This Cabinet Card is an image of two very interestingly dressed young women. Are they going to a costume party or are they just making a fashion statement? Madame Butterfly has butterflies affixed all over herself. She has butterflies atop her head, as well as on her chest, skirt and shoes. Is that a butterfly purse she is holding? The second woman is wearing gloves and holding a cane. She also has an interesting rope belt and an unusual necklace and hat. The photographer of the cabinet card is likely the Baker Art Gallery located on the corner of State and High Streets in Columbus, Ohio. The studio was founded by Lorenzo Marvin Baker who began working as a photographer in the early 1860’s and established the Baker Art Gallery in 1886. Four generations of the family ran the gallery until 1955. Many of their photographs and materials are now held by the Ohio Historical Society. To view other photographs by Baker, click on the category “Photographer: Baker Art Gallery”.
MADAME BUTTERFLY AND HER SIDEKICK
SIBLINGS PORTRAIT IN QUINCY, ILLINOIS
A boy and his two sisters pose for their portrait at the studio of Crook & Rothery in Quincy, Illinois. The boy is holding a stick (it looks to long to be a riding crop). The younger sister is seeking comfort by leaning into her older sister, who doesn’t seem that comfortable herself.
LITTLE GIRL WITH BOWS IN HER HAIR IN POTTSVILLE, PENSYLVANIA
This cute little girl poses for her cabinet card portrait at the studio of F. L. Lamont in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. She is leaning on a prop sculptured rock aimed to mimic an outdoor scene. She has bows in her hair. F. L. Lamont had a photographic studio in Pottsville in 1880. From 1881-1906 his studio was named Lamont & Mack.
MAUD GRANGER: BROADWAY STAGE ACTRESS
Maud Granger (c 1851-1928) was a popular nineteenth century actress who belonged to a number of east coast theatre touring companies. She played in 17 Broadway productions between 1879 and 1924. She also became an early cinema screen personality. This cabinet card was photographed by the studio of Gilbert & Bacon of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This studio was one of the best known photographic studios in Philadelphia and produced portraits of many celebrities. To view other photographs by this studio, click on the category “Photographer: Gilbert & Bacon”.
WIDE-EYED CHILD IN RENSSELAER, INDIANA
This adorable wide-eyed child displays a nice smile for the camera of Bartoo in Rensselaer, Indiana. Pencilled on the reverse of the card is the name “Gilbert Stuckee”.
SIX TEENAGE GIRLS WHO DIDN’T SMILE FOR THE CAMERA IN LENA, ILLINOIS
This cabinet card photograph captures six girls posing for the photographer at the studio of W. T. Nash in Lena, Illinois. The girls appear to be in their teens or early twenties. Perhaps they are sisters born without the smiling gene. In reality, smiling was not a behavior many subjects exhibited in cabinet card portraits.
MARIE BURROUGHS: AMERICAN STAGE ACTRESS
Marie Burroughs (1866-1926) is the subject of this cabinet card portrait by Newsboy. Newsboy used this cabinet card as a premium to boost sales of their tobacco products. Marie Burroughs was born in San Jose, California and after completing her convent education, she was invited to join the Madison Square Theatre Company (c 1883). She appeared in many productions including “Saints and Sinners” (1885,1887) and “Foregone Conclusion” (1886). She was a prominent leading lady but wasn’t considered to have enough star power to carry a production by herself. In 1890 she married actor Louis Massen who had helped train her to become an actress. They separated within two years and she went on to have two other marriages.
FAMILY PORTRAIT IN PAPA, HUNGARY
This family portrait cabinet card was photographed by Sorensen Bela in the city of Papa, Hungary. Due to the age of the seated man and woman, it is difficult to determine the family constellation. Is this a photograph of parents with two daughters? Perhaps its a photograph of a set of parents, their daughter, and their granddaughter? The community of Papa is a historical town in northeast Hungary. The town is noted for its baroque architecture and for being the center of the reformed faith in Transdanubia. In addition, Papa was the third to largest Jewish community in 19th century Hungary.
FASHIONABLE FAMILY OF FOUR IN LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND
This Cabinet Card was produced by the Electric Light & Daylight Studios of Richard Brown in Liverpool, England. This well dressed family of four poses for their portrait. Both father and son are wearing suits with exposed watch chains. Mom is wearing a beautiful dress and the daughter is adorned with a necklace. Research indicates that advertising one’s studio as “Electric Light & Daylight” was a method of informing people that the studio was capable of evening hour photography.
MELLVILLE: ANGELIC LOOKING CHILD IN THE TERRIBLE TWO’S IN LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS (1892)
Mellville is a very cute child who was photographed at the Caspar Studio in Lawrence, Massachusetts. According to writing on the reverse of the card, Mellville was two years and two months of age, at the time of the photograph in 1892. The child could not possibly look sweeter despite being ensconced in the “terrible two’s”. Mellville is a boy’s name whose popularity peaked around 1880 and then steadily declined until near extinction.
