LADY LIBERTY AND HER TWO APATHETIC CHILDREN

LADY LIBERTY_0009This photograph presents an interesting mystery. What exactly is going on in this image?  It appears that this is a photograph of a theatrical presentation or possibly a costumed mother and her costumed children having fun and posing at a photographic gallery. Their clothing appears to be European. The mother is dressed in some sort of patriotic costume. She is holding a black flag with a white cross and a pole that may be a flag staff. The young boy is holding an identical flag to his mother.  What is the origin of this flag?  Some assistance from an informed cabinet card gallery visitor to answer this question would be greatly appreciated.  A similar flag to the pictured flag is Saint Piran’s Flag. Saint Piran’s Flag is the flag of Cornwall. The people of Cornwall used the flag as a symbol of identity. Saint Piran is supposed to have created the flag from seeing the molten tin spilling out of the black ore in his fire. It is a white cross on a black background but the cross part covers the whole flag rather than float in the background like the crosses on the flags in this image. The woman in this image looks rather intense while the children appear uninterested. The subjects of this photograph are unidentified as is the photographer. The photograph has been trimmed to fit into a  frame or album and it is likely that the name of the photographer and studio were removed in the process.

 

Published in: on January 24, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (5)  
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THEATRE ACTRESS: LIZZIE WEBSTER AT THE BEACH

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The top cabinet card features theatre actress Lizzie Webster posing at the beach. OK; its not the beach, but it is a fake beach, at the studio of celebrity photographer, Mora, in New York City, New York. Webster appeared on the American stage in the late 1870’s and early 1880’s. She appeared on tour in Edward Rice’s popular  show, “Evangeline”. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1878) described Miss Webster as a “shapely brunette”, and a “beautiful being”. However,  the article states that she did not possess a good voice. In 1893, Lizzie Webster died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To see other photographs by Mora, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Photographer: Mora”.

The second cabinet card features Miss Webster in costume, complete with a sword at her side. This image as well as the top image demonstrates that Lizzie Webster was not too modest to exhibit her legs. Both photographs are a bit risque because of this immodesty. The photographer of this image is unknown because the photograph has been trimmed and the reverse of the photo card has a large sticker covering much of the cards back. The sticker identifies the photograph as the property of Culver Pictures of New York City. The firm owned the rights to the image and would allow the media to use the image, if they paid for the privilege.

Published in: on January 23, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (6)  
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NINE GUYS DRESSED TO THE NINES

TOPHATS_0007This photograph features nine men “dressed to the nines”. What does “dressed to the nines” mean and where does the term derive from? It basically means that these guys are fashionably and elaborately dressed. Research reveals that the derivation of the phrase “dressed to the nines”  is unknown. There are a lot of theories but no real evidence to support a single theory. So who are these guys and what group do they represent? We run into another wall in an attempt to answer these questions. The men in this image are unidentified and the photographer is unknown. This photograph is one of those images that is similar to a psychological projective test. We have to make up our own story to better understand the photograph. The story we create is a reflection of our experiences and personality. The story I tell myself is that these men are part of a club or organization. They are dressed formally for some sort of special organizational event. The papers that they are holding are possibly certificates for some type of accomplishment, ballots, or invitations. What’s the story you tell yourself about this image? You are invited to leave a comment with your impressions

Published in: on January 22, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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PORTRAIT OF A PRETTY UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS IN NEW YORK CITY

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This portrait features an attractive unidentified actress. This woman seems to love texture. Note the fabrics she is wearing. She has a wonderful feathered hat and a  shaggy stole. At least I think its a stole but I am uncertain and welcome intervention from a cabinet card gallery visitor knowledgeable about woman’s fashion. The woman looks quite handsome in her high collar dress and lovely accessories. The photograph was taken at Fredricks Knickerbocker Family Portrait Gallery in New York City (770 Broadway). To learn more about Mr. Fredricks and to view more of his images, click on the category “Photographer: Fredricks”.

 

Published in: on January 21, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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MERCHANT SHIP CAPTAIN IN NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS

SEA CAPTAIN_0003The salty gentleman featured in this cabinet card photograph appears to be a uniformed US merchant ship captain. The seaman is wearing a badge depicting an anchor on his chest. He also has stars on his sleeves and is wearing lapel pins.   H. F. Hatch of  New Bedford, Massachusetts is the photographer. An advertisement on the reverse of the image advertises that the gallery sells one dozen cabinet cards for five dollars. Such a deal!  Henry F. Hatch is listed in the 1880 census. The document reports that he was born in Massachusetts in 1837. He was married to Etta Hatch and they were living together in New Bedford with their daughter Cecila (age 18). Henry was working as a photographer. Business directories from New Bedford indicate that he worked as a photographer from at least 1865 through 1895. Research uncovered an 1880’s advertising trade card for Hatch’s studio. The advertising copy on the card must have put fear in the hearts of the young mothers of New Bedford. The trade card’s copy stated that “Hatch loves to take babies”. It would be amazing if the trade card encouraged any parents to take their babies to the studio. However, it is not amazing that a New Bedford photographic studio produced a portrait of a ship captain. New Bedford is nicknamed “The Whaling City” because in the nineteenth century it was one of the most important whaling and fishing ports in the United States.

Published in: on January 18, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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SALVATION ARMY OFFICER AND A PRAYER BOOK HOLDING WOMAN IN TORONTO, CANADA

TORONTO SALVATION_0002This cabinet card photograph features a Salvation Army officer and a middle aged woman. It is not clear whether she is a Salvation Army worker because unlike the gentleman, she is not wearing an insignia of the organization. The gentleman has a “S” badge on each shoulder and a “Salvation Army” band on his hat. The woman is holding what appears to be a worn prayer book. This photograph was taken at the J. H. Lemaitre & Company studio in Toronto, Canada. The cabinet card gallery has an extensive collection of photographs of uniformed Salvation Army workers. Click on the category “Salvation Army” to view the collection.

Published in: on January 17, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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A BRIDE WHO SAID “YES TO THE DRESS” POSING WITH HER GROOM IN EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN

EAU CLAIRE COUPLEA handsome groom and his pretty bride pose for their wedding photograph at the Bonell studio in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The bride is wearing a long veil and is adorned by many flowers and a necklace. The groom is wearing a corsage on his jacket and appears unhappy and angry on his wedding day. He looks as if he thinks his new wife spent too much money on the dress and the photographer. To view other photographs by Bonell and to learn more about him, click on category “Photographer: Bonell”.

Published in: on January 16, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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MAN WITH NOTABLE BEARD IN NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

BOWMAN_0001This photograph merits inclusion in the cabinet card gallery on the basis of the subjects stylish beard. He is quite clean cut except in the very center of his face. This beard also is a “mouth hider”. Mealtime must be quite a messy affair for this gentleman. To view other photographs of men with interesting beards, click on the category “Beards (Only the Best).  The photographer of this image is F. A. Bowman of New Haven, Connecticut. Frank Augustus Bowman (1847-1911) is included on a list compiled of the two hundred plus most prolific  photographers of the Carte de Visite era. His name appears as a photographer in New Haven’s  business directories between 1869 and 1900. The 1880 US census reported that Bowman (age 33) lived in New Haven with his wife Mary Fowler Bowman (age 32), his daughter Bessie (age 2), and a servant. The family also had a boarder, Jennie Ferris (age 27) who worked with Bowman in his studio.

Published in: on January 15, 2013 at 10:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A VERY PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN IN BATH

PRETTYGIRLINBATH_0004This cabinet card features a very pretty young woman in Bath, Maine. If you were expecting to see a pretty young woman in a bathtub, sorry for your disappointment or surprise. The young woman in this image may actually be a teenager. If so, she sure is displaying a lot of poise for a girl that age. She has an expression that makes it appear that she is oblivious of being photographed and is intensely staring at something in the distance. She is wearing a lace shawl with a pin. The subject of this image is unidentified. The photographer is J. C. Higgins of Bath, Maine. Higgins was an active photographer in Bath in the 1880’s and 1890’s. He was an excellent photographer. One of his photographs (Man in a Bottle) was displayed in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (MOMA). Another one of his photographs can be seen on the website of the Maine Historical Society. Higgin’s son, Charles R. Higgins was also quite a prominent photographer. He apprenticed to his father and later took over the studio. He became known for his hand colored photography work which was in a style similar to Wallace Nutting. Many of his images were depictions of nature and New England scenery.

Published in: on January 14, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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MAN WEARING A TURBAN IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION MEMBER)

TURBAN_0002This cabinet card photograph features a middle aged man dressed in a fraternal robe and turban. It is unknown what fraternal organization his costume represents. To view a collection of other fraternal member photographs, click on the category, “Fraternal Group Members”.  The gentleman in this photograph has a  bold and thick mustache. To see other interesting mustaches, click on the category “Mustaches (Only the Best)”.  The photographer of this portrait produced an exquisite image.  The subject is well posed and the photograph has great clarity. The image was produced by the Hastings studio in Boston, Massachusetts. The studio had a branch in Newport, Rhode Island. George H. Hastings was born in Massachusetts in 1850. He operated a studio (Ritz & Hastings) with Ernest Ferdinand Ritz from sometime in the  1860’s until the 1880’s. He had his own studio from the 1880’s through sometime in the 1890’s.  The 1880 US census finds Hastings living with his brother and mother and working as a photographic artist.

Published in: on January 13, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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