MLLE. RHEA: INTERNATIONAL STAGE ACTRESS

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RHEA

The top Cabinet card, by Jose Mora of New York, features actress Mlle. Rhea (1843-1899). Mlle Rhea was her stage name. She was actually Mlle Hortense-Berbe Loret and was born in Belgium to French parents. She began studying acting at age 20 upon the suggestion of an actor that she had met at a party. Her decision was also prompted by the death of her mother and financial reversals experienced by her father. She studied acting in Paris and in 1876 spent five years playing roles in Continental Europe. In 1881 she vacationed in England and  decided to appear in British theater. She quickly learned English and in one months time, performed in Much Ado About Nothing in London. Shortly after, she travelled to America where she spent the majority of her remaining life. Her obituary in the New York Times indicates that her english was “somewhat incomplete” and he always performed with a pronounced french accent. She appeared frequently on the New York stage but was a fan favorite in the “provinces”. This very popular actress died in Montmorency, France in 1899. The second cabinet card is a portrait of Mlle. Rhea that was probably taken some years after the first cabinet card. The actress appears somewhat older than in the first image. The second cabinet card was also produced by Mora.

Published in: on July 10, 2014 at 11:35 am  Comments (3)  
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DELLA FOX: AMERICAN STAGE ACTRESS (IMAGES FROM 1893 and 1894)

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These cabinet cards feature American stage actress, Della Fox (1870-1913). In the top photograph, she is wearing a military costume  for a play that she was appearing in. The photograph is copyrighted in 1893. She began her acting career as a child and became a well known musical comedy actress. Her popularity peaked in the 1890’s when she appeared in several musical with De Wolf Hopper. She also toured with her own theatre company. Her life was plagued with personal problems including alcohol and drug abuse, and mental breakdowns requiring institutionalization. This cabinet card portrait was photographed by Morrison who is known for his portraits of theatre stars and other celebrities. Morrison operated out of the Haymarket Theatre builiding in Chicago, Illinois. Please click on the category “Photographer: Morrison” for more information about Morrison and to view other photographs by his studio.  The second photograph captures Della Fox in costume for the play “The Little Trooper”. The play was by William Furst (1852-1917) and appeared at the Empire Theatre in New York City. The photograph is the work of Napoleon Sarony, famed celebrity photographer of New York City. The reverse of the cabinet card indicates that the photograph was taken on December 25th, 1894. To view other photographs by Sarony, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Photographer: Sarony”. The third photograph of Miss Fox was produced by Newsboy as a premium to be given away with their tobacco products. It is number 509 of a series. To view other Newsboy photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Newsboy”.

Published in: on July 6, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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ESTELLE CLAYTON: STAGE ACTRESS

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Estelle Clayton (1867-1917) is seen in the first and second Cabinet cards. She was a prominent actress as well as a librettist in the late 1800’s. In one of her roles, she starred in “Fayette” with E H Sothern. Clayton was the sister of actress Isabelle Evesson. In 1908, the two sister actresses filed suit against New York City for allegedly diverting land away from earlier generations of their family. In 1917 she died in New York City of heart failure. The photographer of both of these Cabinet cards is Sarony of New York City. The third cabinet card portrait of Clayton was produced by Newsboy as a premium for tobacco products. It is number 47 of a series. The barefoot Miss Clayton is in quite the risque pose in this image.

Published in: on July 5, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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AGNES EVANS: THEATRE ACTRESS DRESSED IN QUITE RISQUE FASHION

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Agnes Evans poses for this cabinet card (top) photographed by Newsboy of New York.  Agnes Evans was a theatre actress who performed in the Broadway production of the Pit (1904). The actress is wearing a very revealing risque dress.  Further research by myself or assistance from visitors to this site will hopefully further illuminate her life and career. Newsboy was a brand of plug tobacco and Newsboy photographs were given away as a premium by tobacconists and drug stores who sold the tobacco. The images were produced by the National Tobacco Works of New York. They were likely produced and issued in the early 1890’s. The bottom image features Miss Evans in another Newsboy cabinet card (number 8 in a series). She is wearing a risque costume that includes fingerless gloves.

Published in: on February 23, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (5)  
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ENGLISH STAGE ACTRESS: ELLEN TERRY (THERE AIN’T NOTHIN LIKE A DAME!)

Dame Ellen Terry (1847-1928) was an English stage actress. The top cabinet card is from the studio of Campbell, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Ellen Terry was the leading Shakespearian actress in Great Britain. She was born into a family that was immersed in the theatre; and future generations continued theatrical pursuits; including grand nephew, John Gielgud (actor, director, producer). Ellen Terry began playing Shakespeare roles as a child and continued to do so. In 1878 she joined Henry Irving’s company. She toured Britain and the United States with great success. In 1903 she took over management of London’s Imperial Theatre and her focus included the plays of George Bernard Shaw and Henrik Ibsen. In 1916 she began acting in films and in 1925 she was made a “Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire”. Terry’s romantic life, including marriages and love affairs, make interesting reading. Research about the photographer of this cabinet card discovered his obituary in the New York Times (1912). The Times reports that Alfred S. Campbell (1839-1912) was a pioneer in the development of art photography. Among his accomplishments was the publication of an edition of the bible that was illustrated with photographs he took in the Holy Land. He emigrated to the United States on the invitation of famed photographer, Napoleon Sarony in 1866. Among his “intimate friends” were Henry Longfellow, Thomas Nast, and William Cullen Bryant . Visitors to the Cabinet Card Gallery can see photographs by Sarony under the category of “Photographer: Sarony” and can see a portrait of William Cullen Bryant under the category of “Journalist”. To view other photographs by Campbell, click on the category “Photographer: Campbell”.

The second cabinet card features Ellen Terry in the role of “Beatrice” in William Shakespeare’s play, “Much Ado About Nothing”. The Window & Grove studio of London,England, published this photograph. The studio operated in London from the 1870’s to at least 1908.

Published in: on August 5, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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SALVATION ARMY COUPLE IN UNIFORM: (INVENTOR OF THE LETTERED TEE SHIRT)

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PHOTO 2   (SOLD)

The top Cabinet Card is an image of two Salvation Army workers photographed by Suddard of Fall River, Massachusetts. The young couple are both in uniform; he has a tambourine and she is holding a trumpet. It is interesting to note that he is wearing a late 1800’s version of an embossed tee shirt. His shirt’s lettering states “NO CROSS NO CROWN”. A present day, non religious  meaning of this saying would be “no pain, no gain”.  The motto on the shirt was a widely used expression and an early user of the phrase was William Penn, the founder of the Quaker colong of Pennsylvania. The second photograph, also by Suddard, shows the same couple in a different studio setting. Once again, the couple is attired in a salvation army uniform. The gentleman is wearing a different style uniform than he wore in the top photograph. In the bottom photograph, the woman has taken possession of the tambourine and the man is holding papers. These two cabinet cards were purchased more than two years apart and I am fairly certain that they were purchased from different sellers. Amazingly, these images have ended up together again.  A third cabinet card image by Suddard can be found  elsewhere in the Cabinet Gallery. It can be accessed by clicking the category “Photographers: Suddard”.

Published in: on March 18, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (7)  
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SOPHIE EYRE: STAGE ACTRESS SUFFERS AN UNFORTUNATE DEBUT

Sophie Eyre (1853?-1892) was a moderately successful stage actress. She was successful enough for the New York Times to publish a detailed obituary upon her death from heart disease while traveling in Naples, Italy. Eyre was born in Tipperary, Ireland. She married an English Army officer and went on the stage after his death. In 1884 she took the place of Rose Coghlan in the company at Wallach’s Theatre. In 1885 she appeared in New York in a  “feeble and speedily forgotten” piece called “In His Power”. The debut was unfortunate “for the part was bad and the play was worse“. The debut was further spoiled by the “extraordinary stupidity of her maid” who followed her mistress on the stage bearing the train of her gown wrapped in a sheet”. Other New York appearances included “Valerie”, “Diplomacy” (by David Belasco), “She Loved Him”, “Home”, “Central Park: or the House with Two Doors”, and “The Palace of Truth”.  During her stay in the United States, she was the subject of much gossip in the newspapers. This cabinet card was produced by Falk, a well-know celebrity  photographer in New York City. Additional Cabinet Card Gallery photographs by Falk can be seen by clicking on the category “Photographer: Falk”.  (SOLD)

Published in: on May 31, 2010 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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TWO GENTLEMEN LOOKING IMPORTANT IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

This cabinet card is an image of two gentlemen dressed warmly in overcoats, hats, and gloves. They exude an air of importance. The photographer is Mahon & Taylor of Nashville, Tennessee.  (SOLD)

Published in: on May 29, 2010 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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TODDLER WITH PRETTY WHITE LACE GOWN IN UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO

This cabinet card is a portrait of a toddler in a very pretty white lace gown. The child is also wearing black boots. The photographic studio is McCannon’s Art Gallery of Upper Sandusky, Ohio.

Published in: on May 28, 2010 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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UNIFORMED FIREMAN IN PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE

This photograph is a portrait of a uniformed fireman. The photograph is by L. V. Newell & Co. in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Research discloses that Newell began his work as a photographer in Concord, New Hampshire in 1856.  Six months later he moved to Portsmouth. He was one of 13 children of a prominent farmer. Newell is mentioned in his role as an event photographer,  in an 1893 publication of the Grand Army of the Republic (Portsmouth Chapter). The cabinet card gallery has two other portraits of Portsmouth, New Hampshire firemen which can be viewed by clicking on the category “Firemen and Policemen”.

Published in: on May 25, 2010 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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