UNIFORMED BAND MEMBER AND HIS TUBA IN JEWETT CITY, CONNECTICUT

This cabinet card features a uniformed band member and his tuba. At least I think it is a tuba but I would appreciate some confirmation from a cabinet card visitor well versed in identifying musical instruments. Note the sheet music clipped to his brass instrument  The musician has a terrific handlebar mustache and his cap indicates that he is a member of the “Ashland Band”.  This image was produced by the Brown studio in Jewett City as well as Moosup, Connecticut. Jewett City is a borough in the town of Griswold and Moosup is located in the town of Plainfield. Jewett City and Moosup are 12 miles apart. To drive from Jewett City to Moosup, one starts off on Ashland Street. I wonder if the “Ashland Band” is related to “Ashland Street”? Research reveals that the photographer William H. Brown was born in Packerville, Connecticut in 1853. His father was an overseer in the local mill. Brown was educated in public schools and his first job was as a store clerk. After three years of working in the store, he bought it and ran it for four years until he sold it. He then went back to work as a store clerk but bought a camera and for fun, photographed his friends and others during off hours. In a short time, it was clear that Brown had much talent in the area of photography. In about 1888 he opened a photography business. He had studios in Dayville and Wauregan. Later he opened galleries in Jewett City, Taftville and Moosup. Brown was married in 1874 to Miss Lillian Bennett and the couple had two daughters, Lillian and Alice.

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Published in: on November 19, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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PORTRAIT OF PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN IN MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT (POSSIBLY AN ACTRESS)

The pretty woman in this cabinet card photograph has the appearance of an actress. She has struck a provocative pose in this photograph and is very photogenic. She looks like she rolled out of bed and forgot to get dressed before coming to the A. Pritchard Photographic Art Studio to have her portrait taken.  She also looks like she is wearing her bed clothes, but that is not likely the case. Perhaps she is wearing a costume from a stage production she was appearing in. The reverse of the photograph has the name “Lillian” written on it. Trying to use the first name to assist in identifying this young lady was fruitless. I can’t resist the following insight. The Cabinet Card Gallery has few  images that have been significantly damaged over time. A previous owner of this image cut corners to fit this photograph into a frame. I am beginning to accept what many other collectors already believe,  that damaged photographs have a place in cabinet card collections.The images of damaged cards, even significantly damaged cards, can be quite beautiful as well as interesting. They are as much a window of  history as the most pristine cards. I wonder if the visitors to this gallery agree with me about the value of many damaged cards? Enough of my editorializing! Its time to return to the cabinet card seen above. The photographer of this image, A..Pritchard, operated his studio in Meriden, Connecticut. The Meriden Morning Record  (1921) has an article announcing that Alfred Pritchard had opened a new studio in Meriden. The article states that he had been in Meriden for 15 years but had left the area in 1901. He had moved to New York City where he was “connected with Colonel Marceau” in operating a Fifth Avenue photography business. Later he was “connected” with Roger Sherman’s studio in New Haven, Connecticut. This cabinet card image was produced during Pritchard’s first stint in Meriden.

Published in: on November 7, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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SHORT HAIRED BEAUTY IN DANBURY, CONNECTICUT

A pretty woman poses for her portrait at the Sanford gallery. She has short dark hair and is wearing earrings and a pearl choker. The photographer of this image was E. Starr Sanford, a man with an interesting life story. To view other photographs by Sanford and to learn more about him; click on the category “Photographer: Sanford”.

Published in: on October 21, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (4)  
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A GIRL AND HER DOLL IN NEW MILFORD, CONNECTICUT

This cabinet card presents a very cute young girl holding one of her dolls. The child is nicely dressed. Note her high button shoes. Her hairstyle seems a bit unusual for the time. Her hair appears to be shorter than one might expect based on other photographs of similar aged girls of that era. However, her hair may be pulled back, and not really short. This photograph also presents a clear view of the child’s doll. The photographer of this image is John J. Walklet of  New Milford, Connecticut. Wilson’s Photographic Magazine (1899) announces the sale of Walklet’s studio to W. M. Miller. Walklet’s studio was located at 27 Bank Street, according to a New Milford  business directory (1891).

Published in: on June 24, 2011 at 9:13 am  Comments (3)  
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ATTRACTIVE WOMAN IN DANBURY, CONNECTICUT ( PHOTOGRAPHED BY E. STARR SANFORD)

An attractive woman  poses for her portrait at the Sanford studio in Danbury, Connecticut. The woman is fashionably and conservatively dressed. The photographer is E. Starr Sanford (1862-1917) and his studio was located at 57 White Street, in Danbury.  Sanford partnered with Charles Henry Davis in 1892 to operate a very well respected photographic studio located at 462 Fifth Avenue in New York City, New York. Both men were amateur photographers in the 1880’s and they perfected their skills in club competitions. They pioneeered the colonization of Fifth Avenue by photographers. Sanford was from one of the founding families of Danbury, and Davis was a music critic for the New York Evening Post. They used their high society and theatrical community connections to build the success of their photographic studio. Sanford retired in 1901. In 1897 he decided to build a lavish summer home that he ultimately lived in for five years. His home was called Hearthstone Castle and now is included  in the National Register of Historic Places. Research reveals that some references contend that Sanford was one of the early inventors of movie cameras. Sanford died a tragic death. In 1914, while on a ship to visit his son in Texas, his vessel was struck by lightening and he received a severe shock. The arteries in his eyes were severely damaged, and he died three years later. To view other photographs by Sanford, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Photographer: Sanford”.

Published in: on May 22, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (4)  
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MARVELOUS MUSTACHE IN MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT

This cabinet card is a portrait of an older bespectacled gentleman with a significant mustache. He is well dressed and is wearing a pin on his lapel. The top of the pin seems to have a figure that looks like a buffalo or bucking bull. The print on the bottom of the pin is illegible. Hopefully,  a visitor to this site will be able to provide more details about the lapel pin. The photographer of this image was H. C. Voorhees of Meriden, Connecticut.  Voorhees  liked to write instructional articles appearing in the era’s photographic journals. Among his articles were publications in Wilson’s Photographic Magazine (1891) and Photographic Mosaics (1896).  To view other interesting photographs of remarkable mustaches, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Mustaches (Only the Best).

Published in: on February 26, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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THE INTENSE GAZE OF NELLIE HUTCHINS IN MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT

This Cabinet Card is the image of Nellie Hutchins and she is photographed by Appelquest of Middletown, Connecticut. Nellie has great eyes. Her staring eyes speak paragraphs. What do her expressive eyes say to you? Your comments are appreciated.

Published in: on February 28, 2010 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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