This cabinet card portrait features a profile view of a very pretty woman. She is wearing a broach on her collar and her hairstyle includes a bun. The photographer is George C. Urlin (1854-1942) of Urlin’s Mammoth Art Gallery. The studio was located at 216 & 218 South High Street, in Columbus, Ohio. The studio was founded in 1873. This cabinet card photograph was taken in 1884 or shortly thereafter. The photographer, George Urlin was born in Canada and was active in Columbus from 1873 through 1887. He later partnered with William Beckley in Columbus, J. Becker in Cleveland, and John Pheiffer in Columbus. Urlin won 10 silver medals and 16 “Best” awards from Ohio State Fairs. Other photographs by George Urlin can be seen by clicking on the category “Photographer: Urlin”. SOLD
PRETTY WOMAN AND A BUN IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
UP, UP, AND AWAY IN COLUMBUS OHIO: TWO LARGE MEN PREPARE TO LAUNCH ONE SMALL MAN
Perhaps the photographer of this unique cabinet card faced a dilemma. After posing the short man with two canes in in a chair between the two normal sized men, the photographer may have realized that the resulting portrait would look disproportionate and unattractive. After this realization, perhaps the photographer had a flash of creativity and imagined the “Up, Up, and Away” concept utilized in this photograph. The concept worked. The resulting image is fun, action packed, and proportionate (all three men’s heads are at the same level). This terrific image shows two men hoisting a disabled man, holding two canes, into the air. Two of the men are wearing straw hats, and the man in the middle is wearing a derby. All three men seem to be in good humor. Note the “Daily Ohio” newspaper sticking out of one of the men’s pocket. The newspaper may be “The Ohio Daily Statesman”. This particular newspaper was an early Columbus publication but the date that the newspaper issued its last edition has yet to be uncovered. Therefore, unknown whether the Statesman was still published at the time of this photograph. The photographers of this photograph are Edward B. Champion and Robert M. Davie, of Columbus, Ohio. (SOLD)
MADAM NAOMI: SIDE SHOW FAT LADY (562 POUNDS) OFFERS ESPECIALLY LARGE DOWRY TO PROCURE A HUSBAND
This cabinet card features Madam Naomi, who appears to have been a side show “fat lady”. The term “fat lady” is a despicable and derogatory way of describing someone overweight; yet the term found common use at circuses and fairs of the era of this photograph. Pencilled on the reverse of this image is the information that Madame Naomi was born in Michigan and at the time of the photograph, she was 30 years old. A further “fact” provided is that her arms had a circumference of 27 inches. Madam Naomi is not looking too comfortable in this portrait. She is wearing an interesting hat and one would guess that it would take her a long time to button all those buttons on the front of her dress. The newspaper The Weekly Statement (1890) has an article about a Madam Naomi appearance in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The article states that Naomi was advertised to appear in a museum and to “bestow her hand, heart, oleaginous sweetness, and a deed to a $5,000 farm to any young man who would marry her”. The offer was accepted by an insurance man from New York, Thomas J. Crowley; who came to Fort Bend and joined her on the museum stage to accept her hand in marriage. The photographer of this image is Baker, whose studio was located in Columbus, Ohio. There were many photographers named Baker operating out of Columbus when this photograph was taken. Many of the Bakers were relatives who operated the Baker Art Gallery. It is not clear which Baker or which studio is the source of this image. However, the initials below the photograph appear to be “LMB” which would indicate that the photographer was Lorenzo Marvin Baker (1834-1924).L. M. Baker was part of the Baker Art Gallery family. To view other photographs by the Baker Art Gallery, click on the category “Photographer: Baker Art Gallery”. (SOLD)
TWO PORTRAITS OF A PRETTY WOMAN IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
PHOTO 1 (SOLD)
PHOTO 2 (SOLD)
The same woman appears in each of these two photographs by the Baker Art Gallery of Columbus, Ohio. The woman is very pretty. She is wearing a black bow in her hair in both photographs and in the profile portrait she is wearing a hair comb. There is a lot of bare skin in these photographs which make them a bit risque, though tastefully done. The Cabinet Card Gallery is building a nice collection of photographs from the Baker Art Gallery. To view these images, click on the category “Photographer: Baker Art Gallery”.
LOVELY PHOTOGRAPH OF TWO YOUNG GIRLS TAKEN BY THEIR PHOTOGRAPHER FATHER IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
The photographer of this wonderful image is Alfonzo Mayer (1863-1963). He must have been very motivated to do a great job photographing these two children. His incentive was quite strong because the lovely children in this image were his daughters. The girls names are inscribed on the reverse of the photograph. Carrie was born in 1889. That’s her sitting in the chair with the blanket draped over her shoulders. She is wearing a bonnet, a precursor to modern day hoodies. Florence was born in 1893. She is standing next to Carrie and is wearing suspenders, a bow tie, and a cap. She is holding a leather bag, reminiscent of latter day’s doctor bags. The children are adorable. Both grew up to work in their father’s photography studio as operators. Carrie became a photographer, following in her father’s footsteps. The 1910 US census informs us that Alfonzo Mayer was born in Germany and immigrated to the US at two years of age. He married Otillie Mayer in about 1885. The couple had four children, but only three survived to the time of the census. (SOLD)
DASHING MAN WITH PLACES TO GO AND PEOPLE TO SEE, POSES FOR HIS PORTRAIT IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
The gentleman featured in this cabinet card portrait appears to be dashing off to conduct some business. He holds a walking stick and wears a scarf. He was photographed by the Mulligan Brothers studio in Columbus, Ohio.
YOUNG WELL DRESSED AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
A well dressed African American man poses for his portrait at the J. A. Pfeifer & Company gallery. He is wearing a dress jacket, a pin striped vest, winged collar and bow tie. This handsome young man is unidentified. The reverse of the cabinet card lists Pfeifer’s name but also the names Smith and Mulligan Brothers. Presumably these three names belong to photographers who were employed the the Pfeifer studio. The address of the gallery is also printed on the reverse of the card. The business was located at 262, 264, and 266 South High Street in Columbus, Ohio. According to the book “Artists in Ohio” (2000), the photographer of this image, John A. Pfeifer (1859-1932), was active in the Columbus area from 1882 to at least 1913. During much of that time, he was partners with George C. Urlin of the “Mammoth Art Palace” on High Street. To view images by Urlin, click on the category “Photographer: Urlin”. The Oberlin Review (1888) noted that the Urlin & Pfeifer studio won the contract to be the class of 1888’s photographer. A competitor in the bidding was the Cleveland firm of Urlin & Becker. Urlin’s participation in the bidding under two different studios, caused the students to raise some ethical questions about the bidding process. Pfeifer proved to the students that he had the legal right to use Urlin’s name and the class “was convinced of his honesty and integrity” and retained him as class photographer. In 1891 Pfeifer and George D. Saas (1854-1924) founded Pfeifer & Saas Printers. In 1905 Pfeifer became the sole owner of the firm and renamed it the Pfeifer Show Print Company.
BEAUTIFUL BUSTY WOMAN IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
The Baker Art Gallery of Columbus, Ohio, produced this portrait of a pretty and busty young woman. A corset likely assists her wasp waist and lovely figure. Apparently, she is well aware of her beauty and capitalizes on it with a “come hither” expression. Take note of her interesting hat; its truly a work of art. The Cabinet Card Gallery has a number of images from the Baker Art Gallery. To view these images and to learn more about the Baker studio, click on the category “Photographer: Baker Art Gallery”.
TWO PRETTY YOUNG WOMEN: SISTERS WEARING LEATHER CAPS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
This cabinet card features two attractive young women, obviously sisters, posing in white clothing and wearing dark leather caps. What is the story concerning the caps? The headwear is certainly quite unusual to be seen in a photograph from this era. Are the caps part of an occupational uniform? One wonders if the caps are driving caps, but the automobile was likely not around all that long when this photograph was taken. Any theories about the hats would be welcome from cabinet card gallery visitors. Please leave a comment with your theories. This cabinet card was photographed by the Baker Art Gallery of Columbus, Ohio. To learn more about the gallery and to view other photographs by the Baker’s, click on the category “Photographer: Baker Art Gallery”.
UNIFORMED MAN WITH A LANTERN (OCCUPATIONAL CABINET CARD)
This cabinet card is a staged portrait of a man at work. The man is wearing a uniform and most likely he is a railroad worker. He may be an engineer or possibly a conductor. He is holding a brass lantern and writing on a pad. The man’s facial expression seems to say that he means business. One can easily imagine seeing him standing next to a train at a railroad station taking notes. The photographer of this cabinet card is Lyman & Wells, of Columbus, Ohio.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 