NOVEL MUSTACHE IN WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA

This cabinet card features a gentleman with an unusual mustache. This style mustache could be labeled an “ear muff mustache”. The mustache looks like the man had been wearing ear muffs and they slid down his face stopping in a position where the furry ear coverings came to rest on his cheek and upper jaw, while the head band settled in a spot above his upper lip and below his nose. To view other interesting and unique mustaches, click on cabinet card gallery’s category “mustaches (Only the Best)”. The photographer of this image is T. W. Taylor. In advertising on the reverse of the photograph he has printed the name of his studio, “First Premium Gallery”. It was located at 10 West Gay Street in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The previous described advertising also indicates that in 1882 the studio won a “prize medal” for its use of Crayons. Thomas W. Taylor (1838-1904) is described by the Chester County Historical Society as operating one of the most prominent studios in West Chester. His photography career was interrupted by the Civil War. Taylor joined Company E of the 124th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. He fought at Chancellorsville and Antietam. He entered the Union army as a private and mustered out as a corporal. He reopened his studio for business in 1863 and worked into the 1890’s.

Published in: on July 7, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (5)  
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FIREMAN IN READING, PENNSYLVANIA

Photographer John D. Strunk photographed this young fireman at his studio in Reading, Pennsylvania. The subject is wearing a dress uniform with buttons with the letters F. D. (Fire Department). He has a ribbon and medal pinned to his chest. He is handsome and has a terrific mustache. To view other firemen, click on the category “Firemen and Policemen”. Other photographs by Strunk can be viewed by clicking on the category “Photographer: Strunk”.

Published in: on April 16, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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MAN WITH A GREAT BEARD IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

This cabinet card is a portrait of a middle aged man with a wonderful mustache and beard. The Cabinet Card Gallery has a collection of interesting facial hair cabinet cards which can be visited by clicking on the categories of “Beards (Only the Best)”  and “Mustaches (Only the Best)”. The photographer of this image is Louis Bergman, whose studio was located at 56 & 58 Market Street, in Louisville, Kentucky. Perusal of Louisville business directories reveals that Bergman began business with a partner. Bergman & Flexner; the firm was listed in the 1868 and 1869 directories. He was reported to be the sole proprietor of a studio from 1872 until 1886. Bergman was listed at a number of different addresses over these years. Using these addresses, it appears that this particular photograph was taken between 1873 and 1881. From 1886 through 1894 the proprietor of the studio became Caroline Bergman. The Photographic Times and American Photographer (1883) reported that Bergman was Vice President of the Photographers Mutual Benefit Society of Louisville. Louis Bergman (c1838-?) was born in Hanover, Germany to Prussian parents. His wife, Carrie (!845-?) was born in Louisiana to German parents. The couple married  in about 1865. The Bergman’s had a daughter, Lillie, who was 12 years-old at the time of the 1880 census. The census listed Louis as a photographer and Carrie as a homemaker. It is interesting to note that when the couples daughter reached 18 years of age, Carrie became the studio’s proprietor/photographer.

SOLD

Published in: on January 3, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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PORTRAIT OF A MAN WITH A NOTABLE MUSTACHE (BY SARONY OF NEW YORK)

Any aficionado of cabinet card photography knows that “they don’t make mustaches like they used to”. Men wore mustaches that were styled as if they were a work of art. The gentleman photographed in this cabinet card, has one of those terrific mustaches. His mustache is bushy in the middle and becomes radically bushy at its ends. To view other interesting mustaches, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category, “Mustaches (Only the Best). The gentleman in this image was photographed by Sarony, a highly respected celebrity photographer. Sarony’s studio was located at 680 Broadway in New York City, New York. To view more of Sarony’s photographs, click on Photographer: Sarony”.The subject of this photograph may have been an actor, or some other celebrated man of his time. There is no documentation available concerning the subject’s actual identity.  SOLD

Published in: on December 6, 2011 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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HANDSOME MAN WITH THICK MUSTACHE IN ALBANY, NEW YORK

This cabinet card portrait captures a handsome man with a terrific thick mustache.  He is dressed impeccably. The photographer is Sterry and his studio was located at 520 & 522 Broadway, in Albany, New York. To view other interesting mustaches, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Mustaches (Only the Best). Edwin S. Sterry (1842-1900) was the successor to Mcdonald & Sterry, also located in Albany. Sterry was considered the principal photographer in Albany for 27 years, according to the journal “The Photogram (1894)”. The journal describes Sterry as the equivalent of a European court photographer. It is reported that he was patronized by all levels of politicians from both parties. It is also asserted that his photograph of the judges of the Court of Appeals generated fifteen thousand dollars in sales.

Published in: on November 1, 2011 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

This cabinet card is a portrait of a nicely dressed older gentleman with a bushy mustache. The gentleman appears quite distinguished and may have been part of the elite of San Francisco. The Rieman and Tuttle Studio produced this cabinet card. George B. Rieman and William Nutting Tuttle (1844-1895) became partners in 1879. The first three letters of Mr Tuttle’s middle name seems to have described his personality. He appears to have been a vagabond photographer; working in a number of studios and having multiple business partners in the years proceeding his venture with Rieman. In 1880, Tuttle left his family in Oakland and sailed to Australia to start anew. Tuttle’s wife, Belle, went to Australia to try to convince her husband to return to California. Her efforts were fruitless. Although Tuttle’s photography studios were very successful and he prospered in Australia, he didn’t support his family back in the United States. He stayed abroad until his death in 1895. The Cabinet Card Gallery has some photographs related to this image. To see other terrific mustaches, click on the category “Mustaches (Only the Best). To view other photographs by Rieman, and to learn more about his life,  click on the category “Photographer: Rieman”.

Published in: on August 31, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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“A TEACHER OF MINE”: A PORTRAIT OF MR HENRY LUTSCH

This cabinet card photograph is a portrait of Mr. Henry Lutsch. The reverse of the photograph has an inscription stating “Henry Lutsch, a teacher of mine”. There is no other identifying information. The photographer and the studio location are unknown. Perhaps one of Cabinet Card Gallery’s visitors, will be able to provide additional information. They have demonstrated amazing genealogical detective skills in the past illustrated by their informative comments. The only information that I was able to recover, comes from the 1880 U.S. census. Henry Lutsch was born 1n 1869, in the state of Wisconsin. The head of household, at the time of the census was Jacob Lutsch, who was born in Switzerland. Jacob Lutsch was probably Henry”s father. The “Census Place” was Great Bend, Barton, Kansas. The town of Great Bend was settled in the early 1870’s and located in Barton County, Kansas.  Interestingly, this cabinet card was originally purchased from a collector in Kansas. Mr Lutsch is a handsome man and he has an admirable mustache which places him in Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Mustaches (Only the Best). Click on the category to view some amazing displays of  facial hair. Thinking about this cabinet card prompts the question as to why a student would want a photograph of his, or her, teacher. Is the answer to the question as simple as that the student wanted a keepsake from their education experience; like modern day students often want a yearbook upon graduation. Another possible explanation is that the student had a crush on the handsome Mr Lutsch, and wanted a portrait of him in order to hang on to their fantasy, just a little longer.

Published in: on August 3, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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“A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW” POSES FOR HIS PORTRAIT IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA (PHOTOGRAPH BY TABER)

A jolly looking man poses for a portrait at the studio of Isaiah West Taber (1830-1912), in San Francisco, California. The happy gentleman has a wonderful mustache and earns the right to join other men with remarkable mustaches in the Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Mustaches (Only the Best)”. Taber was a well known daguerreotypist, ambrotypist and photographer who photographed many California notables. Taber was also a sketch artist and a dentist. He was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Between 1845 and 1849, he worked on a whaling ship. He moved to California in 1850 and returned to the east, four years later. Upon his return, he opened a photography studio in Syracuse, New York. In 1864, he returned to California where he worked in the studio of Bradley and Rulofson until 1873. To view images by Bradley and Rulofson, click on the category, “Photographer: Bradley & Rulofson”. In 1871, Tabor opened his own studio and became famous for reproducing the photographs of well known California photographer, Carleton Watkins. Watkin’s business had gone bankrupt, and Taber reproduced his work without giving Watkins any credit. In 1880, Taber took a six week photographic trip to Hawaii. During part of that trip, he fulfilled his commission to photograph King Kalakaua. By 1890, Taber had expanded his operation to include studios in London and other parts of Europe. However, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, put him out of business. The natural disaster destroyed Taber’s studio, gallery and negatives.

 

Published in: on June 25, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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FASHIONABLE WEDDING COUPLE IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA

This photograph appears to be a portrait of a wedding couple. The pair are beautifully dressed for their special day. The bride is holding a large flower arrangement and a wonderful hat. The groom has a magnificent mustache. Both subjects are holding a pair of gloves. The previous owner of this photograph claims that the couple in the photograph are from the Sympa family, but no explanation regarding how they were identified, was provided. The photographer of this image is Josef Eibl of Vienna, Austria.

Published in: on May 29, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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NOTABLE MUSTACHE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA (THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS A SCOUNDREL)

This cabinet card features a gentleman with a very notable mustache and bushy sideburns. He looks like a very intense man as he stares at the camera. The man behind the camera was Arthur B. Rugg (1853-?). Rugg’s life story is likely similar to many men who pursued the occupation of photographer. Such a life requires much change; first, working for various photographers in various locations, and finally, making enough money to finance ones own gallery. Rugg, at age 17, was an apprentice to J. C. Moulten of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Moulton took ill just three weeks after Rugg began his apprenticeship and Rugg was forced to be a quick learner. He operated the gallery by himself and at night consulted with Moulten in his sick chamber , receiving criticisms and instructions. Rugg operated the business on his own for three weeks and the business did not suffer with him at its helm. In 1873, Rugg opened his own gallery but it did not do well, so he moved to Boston and worked for a photographer there for the next two years. He then went to Florida to become an orange grower but he lost everything when the business failed. His next stop was New Orleans where he worked for W. W. Washburn in one of the city’s leading galleries. However, after contacting malaria, he was forced to move North and ended up in LaCrosse, Wisconsin where he worked for a year and a half for a leading studio there. In 1879, he moved to Minneapolis and purchased the studio of William Brown and soon Rugg became one of the leading photographers of Minneapolis. Rugg was also noted for being involved in a major lawsuit that had impact on the profession of photography. The American Journal of Photography (1890) reported that the Supreme Court of Minnesota handed down a decision against Rugg for selling a copy of Mrs. Ida E. Moore’s  photograph “which was put on exhibition in improper places, much to the discredit of the lady”. He was ruled to have had no right to the picture which legally belonged to the sitter (Ms. Moore). She won her suit for damages of five thousand dollars although it is not clear if that was the actual amount awarded. Another photography journal of that time reported more specifics of the case. It seems that Rugg had given one of Ms. Moore’s pictures to a police detective named Clark, who showed the photos in a number of houses of ill repute in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. The court ruled that although the negatives of the photograph belonged to Rugg, he could not print photographs from those negatives without permission from Ms Moore. Mr Rugg seems to have lacked some ethics in this instance.  Now, back to that great mustache. To view other photographs of unusual mustaches, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category of “Mustaches (Only the Best)”.

Published in: on May 25, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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