Caroline Miskel (1873-1898) was born in Kentucky. Her father was a newspaper editor and state legislator. She began her acting debut season with John Augustin Daly’s theatre company. She played in comedies and classic revivals. In 1894 she married Charles Hoyt, a popular playwright of the “gay nineties”. She starred in his production of “A Temperance Town”. In 1895 she was named America’s most popular actress and was awarded with “a nickel plated bicycle with a solid silver searchlight lantern”. Miskel was considered one of the most beautiful of all American stage actresses. One writer described her as a beauty with “light auburn hair, creamy complexion, bright sapphire eyes, and noble form and features”. The writer added that she was “as intellectual as she was beautiful”. Miskel’s life was cut short when she tragically died at age 25 after giving birth to a son. This cabinet card was published by Newsboy as part of a series of premium cards to be given away with the purchase of Newsboy tobacco products.
CAROLINE MISKEL: AMERICAN STAGE ACTRESS WITH “NOBLE FORM AND FEATURES”
LITTLE GIRL ON A SWING IN EUREKA, CALIFORNIA
This cabinet card photograph features an adorable little girl sitting on a swing. She is fashionably dressed wearing a frilly dress, buttoned boots, and a large bonnet. The photographer is Vansant of Eureka, California. Research reveals that there were two photographers named Vansant in Eureka. Joshua Vansant Jr worked there as a photographer between 1885 and 1908 while William Prescott Vansant was a photographer in Eureka between 1891 and 1896.
PORTRAIT OF A PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN
This photograph features a pretty young woman wearing flowers pinned to her dress. Interestingly, the flowers include the attached long stems which is distracting and detracts from the woman’s beauty.
BEARDED MAN IN TECUMSEH, NEBRASKA
This cabinet card photograph captures a bearded man posing for his portrait at the studio of Hover & Shaw in Tecumseh, Nebraska. Hover & Shaw were active photographers in the 1890’s. The gentleman in this image wears a beard that is nicely groomed and he gains entry into the Cabinet Card Gallery’s “Beards (Only the Best)” category. Check out the category for some interesting adventures in the beard world.
MAN WEARING A STAR POSES WITH HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER IN PIONEER, OHIO
This Cabinet Card appears to feature a father, mother and teenage daughter. Mom is holding a book on her lap and dad is wearing a star on his vest. Is the gentleman a lawman? The badge seems a bit small to be a sheriffs badge. Perhaps a visitor to this site will have a hypothesis or some knowledge about the star. The photographer is Henry E. Buck (1867-?) and his studio was in Pioneer, Ohio. Buck was born in Putnam County, Ohio and worked as a photographer in Pioneer, Ohio in 1891 but by 1896 had settled in McComb, Ohio.
WELL DRESSED AND HANDSOME BLACK GENTLEMAN: POSSIBLE CELEBRITY
This cabinet card features a handsome and fashionably dressed black man. He appears very confident in his three piece suit with his overcoat slung over his arm. This dapper man seems to be going someplace. The photographer and the location of the studio is unknown as this photograph has been trimmed to fit into an album or picture frame. The man may be a celebrity. The number (805) on the left side bottom of the card likely is a card number, indicating that the photograph is one of a series of photographs. Tobacco companies published cabinet card series, including series of cards featuring famous individuals. Perhaps a visitor to this site will leave a comment providing additional information about the identity of the subject of this photograph.
BABY RIDER POSES ON A ROCKING HORSE: KENTUCKY DERBY CONTENDER?
This cabinet card is a portrait of Edwin Jacobs, son of Edwin and Lilla Jacobs, posing on a rocking horse. Note the detailed rocking horse which features reins, harness, stirup, mane and long tail. Young Edwin doesn’t appear to be excited about his opportunity to ride the horse. The photographer is Johns and Faught of Lexington, Kentucky. To view other photographs by this studio, click on the category “Photographer: Johns & Faught”. Kentucky is horse country and of course, the home of the Kentucky Derby since 1875.
AN ARTIST AND HER ART IN CASTILE, NEW YORK
This Cabinet Card is a bit unusual in that it is an image of a woman posing next to framed art. The pose raises some interesting questions. Is the woman an artist proudly displaying her artistic creation? Is the art in this photograph just a prop that the photographer likes to use in his studio work? The questions are unanswerable today but perhaps other images from this photographer will be found that also include art as part of his portraits. Such a finding would indicate that the art is simply a studio prop. The photographer is George L. Washburn of Castile, New York.
BABY ON A BEARSKIN RUG IN COLUMBIA, PENNSYLVANIA
This photographic is a terrific portrait of an adorable baby photographed by Wm. Bailey of Columbia, Pennsylvania. The baby is wearing a long gown and appears to be lying on a bear skin rug. The infant’s hair is worn in an interesting style; it seems to be gathered at the top of her head. To view other photographs by William Bailey, click on the category “Photogapher: Bailey”.
PHOTOGRAPHER’S DAUGHTER MAKES GOOD: FAMILY PORTRAIT ENTERS THE CABINET CARD GALLERY
This cabinet card appears to be a family portrait, judging by the similar appearance of many of the subjects in the photograph. This is one very serious and intense family. Were these young men and woman told by the photographer to look dejected and severe? The photographer of this cabinet card has some interesting biographical facts. George Shadrach Lofft took this photograph in his studio in Lapeer, Michigan. In addition to his profession of photography, Lofft was an illustrator who loved to draw pastel and crayon portraits. He had six children and could not support his family as a photographer. In 1902 he moved his family to Philadelphia where he worked for a Dry Plate company. He died in 1937. One of his daughters found great success in the world of literature. Marguerite de Angeli (1889-1987) was a best selling and award winning author and illustrator of children’s books.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 