ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL : ALBION, ILLINOIS : SPUN DRESS : CABINET CARD PORTRAIT

This cabinet card portrait features an adorable little girl standing on a chair covered with a fur throw. She is wearing, a spun dress. This photograph was taken by the Ronald’s studio located in Albion, Illinois. The photo was likely taken sometime between 1880 and 1900. The photographer is likely Frank Ronald. The 1910 census reveals that he was a photographer and lived in Wayne City, Illinois (28 miles from Albion). Photographers of this era often had studios in  close together towns. The cabinet card is in very good condition (see scans). 

Buy this Cabinet Card Photograph (includes shipping within the US) #5954

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$26.00

Buy this Vintage Original Cabinet Card (includes International shipping outside the US) #5954

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$36.00

PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN : RENSLER’S STUDIO : CINCINNATI, OHIO: MABELE FISHWICK : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features a studio portrait of a pretty young woman  wearing an adorable hat. The woman’s name is embossed above her image on the card. Her name was “Mabele Fishwick”. The 1900 US census reveals that Mabele was 15 years-old, born in 1884, and lived with her parents and 13 year-old brother in Cincinnati. In 1908 she married Clarence H. Hinsdale. The couple’s marriage ended in divorce. She married again in 1922 to Hewett Griggs Robertson. During World War I, Mabele worked with the Red Cross and then went to Washington DC to work for the government (Civilian Personel Army Ordnance”. During that time, Mabele was on a flight from Washington DC to Dayton, Ohio. Due to gale force winds, the plane, carrying nine passengers, had to make an emergency landing in a farmer’s field. In an interview with a reporter, Mabele said that pilots needed to be more careful where they choose to land. She explained that the Pennsylvania farmer who owned the field, charged the pilot $250.00 for “parking priviliges” and charged each occupant of the plane 50 cents for walking across his property. Mabele’s portrait was taken by Rensler’s studio, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The advertising on the reverse of the postcard indicates that the studio had more than one location in Cincinnati as well as a location in Cleveland, Ohio. According to one historical Cincinnati blog, Rensler’s was one of the few photo studios in Cincinnati that accepted African American clients. The studio operated for 83 years and shut down in 1989. I have seen a number of photographs by this studio and many are excellent. The AZO stamp box on this card indicates that the postcard dates back to between 1918 and 1930.  (SOLD)

UNIFORMED FIREMAN : POMEROY, OHIO : CABINET CARD

This terrific cabinet card features a uniformed fireman wearing insignia on his chest and belt that indicates he was likely a member of the first brigade of his department. The photographer is Ernest F. Feiger (1832-1900) of Pomereoy, Ohio. He was a portrait and landscape photographer active in Pomeroy between 1860 and 1891. Feiger was a native of Pennsylvania. His son, Harry E. Feiger,  joined the studio by 1887.  SOLD

MRS JAMES BROWN POTTER (SOCIALITE AND THEATRE ACTRESS)

CABINET CARD 1  (SOLD)

CABINET CARD CARD 2

CABINET CARD 3

In writing about Mrs James Brown Potter, an author stated “She was singularly beautiful with her pale delicate chiseled face, long dark eyes, and hair like burnished bronze with copper lights”. Mrs Brown Potter (1859-1936) was born Mary Cora Urquhart,  the daughter of a wealthy  New Orleans Colonel. She was one of the first American society women to join the stage. In 1877 she married a very wealth New York socialite, James Brown Potter. That same year she made her stage debut at Theatre Royal in Brighton, England. Soon thereafter, she partnered with actor Kyrle Bellew and they frequently performed together over a ten year period. She performed in the United States and in Europe. She retired from the stage in 1912. She was active in raising money for war charities during the Second Boer War. Mrs Brown Potter was considered a competent actress, but not an outstanding performer.

In the Cabinet Card 1 photograph, Mrs. Potter looks very beautiful as she peers through a curtained doorway. Her gown was likely made by the best dress makers of the time and was assuredly very expensive. Falk, the photographer of this cabinet card, was a famous celebrity photographer in New York City. To see other photographs by Falk, click on the category “Photographer: Falk”.  (SOLD)

The Cabinet Card 2 photograph of Cora Potter was photographed by Kuebler of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She appears to be in costume and is clearly a beautiful woman with fetching eyes. To view other photographs by and to learn more about Kuebler, click on the category “Photographer: Kuebler”.

The Cabinet Card 3 photograph of Mrs Potter was produced by Jose Maria Mora, a celebrity photographer based in New York City. The image was part of a series (#7). To view other photographs by this photographer, click on the category “Photographer: Mora”. Mrs Potter looks quite elegant in this cabinet card portrait. Her hat can best be described as “floral”. The photograph is stamped on the reverse with the name of the gallery that originally sold it (“John Hoch Art Store, 118 Court Street, Boston”). Hoch’s obituary appears in the Bulletin of Photography and the article reports that he was the first among Boston’s photographers to sell photographs of celebrities. He had been engaged in the photography and picture frame business in Boston for more than fifty years. The obituary mentions that he was of German heritage and was 84 years old at the time of his death. His cause of death was cerebral hemorrhage.

GQ MAN (TURN OF THE CENTURY FASHION PLATE)

This cabinet card features a handsome man who is obviously very fashion conscious. He is wearing beautiful clothes, and is wearing a ring, pocket watch, and fob. This stylish gentleman displays an air of superiority. He is holding his derby hat in such a way, that it appears to be floating. The dandy in this photograph and the photographer are not identified. The photograph was trimmed to fit into a former owners album or picture frame.  SOLD

PRETTY WOMAN AND HER UNUSUAL HAT (POST CABINET CARD ERA PHOTOGRAPH)

This post cabinet card era photograph features a portrait of a beautiful well dressed woman. She is wearing a large and unusual hat. In my opinion, calling the hat unusual is an act of kindness. There are certainly more befitting descriptions. The identity and location of the photographer responsible for this very fine photograph is unknown. There is an inscription on the reverse of the image reveals that this lovely lady’s name is “E. Snider Smith”. This photograph measures about 5 3/4″ x 4″ and is in excellent condition.

Buy this original Vintage Photograph (includes shipping within the US) #7028

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$35.00

Buy this original Vintage Photograph (includes International shipping outside the US) #7028

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$45.00

SUZANNE BALQUERIE : FRENCH OPERA STAR : PHOTO BY HENRI MANUEL : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features French opera singer, Suzanne Balguerie (1888-1973). She is considered one of the best sopranos performing between the two World Wars. She studied singing at the Conservatoire de Paris. Her debut was at the Opera-Comique in 1921. She received rave reviews. She made a career at the Opera-Comique. When the Nazis occupied France during World War II, there was little opportunity for her to work and she became impoverished. She retired in 1950 and in 1953 she became a professor at the Conservatories in Grenoble and Geneva. For an unknown reason, she did not pursue an international opera career. Mlle Balquerie’s photo portrait seen on this postcard was taken by esteemed photographer, Henri Manuel. The card was published by Alfred Noyer (Paris, France).  (SOLD)

PHOTOGRAPH OF WORKERS IN A TAILOR SHOP OR CLOTHING FACTORY : OCCUPATIONAL

This vintage miniature postcard features an inside look at a tailor shop or clothing factory. One wonders what hardships these workers faced in their daily jobs. Unfairly, my first thought when I saw this photograph concerned the The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory located in Greenwich Village, New York City. A fire in the factory, complicated by poor safety measures in the building, caused the death of 146 garment workers. I find it interesting to try to read the expressions of the workers in this photograph. The woman in the white dress/blouse has her head down and appears to be the only one in the shop working while being photographed. Was she bored with the photo shoot, or was she under pressure to produce an excessive amount of work? Was this factory a sweat shop? Note the sewing machine and hanging spools of thread in the image.  (SOLD)

BARNES & GRAHAM : 1924 OLYMPICS (PARIS) : AMERICAN POLE VAULTERS : RPPC (1924)

This vintage real photo postcard features two American pole vaulters, Lee Barnes and Glenn Graham. The pair competed in the 1924  (Paris) Olympics. Lee Barnes  competed at two Olympic Games, winning a gold medal in 1924 and placing fifth in 1928. He won his gold medal just after graduating from high school. Later, he attended USC. He was the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) champion in 1927, after placing second in 1925 and third in 1926. In 1928, he set a world record. After college, he worked for a stock exchange and then for an oil company warehouse. During World War II he served in the US glider corps. Post war, he settled in Oxnard, California and started a welding supply company. Glenn Graham was a pole vaulter for Cal Tech. At the 1924 Olympics he lost a jump-off with Lee Barnes. Grahams son made the 1956 U.S. Olympic team as pole vaulter but did not participate, giving his spot to another pole vaulter, deemed to be a better competitor for an Olympic medal. This postcard portrait captures Barnes and Graham at the 1924 Olympic games. Note the vaulting poles on the ground next to the teammates. This postcard was published by Alfred Noyer as part of a series (No.405).  (SOLD)

ATTRACTIVE COUPLE IN WEST POINT, MISSISSIPPI (NOTE THE WOMAN’S PINCE NEZ)

This vintage photograph features an attractive and well dressed young couple. Perhaps this photo is a wedding picture. The couple are wearing formal clothing and the woman is flashing a ring on the ring finger of her left hand. The gentleman is wearing a wide collar as well as cuff links. The woman has what appears to be a tied loose cord hanging loosely from her waist. I wonder what the purpose is of the cord. Is it just for fashion sake? The woman is also wearing a pince nez, a style of glasses popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The glasses stay on the wearers face by pinching the bridge of their nose. The glasses have no earpieces. An inscription, lightly written in pencil on the reverse of the photograph provides us with some information about the photograph. The photo was taken in 1903 or 1904. The studio was located in West Point, Mississippi. It is situated in the Northeast section of the state. In 1909, President William Taft visited West Point, Mississippi and made some remarks as he stood on the platform of the last train car.   SOLD