This Cabinet Card captures a pretty young Black woman posing at the studio of Rifenburg and Dowe in Reno, Nevada. The woman is beautifully dressed and the details of her elaborate dress are easily seen in the closeness and clarity of this image. Note the woman’s dark gloves and that she appears to be holding a cane, or perhaps, a parasol.
FASHIONABLE BLACK WOMAN IN RENO, NEVADA
OLD MAN WITH PIPE IN BALLSTON, NEW YORK
Mr E. H. Chapman posed for this cabinet card photograph at the studio of J. S. Wooley in Ballston, New York. He inscribed the back of this card indicating that he turned 67 years old on September 17th, 1895. He gave the card to an unidentified person, to mark the occassion. Mr Chapman’s eyes show a certain wisdom that only comes with age. His pipe and straw hat add much character to the image of this older gentleman. Ballston, NY is in Saratoga County, and north of Schenectady. Research reveals that Edw H Chapman was President of the Ballston town board in 1856 and was involved in the manufacture of woolen goods and in 1867 had a business manufacturing bricks. Research also reveals that the photographer of this cabinet card is Jesse Sumner Wooley (1867-1943). At age 13 he worked for a photographer in Saratoga and in 1887 he opened his own photographic studio in Ballston Spa. He became a noted photographer as a result of his taking expeditions and chronicling them in the form of lantern slide/stereoptic lectures. In 1893 he and noted landscape photographer Seneca Ray Stoddard took a photographic expedition exploring the Adirondacks and they prepared a photographic lecture about this trip. Wooley also took similar expeditions to Florida (preparing a photographic historical presentation), the Chicago Exposition (Worlds Fair), New York City (100th anniversary of George Washington’s inaugaration), and to California (Yellowstone National Park). The Florida stereoptic lecture is one of the few professional lantern slide/stereoptic lectures that survive today.
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN CHILLING AT TURN OF THE CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO
Attractive young Black woman poses at Smith’s Photographic Studio at an unnamed location. She is very fashionably dressed. Note the wonderful details of her cape and hat. Unfortunately, there are no clues as to the identity of this woman nor the identity or location of the cabinet card photographer.
LETTICE FAIRFAX: THEATRE ACTRESS (PRETTY THE WAY AN ENGLISH GARDNER’S DAUGHTER IS PRETTY)
Lettice Fairfax, an English actress, is the subject of this cabinet card. Her first stage appearance in America was at Daly’s Theater in New York City. She had a role in “Number Nine” in December of 1897. The reviewer in the New York Times wrote that she was “a pretty, fragile and very nervous” actress. He also labelled her the “new ingenue” and reported that she was pretty the way an English Gardner’s daughter is pretty. I guess that means that she was pretty in “the girl next door” kind of way. The photographer of this cabinet card was famed theatre photographer, B. J. Falk and the photograph is copyrighted in 1898. The reverse of the cabinet card is stamped “Charles L Ritzmann” of Broadway, New York.
CALIFORNIA COUPLE LOOKING NONE TOO PLEASED
A couple poses for a photograph at the studio of Hardesty & Armstrong in Santa Ana, California. Both the man and woman in this cabinet card photograph look very unhappy. She looks particularly sour. The couple are nicely dressed; the woman is holding a fan and the man is holding a rolled piece of paper. Is he holding a wedding certificate for a wedding picture? Has he just graduated from a college? Is this a brother and sister? The answer is lost to history. Note the gentleman’s pocket watch.
ADELE BELGARDE: THEATRE ACTRESS WITH QUESTIONABLE TALENT
This cabinet card portrait captures Adele Belgarde, an actress of the theatre. On August 22, 1879, the New York Times critic reviewed her performance in “Julia” The critic clearly was not impressed when he wrote “there is so much she attempts that she cannot do, and possibly would never be able to do.” The critic also writes that her acting “was not sufficiently good” or warrant much praise. More information about this feather clad actress will be sought. The photographer of this cabinet card is Myers located on Broadway in New York City.
WOMAN WITH LACE VEIL OR KERCHIEF IN KEOTA, IOWA
A mellow woman poses for her portrait at the studio of E. E. Neal in Keota, Iowa. The woman is wearing a large lace veil or kerchief. Perhaps a visitor to this blog entry can identify the headwear more specifically. Is this wide-eyed woman possibly a bride? If so, she doesn’t appear to be a happy bride. To view other photographs by Neal, click on the category “Photographer: Neal”.
SHAPELY FASHIONISTA IN UTICA, NEW YORK
This very fashionable woman is looking her best for her day at the photographer (W. P. Wright) in Utica, New York. She is wearing a dark dress with an interesting design coming off her shoulders. She is also wearing a collar pin as well as a wedding band. Her undergarments give her the hour glass shape that was popular during the turn of the century.
PRETTY WOMAN WEARING A FEATHERED HAT IN WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
An attractive woman poses for her portrait at Tucker’s Studio in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her stylish hat appears to be multi feathered. Judging by her fashionable appearance, this woman is likely from the upper financial echelon of her community. The photographer is H. B. Tucker.
ZOE TUTTLE: PRETTY STAGE ACTRESS
The Boston Globe of 1880 in a play review of Uncle Toms Cabin, writes that Little Miss Zoe Tuttle played Eva in a “perfect” performance. Ms Tuttle appears to have begun as a child actress but little more information has been discovered. Additional research will be done and any facts concerning Ms Tuttle or additional comments from blog visitors would be appreciated. The photographer of this cabinet card is Myers of New York City. This photograph is back stamped with the name of Charles Ritzmann, a well known purveyor of photographs of stage actors and actresses.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 