“A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW” POSES FOR HIS PORTRAIT IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA (PHOTOGRAPH BY TABER)

A jolly looking man poses for a portrait at the studio of Isaiah West Taber (1830-1912), in San Francisco, California. The happy gentleman has a wonderful mustache and earns the right to join other men with remarkable mustaches in the Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Mustaches (Only the Best)”. Taber was a well known daguerreotypist, ambrotypist and photographer who photographed many California notables. Taber was also a sketch artist and a dentist. He was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Between 1845 and 1849, he worked on a whaling ship. He moved to California in 1850 and returned to the east, four years later. Upon his return, he opened a photography studio in Syracuse, New York. In 1864, he returned to California where he worked in the studio of Bradley and Rulofson until 1873. To view images by Bradley and Rulofson, click on the category, “Photographer: Bradley & Rulofson”. In 1871, Tabor opened his own studio and became famous for reproducing the photographs of well known California photographer, Carleton Watkins. Watkin’s business had gone bankrupt, and Taber reproduced his work without giving Watkins any credit. In 1880, Taber took a six week photographic trip to Hawaii. During part of that trip, he fulfilled his commission to photograph King Kalakaua. By 1890, Taber had expanded his operation to include studios in London and other parts of Europe. However, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, put him out of business. The natural disaster destroyed Taber’s studio, gallery and negatives.

 

Published in: on June 25, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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A GIRL AND HER DOLL IN NEW MILFORD, CONNECTICUT

This cabinet card presents a very cute young girl holding one of her dolls. The child is nicely dressed. Note her high button shoes. Her hairstyle seems a bit unusual for the time. Her hair appears to be shorter than one might expect based on other photographs of similar aged girls of that era. However, her hair may be pulled back, and not really short. This photograph also presents a clear view of the child’s doll. The photographer of this image is John J. Walklet of  New Milford, Connecticut. Wilson’s Photographic Magazine (1899) announces the sale of Walklet’s studio to W. M. Miller. Walklet’s studio was located at 27 Bank Street, according to a New Milford  business directory (1891).

Published in: on June 24, 2011 at 9:13 am  Comments (3)  
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FEATHERED LADY OF MONTPELIER, VERMONT

This cabinet card is a portrait of a pretty feathered woman. It is probably misleading to call her a feathered woman, when in fact, it is her dress and hat that is covered with feathers. She is certainly wearing a creative, albeit, odd dress, especially since the photograph was made  pre “Big Bird”. The photographer was A. N. Blanchard, and he was located on State Street, in Montpelier, Vermont. Azel Norman Blanchard (1843-1923) was a Civil War veteran who was a member of the 1st US Sharpshooters (Co. F). He established a photography business in Barre, Vermont, in 1865 and moved to Montpelier where he established a studio in 1880. Research reveals that his photography business was listed in the Montpelier directories of 1883 and 1887. He was buried in Green Mountain Cemetery, in Montpelier.

Published in: on June 23, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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FASHIONABLE WOMAN IN OXFORD, MICHIGAN

This Cabinet Card is an image of a fashionable woman. She clearly decided to wear one of her finest dresses and her favorite hat for her photograph session at the Art Studio of R. S. Schuyler, in Oxford, Michigan. The woman is wearing wire rim glasses and one glove. She is holding the second glove in her gloved hand. She is also holding something else in the gloved hand. Hopefully, a visitor to the Cabinet Card Gallery, will be able to identify the article she is holding along with the glove. Why is she wearing just one glove? Perhaps, she wants the photograph to show the ring that she is wearing on the middle finger of her ungloved hand.

Published in: on June 22, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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FORLORN BRIDE AND DISTANT GROOM ON THEIR WEDDING DAY IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN (CAN THIS MARRIAGE BE SAVED?)

This cabinet card is a wedding portrait photographed by Lecher, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The bride in this picture appears quite attractive  in her wedding gown. She has a lovely veil and has a bouquet of flowers on her lap. The bride seems troubled. Is she questioning her decision to marry her husband? Did her Maid of Honor look more beautiful than she did? The well dressed groom appears quite concerned as he stands quite far from his bride with his hands clasped behind his back, and his top hat rests on the table next to him. The posing of this wedding couple is quite unusual. The couple seem emotionally and physically very distant from each other. Can this marriage be saved? The photographer, Paul G. Lecher, was a native of Germany, who came to the United States at two years of age. Research reveals that he definitely operated his studio in 1889 and 1890, and perhaps, in other years too.

Published in: on June 21, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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ATTRACTIVE ROMANIAN WEDDING COUPLE

This photograph features an attractive couple posing for their portrait on their wedding day. The bride looks beautiful in her wedding gown and veil. She clutches a beautiful arrangement of flowers. The groom sits unusually close to his bride. This is a rather intimate image for the era that it was taken. The handsome groom is attired in formal wear and is holding a pair of gloves. The photographer is named Adler and his studio was in Brasov, Romania. The reverse of the photograph has advertising for the studio written in three languages, calling the city three different names. The Romanians used the word Brasov, the Hungarians called the city, Brasso, and the Germans referred to the city as Kronstadt. The city was significantly influenced by all three cultures. One of three Adler brothers is the photographer of this image. Leopold Adler (1848-1924) is the most likely candidate. Leopold Adler was the son of a Jewish factory owner. He came to Transylvania in 1872 and settled in the Kronstadt/Brasso area. He initially worked with his younger brother, Alfred, in the photo studio that his brother Moritz established in 1870. In 1873, he worked with Carl Bomches. After 1875, his brothers returned to Bohemia, and Leopold operated the studio and became a very successful photographer.He retired in 1900 and his assistant Josef Schuller took over the studio, but Leopold came out of retirement and returned to running his business between 1909 an 1915.

Published in: on June 20, 2011 at 8:49 am  Comments (1)  
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TWO YOUNG MEN POSE WITH THEIR BIKES AND UNUSUAL RIDING CLOTHES IN PECK, MICHIGAN

This cabinet card photograph captures two young men posing with their bicycles. They are wearing similar and  unusual outfits. it looks like they are wearing the predecessor to “hoodies”. However, rather than hoods, it appears that they are wearing capes. Both guys are also wearing flowers pinned to their chest. Are these fellows about to ride in a parade? Are they wearing typical bike riding outfits? Hopefully, a visitor to the cabinet card gallery will leave an informative comment concerning the subjects outfits. The photographer of this image is M. R. Cole of Peck, Michigan. Cole is listed in a 1904 Michigan directory as a photographer and a jeweler.

Published in: on June 19, 2011 at 12:02 am  Comments (2)  
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MILITARY MARKSMAN IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

This cabinet card features a young soldier in his uniform. He is a member of the Wisconsin 4th Infantry, Company D. He is wearing a kepi on his head and a fatigue coat. His uniform displays a number of marksman badges. The photographer is Herman  A. Feiker of Milkwaukee, Wisconsin. Research is incomplete, but, reveals that he operated a photography studio during 1889 and 1890. In 1889  he was partners with George Raab in running a studio at 1102 Walnut, in Milwaukee. Records indicate that Feiker married Mina Horstman in 1887.

Published in: on June 18, 2011 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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CROSS DRESSER IN MONTEZUMA, IOWA (AND SO IS LOLA)

The  previous owner of this cabinet card believed that the woman in the image may be a man. Perhaps the jacket and tie that she is wearing is the predominant evidence that she/he is a cross dresser. I am not very convinced that the subject of this photograph is a man, but it certainly is a possibility. Never forget the wise words of the well respected group of philosophers known as the Kinks; “Well I’m not the world’s most masculine man, but I know what I am, and I’m glad I’m a man, so is Lola”. An interesting side note is that the photographer of this image, Will C. Fryatt, is responsible for a number of other unusual photographs taken at his studio in Montezuma, Iowa. It is entirely possible that Fryatt never took the photograph, but instead, bought the rights to sell it at his studio. There is also a possibility that the individual in this image is an actor/actress from a touring theatre company. Another mystery that this cabinet card presents is as follows: Why does a town in Iowa get named after an Aztec Emperor of Mexico? Stay tuned, research is in progress. A visitor to the cabinet card gallery commented that the woman in this cabinet card looked very  much like male impersonator, Ella Wesner (1851-1917) who was popular in the 1880’s. She was a part of the Gilded Age vaudeville circuit. You can view an image of Miss Wesner below. The assertion that the portraits of the two women in these photographs look similar, is very true. Do you think that they are one and the same person?

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Published in: on June 17, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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TWO HOTEL MAIDS IN CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE

This occupational cabinet card features two women posing with supplies of their trade. The women are likely hotel maids, or house servants. One maid is holding a broom, while the other is holding a glass and what appears to be, a clean towel. The photographer of this image is F. A. Dow of Concord, New Hampshire.

Published in: on June 16, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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