A pretty young lady poses for photographer R. E. Atkinson at his studio at 257 and 259 State Street in Schenectady, New York. The young woman in this image has a look that exudes an abundance of personality. Photographers took great pride in their work which is evident in Atkinson’s advertisement on the reverse of the photograph which states his occupation as “Artist and Photographer”. Atkinson worked as a photographer in Schenectady from at least 1885 through 1888 when he was succeeded by a firm called Smith and Talbott. In 1906 he shows up in the Schenectady business directory again but this time his profession is listed as “nursery stock”. Research reveals that during the 1870’s Atkinson worked as a photographer in Troy, New York.
PRETTY YOUNG LADY IN SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN BANGOR, MAINE (FEMALE PHOTOGRAPHER)
A handsome young man preens for the camera at the Ramsdell & Halloran studio in Bangor, Maine. Writing on the reverse of the photograph is not totally legible but appears to state “Board of Editors” and “Kallour” or Kallow”. Despite the written clues on the reverse of the photograph, research did not uncover any information pertaining to this gentleman’s identity. Investigating did reveal that one of the photographers of this image was female. Miss Emily I Ramsdell (1856-1917) appears in the 1880 census as living with her parents in Atkinson, Maine and working as a school teacher. Examining several Bangor city directories reveals that she was employed as a photographer as early as 1892 and as late as 1914. The 1887 through 1899 directories show that she was partnered with Thomas F. Halloran. The Bulletin of Photography (1917) reports her death at age sixty-one.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 