MEMBER OF A FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION IN FULL UNIFORM IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

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This cabinet card portrait features a gentleman in the full uniform of his unidentified fraternal organization. He is wearing a plumed hat and white gloves. He is holding a sword. The man, like many of his era, was likely proud of his participation in the organization. Proud enough to want to be photographed in his uniform. He likely displayed the image at home and shared copies with friends and family. The photographer of this cabinet card image, Arthur Rugg, has a number of other photographs that can be seen in the Cabinet Card Gallery. Click on the category “Photographer: Rugg” to view the images and to learn more about him. Mr. Rugg was a scoundrel. Judging by Rugg’s images in the gallery, he was also a talented photographer who had a propensity to take relatively close-up photographs.

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Published in: on January 1, 2017 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MYSTERY PHOTOGRAPH: POSSIBLY FRENCH CAVALRY SOLDIERS AND THEIR SWORDS AND HELMETS (HELP NEEDED FROM CABINET CARD GALLERY’S VAST AND UNPAID RESEARCH DEPARTMENT)

SOLDIERS AND SWORDSThe previous owner of this photograph described the subjects in the image as World War I French Cavalry soldiers. The soldiers are wearing collar pins that identify their military unit as being the “29th”. They are drinking glasses of wine from a bottle on the table. The men have long swords and there are three helmets on the floor in front of the men. My uneducated guess is that these military men are part of a fencing team. There is a within the photograph which would provide more information but I can not decipher the script on the label. A stamp on the reverse of the photograph identifies the photographer as Moraux and the location of his studio as Provins, which is in north central France. Assistance is clearly needed from the cabinet card gallery’s vast and unpaid research department. The visitors to the cabinet card gallery have a history of contributing informed and thoughtful knowledge via their comments. Knowledge that helps us further our appreciation and understanding of the gallery’s images.

Published in: on May 8, 2013 at 12:02 am  Comments (11)  
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THEATRE ACTRESS: LIZZIE WEBSTER AT THE BEACH

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The top cabinet card features theatre actress Lizzie Webster posing at the beach. OK; its not the beach, but it is a fake beach, at the studio of celebrity photographer, Mora, in New York City, New York. Webster appeared on the American stage in the late 1870’s and early 1880’s. She appeared on tour in Edward Rice’s popular  show, “Evangeline”. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1878) described Miss Webster as a “shapely brunette”, and a “beautiful being”. However,  the article states that she did not possess a good voice. In 1893, Lizzie Webster died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To see other photographs by Mora, click on Cabinet Card Gallery’s category “Photographer: Mora”.

The second cabinet card features Miss Webster in costume, complete with a sword at her side. This image as well as the top image demonstrates that Lizzie Webster was not too modest to exhibit her legs. Both photographs are a bit risque because of this immodesty. The photographer of this image is unknown because the photograph has been trimmed and the reverse of the photo card has a large sticker covering much of the cards back. The sticker identifies the photograph as the property of Culver Pictures of New York City. The firm owned the rights to the image and would allow the media to use the image, if they paid for the privilege.

Published in: on January 23, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (6)  
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CAVALRY OFFICER WITHOUT A HORSE AND WITHOUT A COUNTRY

A cavalry officer poses for his portrait at an unknown studio in an unknown location. This handsome military man is wearing what appears to be riding gloves and a sword in a sheath on his belt. He also has a belt buckle which may provide some additional information. However, limited magnification availability has precluded uncovering further identifying information on the buckle. It is unlikely that the subject is a member of an American cavalry unit. There is an embroidered crown on his left sleeve which may indicate he served in a Canadian or British mounted brigade. Another possibility is that the subject is actually an actor wearing a theatrical costume. Hopefully, a cabinet card visitor will leave an enlightening comment concerning this man’s identity.

Published in: on September 3, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (5)  
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FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION MAN WITH A FEATHER IN HIS HAT IN EAST CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS

A gentleman poses for his portrait in the full uniform of his fraternal organization. The name of his fraternal organization is unknown to me but hopefully a visitor to this image will be able to identify it. I am sure that the crossed canes (which aren’t likely really canes) on the sash and jacket sleeves will be the major clue in accurate identification of the group. The uniform’s hat has a feather and I wonder if that is a tassel we see over his left shoulder or if it’s a turn of the century mullet. Note the man’s belt buckle and sword. The sword has an elaborate handle. Legibility problems interfere with identifying the photographer who produced this portrait. It is not an infrequent occurrence when fancy script makes it impossible to identify a photographers name on a cabinet card. Sometimes one can find the photographer’s name in such circumstances by researching the studio’s address. Such a search was done in this case but it was not productive.

Published in: on July 13, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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TWO INTERESTINGLY DRESSED GUYS ARM IN ARM IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA

This interesting oversized cabinet card was photographed by L. Grillich in Vienna, Austria. The subjects are two very interesting looking young men. One man is wearing a tuxedo and top hat. He is holding a cane and wearing eyeglasses. The second young man appears to be wearing a formal military uniform. He is holding white gloves and wearing a sword. There is likely an interesting story attached to this photograph but that story is lost to history. The photographer of this image was Ludwig Grillich (1855-1926). Grillich was a portrait photographer  located in Vienna and in Franzensbad. Included in the list of famous subjects of his portraits, are Johann Strauss, Johannes Brahms and Sigmud Freud. Grillich is also known for a series of postcards he published that displayed many of  Vienna’s famous buildings of that era.

Published in: on December 16, 2010 at 9:21 pm  Leave a Comment  
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TWO BOYS PLAYING SOLDIER IN ST. GALLEN, SWITZERLIND

Two boys are dressed in what appears to be military style, as they pose for photographer Otto Rietmann in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The older boy is holding a sword and wearing a gun powder horn. The younger boy is holding something that looks like a decorated lance. Perhaps a visitor to the cabinet card gallery can add additional information about this image.

Published in: on September 18, 2010 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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