PORTRAIT OF A SEDATE FAMILY IN ELMIRA, NEW YORK

whitley 2This cabinet card portrait shows three, or possibly four generations of one family. The lone standing woman is wearing a winter coat with a fur collar as well as an unusual hat. The older women are wearing dark colored dresses. The young boy is attired in what can be described as a “Little Lord Fauntleroy” style. This family appears to be quite staid. The reverse of the photograph has an inscription “To beloved Nephew and Niece, Olin and May Davenport”. The inscription is signed by Aunt “?” (the name in undecipherable) and Seth (?). Perhaps a visitor to this Cabinet Card Gallery entry will have better luck interpreting the signers names and will leave a comment with their findings. The photographer of this image is John H. Whitley. The technical quality of this photograph is excellent but this family’s lack of enthusiasm detracts from the overall quality of the portrait. During Whitley’s career as a photographer, he worked in Oswego, New York and then in Elmira, New York. To learn more about him and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Whitley”.   SOLD

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Published in: on January 7, 2017 at 9:01 pm  Comments (3)  
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HANDSOME MAN WITH EXCEPTIONAL MUSTACHE IN ELMIRA, NEW YORK

A well dressed handsome man poses for his portrait at the Whitley studio in Elmira, New York. He has a well groomed attractive beard and an exceptional mustache. A pocket watch chain is evident under his jacket and he appears to also be sporting a tie pin. To view other images of fantastic mustaches, click on the category “Mustaches (Only the Best). The photographer of this image is John H. Whitley. He was born in Candor, New York in 1831. He was a photographer in Oswego, New York, from 1858 through 1861. His next position was working with photographer C. C.Doty in Elmira, New York. After a short time he left his employ to work for the Erie Railroad car shop in Elmira. When the shop was destroyed by fire, he returned to photography and worked with Elmira photographer A. P. Hart. By 1864, Whitley had opened his own photography gallery in Elmira. To view more photographs by Whitley, click on the category “Photographer: Whitley”.

Published in: on May 28, 2014 at 5:59 pm  Comments (1)  
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YOUNG GYPSY WOMAN IN ELMIRA, NEW YORK

R. F. Snyder of Elmira, New York produced this cabinet card photograph of a young gypsy woman. One can not be certain whether this image displays a young gypsy woman, or a young woman dressed to appear as a gypsy. She is wearing the appropriate ethnic clothing and is holding cymbals. The reverse of the photograph has a copyright date of 1889. This cabinet card does not represent good quality posing skills on the part of the photographer. The subject was photographed at too great a distance and she is consumed by the large blank expanse of the floor beneath her and the wall behind her. Ralph F. Snyder was born about 1852 in Berwick, Pennsylvania. His father, John Snyder, was a photographer. Ralph Snyder began his photography career at age 18 and soon had a studio in Scranton, Pennsylvania (1873). He also worked in Philadelphia before coming to Elmira, New York to open his gallery. His studio in Elmira was located at 116 Baldwin (1891).

Published in: on October 27, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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