A pretty woman wearing a mink stole over her long winter coat, poses for photographer Walter E. Chickering in his Boston, Massachusetts studio. The woman is wearing a nice winter hat and is holding a fur muff. She is also wearing gloves. Note the pom pom’s on the front of the stole. Advertising on the reverse of the cabinet card reminds the public that “Walter E. Chickering is the original photographer of that name”. To view photographs by both of the Chickerings (Walter and Elmer), click on the category “Photographer: Chickering, W.”.
WOMAN WEARING FUR STOLE IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (PHOTOGRAPH BY WALTER CHICKERING)
PRETTY WOMAN WEARING FUR COAT POSES FOR WALTER CHICKERING IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
A pretty young woman poses for her portrait at the studio of Walter E. Chickering in Boston, Massachusetts. The woman is wearing a winter coat which appears to be made from fur. Her sleeves are definitely fur trimmed. She is wearing gloves and a lovely hat. The subject of this portrait is unidentified. Walter E. Chickering was a well known Boston photographer. He was concerned about being confused with a photographer named Elmer Chickering, who also operated a studio in Boston. The reverse of this image has a printed advertisement describing Walter Chickering as “the original photographer of that name”. The ad is a bit grandiose in its description of Walter Chickering’s studio as being “mammoth” in size. To view other photographs by the Chickering (both Walter and Elmer), and to learn more about them, click on the category “Photographer: Chickering, W.”.
PRETTY WOMAN STANDS BY PLANTS IN BOSTON
A pretty woman stands among some plants at the photographic studio of Patten, Perkins and Stratton in Boston, Massachusetts. The studio was located at 47 Hanover Street in Boston. The woman is wearing a pretty hat and a large bow on her blouse. She is wearing a pattern dress and a collar pin. Note the woman’s fingerless gloves.
WOMAN IN CHAINS (STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA)
This cabinet card features a woman in chains. The previous sentence, and the title of this blog entry, may be misleading because the woman isn’t exactly in chains; instead, she is wearing a chain necklace. Don’t you hate those sensational headlines that are aimed to manipulate you to watch a particular news show, or read a certain newspaper? Sorry! This lady’s name is “Emmie” according to a notation on the reverse of the cabinet card. She is thin, pretty and curly haired. The chain she is wearing has a pin attached to her collar and also has a charm or locket. Ironically, the charm resembles a modern day pet identification tag. This image was photographed by Batchelder of Stockton, California. Perez Mann Batchelder (1818-1873) was a daguerreotypist, ambrotypist, and photographer active in a number of areas in California, including Sonora, Stockton, Vallecito, Murphy’s Camp, and Mokelumne Hill. He also operated studios in Melbourne, Australia (he followed the gold rush occurring down under) and Boston, Massachusetts. He worked in all of these locales over a short period of time. He clearly did not let moss grow under his feet. Batchelder with his brothers Nathaniel, Freeman, and Benjamin Pierce founded a daguerreian dynasty which in the 1850’s and 1860’s established dozens of galleries on both coasts of the United States and in Australia. Batchelder travelled incessantly and operated many enterprises simultaneously. He was born in Massachusetts and entered photography as a career in 1844. The book, “Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary” (2000) was the source of much of the information about Perez Batchelder.
INTERESTING COUPLE IN A SALVATION ARMY TYPE UNIFORM
This photograph presents a bit of a mystery. What organization does this couple represent? Their uniforms appear to be salvation army garb. However, many salvation army workers wore the letter “S” on their collar while this couple has the letter “F” on their collars. Many salvation army members wore a collar badge with “Salvation Army” written on it. The gentleman in this image doesn’t appear to be wearing such a badge, but the woman may have one, but it is unreadable. The individuals each have a bar on their shoulders which may indicate a higher than basic rank. Note the wire rim glasses that the gentleman is wearing and the magazine that he is holding. The reverse of the photograph has the name Swanson written on it. The photographer who produced this image is James E. Purdy.The reverse of the photograph indicates that Purdy was the successor to Hastings, the former operator of the studio. Purdy’s studio was located at 146 Tremont Street, in Boston, Massachusetts. He operated his studio in Boston between 1896 and 1930. He was a popular photographer in Boston. He was considered to be in the same caliber as the celebrated photographer, Chickering (to view photographs by Chickering, click on cabinet card gallery’s category “Photographer: Chickering”). One of the many famous people he photographed was Winston Churchill, who was in Boston (1900) lecturing about the Boer War. This is not the same Winston Churchill who so ably led Great Britain.
LIZZIE BURTON: STAGE ACTRESS (NOT ELIZABETH TAYLOR BURTON)
This cabinet card features actress, Lizzie Burton. Research yielded little information about her and the search was hampered because references to Elizabeth Taylor Burton kept surfacing. The few articles about Lizzie Burton that were found, seem to indicate that she was a minor comic opera actress. She appeared with the Boston Ideal Opera Company which existed between 1879 and 1904. A review of “The Musketeer”, which appeared in tNew York Times (1885), offered praise for her performance in a minor role. The “Musketeer”, Varney’s comic opera, had been performed at New York’s Fifth Avenue Theatre. This cabinet card was published by Wells & Co., a New York City photographic studio.
CUTE YOUNG GIRL IN NASHUA NEW HAMPSHIRE
A young girl poses for her portrait in the studio of Charles Henry Lindsay in Nashua, New Hampshire. Note her lace collar and her cute curls. She has a great half smile and is very focused on the photographer and camera. The photographer of this image had quite a journeyman career. The Granite State Monthly (1916) wrote a glowing article about his skills and described his career experiences. Lindsay learned his profession in the studio of Frank O. Everett, in Nashua. He began working for Everett around 1872 and stayed in his employ for about three years. He then moved to Concord, New Hampshire to become an operator for Benjamin Carr. He ultimately purchased Carr’s business and conducted it successfully until it was destroyed in a fire. He then worked with Stephen Piper in Manchester until 1879, when he moved to Nashua and opened his own studio. In 1889 he went to Boston and worked for some well known photographers. From 1894 until at least 1915, he operated a studio in Manchester, New Hampshire. At some point, his son, Ira Frank Lindsay, joined him in operating the Manchester studio. Lindsay’s career certainly was one that had many starts and stops, and forced him to make many relocations. This cabinet card was produced during Lindsay’s Nashua tenure between 1879 and 1889.
DISTINGUISHED OLDER MAN WITH HALF A BEARD IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
This cabinet card features the portrait of a gray haired older man with an appearance problem. He apparently had a great deal of ambivalence about whether he should grow a beard. In a flash of brilliance, he decided to grow a half a beard, the bottom half. He is a distinguished looking man and no one could look as good as he does, with half a beard. This photograph is a fine example of creative facial hair styles; therefore it earns its place in Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Beards (Only the Best)”. This image was photographed by Chamberlain of Boston, Massachusetts.
ANNIE L’ETILLE POSES FOR HER PORTRAIT IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (1878)
A pretty young woman, named Annie L’Etille, poses for her portrait at famed Boston portrait photographer Warren’s studio (465 Washington Street). The photographer was George K Warren. Judging by the size of the cross that she is wearing around her neck; she appears to be making a religious statement. The reverse of the card has a notation that indicates that Annie later became Annie L’Etille Peamate (possibly Peamite). The photograph is dated 1878. To view other photographs by the Warren’s studio, click on category “Photographer: Warren”.
A HANDSOME MAN IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
A very handsome man poses for his portrait at the Dana studio in Brooklyn, New York. Information written on the reverse of the photograph indicates that this good looking gentleman was named Ferdinand Clauburg. The inscription also indicates that the date of this photograph was July 2nd, 1897. Mr. Clauburg is well dressed and is wearing a pin on his lapel. The Dana studio was located at 565 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, New York. Edward Cary Dana (1853-1897) was born in Boston, Massachusetts, developed an interest in photography, and moved to Brooklyn, where he opened a studio. In time he had a great reputation as a skilled photographer and had established three galleries in New York City. He died at age 44 of kidney problems and left a widow, Miss Ada Sherman, of Staten Island, New York.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 