PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN IN FLOWER DRESS IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY (NINETEENTH CENTURY FLOWER CHILD)

A young woman, looks very pretty in her stunning dress, as she poses for her portrait at the Bazaar Photo Rooms in Newark, New Jersey. This trend setting fashionista is one of America’s first “flower children”. The dress has a pattern consisting of flowers and leaves. The cabinet card photograph was taken by studio operators  J. T. Creighton and Fred F. Mix. Their studio was located at 653 Broad Street in Newark and research reveals that they worked as partners in 1886. It appears that John Creighton was a sole operator between the rest of 1882 through 1889. SOLD

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Published in: on October 5, 2020 at 3:00 pm  Comments (1)  
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ROBBINS GENERAL STORE : MIDDLEVILLE : NEW JERSEY : ESSO GAS STATION

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robbins42020-06-03_101942This vintage real photo postcard features the Robbins General Store in Middleville, New Jersey. The store also served as the town’s post office and as an Esso gas station. Note the two gas pumps in front of the building. A sign indicates that the price of gas was 25 cents a gallon for regular, and 28 cents per gallon for premium. There is an Esso credit card advertising sign on a pole next to the pumps. Some of the store’s merchandise can be seen on the front porch. The items for sale include lawnmowers, garbage cans, and a wagon. The store is housed in a two story wooden structure. I wonder how the second floor was utilized. A man is posed on the porch. He is likely the proprietor of the store (Mr. Robbins?). Victor M. Robbins became the postmaster of Middleville in 1914. Victor had acquired the store in 1903. The store’s building is thought to have been built before 1837. Victor was the postmaster until 1955. Victor was succeeded by his son, Donald A. Robbins who operated the store and post office until 1987. The father and son duo ran the post office for a cumulative 73 years. The Robbins store later housed the  “Robin’s General Store and Country Kitchen” which existed in Middleville until at least 2016. This postcard was published in the 1950’s by the Artvue Post Card Company. The firm was located on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The company was formed in 1948 and produced black & white postcards in the 1950’s despite the popularity of color postcards during that time. The company’s “claim to fame” was that it published postcards picturing plaques of the players that were enshrined in Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. They produced the cards from about 1951 through 1963.      SOLD

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PORTRAIT OF A “JERSEY GIRL” (CABINET CARD)

jersey girl jersey girl 1A pretty girl poses for photographer Albert Vetter in either Hoboken or Jersey City, New Jersey. This “Jersey Girl’s” portrait is captured in a crisp and clear image. She is wearing a frilly dress and a ribbon pinned near her shoulder. In addition, she is wearing a necklace with a pendant, and she is wearing it over the collar of her dress where it is hardly visible. The photographer, Albert Vetter, was quite an interesting character. Apparently, he was a vengeful man. The magazine, The Camera and the Darkroom ( 1904) reported that Vetter was at odds with the family that lived in the house that was also the home of his studio. Vetter got a picture of the  head of the family, who recently died. He enlarged the picture and fastened a rope  around it at the neck, and hung it out the window. The daughter of the late man, got a step ladder and removed the photograph. A “war of words” followed and Vetter was arrested. He was arraigned in front of a judge for disorderly conduct and he was put up for bond to maintain the peace. The magazine used a humorous headline to describe this incident;  “New Idea in Picture Hanging”.  (SOLD)

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Published in: on March 26, 2020 at 12:01 pm  Comments (5)  
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JOHN FRANKLIN FORT FOR GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY : CAMPAIGN POSTCARD (1907)

This vintage postcard was employed as advertising for New Jersey Governor candidate, John Franklin Fort (1852-1920). Fort was a Republican and won his race to become the 33rd Governor of New Jersey. He served between 1908 and 1911. He defeated Democrat, Frank S. Katzenbach. In 1908, Fort participated in New Jersey’s first radio broadcast. In 1910 he established New Jersey’s first Department of Education. Fort was followed by Woodrow Wilson in the position of Governor. Wilson went on to become the President of the United States. Fort was a lawyer. He obtained his law degree at the Albany Law School. Governor and ex civil war General, George B. McClellan, appointed Fort to serve as a judge in a Newark district court. In 1884, 1896, and 1912 he served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. In 1900, he was appointed to the New Jersey Supreme Court. In 1915, Wilson, now President, appointed Fort to the Federal Trade Commission. He held the position for about four years but was forced to resign due to failing health. At one point,Wilson appointed Fort to act as US Ambassador to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Besides featuring a portrait of John Franklin Fort, the postcard also displays a drawing of the state capital building in Trenton. It is interesting to note that John Franklin Fort’s uncle, George Franklin Fort, was the Democratic Governor of New Jersey from 1851 to 1854. This postcard was published by the Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey. Benjamin Whitehead (1858-1940) was born in Newark. He received his technical information from the Cooper Union Institute in New York City. He became a printer and some of his printing samples were exhibited at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. In 1876, he opened his own firm in Newark. The business was named Whitehead & Clark. Whitehead liked to travel domestically and abroad (he visited 22 nations)  and he took many photographs as well as gathered ideas for novelties for his business to produce. Whitehouse was joined in business by Chester R. Hoag (1860-1935). They incorporated their business in 1892. Whitehead & Hoag manufactured over 5,000 different novelty advertising items. They were considered the largest business in the nation that manufactured advertising novelties. They were particularly well known for their efforts producing advertising buttons. The company opened offices around the U.S. and in some international cities. In 1959, the company was sold and shuttered it’s doors. This would be nice addition to any New Jersey politics collection. The postcard is from about 1907.     (SOLD)           

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PORTRAIT OF A LITTLE GIRL AND HER DOLL IN VINELAND, NEW JERSEY

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A cute little girl sits on a bench at the Victory Studio in Vineland, New Jersey. The child has her arm around her beloved doll and could not sit any closer to this prized possession. Residue on the reverse side of this photograph indicates that it once resided in her family’s photo album. This vintage photograph measures about  5″ x 7 3/4″. (SOLD)

Published in: on July 27, 2015 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF AN ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOK-A-LIKE IN TRENTON, NEW JERSEY

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The gentleman in this cabinet card portrait looks amazingly like Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), the 16th President of the United States. As much a I would like this to be an early photograph of Lincoln, it most certainly is not. This photograph was produced several years after Lincoln’s death. The photographer of this image was George Pine (1840-1906). For part of George’s photography career he operated a studio with his brother Robert G. Pine. Records indicate that Pine conducted his business at the 27 & 29 East State between 1878 and 1888. He operated out of several addresses over the course of his career and all of his galleries were located in Trenton, New Jersey. I was able to confirm that he ran the studios from at least 1872 through the early 1900’s. George was born in New Jersey. An 1867 business directory indicates that he and his brother had a gold and silver plating business before entering the field of photography. The 1880 US census reveals that George lived in Trenton with his wife Theodosia Burroughs Pine (1842-1900). The couple were living alone. The Trenton Evening Times (1906) ran George’s obituary. He died in Trenton although he did spend some years in Florida where his wife passed away. At the time of his death he was the curator of the Cadwalader Park Museum. The article states that after a successful photography career, George had become a “prominent naturalist”. Cadwalader Park is located in Trenton.The park is nearly 100 acres and is the city’s oldest park (construction began in 1887). The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (creator of New York City’s Central Park).

 

PORTRAIT OF A TRAIN CONDUCTOR (RAILROAD OF NEW JERSEY)

NJ CONDUCTOR_0001J. C. Sunderlin produced this portrait of a train conductor in full uniform. Sunderlin operated a studio on Main Street in Flemington, New Jersey. The subject of this photograph is wearing a cap that has a plate tag which states “Conductor”. The patches on the lapel of his jacket indicate that he was employed by the “Railroad of New Jersey”. It is likely, but not certain, that this gentleman worked for the Central Railroad of New Jersey. This railway line has its roots in the 1830’s but adopted the Central Railroad name in 1849.  Note this gentleman’s terrific bushy mustache. The photographer, John Corbin Sunderlin was born in 1835 at Fort Anne, New York. His birth name was John Corbin Vorce but his mother died during his infancy and he was adopted at nine years of age. He married Harriet A. Penny in 1855 and the couple had five children. In 1856 he left farming for photography. He became an itinerate photographer and his studio was located on a horse drawn wagon. During the civil war he enlisted in the 5th Vermont Volunteer Infantry where he reached the rank of sergeant. His obituary states that he served three years in participated in eight major battles until he was wounded at Fredericksburg. After the war he settled in Fort Edward, New York. While living in Fort Edward he was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Masons, Odd Fellows, and the New York State Prohibition Party. He worked as a photographer until 1870 when he was ordained by the Methodist Church. In 1880 he left his ministry work and returned to his career in photography. He operated a studio in Flemington until 1902 when he bought a studio in Blairstown, New Jersey from William C. Walters. He remained in Blairstown until his death from pneumonia in 1911.

PRETTY AND AUSTERE: A YOUNG WOMAN IN NEW YORK CITY (PHOTOGRAPHED BY PACH, 1879)

pretty austere_0004This cabinet card portrait of a pretty and fashionable young woman is the work of G. W. Pach. The woman in the photograph appears quite austere but of course sometimes appearance can be deceptive. Pach, and the Pach Brothers, were celebrated photographers of their era. G. W. Pach’s studio at the time of this photograph was located at 841 Broadway at the corner of 13th Street in New York City. Pach also had branch studios at Harvard and Yale Universities as well as in Poughkeepsie and West Point, New York. In addition, there were branch studios in Long Branch and Ocean Grove, New Jersey. The aforementioned studios are all mentioned in print on the reverse of the cabinet card. Also on the back of the image is a pencilled date indicating that this photograph was taken in 1879. To learn more about the Pach Brothers and to view additional photographs taken by them , click on the category “Photographer: Pach Bros”.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DRESS IN PHILADELPHIA: LAURA DEXTER TELLS COUSIN GUSSIE ABOUT HER ADVENTURES IN FASHION

“Dear Gussie,

Here is a Photo of my self in full dress if you would rather have me in my black lace dress I will exchange this for it. Everyone thinks this is the best I have ever had taken. Recd (received) your letter will answer it tomorrow. I tinted this for you.

With love, Your devoted Cousin,   Laura Decker.”

The above is the inscription found on the reverse of this cabinet card. Laura Decker was definitely fashion conscious and also very excited about her appearance in this photograph. She was also eager to share her joy with her cousin Gussie. Although this is not a particularly flattering image of Laura, the dress certainly photographed well. Laura’s message to her cousin is interesting though while reading it, I felt almost guilty as if I was reading someone else’s mail. That feeling shouldn’t be too surprising because that’s exactly what I was doing. The photographer of this cabinet card was a studio belonging to George F. Chandler & Samuel Scheetz. They operated their business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One source indicates that the studio was located on Arch Street in Philadelphia between  1880 and 1893. Another source reveals that the two men had a gallery in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1885. The business was located on the Boardwalk at the corner of South Carolina Avenue. To view additional photographs by Chandler & Scheetz, click on the category “Chandler & Scheetz”. Further information about Laura Decker could not be located because there were a number of women in Philadelphia who shared that name.

RUFFIAN LOOKING MAN POSES FOR RUFFIAN PHOTOGRAPHER WITH A NEW IDEA IN PICTURE HANGING (NEW JERSEY)

An intense looking gentleman poses for his portrait at the studio of Albert Vetter. Vetter operated two photographic galleries in New Jersey; one was in Jersey City, while the other was located in Hoboken.  The man in this photograph is dressed formally, like a gentleman;  but he has the look of a ruffian. Could be an interesting story about the discrepancy, but no identifying information is available about the man in this photograph. On the subject of ruffians, wait until you hear about the photographer of this image. The magazine, The Camera and the Darkroom ( 1904) reported that Vetter was at odds with the family that lived in the house that was also the home of his studio. Vetter got a picture of the  head of the family, who recently died. He enlarged the picture and fastened a rope  around it at the neck, and hung it out the window. The daughter of the late man, got a step ladder and removed the photograph. A “war of words” followed and Vetter was arrested. He was arraigned in front of a judge for disorderly conduct and he was put up for bond to maintain the peace. The magazine used a humorous headline to describe this incident;  “New Idea in Picture Hanging”.

Published in: on November 6, 2011 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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