This cabinet card is a portrait of two adorable siblings posing for their portrait at a studio in Salem, Massachusetts. The photographer is S. S. Haswell. The children are fashionably dressed for cold weather. Their jackets appear to be similar or identical. The little boy sports beautiful long boots and a large bow tie. The girl is wearing a cute scarf with pom poms as well a cute cap.
ADORABLE SIBLINGS IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS
A YOUNG BOY AND HIS PULL-TOY DOG
A cute little boy poses with his pull-toy dog. He is very dressed up for his portrait. Note his large bow tie and his cute cap. The photographer and the location of the photographic studio are unknown. The photographer’s creativity, in regard to his choice of background and props, is very uninspiring.
THREE LOOK-ALIKE SISTERS IN RIVER FALLS, WISCONSIN
This cabinet card is a portrait of three sisters with a strong family resemblance. The woman are attractive and nicely dressed. Note that the woman on the right is wearing a necktie, and the sister in the center has ribbons on her collar. The photographer is W. F. Kellogg of River Falls, Wisconsin. The Kellogg studio was established in 1877 by Douglas Wright Kellogg (1840-1913). The studio was built on the southeast corner of Main and Walnut Street. In 1878, Douglas Kellogg sold the studio to to his older brother, Wilbur Fiske Kellogg (1836-1920). Wilbur Kellogg is the photographer who produced the above portrait. Another brother, John D. Kellogg operated a gallery in Red Wing, Minnesota from 1868 until 1899. Douglas Kellogg eventually moved to Reedsburg, Wisconsin and opened a gallery there. All three brothers were born in Danby, New York, and learned photography in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Wilbur was a farmer prior to entering the photography business. In 1900, he was thought to be the oldest photographer in Wisconsin. When he sold the studio, Wilbur and his wife moved to Spokane, Washington. In 1899, he partnered with John R. Boals (1872-1959) to establish a photographic studio which was eventually sold to Stella Thayer (1875-1934).
TWO SIBLINGS AND A FAKE DOG IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA
This cabinet card features two siblings posing with a fake dog. The dog, and perhaps the ring toy held by the older child, were provided by the photographer, Wilhelm Otto Jr. Otto’s photographic studio was located in Vienna, Austria. One can see the advantages of a fake dog versus a real dog from the perspective of the photographer. Children were difficult enough to photograph; dogs behaving like dogs were likely a photographers nightmare. Talking about nightmares, the children do not seem to be having too much fun having their portrait taken.
MAN WITH A LONG GREY GOATEE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
An elderly man poses for his portrait at the studio of Arthur Rugg in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The man has a very distinguished appearance. His long grey goatee is his entry ticket into cabinet card gallery’s category “Beards (Only the Best)”. To view other photographs by Rugg, and learn of his unethical behavior as a photographer, click on the category “Photographer: Rugg”.
PORTRAIT OF A POSSE
This cabinet card offers a joy ride for the viewers imagination. The mind trip leads to a small town in the old west. Six men are gathered in the photography studio of E W. Beard. The men are members of a posse that has recently captured a notorious outlaw. They have come together for a group portrait, so that they can have a memento of their accomplishment. It would be terrific to know the real reason why these men are gathered together; but there is no explanatory evidence available. Further frustration and lack of success was encountered when trying to identify the location of the photography studio that produced this photograph.
LIZZIE BURTON: STAGE ACTRESS (NOT ELIZABETH TAYLOR BURTON)
This cabinet card features actress, Lizzie Burton. Research yielded little information about her and the search was hampered because references to Elizabeth Taylor Burton kept surfacing. The few articles about Lizzie Burton that were found, seem to indicate that she was a minor comic opera actress. She appeared with the Boston Ideal Opera Company which existed between 1879 and 1904. A review of “The Musketeer”, which appeared in tNew York Times (1885), offered praise for her performance in a minor role. The “Musketeer”, Varney’s comic opera, had been performed at New York’s Fifth Avenue Theatre. This cabinet card was published by Wells & Co., a New York City photographic studio.
FASHIONABLE WOMAN IN TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA
This cabinet card captures a fashionable young woman, who judging by her expression, knows that she looks great. Note the striped bodice. Also notice her small waist, courtesy of a corset. In addition, the rings of hair on her forehead are quite unusual, but not particularly attractive. . The woman is pretty, but “its the dress” that makes this cabinet card notable. The photographer of this image is either David Baily, or his son Elmer Baily. Their studio was located in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. To view other photographs by the Bailys, and to learn more about them, click on the category “Photographer: Baily”.
A GIRL AND HER DOG IN PHOENIX, NEW YORK
This cabinet card is a portrait of a young woman posing with her small dog. It appears that the dog was not the most cooperative subject, since the photographer found this image acceptable even though the mongrel was looking away from the camera. The quality of the photographers work is also lowered by his choice of backdrop (a wall and curtain); as well as his not including the entire chair in the image. The girl, who looks as if, she is in her teenage years, is rather plain looking. She is wearing a ring and a necklace. She has very long hair with curly bangs. The photographer is F. S. Richards and the studio was located in Phoenix, New York. Phoenix is a village located in Oswego County. It is 15 miles north of Syracuse. In 1916, Phoenix was nearly destroyed by a devastating fire.
PROVOCATIVE WOMAN ON A FAINTING COUCH IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
This cabinet card features a young smiling woman lying on a fainting couch. This image is quite risque for its time. The style and folds of the woman’s dress, her exposed feet, her smile and her body language all contribute to the provocativeness of this image. Fainting couches were popular in the 19th century and used predominately by woman. They are couches with a back that is traditionally raised at one end. There are two major theories as to why these type of couches became popular. The first theory was that some women wore their corsets so tight, that they restricted blood flow; causing fainting. This theory has pretty much been debunked. A second theory was that the couch was popular because many women of that time suffered from “female hysteria”. This medical condition caused symptoms that included faintness, nervousness, and insomnia. The illness was treated by “pelvic massage”. The couch was a great setting for hysterical woman to receive the treatment from visiting physicians and midwives. This female psychiatric illness sounds very much like an anxiety attack, and Xanax and Ativan seem to have replaced “pelvic massage” on a fainting couch. The photographer of this cabinet card was J. B. Wilson of Chicago, Illinois. To view other photographs by Wilson, click on the category “Photographer: Wilson (JB)”. The subject of this photograph may have been an actress.
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