FIVE WELL DRESSED YOUNG ADULTS : ASHLAND, PENNSYLVANIA : CABINET CARD 1899

This striking 1899 cabinet card photograph, taken by the Miller studio in Ashland, Pennsylvania, features a group of five well-dressed young adults posing in a formal portrait. The composition suggests a close familial or social connection between them, possibly a group of siblings, cousins, or classmates. At the center of the image sits a young man, likely in his late teens or early twenties, wearing a well-fitted, light-colored suit with a high-collared white shirt and a neatly knotted tie. His hair is neatly combed, and he has a calm, composed expression, looking directly at the camera. Surrounding him are four young women, all dressed in elegant, high-necked dresses typical of the late Victorian era. Their outfits are adorned with lace, ruffles, and intricate detailing, showcasing the fashion sensibilities of the time. Their hair is styled in soft curls or pulled back in a refined manner, further enhancing their polished appearance. The young women appear to range in age from their late teens to mid-twenties. Their expressions are serious, with subtle hints of warmth and poise. Each of them maintains an upright posture, suggesting a well-mannered and possibly upper-middle-class upbringing. The backdrop is a simple studio setting, emphasizing the subjects and their attire without distractions. The soft lighting highlights their facial features and creates depth in the image. On the reverse side of the card, there is an inscription in pencil that reads “D.L. Huffman, May 30, 1899.” This could indicate the name of one of the individuals in the photograph or the person who owned or gifted it. This photo was taken at a studio in Ashland, Pennsylvania. Ashland is a borough in Schuylkill and Columbia counties in Pennsylvania. The town is located 15 miles northwest of Pottsville. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Records at the New York Public Library help identify the photographer as Alexander J. Miller (1843-1912). Local business directories reveal that Miller operated a studio in Ashland between 1897 and 1911. An inscription on the reverse of the photo indicates that the photo was taken in 1899. Before Miller had a studio in Ashland, he operated a studio in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Miller’s photographic work can be found in the collection of the George Eastman Museum.  (SOLD)

Published in: on March 10, 2026 at 11:30 am  Leave a Comment  
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SOPHUS WILLIAMS : PORTRAIT OF A PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN BY A MASTER PHOTOGRAPHER

This lovely cabinet card was a very difficult photograph to research. I encountered two primary problems. First, who is Matin? Her name is listed beneath her photo. She clearly is a pretty young woman who appears to be in her teenage years. She is wearing a sleeveless low-cut blouse. Apparently, she likes jewelry. She is wearing a flamboyant beaded bracelet, hoop earrings, and a ring. Is she an actress or some other type of celebrity? I have thus far, failed in my attempt to identify her. The second problem that I encountered is the difficulty I had finding biographical information about the photographer, Sophus Williams. It is ironic, his photographs are cited in many articles and they appear in multiple esteemed museums. However, getting details about his life, is akin to researching someone in the Federal Witness Protection Program. Here is what I learned. Sophus Williams’s actual name was Sophus Vilhelm Schou. He was of Danish origin but became a German photographer and publisher. He was born in Copenhagen in 1835 and he died in Grabow, Germany in 1900. He went to London in 1859 and at an unknown date, went to Berlin where he passed himself off as being British. He was married to Agnes Klitz (1843-1911). In 1868, Sophus partnered with businessman Rudolph Gustav Leonhard Reinhold Knaak , to buy out an art dealer’s trading company (E. Linde & Co). The firm was located in Berlin, Germany. Sophus Williams published the work of many photographers and participated in Vienna’s 1873 World Exhibition. Williams’s publishing firm was well known for many formats, including Stereoscopic photos, Carte de Visite images, Cabinet Cards, and Leporellos. What are Leporellos? They are printed material folded into an “accordion-pleat” style. The method is also known as a “concertina fold”. Williams’s “Linde & Co” was well known for their photographs of paintings. Williams was active in Berlin through much of the 1860’s and 1880’s. Sophus Williams succumbed to a heart attack in 1900. His work can be found in high profile museums such as J Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, CA) and the George Eastman Museum (Rochester, NY), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City), The British Museum (London, England), and The Altes Museum (Berlin). On the reverse of this cabinet card is the printed date 1878 and a credit to Sophus Williams. An inscription located on the reverse of the photograph labels the photo a “souvenir” and confirms the 1878 date. (SOLD)

Published in: on January 1, 2021 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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A PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN WEARING A LARGE CROSS IN BATAVIA, NEW YORK (CARTE DE VISITE)

This carte de visite is a photograph of a pretty young woman wearing a large chain and cross. She was photographed at the studio of C. W. Tallman (1833-1896), in Batavia, New York. The town is located in Genesee County and is in the West Central part of the state. Charles W. Tallman operated a gallery in Batavia between the 1870’s and 1905. He began his photography business in Lockport, New York (1866-1877). A number of his early photos were railroad related. Tallman was the first photographer in Batavia,  Some of Tallman’s photographs can be found in the George Eastman Museum and the New York Public Library collections. Tallman was an amateur astronomer and wrote about the subject. This cdv photograph is in very good condition (see scans).                                                       

Buy this original Vintage Carte de Visite Photograph (includes shipping within the US) #2935

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$23.50

Buy this original Carte de Visite Photograph (includes International shipping outside the US) 2935

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Published in: on November 27, 2019 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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