This photograph is a portrait of a bride and groom posing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The bride is holding a bouquet of flowers and appears to have flowers pinned to the front of her dress as well as to her shoulders. Perhaps a visitor to this site knows if such pinnings were the practice of that era. The bride, in a high collar gown, is also wearing flowers in her hair and white gloves. The groom looks dapper in his three-piece suit. Note that the ends of his mustache curve upwards. The photographer is Charles Brodesser (1857- ?) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Brodesser was born in Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1872. He settled in Milwaukee in 1877. Further biographical information about Brodesser has not yet been found.
BRIDE AND GROOM IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
PRETTY WOMAN IN RUFFLED LACE DRESS (LEEDS, ENGLAND)
This cabinet card is an image of a very pretty woman who is also quite fashionable. She is wearing a ruffled lace dress and appears very comfortable in front of the camera. She is wearing matching bracelets around each of her lower arms. Hopefully a visitor to the site can explain the reason she is wearing two matching bracelets and why they are worn higher than her wrists. The photographer is J.Garratt of Leeds, England.
MELVILLE ELIJAH STONE: NOTED CHICAGO JOURNALIST
This cabinet card is a portrait of Melville Elijah Stone (1848-1929). Stone was a reporter when in 1876 he founded Chicago’s first penny paper, “The Chicago Daily News”. In 1881 he established the “Chicago Morning News” which became the “Chicago Record”. In 1893, while employed with a bank, he was named General Manager of the “Associated Press” which under his stewardship became a major news agency. Stone retired in 1921. The photographer who produced this portrait was W. J. Root, a celebrated Chicago photographer.
LITERARY MAN STANDING NEXT TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN HAYWARD, WISCONSIN
Ok. So, he’s not exactly standing next to Abraham Lincoln but he is standing next to Abe’s picture on the binding of a very well known book of the time. The title of the volume is “Giants of The Republic”. The book was written by a “Corps of Competent Biographers” and covers the “lives, deeds and personal traits of eminent men and women” in American history. Some of the subjects profiled are Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Charles Sumner, William Sherman, Robert Fulton, John Jacob Astor, and Edgar Alan Poe. The well dressed gentleman in this cabinet card photograph must have thought that the book had historic potential or at the least, was worth remembering. It is unusual to see someone posing with a specific book title (unless its the bible). The book in this photograph is clearly meant to play a prominent role in the photograph. The photographer of this cabinet card is G. H. McElroy of Hayward, Wisconsin.
A MAN AND HIS MEDAL IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
This dapper gentleman is wearing a medal and ribbon as he poses for this portrait at the studio of Applegate, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. What does this medal and ribbon represent? Is this gentleman a veteran of the civil war? Is he a member of a fraternal organization or political party? The answer to these questions will be very difficult to obtain but perhaps a visitor to this site may have some ideas to share about the type of medal and ribbon the subject is wearing. The gentleman’s beard is quite interesting. He has no mustache or whiskers immediately under his lower lip. He qualifies for Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Beards (Only The Best). The photographer of this cabinet card led an interesting life. In 1860, James R. Applegate had a photographic studio in Philadelphia that was three floors high. In 1877, a St. Louis photography magazine visited Applegate’s studio and wrote that he “encases 50 portrait faces every minute…. with a bevy of young ladies finishing the same and scores waiting to be set”. In 1884, Applegate opened the first successful amusement pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The boardwalk included one of his photography studios. In 1891, he moved the carousel from the boardwalk to Philadelphia and a year later, the police raided the carousel and arrested him and 200 guests. He was charged with “keeping a disorderly house” and an unnamed more serious offense.
HEFTY MAN DRESSED FOR WINTER ON BROADWAY IN NEW YORK CITY
This nicely dressed portly gentleman is posing for his portrait at the studio of Golder & Robinson in New York City. He appears as if he just walked in off the street and didn’t take the time to remove his overcoat and fur hat. His pocket watch and a couple of rings are visible.To view other photos by this studio click on the category “Golder & Robinson”.
BLANCH HOWARD: A PRECOCIOUS TEN YEAR OLD IN BOSTON (1887)
Ten year-old Blanch Howard poses for this cabinet card photograph by McCormick of Boston, Massachusetts. She cofidently stares into the camera and has a look of precociousness. Her name is inked on the reverse of the card and it is spelled Blanch and not Blanche. Blanch is a name of French origin and has a creative spelling. The peak year for the popularity of the name Blanch in America was 1924. To view other photographs by McCormick, click on the category “Photographer: McCormick”.
THREE FRIENDLY CRICKET PLAYERS IN WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND
This cabinet card photograph is a portrait of three uniformed cricket players posing at the studio of Henry Abbott in Wolverhampton, England. In 1835 a group of sportsmen met at a tavern in Wolverhampton to organize the playing of cricket in the borough. Records exist of the play of organized rugby in Wolverhampton beginning the year 1842.
WEDDING PORTRAIT: NUPTIALS HELD IN BEOGRAD, SERBIA
This Cabinet Card is a wedding portrait of a bride and groom in Beograd, Serbia. Beograd is Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. The photographer was Mojsilovic. The groom is wearing a three piece suit, flowers on his lapel and a mustache which curls upward. The bride has flowers in her hair and appears to be wearing white gloves. There is a bouquet of flowers on the table next to the bride.
SERBIAN CHILDREN PLAYING WITH THEIR TOYS IN ZENTA
This Cabinet Card is a image of Serbian children playing with their toys in the city of Zenta, Serbia. Cute children surrounded by toys could be a universal photograph. There are similar cabinet card images from all over the world. The young boy sitting in the wagon is wearing a sailor suit and has a stuffed animal. The young girl is holding a doll. The photographer is Rozgonyi of Zenta.
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