BAD HAIR DAY IN WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON

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She woke up in the morning and looked in the mirror. “Oh no”, she exclaimed! “I’m supposed to go down to Winchester and Bardo’s studio for a cabinet card portrait and I am having the worst hair day of my life”. Always a quick thinker, she took her shawl out of her bedroom chest of drawers, and placed it strategically over her head, covering most of her wild locks of hair.  She looked in the mirror, exited the front door, and with some apprehension, walked to the photography studio on First Street, in Walla Walla.  On the way to the photographer, she was approached by an inquisitive out of town visitor who asked her why the town was called Walla Walla.  She explained to the visitor that proud Walla Walla residents like to say that their town was so nice, that they named it twice.  She added that if the truth be told, Walla Walla is a Native American expression for “place of many waters”.   (SOLD)

Published in: on August 31, 2023 at 8:39 am  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF A BEAUTIFUL FRENCH FRINGED FLAPPER

This vintage real photo postcard features a pretty young woman wearing unusual attire. She is dressed in clothing that indicates that this photograph was taken during the “flapper” era. Note her interesting hat, knitted fringed shawl, hoop earrings, and high heel shoes. The woman has a beautiful smile. On the floor, next to her chair, is a bouquet of flowers. The previous owner of this photo postcard asserted that it is of French origin. The “AZO” stamp box reveals that the photo on this postcard was taken sometime between 1926 and the 1940’s. This postcard is unique in that it was produced at a private studio, rather than mass produced at a postcard publishing company.  (SOLD)

Published in: on June 6, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF TWO WOMAN IN MASSIVE HATS

The Cabinet Card Gallery is fortunate to have many historical fashion experts  among its visitors. Hopefully, one or more of them will leave comments that offer an explanation about the history behind the hats seen in this cabinet card. The two women featured in this image are wearing shawls and massive hats. Are these hats part of a uniform or costume of some sort of order or organization? Are these hats on steroids? There is no identifying information concerning the subjects or the photographer written on either side of the cabinet card.

Published in: on September 18, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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OLD WOMAN WEARING A SHAWL AND HOLDING A BOOK IN WATKINS, NEW YORK

Photographer R. D. Crum produced this terrific portrait of an older woman whose hairstyle and fashion choices allows one to say that she is  dressed for the part. Before I am accused of being an ageist, let me say that I am well aware that there were, and are many older people who are quite fashionable and contemporary. The fact is though, that if I was casting a movie and needed a character to play an elderly 1890’s woman, this lady has got the part hands down and doesn’t even need to audition. The subject of this photograph has her gray hair parted in the middle and she wears it close to her scalp. She is wearing a black dress, as well as a black shawl which is clasped by a piece of jewelry. There appears to be lace or needle work on her shawl and sleeves. She holds a book on her lap with her thumb holding a place in the volume. She has an extremely serious expression on her face. The photographer, Richard D. Crum was located in the 1860 census and he is listed as working as a “Dagarian Artist”  (photographer) in Watkins, New York. The 1870 census finds Crum working as a clerk in New York City and living there with his wife and three children. The 1880 census finds Crum still married to his wife Maria and working as a photographer in Watkins. He lived in a residence with his wife and three children and a 21 year old boarder named, George Stanley, who worked as a photographer (likely “apprenticing” to Crum). Interestingly, living nearby was a Fred Crum, who was listed as a photographer (one of Richard Crum’s children?). An application that Crum made for a passport in 1897 is on record and lists his birth year as 1831. By 1900, Crum had left the field of photography and was living in Ocean, New Jersey. He died in 1913 and is buried in West Long Branch, New Jersey.

Published in: on August 21, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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