Michigan) indicates that Schellhous’s wife, Martha Catherine Faxon (1831-1905) was also a photographer. She is recognized for her work photographing leaves of various plants.

Published in: on December 10, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , ,

RISQUE PORTRAIT OF BURLESQUE ACTRESS KATE EVERLEIGH BY WARREN’S PORTRAITS IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

EVERLEIGH

This cabinet card captures the beauty of actress Kate Everleigh. The image is risque for the cabinet card era. Preliminary research reveals no personal details of the life of Miss Everleigh. However, there are many articles citing her theatrical appearances.  In fact, her portrait appears on the front page of  “The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News” in both 1885 and 1886 editions. She is also referenced in the book “A History of the New York Stage” (1903) for appearing in Reese and Farnie’s burlesque production of  “Oxygen” and Lydia Thompson’s Company’s production of “Bluebird”. Everleigh also appeared in the original London cast of  “Erminie” (1885). The magazine “The Theatre” (1885) cites her appearances in “Nemesis” and “Family Ties”. Miss Everleigh also performed in the United States. She is mentioned as a performer in a burlesque show in San Francisco called “The Mother, The Maiden, and The Musicianer” (1880). This is a high quality photograph and not surprisingly, comes from a well respected studio in Boston, Massachusetts. The studio is Warren’s Portraits and it was located at 465 Washington Street. The photographer was George K. Warren. Warren’s Studios photographed many celebrities and notable people in Boston. To view other photographs by Warren, click on the category “Photographer: Warren”.

Published in: on December 9, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
Tags: , , , , ,

MINISTER WEARING RELIGIOUS GARB IN MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA

A minister, wearing his clerical robes and holding a prayer book, poses for his portrait at the A. R. Fowler studio in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The clergyman displays quite a stern appearance in this image. His congregation must have heard some fire and brimstone sermons from this cleric. To view other photographs by A. R. Fowler, and to learn more about him, click on the category “Photographer Fowler (A. R.).

Published in: on December 8, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , ,

PORTRAIT OF ACTRESS BLANCH WARD IN NEW YORK CITY (RISQUE)

This cabinet card features a costumed young woman named Blanch Ward. This photograph shows “a lot of leg” and is rather risque for its era. Blanch Ward is likely either an actress, dancer, or singer, or some combination of the three. Research revealed no information about Miss Ward and it is likely she was not a major theatrical performer. The photographer of this image is Alfred S. Campbell of New York City. He is known for being a photographer who had a specialty in photographing theater stars. To view other photographs by Campbell and to learn more about his life, click on the category “Photographer: Campbell”.

Published in: on December 7, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

PENSIVE AND PRETTY GIRL WITH LONG HAIR IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

A pensive and pretty young girl with very long hair poses for her portrait at the LeGrande studio in Lincoln, Nebraska.  She is wearing a necklace,  a collar pin, and a dark dress. Resarch found information concerning the LeGrande Studio to be sparse. At one point in time, the studio was located at 1245 Twelfth Street in Lincoln and its proprietors were named Speake and Peirson. Jefferson Grant Speake (1863-?) was listed in the 1891 and 1893 Lincoln Business Directory. He was listed as a photographer and owned the LeGrande studio. He is noted in the 1900 US census, and both he and his wife of 13 years, Hattie E. Speake (1863-?) appear in the census as living in Omaha, Nebraska and both Jefferson and Hattie were reported to be photographers. The 1902 Omaha business directory also lists Jefferson Speake as a photographer. No information could be found about Mr. Peirson, Speake’s Lincoln business partner.

 

Published in: on December 6, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
Tags: , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »