THREE YOUNG BOYS DRESSED IN HARLEQUIN COSTUMES IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

harlequin

The photographer of this wonderful vintage photograph is J. Edgar Waters who operated a studio in Chicago, Illinois. The three children seen in this image are wearing harlequin costumes. Harlequin was the best known of the comic servant characters from the “Italian Commedia dell’arte. The character was introduced in the late 16th century and represents a light heartedness and even devilish (trickster) nature. Overtime the character took on more of a romantic role. Photographer J. Edgar Waters wrote an article for a business magazine. “The Magazine of Business” (1915) contains an article entitled “The One-Man Business”. In the article, Waters provides practical advice about business record keeping. To learn more about this photographer and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Waters”.

harlequin 1

 

Published in: on November 21, 2015 at 4:32 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,

PORTRAIT OF A FASHIONABLE WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

johnson

A lovely couple pose for their portrait at the Johnson & Company studio in Chicago, Illinois. The most notable feature of this image is the fashionability of the young woman. Her dress is attractive and relatively unusual relative to dresses seen in most cabinet card images. She is also very well accessorized. Note her jewelry which includes a ring, necklace, and earrings. She is also wearing fingerless gloves. She is a Chicagoan and must have taken advantage of the good shopping there. She also appears to have had good clothes sense. Her husband is dressed formally but clearly not trying to draw attention to himself via his clothing. The photographer, Johnson & Company was operating in Chicago at least between 1886 and 1895. The proprietor was J. Scott Johnson who was born in Ohio in 1860 and moved to Chicago in 1882. Johnson placed an ad in “The Photographic Times (1908)” which listed his studio for sale due to his desire to retire. The ad noted that the studio was in the heart of Chicago’s business district and was “a gold mine for a hustler”. In listing the price of the studio, Johnson wrote that he would sell it as a “sacrifice at $1500.00”.  (SOLD)

Published in: on July 8, 2015 at 8:31 pm  Comments (2)  
Tags: ,

A WELL DRESSED GENTLEMAN HOLDS HIS HAT IN HIS HAND IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

stevens

A well dressed man with a relatively close shaved beard and mustache poses for his portrait at the studio of John Kimball Stevens in Chicago, Illinois. He stands with his hat in his hand displaying a half smile. He is wearing a pinky ring and a tuxedo collar type shirt. He looks like a city dweller, perhaps a businessman. To learn more about J. K. Stevens and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Stevens”. The image below shows the reverse of the cabinet card. Note that Steven’s gallery was located in the McVicker’s Theatre Building.   SOLD

stevens 1

Published in: on July 6, 2015 at 8:58 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHER J. K. STEVENS IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

long woman

Celebrity photographer John Kimball Stevens photographed this pretty young woman in his studio located in the McVickers Theatre Building in Chicago, Illinois. The woman is wearing a high collar dress with an accompanying collar pin. She has a serious but unfocused expression. To view more of Stevens images and to learn more about him, click on the category “Photographer: Stevens”. This photograph measures approximately 8 1/4″ x 3 1/4″; not a standard cabinet card sized photograph.  (SOLD)

Published in: on April 13, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

FAMILY FINDS SALVATION IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SALVATION ARMY CABINET CARD

salvation family

This family portrait is a bit unusual because mom and dad are both wearing Salvation Army uniforms and Salvation Army pins on their collars. The two older children are wearing identical outfits that may be Salvation Army issued. This attractive family appears to be in a good mood as they pose for their photograph at the Siegel Cooper Department Store in Chicago, Illinois. To view other photographs by this gallery, click on the category “Photographer: Siegel Cooper and Company”. To peruse other Salvation Army related images, click on the category “Salvation Army”.  (SOLD)

Published in: on April 7, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Comments (3)  
Tags: , ,

A MUSTACHIOED YOUNG MAN AND HIS BICYCLE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

bike

This cabinet card features a mustachioed young man dressed in his sport clothing and standing beside his bicycle. At the time of this photograph, bike riding was a popular sport and many riders were members of bicycle clubs. Note that this gentleman is wearing knickers. This photograph was taken at the Lawrence studio in Chicago, Illinois. The photographer of this image was Adolph P. Lawrence who operated a studio in Chicago between 1887 and 1900.  SOLD

Published in: on January 30, 2015 at 12:23 pm  Comments (2)  
Tags: , , , ,

PRETTY YOUNG GIRL FINDS RELIGION IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

toenges 11

This cabinet card portrait features a young girl participating in a religious ceremony. She is dressed formally and holding a bouquet and prayer book. The photographer of this image is the Toenges Studio in Chicago, Illinois.  (SOLD)

Published in: on December 27, 2014 at 12:10 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

MAY SIGLER POSES FOR HER PORTRAIT IN SOUTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

MAY SIGLER_0015

This cabinet card portrait features a pretty young lady named “May Sigler”. Her name is inscribed on the reverse of the photograph. She appears to be in her teen years. She is wearing a nice looking hair band, and a lace collar, bib and sleeves. She apparently favors jewelry which is evident by her bracelet and collar pin. The photographer of this image is the Lindner studio which was located in South Chicago, Illinois. Charles W. Lindner is listed in an online compendium of Chicago photographers as operating in that city between 1890 and 1899. The 1900 US census reveals that there was a May Sigler living in the Chicago’s Cook County (Lyons). The census was issued no more than a decade after this photograph was taken. At the time of the census, Miss Sigler was twenty eight years old and living with her parents, two sisters and  niece. May was working as a bookkeeper. The May Sigler found in the census is likely the subject of this photograph.

Published in: on November 29, 2014 at 11:25 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

PORTRAIT OF A LOVELY YOUNG WOMAN IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

riel one

A lovely young woman poses for her portrait at the Riel studio in Chicago, Illinois. The curly haired subject appears to be a teenager. She is well dressed and is wearing a high collar reminiscent of a modern day sufferer of a whiplash injury. Her dress has tiny delicate buttons. She is wearing a long necklace. To learn more about photographer George Riel and to view more of his images, click on the category “Photographer: Riel”.

Published in: on November 14, 2014 at 11:10 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

WEDDING PORTRAIT OF HANDSOME COUPLE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

CHICAG WED_0005

J. B. Scholl, well known Chicago photographer, produced this wedding portrait of a smartly dressed bride and groom. The groom has a nice handlebar mustache. The bride is wearing a pretty floral wedding veil and appears to be holding the grooms sleeve rather than his hand. Despite their lack of physical contact, the pair are standing much closer to each than seen in many other wedding photographs. I wonder why the photographer posed the gentleman with one foot elevated on a curb. At first, I speculated that the rationale was to add height to a groom who was shorter than his bride. However, the gentleman has both knees bent which certainly restricts his reaching full height. My final conclusion was that the photographer, normally quite skillful, had a bad day and was careless setting up this particular pose.To view more of Mr. Scholl’s photographs and to learn more about him, click on the category “Photographer: Scholl JB.

Published in: on July 29, 2014 at 11:50 am  Comments (2)  
Tags: , , , , ,
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »