Attractive young Black woman poses at Smith’s Photographic Studio at an unnamed location. She is very fashionably dressed. Note the wonderful details of her cape and hat. Unfortunately, there are no clues as to the identity of this woman nor the identity or location of the cabinet card photographer.
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN CHILLING AT TURN OF THE CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO
LETTICE FAIRFAX: THEATRE ACTRESS (PRETTY THE WAY AN ENGLISH GARDNER’S DAUGHTER IS PRETTY)
Lettice Fairfax, an English actress, is the subject of this cabinet card. Her first stage appearance in America was at Daly’s Theater in New York City. She had a role in “Number Nine” in December of 1897. The reviewer in the New York Times wrote that she was “a pretty, fragile and very nervous” actress. He also labelled her the “new ingenue” and reported that she was pretty the way an English Gardner’s daughter is pretty. I guess that means that she was pretty in “the girl next door” kind of way. The photographer of this cabinet card was famed theatre photographer, B. J. Falk and the photograph is copyrighted in 1898. The reverse of the cabinet card is stamped “Charles L Ritzmann” of Broadway, New York.
CALIFORNIA COUPLE LOOKING NONE TOO PLEASED
A couple poses for a photograph at the studio of Hardesty & Armstrong in Santa Ana, California. Both the man and woman in this cabinet card photograph look very unhappy. She looks particularly sour. The couple are nicely dressed; the woman is holding a fan and the man is holding a rolled piece of paper. Is he holding a wedding certificate for a wedding picture? Has he just graduated from a college? Is this a brother and sister? The answer is lost to history. Note the gentleman’s pocket watch.
ADELE BELGARDE: THEATRE ACTRESS WITH QUESTIONABLE TALENT
This cabinet card portrait captures Adele Belgarde, an actress of the theatre. On August 22, 1879, the New York Times critic reviewed her performance in “Julia” The critic clearly was not impressed when he wrote “there is so much she attempts that she cannot do, and possibly would never be able to do.” The critic also writes that her acting “was not sufficiently good” or warrant much praise. More information about this feather clad actress will be sought. The photographer of this cabinet card is Myers located on Broadway in New York City.
WOMAN WITH LACE VEIL OR KERCHIEF IN KEOTA, IOWA
A mellow woman poses for her portrait at the studio of E. E. Neal in Keota, Iowa. The woman is wearing a large lace veil or kerchief. Perhaps a visitor to this blog entry can identify the headwear more specifically. Is this wide-eyed woman possibly a bride? If so, she doesn’t appear to be a happy bride. To view other photographs by Neal, click on the category “Photographer: Neal”.
SHAPELY FASHIONISTA IN UTICA, NEW YORK
This very fashionable woman is looking her best for her day at the photographer (W. P. Wright) in Utica, New York. She is wearing a dark dress with an interesting design coming off her shoulders. She is also wearing a collar pin as well as a wedding band. Her undergarments give her the hour glass shape that was popular during the turn of the century.
PRETTY WOMAN WEARING A FEATHERED HAT IN WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
An attractive woman poses for her portrait at Tucker’s Studio in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her stylish hat appears to be multi feathered. Judging by her fashionable appearance, this woman is likely from the upper financial echelon of her community. The photographer is H. B. Tucker.
ZOE TUTTLE: PRETTY STAGE ACTRESS
The Boston Globe of 1880 in a play review of Uncle Toms Cabin, writes that Little Miss Zoe Tuttle played Eva in a “perfect” performance. Ms Tuttle appears to have begun as a child actress but little more information has been discovered. Additional research will be done and any facts concerning Ms Tuttle or additional comments from blog visitors would be appreciated. The photographer of this cabinet card is Myers of New York City. This photograph is back stamped with the name of Charles Ritzmann, a well known purveyor of photographs of stage actors and actresses.
GREAT SIDEBURNS IN MADISON SQUARE, NEW YORK
A distinguished looking gentleman poses for photographer W. Kurtz of Madison Square, New York City, New York. Madison Square is the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in Manhattan. Kurtz had photographic studios in New York, Philadelphia, Paris and Vienna. He photographed many celebrities of his time and his work is in the archives of many University libraries, including Harvard University.
FIRE CHIEF OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
This excellent image is a portrait of a fire chief in Providence, Rhode Island. He is seen in his dress uniform with a fire chief badge on his hat. His coat buttons indicate he is a fireman with the Providence Fire Department. The photographer is Y. E. Rose of Providence, Rhode Island. The studio opened in 1886 in the Conrad Building.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 