VEILED WOMAN IN LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA

A veiled woman poses for her portrait at the studio of Otto E. Weber’s New York Gallery. Contrary to common sense, the New York Gallery was not located in New York. Weber operated his studio out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The veil, or head scarf, is beautifully knitted. It looks very soft. Note the white bow on top of the unidentified woman’s head. The Biographical Annals of Lancaster County (1903) reports that Weber (1857-1913) was one of the finest photographers in Pennsylvania. He was of German extraction and came to the United States with his parents in 1878. He opened his photography studio in Lancaster in about 1888. Weber served four years in the National Guard of Pennsylvania. The Annals state that Weber was a great lover of “manly sports” and expert with both shotgun and rifle. Another reference asserts that Weber operated his Lancaster studio between 1890 and 1906.

Published in: on June 26, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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A BEWILDERED COUPLE AND THEIR PUG

A disoriented couple pose for their portrait along with their pet pug. The woman is wearing a striped dress with a collar pin. The man is wearing a suit and is sitting on a fur covered chair. The couple’s dog sits on the man’s lap. The photographer and the location of his studio are unknown. The bewildered couple and their pug are unidentified. However, writing on the reverse of the image indicates that the photograph was taken in 1898.   SOLD

Published in: on June 25, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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PRETTY WOMAN WITH DARK HAIR, DARK EYES, AND WHITE GLOVES

A pretty young woman with dark hair and dark eyes poses for her portrait by a photographer named E. C. Brown whose studio was located on Douglas Avenue in Ellsworth, Kansas.  The woman in this photograph is wearing a striking dress with a couple of floral displays pinned to it. She is wearing formal white gloves and is holding some papers.  Her dress looks like a wedding dress but it is not likely that she would be holding papers in a wedding portrait. Perhaps a visitor to the Cabinet Card Gallery will share an opinion in regard to the specific context of this image.

Published in: on June 24, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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TEN YOUNG LADIES POSE FOR GROUP PORTRAIT IN CONNEAUT, OHIO

Ten well dressed young ladies pose for a group portrait in Conneaut, Ohio. The photographer is H. P. Pitcher. Note the women’s great hats, especially the striped hat worn by the woman near the middle of the bottom row of ladies. Two of the ladies in the photograph are holding what appears to be a spread handkerchief. Perhaps a visitor to Cabinet Card Gallery can explain why the women are holding the handkerchief in that manner for a portrait.  The previous owner of this cabinet card hypothesized that the group of young women are school friends. Photographer, Harvey P. Pitcher was born in Trumbull County, Ohio in 1847. He was the son of a farmer. His parents hailed from New York. He left his fathers farm at age twenty and quickly learned the field of photography in Conneaut. In 1872, he married Miss Jennie Press of Conneaut. He died in 1907. Most of the information cited about Pitcher comes from the “Biographical History of Northeastern, Ohio” (1893).

Published in: on June 23, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION MEMBER PORTRAIT (SALADIN SHRINE CENTER)

This photograph captures a fraternal organization member wearing an organizational hat and pin. Note the tassel on the hat and the man’s wonderful mustache.  The hat has lettering on it which appears to say “Saladin”. The Saladin Shrine Center is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was established in 1886 and has, like many such fraternal organization of that time, a Middle Eastern theme. Saladin was a warrior and Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He lived between 1138 and 1193. He was known for his soldiering, chivalry, courageousness, piety, acts of mercy, and kindness to the poor. The organization became very popular. By 1893, the fraternal group had 661 members. This photograph has been trimmed for framing and as a result, the name of the photographer and the location of his studio is unknown.

 

Published in: on June 22, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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TWO WOMEN AND THEIR BOOKS IN WEST SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN (WINTER SCENE)

Two women dressed in winter coats pose for their portrait at Boyer Brothers studio in West Superior, Wisconsin. They appear well prepared for the winter scene that is hanging behind them. Both women are holding books in their arms. Unlike most subjects appearing in cabinet cards, these two ladies are smiling. The Boyer Brothers include Hans R. Boyer, Henry Boyer, and Robert H. Boyer. The brothers worked in various combinations and in a number of partnerships in Superior, Wisconsin and Duluth, Minnesota. They were associated with studios from the 1880s through the 1910’s.

Published in: on June 21, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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A MAID SERVING TEA IN THE GARDEN

This photograph tells a story and it is up to the viewer of the photograph to create the story. Not all viewers will create identical stories so the image is more like a Rorschach Test. The stories we originate tell us something about ourselves. Here is my story about this photograph. A young maid prepares to serve tea to the lady of the house. It is a beautiful day, so the  tea is served in the garden and the tables have been set with fine lace tablecloths. The garden is located behind a lovely house in the English countryside. Now, back to reality. The photographer of this image and the location of  his studio is unknown. The identity of the subject is also a mystery.

Published in: on June 20, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (7)  
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BEAUTIFUL BUSTY WOMAN IN COLUMBUS, OHIO

The Baker Art Gallery of Columbus, Ohio, produced this portrait of a pretty and busty young woman. A corset likely assists her wasp waist and lovely figure. Apparently, she is well aware of her beauty and capitalizes on it with a “come hither” expression. Take note of her interesting hat; its truly a work of art. The Cabinet Card Gallery has a number of images from the Baker Art Gallery. To view these images and to learn more about the Baker studio, click on the category “Photographer: Baker Art Gallery”.

 

Published in: on June 19, 2012 at 8:23 am  Comments (2)  
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PRETTY WOMAN INTERESTINGLY FRAMED IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

This cabinet card features a profile view of a beautifully dressed pretty woman. She is wearing a tennis racquet pin. The photographer of this image is J. W. Taylor of Rochester, New York. He framed the photograph in an interesting manner. The shape of the frame could be described as a scalloped rectangle. I have observed several cabinet card portraits framed similarly except the frame was shaped like a scalloped leaf. A photograph by J. W. Taylor appears in Wilson’s Photographic Magazine (1900). The photograph was featured as a good example of excellent portraiture. The subject of that photograph was “Jack Turner” who was described as “an English ex-pugilist of note”. To view other photographs by Taylor, click on the category “Photographer: Taylor JW”.

Published in: on June 17, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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ADORABLE BROTHER AND SISTER PORTRAIT IN HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT

This photograph features a portrait of two siblings posing in Hartford, Connecticut. The studio that produced this image was Wise, Smith, and Company. The printing on the bottom of the image list L. E. Taylor as the studio artist. This photograph is a striking portrait. The children are adorable and beautifully dressed. The image is amazingly clear. The previous owner of the photograph suggested that the children appear to be of Latin origin, though that is certainly an impression and not to be taken factually. Research online (in the Hog River Journal) found a 1914 photograph of the Hartford Theatre which was formerly the Wise Smith Building. One may conjecture that the building was the home of the Wise Smith Gallery. The article reports that the building was originally the Hartford Opera House where, among other productions,  Yiddish plays were performed. The building was also a stage theatre prior to and during the silent film era. The Wise and Smith gallery was listed in Hartford’s 1903 business directory.

Published in: on June 15, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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