This cabinet card features an attractive young woman with a great smile. She gives the appearance of someone very vivacious. She is beautifully dressed and her hair is very long and worn in a style that can best be described as a “hair pile”. One wonders how much time it would take her to dry her hair after bathing. Were hair dryers available to this pretty long tressed lady? Most readers will be surprised to learn that this portrait was likely taken after the invention of the hair dryer. Hair dryers were invented in 1890 by Alexandre Goldefroy. He drew his inspiration from vacuum cleaners. Goldefroy owned a hair salon in France; and his patrons sat under the hair dryer. Hand held hair dryers were invented in the 1920’s. The photographer of this image is Kozmata Ferencz (1846-1902), located in Budapest, Hungary. To view other photographs by Ferencz, a celebrated Hungarian photographer, click on the category “Photographer: Ferencz”.
PRETTY AND VIVACIOUS YOUNG WOMAN WITH UNUSUAL HAIRSTYLE IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
FASHIONABLE WEDDING COUPLE IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA
This photograph appears to be a portrait of a wedding couple. The pair are beautifully dressed for their special day. The bride is holding a large flower arrangement and a wonderful hat. The groom has a magnificent mustache. Both subjects are holding a pair of gloves. The previous owner of this photograph claims that the couple in the photograph are from the Sympa family, but no explanation regarding how they were identified, was provided. The photographer of this image is Josef Eibl of Vienna, Austria.
MALE ATHLETE IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA
This cabinet card photograph captures an athlete in an action pose from his sport. What is this young man’s sport? It is my belief that he is likely a wrestler. However, he could be a gymnast, boxer, track and field competitor, or some other type of athlete. The subject certainly appears fit and muscular. Perhaps a visitor to the Cabinet Card Gallery will be able to identify the athlete’s sport by his uniform and leave an informative comment. The photographer of this image is Rudolf Franzl (1877-1955) of Vienna, Austria.
MAN POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHER IN CALCUTTA, INDIA
Calcutta, India is the location at which this cabinet card photograph was taken. The studio of Johnston and Hoffmann were the photographers. The reverse of the card has the stamp of Austrian lithographer, Bernard Wachtl of Vienna. Calcutta is the current capitol of the Indian state of West Bengal located in eastern India. However, at the time of this photograph and until 1911, during the British Raj (colonial rule), Calcutta was the capitol of India. It would be interesting to know why this gentleman was in India and something about his identity, but this information has been lost over time. Research reveals some information about the photographers. Theodore Julius Hoffmann and P. A. Johnston established a commercial photography studio in Calcutta (1882) and Darjeeling (1890). Their studio is considered to be the second largest commercial photography studio in India in that period. Many of their images were of North and Northeast India as well as Sikkim and Nepal. To view other cabinet cards from India, click on the category “India”. To view other works by Bernard Wachtl, click on the category “Lithographers: Bernard Wachtl”.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 