ATTRACTIVE YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN IN APPLETON, WISCONSIN

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This is a wonderful cabinet card portrait of a pretty young woman. The photograph features a great deal of uncertainty. The individual who formerly owned this image claimed that the subject is African American. In my opinion, the claim is debatable. One of the issues relating to some cabinet card images of African Americans is this very question. Some collectors and dealers sincerely believe they possess a portrait of an African American while others dishonestly make the claim in order to increase the value of the photograph. This particular image presents another interesting and debatable subject. The previous owner also claimed that this photograph is a memorial cabinet card. In other words, the photograph was made in honor of this young woman upon her death (not a post-mortem photo). The placement of the woman’s image inside a scroll, or whatever the shape represents, is the alleged tip off that it is a memorial photograph. I have seen experts provide conflicting opinions about such claims. Lets talk about what we do know. This young and attractive woman is making an interesting fashion statement. Her dress has little squares of fabric attached to it in what appears to be a haphazard manner. She is wearing a horseshoe collar pin and a thin necklace. If this photo is a memorial cabinet card, then the horseshoe certainly didn’t provide her with good luck. She is wearing her hair up. The photographer of this cabinet card is William T. Ross (1861-1945) who operated a studio in Appleton, Wisconsin. Ross appears in “Wilson Photographic Magazine” (1898) in an article that reports that he was elected Treasurer of the Convention of Wisconsin Photographers. Ross has a presence in a number of Appleton city directories from 1889 through 1934. He was born in Syracuse, New York and was married to Ella A. Ross. The edges of this cabinet card are scalloped and gold gilded. The reverse of the cabinet card has a ghost image (see below). The image was likely formed by the rear of the cabinet card being pressed against the front of another image while occupying a frame or album.  SOLD

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Published in: on November 7, 2016 at 3:01 pm  Comments (6)  
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LITTLE GIRL RIDING A GIANT TRICYCLE IN MONTEVIDEO, MINNESOTA

A little girl sits high atop a giant tricycle in this cabinet card photograph by Andreas Brandmo. Brandmo’s studio was located in Montevideo, Minnesota. The little girl won’t be able to ride very far on her  monster bike. Unfortunately her feet do not seem to reach the bike’s pedals. She also doesn’t look particularly comfortable on her perch, as she poses for the photographer. The 1900 United States census reveals that Brandmo was born in Norway in 1855. He came to the United States in 1882 and married his wife Martha in 1885. Apparently, Brandmo and his wife were producing children at a rapid pace. After 15 years of marriage, the couple had eight children spanning between three and twelve years of age. The census also indicated that Brandmo’s niece, Lucy Husaby, worked as a photographer in his studio. The family lived in Appleton, Minnesota. Research found that Brandmo operated his Montevideo studio between 1886 and 1896. It was also reported that he ran a gallery in Appleton in 1898. At some point he had a partner and their studio was named Brandmo & Lodgaard. The 1910 census reveals that Andreas Brandmo changed his name to Andrew Brandmo. Perhaps when he realized he had eight children and a wife depending on him, he changed his name and entered the Federal Witness Protection Program. More likely though, he probably Americanized his name for business purposes. The 1910 census also notes that his son Alf, had joined him in the business and was working as a photographer.

Published in: on February 9, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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ADORABLE BABY WITH CURLS IN DAYTON, OHIO

Photographers William Hollinger and Joseph M. Appleton (1848-?) produced this Cabinet Card photograph of a very cute baby in Dayton, Ohio.  Both partners of the Appleton and Hollinger studio were photographers of note. Hollinger worked in Urbana in the mid 1870’s and in Dayton from 1883 until 1896. He partnered with Appleton in the 1880’s. In 1900 he was included in an article in Wilson’s Photographic magazine.  Appleton trained in Akron, Ohio in the 1860’s and later worked in Millersburg and Columbus.  In 1880 he moved to Dayton, first working with Hollinger and by 1887 he had his own studio and owned a company that manufactured photographic plates. Appleton’s work was exhibited at the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893 and at the National Academy of Design in 1898. He was an officer in the Photographic Association of America and a founder of the Photographic Salon of Ohio. To view other photographs by Appleton & Hollinger, click on the category “Photographer: Appleton & Hollinger”.

Published in: on December 24, 2009 at 9:25 am  Comments (7)  
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