Portraits from the first 100 years of photography
The young man appearing on this carte-de-visite could be certain everyone would remember his profession. You might even say he was in tune with the latest trends in advertising and self-promotion. The one thing he neglected to do was write his name on the back, which is a pity. The CDV was made by James... Continue Reading →
If you've already looked at the previous post, Jeanne Fouillon and her beautiful harp, then you've already seen the portrait above. When I put that post together last week, I hadn't yet tried to identify the dignified gentleman with the harp. It seemed like a long shot, but one that might be worth a try. ... Continue Reading →
Is there any instrument as angelic to the ear and eye as the harp? I had hoped to find a reference to Jeanne Fouillon online, but haven't succeeded so far. Her harp is certainly very graceful and beautiful to the eye. The carte-de-visite was made by Augustin Michel in Grenoble, France, around 1890. Jeanne's... Continue Reading →
It was relatively rare for women in Britain and North America to set up their own commercial studios in the nineteenth century. In Scandinavia, in contrast, women seem to have embraced the business of photography from the earliest days and to have enjoyed commercial success on a par with their male counterparts. This topic has... Continue Reading →
These two young men may have been students at a military academy or members of a cadet corps, which was another type of officer-training program. They're both wearing a military-style tunic with no insignia. It's also possible the tunic was part of a uniform at an educational institution not connected to the military. I'll update... Continue Reading →
This enigmatic portrait was made by career photographer Stephen H. Waite (1836-1906). My eyes were first drawn to the large brush in the woman's hand, then quickly moved to the striking brooch which may have served to clasp her beautiful coat. Another fine garment is draped over the chair, possibly a cloak. Was she an... Continue Reading →
This is the first tintype I've put on the blog. Though darker than photos printed on paper, tintypes were inexpensive to produce and more durable than paper, which made them quite popular in the 1860s and 1870s. Soldiers carried them during the American Civil War. They could be produced easily in a mobile studio, so... Continue Reading →
Vermonters and other New Englanders have traditionally been considered industrious, pragmatic and thrifty. Vermont is an agricultural state with no major cities. Hardscrabble family farms, called hill farms, were the norm for much of the state's history. The man in this portrait looks to me like a hard-working, no-nonsense farmer who doesn't take days off... Continue Reading →
The back of this postcard has a note: "Connie Richards, friend of Aurore (Chaillé) Marotte." Aurore is easy to find in Census records, but Connie eluded me. In 1920 Aurore B. Marotte (age 25) was living with her husband, Adelard, and her siblings in the home of her father, Azaire Chaillé, in New Bedford, Massachusetts. ... Continue Reading →
I had never heard of Jean Ingelow before I saw this carte-de-visite, but her pose and expression charmed me. It was made by the studio of Elliott & Fry in London, where she lived. The daughter of an English banker father and a Scottish mother, she was the oldest of ten children. Jean Ingelow (1820-1897)... Continue Reading →
This CDV was made by George C. Hunter of Chebanse, a small town just south of Chicago. A note on the back says, "Lovingly, Kittie. Nov 9th, 1882." According to U.S. Census data found on the Wikipedia page of Chebanse, in 1880 the village had a population of 723. In 1890 the population had dropped... Continue Reading →
I had assumed the clothing in this photo was Scottish, but someone said the design of the bottom of the dress looks more Irish. Any insights from visitors would be appreciated! This bonnie lass was photographed by O. Frank Stafford in Minneapolis. According to the Minnesota Historical Society's "Directory of Minnesota Photographers," his studio was... Continue Reading →
Tokens of Companionship 
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